NHS STUDENT BURSARY v LOAN

Early day motion 866, tabled 14 December 2015 by Alan Meale (Labour). Signed by 37 members.

That this House is aware of the mass petition currently gathering momentum opposed to Government plans to replace NHS bursaries with student loans; believes such a direction would be wrong and fundamentally unfair as unlike other students most student nurses spend half their time on unpaid clinical placements in hospitals and the community, have a longer academic year than other students, have little time to earn money, as well as their average ages being around 29 years, with many having their own children; notes the pay for registered nurses is far lower than other graduate professions making it unlikely they would ever earn sufficient wages to refund such borrowings; and calls on the Government in the interests of the nation's health to stop such a stupid and short-sighted route to nowhwere.

Signatures by party: Labour 21, Scottish National Party 7, Social Democratic and Labour Party 2, Conservative 1, DUP 1, Green 1, Independent 1, Labour/Co-operative 1, Liberal Democrat 1, Plaid Cymru 1.