To ask the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills what steps his Department is taking to finance and maintain levels of enrolment on higher education courses for speech and language therapists.

I have been asked to reply.

Within the overall resources allocated, it is a matter for each strategic health authority (SHA) to determine their own priorities including how much is spent on pre-registration training commissions for speech and language therapists. Under the current service level agreement with SHAs each SHA is expected to provide for investment in training commissions based on long-term workforce need and local financial plans.