Diana Warwick

Gordon Brown's Budget reaffirmed promises to maintain 'record investment in schools' and provide 25,000 more doctors and 80,000 more nurses by 2008.

Forum Response: Universities UK

Diana Warwick, chief executive of Universities UK, said: "The government's continued emphasis on raising levels of education and skills is encouraging, as is confirmation of the rises in education spending announced last year.

"In particular, we note the encouragement of both lifelong learning and, through increased subsidies, work-related training. Universities and colleges play a key role in both these areas. Additionally, we hope that the drive to improve attainment levels at Level Two and beyond will help to encourage further progress in the drive to widen access to higher education and move towards the 50 per cent participation target.

"Universities UK will study the proposed expansion of measures to encourage innovation to see how universities may benefit from these changes through their wide-ranging knowledge transfer and research activities. Universities are already centres of regional innovation; we therefore note the government's emphasis on stimulating innovation in the regions and will look for ways to ensure that universities are fully involved as we look to the future.

"We also note with interest the establishment of a gap year volunteer corps, and look forward to seeing further detail of how this scheme will work. Experience gained through such a scheme may of course be of particular relevance to students, and future students, in many fields of higher education study, as well as enhancing community engagement. In the longer term it will also be interesting to see how the establishment of child trust funds might help those young people wishing to enter higher education in the future, to do so.

"Finally, Universities UK welcomes the intention through proposed immigration changes to increase flexibility for international students graduating from UK universities in maths, science and technology to remain in the UK for longer."

Forum Response: National Consumer Council

Deirdre Hutton, chairman for the National Consumer Council, said: "Sustained investment and reforms are good news, but real improvements to public services will only be achieved if the people who use the services every day are fully involved.

"People tell us that they want to be involved, and they want good public services they can rely on - with health services and education still being areas of real concern."

Forum Response: Royal College Nursing

A spokeswoman for the RCN said: "The Royal College of Nursing welcomes the government's continued commitment to investment in the NHS and public services announced in the budget.

"The RCN believes the chancellor's target of 80,000 more nurses by 2008 is ambitious. Over the next five years, some 50,000 nurses in the NHS will reach retirement age. The recruitment and retention of nurses is still a major challenge, particularly given the global shortage.

"The RCN has recommended the Agenda for Change proposals to its 355,000 members as it believes the pay and modernisation package will address nursing shortages by delivering long term benefits and career opportunities for nurses.

"The issue of long term care continues to be of significant importance to the RCN. Whilst the announcement of the abolition of the hotel charge imposed on thousands of pensioners in hospital for their meals and accommodation is welcomed, the RCN will continue to lobby the government to fully fund free nursing and personal care across the UK.

"The RCN also welcomes the announcement of the Spending Review's examination of childcare and family friendly policies and looks forward to informing government policy in this area."

Forum Response: Nursing and Midwifery Council

A spokesman for the NMC told ePolitix.com: "The NMC welcomes the funding announced for training as part of Agenda for Change. Continuing professional development is an important part of maintaining safe practice and we often hear from practitioners through our Professional Advice Service that they're not receiving enough support for training."