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1024226

	answering body	Department for Education
	house id	2
	type	WrittenParliamentaryQuestion
	answer	answer answer text <p>​​Both the Department for Education (DfE) and Office for Students (OfS) were made aware of the decision to defer the planned speech by the Israeli Ambassador. The DfE’s Further Education/Higher Education coordinator has been in contact with the institution.</p><p>​Freedom of speech is a crucial element of higher education and government and OfS are committed to championing it and to promoting open debate and challenge. Universities are autonomous bodies and are responsible for taking their own decisions around how to manage events and mitigate risks; handling of individual cases is not dictated by government or by the OfS. The OfS has powers to intervene if providers are not following their own free speech codes of practice</p>
	tabling member	3756 label Biography information for Baroness Deech

1024869

	answering body	Department for Education
	house id	2
	type	WrittenParliamentaryQuestion
	answer	answer answer text <p>​Widening participation is a priority for this government. We want to ensure that everyone with the potential to benefit from a university education has the opportunity to do so, regardless of their background or where they grew up. Significant progress has been made in recent years; in 2018, 18-year olds from disadvantaged backgrounds were 52% more likely to enter full-time higher education than in 2009.</p><p> </p><p>However, we have made clear our expectation that the Office for Students (OfS) will challenge universities to make greater progress in widening access and participation.</p><p> </p><p>For example, we have asked the OfS to explore further the use of contextual information in university admissions, such as whether an applicant comes from a low participation neighbourhood or attends a school that does not send many students to university.</p><p> </p><p>​We expect universities to use unconditional offers responsibly. There are cases where the use of unconditional offers can be justified, however the systematic use of unconditional offers is not in the interest of students.</p>
	tabling member	4256 label Biography information for The Lord Bishop of Winchester

1046297

	answering body	Department for Education
	house id	2
	type	WrittenParliamentaryQuestion
	answer	answer answer text <p>​There is no place for extremism in our society and extremist views should be exposed and challenged.</p><p> </p><p>The Department for Education has not engaged with any institutions, including SOAS University of London, in relation to the Henry Jackson Society report.</p><p> </p><p>The government believes that free speech should been encouraged, provided that it is within the law as it encourages debate and understanding. Challenging extremist speakers and events is an important part of tackling extremist narratives. However, this does not mean closing down lawful speech, but rather ensuring the right steps are taken to counter extremist narratives and make sure that those who wish to spread hatred do not go unchallenged.</p><p> </p><p>The Prevent duty requires higher education institutions to ensure they have mitigated the risk of extremist speakers spreading harmful narratives before an event can go ahead.</p><p> </p><p>​The Equality and Human Rights Commission is developing new guidance on freedom of speech in higher education, which will be published shortly.</p>
	tabling member	738 label Biography information for Lord Alton of Liverpool

1050775

	answering body	Department for Education
	house id	2
	type	WrittenParliamentaryQuestion
	answer	answer answer text <p>​The terms and conditions of repayment of student loans are set out by the Education (Student Loans) (Repayment) Regulations 2009 (as amended). These regulations make provision for repayment for borrowers resident both in the UK and overseas, including the EU.</p><p> </p><p>The Department for Education continues to work closely with the Student Loans Company (SLC) to ensure a robust overseas repayment strategy. The SLC has arrangements in place to collect repayments from borrowers who move away from the UK and establishes a repayment schedule based on the borrower’s income and provides information on the methods of repayment available.</p><p> </p><p>If borrowers based overseas fail to remain in contact with the SLC, the SLC will set up a fixed repayment schedule and place those borrowers in arrears. Borrowers with post-2012 loans who have not remained in contact with the SLC are charged the maximum interest rate of RPI+3% until they get back in touch. Further action, including legal action, can then be taken to secure recovery.</p>
	tabling member	3801 label Biography information for Lord Browne of Belmont

1061390

	answering body	Department for Education
	house id	2
	type	WrittenParliamentaryQuestion
	answer	answer answer text <p>Widening access and participation in higher and further education is a priority for this government. Everyone with the capability to succeed should have  the opportunity to benefit from a university education, regardless of their background or where they grew up. On 1 February 2019, we announced measures to tackle ethnic disparities in higher education. The announcement is attached and can also be found at: <a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/news/universities-must-do-more-to-tackle-ethnic-disparity" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/government/news/universities-must-do-more-to-tackle-ethnic-disparity</a>.</p><p> </p><p>The new regulator for higher education, the Office for Students (OfS) has a statutory duty in regards to students who share particular characteristics, (protected under the Equality Act 2010), and where there is specific evidence that barriers exist that may prevent equality of opportunity, including those from the Gypsy, Roma and Traveller communities.</p><p> </p><p>Through Access and Participation Plans agreed with the OfS, higher education providers are expected to reduce the gaps in access, success and progression for under-represented groups amongst their students.</p><p> </p><p>Eligible 16 to 19 year olds do not pay tuition fees for post-16 further education (e.g. A Levels and approved technical qualifications). This enables young people to meet the requirement of continuing to participate in education or training beyond the age of 16.</p><p> </p><p>Eligibility to receive public funding for further education for adults (those aged 19 and above), is based on age, prior attainment and a learner’s circumstances. Skills provision is prioritised and focussed towards young adults, those with low skills and unemployed people who are actively seeking work.</p><p> </p><p>In addition, the government also provides financial support to enable learners to participate in post-16 further education, whatever their financial situation. This includes contributions to costs such as transport, childcare, essential books, equipment and accommodation.</p>
	tabling member	2510 label Biography information for Baroness Whitaker

1077036

	answering body	Department for Education
	house id	2
	type	WrittenParliamentaryQuestion
	answer	answer answer text <p>While higher education institutions have autonomy over admissions, the vast majority of undergraduate applications in England, Wales and Northern Ireland are handled by the Universities and Colleges Admissions Service (UCAS) on behalf of those institutions. As the shared admissions service, UCAS offers support to universities and colleges in this area through their services. It is also in institutions’ interests to keep accurate and transparent records of applications and admission. The Office for Students, as the independent regulator of higher education, also has a legal responsibility to ensure that registered institutions are acting in the best interests of students, including support in access to higher education.</p>
	tabling member	738 label Biography information for Lord Alton of Liverpool

1056486

	answering body	Department for Education
	house id	2
	type	WrittenParliamentaryQuestion
	answer	answer answer text <p>We are in close contact and working with the UK National Agency to ensure that in the event that the UK leaves the EU with no agreement in place, the government’s guarantee on Erasmus will cover the payment of awards to UK applicants for all successful Erasmus+ bids submitted before the end of 2020.</p><p>The UK government has repeatedly made clear that it values international exchange and collaboration in education and training as part of its vision for a global Britain, and we believe that the UK and European countries should continue to give young people and students the chance to benefit from each other’s world leading universities post-exit. This is reliant on the UK government reaching agreement with the EU for UK organisations to continue participating in Erasmus+ projects and we are seeking to hold these discussions with the EU.</p><p>We published a new technical notice, attached, at the end of January, which provides detailed guidance to organisations and students on the UK’s anticipated participation in the current Erasmus+ programme (2014 to 2020) in the event of no deal. The notice can also be found at: <a href="https://bit.ly/2GaP28y" target="_blank">https://bit.ly/2GaP28y</a>.</p>
	tabling member	1796 label Biography information for Lord Taylor of Warwick

1037590

	answering body	Department for Education
	house id	2
	type	WrittenParliamentaryQuestion
	answer	answer answer text <p>Universities are autonomous from government, and consequently control the criteria used to determine admissions. We are aware that some universities, notably those that comprise the Russell Group, identify the A level subjects most likely to facilitate entry to university. However, many other higher education institutions are guided simply by UCAS calculations of tariff points, which give equal weighting to A levels, regardless of subject. The government recognises the importance of arts subjects, including music. Students’ ability to make informed choices is at the heart of our recent reforms to higher education. The department is increasing the information available to students to ensure they can make informed choices about what and where to study.</p>
	tabling member	4171 label Biography information for Lord Black of Brentwood

1063551

	answering body	Department for Education
	house id	2
	type	WrittenParliamentaryQuestion
	answer	answer answer text <p>Under the definitions of “contracting authorities” and “bodies governed by public law” as specified by regulation 2 of the Public Contracts Regulations 2015, not all universities fall under these regulations because, for some, the majority of their funding does not come from public sources.</p><p>Where the regulations do apply, it is the universities’ responsibility, as independent contracting authorities, to ensure they comply with their legal obligations. Failure to comply can leave them open to legal remedies, as set out in the regulations, following complaints from aggrieved suppliers.</p>
	tabling member	4286 label Biography information for Lord Mendelsohn

1078958

	answering body	Department for Education
	house id	2
	type	WrittenParliamentaryQuestion
	answer	answer answer text <p>This government recognises the importance of arts subjects, including music. Universities are autonomous from government and consequently control the criteria used to determine admissions. We are aware that the Russell Group, which comprises 24 of the UK’s leading universities, publish guidance designed to assist applicants in identifying the A level subjects most likely to facilitate entry to one of their member universities. From engagement with the Russell Group, we understand they are currently reviewing their guidance.</p><p>The ability for students to make informed choices is at the heart of our recent reforms to higher education. We are increasing the information available to students to ensure they can make informed choices about what and where to study.</p>
	tabling member	4171 label Biography information for Lord Black of Brentwood