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1224903

	registered interest
	date	15/07/2020
	answering body	Department for Education
	answering dept id	60
	answering dept short name	Education
	answering dept sort name	Education
	hansard heading	Students: Fees and Charges
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Education, if he will reimburse the tuition fees paid by (a) nursing, (b) midwifery and (c) healthcare students to recognise their contribution during the covid-19 outbreak.
	tabling member constituency	Coventry South
	tabling member printed	Zarah Sultana
	uin	74755
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 23/07/2020 answer text <p>I refer the hon. Member for Coventry South to the answer I gave on 1 July 2020 to Question <a href="https://www.parliament.uk/business/publications/written-questions-answers-statements/written-question/Commons/2020-06-23/63492/" target="_blank">63492</a>.</p> answering member constituency Chippenham answering member printed Michelle Donelan question first answered 23/07/2020 16:53:07 answering member 4530 label Biography information for Michelle Donelan
	tabling member	4786 label Biography information for Zarah Sultana

1274328

	registered interest
	date	06/01/2021
	answering body	Department for Education
	answering dept id	60
	answering dept short name	Education
	answering dept sort name	Education
	hansard heading	Students: Fees and Charges
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Education, if he will review the equity of the level of university tuition fees as a result of students no longer being able to access important in-person resources under lockdown.
	tabling member constituency	Coventry North West
	tabling member printed	Taiwo Owatemi
	uin	134193
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 15/01/2021 answer text <p>This has been a very difficult time for students, and the government is working with the sector to make sure all reasonable efforts are being made to enable students to continue their studies. The Government’s clear and stated expectation is that universities should maintain the quality and quantity of tuition and seek to ensure that all students regardless of their background have the resources to study remotely. This is more important than ever at the moment with the vast majority of students studying solely online.</p><p>Universities are autonomous and responsible for setting their own fees, up to a maximum of £9,250 for approved (fee cap) institutions. The Office for Students (OfS), as regulator for higher education (HE) providers in England, has made it clear that HE providers must continue to comply with registration conditions relating to quality and academic standards, which set out requirements to ensure that courses are high-quality, that students are supported and achieve good outcomes and that standards are protected, regardless of whether a provider is delivering its courses through face-to-face teaching, remote online learning, or a combination of both.</p><p>The OfS is taking very seriously the potential impacts of COVID-19 on teaching and learning and is regularly engaging with all registered providers. It is actively monitoring providers to ensure: that they maintain the quality of their provision; that it is accessible for all; and that they have been clear in their communications with students about how arrangements for teaching and learning may change throughout the year. The OfS is also following up directly with providers where they receive notifications from students, parents or others raising concerns about the quality of teaching on offer and requiring providers to report to them when they are not able to deliver a course or award a qualification. If the OfS has concerns, it will investigate further.</p><p>Whether or not an individual student is entitled to a refund of fees will depend on the specific contractual arrangements between the provider and student. If students have concerns, there is a process in place. They should first raise their concerns with their university. If their concerns remain unresolved, students at providers in England or Wales can ask the Office of the Independent Adjudicator (OIA) for Higher Education to consider their complaint.</p><p>The OIA website is available via the following link: <a href="https://www.oiahe.org.uk/" target="_blank">https://www.oiahe.org.uk/</a></p><p>The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) has published guidance on consumer contracts, cancellation and refunds affected by COVID-19. This sets out the CMA’s view on how the law operates to help consumers understand their rights and help businesses treat their customers fairly. This is available via the following link: <a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/cma-to-investigate-concerns-about-cancellation-policies-during-the-coronavirus-covid-19-pandemic/the-coronavirus-covid-19-pandemic-consumer-contracts-cancellation-and-refunds" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/cma-to-investigate-concerns-about-cancellation-policies-during-the-coronavirus-covid-19-pandemic/the-coronavirus-covid-19-pandemic-consumer-contracts-cancellation-and-refunds</a>.</p><p>The Office for Students has also published guidance on student consumer protection during the COVID-19 outbreak, which is available via the following link: <a href="https://www.officeforstudents.org.uk/for-students/student-and-consumer-protection-during-coronavirus/" target="_blank">https://www.officeforstudents.org.uk/for-students/student-and-consumer-protection-during-coronavirus/</a>.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency Chippenham answering member printed Michelle Donelan grouped question UIN 134248 question first answered 15/01/2021 14:12:52 answering member 4530 label Biography information for Michelle Donelan
	tabling member	4779 label Biography information for Taiwo Owatemi

1191650

	registered interest
	date	29/04/2020
	answering body	Department for Education
	answering dept id	60
	answering dept short name	Education
	answering dept sort name	Education
	hansard heading	Students: Fees and Charges
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether he has made an assessment of the potential merits of replacing tuition fees with a teaching grant for courses taken by (a) health professionals and (b) other key workers.
	tabling member constituency	Wolverhampton South West
	tabling member printed	Stuart Anderson
	uin	41585
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 11/05/2020 answer text <p>The government subsidises the costs of higher education through the teaching grant and write-off of unpaid tuition fee loans, which ensures a sustainable system. Nurses and other healthcare students are currently eligible for a range of financial grant support in addition to tuition fee and living cost loans. There is also a range of additional support and bursaries for students in other professions where they are considered to be critical workers.</p> answering member constituency Chippenham answering member printed Michelle Donelan question first answered 11/05/2020 16:40:12 answering member 4530 label Biography information for Michelle Donelan
	tabling member	4742 label Biography information for Stuart Anderson

1315722

	registered interest
	date	18/05/2021
	answering body	Department for Education
	answering dept id	60
	answering dept short name	Education
	answering dept sort name	Education
	hansard heading	Students: Fees and Charges
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what proportion of the Resource Account and Budgeting charge his Department estimates to be made up of tuition fees that are not expected to be repaid.
	tabling member constituency	Portsmouth South
	tabling member printed	Stephen Morgan
	uin	3130
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 24/05/2021 answer text <p>The Resource Account and Budgeting (RAB) charge is the estimated cost to the government of providing a subsidy for the student finance system. It is the proportion of loan outlay expected to not be repaid when future repayments are valued in present terms. The RAB charge is calculated by taking repayment forecasts for income contingent repayment loans and discounting them back to the period that the loan is issued using the discount rate provided by HM Treasury.</p><p>The department publishes forecasts of loan outlay and RAB charges for each loan product. The latest forecasts, published June 2020, are available at: <a href="https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/find-statistics/student-loan-forecasts-for-england/2019-20" target="_blank">https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/find-statistics/student-loan-forecasts-for-england/2019-20</a>.</p><p>The RAB charge in the 2019-20 financial year was forecast to be 53% for full-time higher education loans, and 45% for part-time higher education loans. Tuition fee loans and maintenance loans are both higher education student finance products. Borrowers who have taken out both tuition fee loans and maintenance loans repay these at the same time. Therefore, the department does not calculate separate RAB charges for tuition fee loans and maintenance loans.</p><p>In the 2019-20 financial year, the government provided £16,371 million of student loan funding to English funded full-time higher education students, of which £9,503 million was in tuition fee loans and £6,868 million in maintenance loans. The value of the loan outlay that is not expected to be repaid is known as the RAB cost and can be calculated by multiplying loan outlay by the RAB charge. Therefore, the RAB cost of full-time higher education tuition fee loans in the 2019-20 financial year was £5,036 million (£9,503 million × 53%), and the RAB cost of full-time higher education maintenance loans was £3,640 million (£6,868 million × 53%).</p> answering member constituency Chippenham answering member printed Michelle Donelan grouped question UIN 3131 question first answered 24/05/2021 15:00:56 answering member 4530 label Biography information for Michelle Donelan
	tabling member	4653 label Biography information for Stephen Morgan

1280052

	registered interest
	date	25/01/2021
	answering body	Department for Education
	answering dept id	60
	answering dept short name	Education
	answering dept sort name	Education
	hansard heading	Students: Fees and Charges
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what recent progress he has made in developing a scheme for the financing of the fees of British Muslim students in a way which is compatible with the provisions of the Islamic faith.
	tabling member constituency	New Forest East
	tabling member printed	Dr Julian Lewis
	uin	142755
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 01/02/2021 answer text <p>I refer my right hon. Friend, the Member for New Forest East, to the answer I gave on 14 January 2021 to Question <a href="https://questions-statements.parliament.uk/written-questions/detail/2021-01-11/135997" target="_blank">135997</a>.</p> answering member constituency Chippenham answering member printed Michelle Donelan question first answered 01/02/2021 15:04:19 answering member 4530 label Biography information for Michelle Donelan
	tabling member	54 label Biography information for Sir Julian Lewis

1348031

	registered interest
	date	19/07/2021
	answering body	Department for Education
	answering dept id	60
	answering dept short name	Education
	answering dept sort name	Education
	hansard heading	Students: Fees and Charges
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Education, which universities are offering a fee reduction to students as a result of not offering a full return to face-to-face learning.
	tabling member constituency	North Herefordshire
	tabling member printed	Bill Wiggin
	uin	35528
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 22/07/2021 answer text <p>From July 19, there are no further restrictions on in-person provision in the autumn term. Higher education (HE) providers can shape their courses without restrictions on face-to-face provision. The position will be kept under review considering the latest scientific evidence and public health advice. The latest advice can be found here: <a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/higher-education-reopening-buildings-and-campuses" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/higher-education-reopening-buildings-and-campuses</a>.</p><p> </p><p>HE providers should therefore not be planning to restrict teaching based on COVID-19 restrictions. However, universities are autonomous institutions, and it is for providers to determine their own provision, taking account of government guidance. We understand that several universities have announced plans on teaching in the next academic year and some will retain an element of blended learning. We know that the COVID-19 outbreak has enabled many providers to identify new and innovative approaches to teaching and learning, and students will continue to benefit from these alongside in person provision. The department therefore has no plans to publish the names of, or reduce funding for, individual institutions which are not returning to face-to-face provision in the autumn term.</p><p> </p><p>We expect all universities to act in the interest of students and provide them with a full experience, and in accordance with Office for Students guidance, which can be found here: <a href="https://www.officeforstudents.org.uk/publications/guidance-for-providers-about-student-and-consumer-protection-during-the-pandemic/" target="_blank">https://www.officeforstudents.org.uk/publications/guidance-for-providers-about-student-and-consumer-protection-during-the-pandemic/</a>. HE providers should communicate clearly to their students what they can expect from planned teaching and learning so that they are able to make informed choices.</p><p> </p><p>The Office for Students has also made it clear that all HE providers must continue to comply with registration conditions relating to quality and standards. This means ensuring that courses provide a high-quality academic experience, that students are supported and achieve good outcomes, and that standards are protected, regardless of whether a provider is delivering its courses through in-person teaching, remote online learning or a combination of both.</p><p> </p><p>There are no plans to publish names of institutions which are offering fee reductions to their students, as HE providers are autonomous and are responsible for setting their own fees within maximum fee limits set by the Regulations, where applicable. The government has already announced that maximum fees in the 2021/22 academic year will remain at £9,250 for a standard full-time course. We also intend to freeze the maximum tuition fee caps for the 2022/23 academic year to deliver better value for students and to keep the cost of HE under control. This will be the fifth year in succession that maximum fees have been frozen.</p><p> </p><p>Whether an individual student is entitled to a refund of their tuition fees depends on the specific contractual arrangements between the provider and student. If students have concerns, there is a process in place. They should first raise their concerns with their university. If their concerns remain unresolved, students at providers in England or Wales can ask the Office of the Independent Adjudicator for Higher Education to consider their complaint.</p><p> </p><p>We routinely meet with the Student Loans Company on a range of matters and will continue to do so as we move forward through the COVID-19 outbreak. However, we have not had discussions with the Student Loans Company on a reduction in university fees for universities that are not planning to resume face-to-face teaching for the autumn term.</p> answering member constituency Chippenham answering member printed Michelle Donelan grouped question UIN 35527 35529 35530 35531 35532 35533 question first answered 22/07/2021 15:22:31 answering member 4530 label Biography information for Michelle Donelan
	tabling member	1428 label Biography information for Sir Bill Wiggin

1348040

	registered interest
	date	19/07/2021
	answering body	Department for Education
	answering dept id	60
	answering dept short name	Education
	answering dept sort name	Education
	hansard heading	Students: Fees and Charges
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether his Department has had discussions with student loan companies on a reduction in university fees for universities that are not planning to resume face-to-face teaching following the relaxation of covid-19 lockdown restrictions.
	tabling member constituency	North Herefordshire
	tabling member printed	Bill Wiggin
	uin	35533
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 22/07/2021 answer text <p>From July 19, there are no further restrictions on in-person provision in the autumn term. Higher education (HE) providers can shape their courses without restrictions on face-to-face provision. The position will be kept under review considering the latest scientific evidence and public health advice. The latest advice can be found here: <a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/higher-education-reopening-buildings-and-campuses" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/higher-education-reopening-buildings-and-campuses</a>.</p><p> </p><p>HE providers should therefore not be planning to restrict teaching based on COVID-19 restrictions. However, universities are autonomous institutions, and it is for providers to determine their own provision, taking account of government guidance. We understand that several universities have announced plans on teaching in the next academic year and some will retain an element of blended learning. We know that the COVID-19 outbreak has enabled many providers to identify new and innovative approaches to teaching and learning, and students will continue to benefit from these alongside in person provision. The department therefore has no plans to publish the names of, or reduce funding for, individual institutions which are not returning to face-to-face provision in the autumn term.</p><p> </p><p>We expect all universities to act in the interest of students and provide them with a full experience, and in accordance with Office for Students guidance, which can be found here: <a href="https://www.officeforstudents.org.uk/publications/guidance-for-providers-about-student-and-consumer-protection-during-the-pandemic/" target="_blank">https://www.officeforstudents.org.uk/publications/guidance-for-providers-about-student-and-consumer-protection-during-the-pandemic/</a>. HE providers should communicate clearly to their students what they can expect from planned teaching and learning so that they are able to make informed choices.</p><p> </p><p>The Office for Students has also made it clear that all HE providers must continue to comply with registration conditions relating to quality and standards. This means ensuring that courses provide a high-quality academic experience, that students are supported and achieve good outcomes, and that standards are protected, regardless of whether a provider is delivering its courses through in-person teaching, remote online learning or a combination of both.</p><p> </p><p>There are no plans to publish names of institutions which are offering fee reductions to their students, as HE providers are autonomous and are responsible for setting their own fees within maximum fee limits set by the Regulations, where applicable. The government has already announced that maximum fees in the 2021/22 academic year will remain at £9,250 for a standard full-time course. We also intend to freeze the maximum tuition fee caps for the 2022/23 academic year to deliver better value for students and to keep the cost of HE under control. This will be the fifth year in succession that maximum fees have been frozen.</p><p> </p><p>Whether an individual student is entitled to a refund of their tuition fees depends on the specific contractual arrangements between the provider and student. If students have concerns, there is a process in place. They should first raise their concerns with their university. If their concerns remain unresolved, students at providers in England or Wales can ask the Office of the Independent Adjudicator for Higher Education to consider their complaint.</p><p> </p><p>We routinely meet with the Student Loans Company on a range of matters and will continue to do so as we move forward through the COVID-19 outbreak. However, we have not had discussions with the Student Loans Company on a reduction in university fees for universities that are not planning to resume face-to-face teaching for the autumn term.</p> answering member constituency Chippenham answering member printed Michelle Donelan grouped question UIN 35527 35528 35529 35530 35531 35532 question first answered 22/07/2021 15:22:31 answering member 4530 label Biography information for Michelle Donelan
	tabling member	1428 label Biography information for Sir Bill Wiggin

1221530

	registered interest
	date	07/07/2020
	answering body	Department for Education
	answering dept id	60
	answering dept short name	Education
	answering dept sort name	Education
	hansard heading	Students: Fees and Charges
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment his Department has made of the effect on the numbers of overseas students of the difference in tuition fees for British nationals living in Britain and those who have lived overseas for longer than three years.
	tabling member constituency	Clwyd South
	tabling member printed	Simon Baynes
	uin	70523
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 13/07/2020 answer text <p>To qualify for home fee status in England, a person must have settled status or a recognised connection to the United Kingdom and meet the relevant ordinary residence requirements. Most persons must have been ordinarily resident in the United Kingdom and Islands or, in some cases, the European Economic Area or Switzerland for the 3 years prior to the first day of the first academic year of their course, excluding periods of temporary absence.</p><p>No assessment has been made of the number of British nationals who do not qualify for home fee status in England by virtue of their residence.</p> answering member constituency Chippenham answering member printed Michelle Donelan question first answered 13/07/2020 09:45:50 answering member 4530 label Biography information for Michelle Donelan
	tabling member	4800 label Biography information for Simon Baynes

1274843

	registered interest
	date	08/01/2021
	answering body	Department for Education
	answering dept id	60
	answering dept short name	Education
	answering dept sort name	Education
	hansard heading	Students: Fees and Charges
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what his policy is on student tuition fees during the covid-19 outbreak.
	tabling member constituency	Feltham and Heston
	tabling member printed	Seema Malhotra
	uin	134436
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 15/01/2021 answer text <p>This has been a very difficult time for students, and the government is working with the sector to make sure all reasonable efforts are being made to enable students to continue their studies. The government’s clear and stated expectation is that universities should maintain the quality and quantity of tuition and seek to ensure that all students, regardless of their background, have the resources to study remotely. This is more important than ever now, with the vast majority of students studying solely online.</p><p>Universities are autonomous and responsible for setting their own fees, up to a maximum of £9,250 for standard full-time courses offered by approved (fee cap) providers for the 2020/21 academic year. The government has already announced that maximum tuition fee caps will remain frozen for the 2021/22 academic year.</p><p>The Office for Students (OfS), as regulator for higher education (HE) providers in England, has made it clear that HE providers must continue to comply with registration conditions relating to quality and academic standards, which set out requirements to ensure that courses are high-quality, that students are supported and achieve good outcomes and that standards are protected, regardless of whether a provider is delivering its courses through face-to-face teaching, remote online learning, or a combination of both.</p><p>Whether or not an individual student is entitled to a refund of fees will depend on the specific contractual arrangements between the provider and student. If students have concerns, there is a process in place. They should first raise their concerns with their university. If their concerns remain unresolved, students at providers in England or Wales can ask the Office of the Independent Adjudicator (OIA) for Higher Education to consider their complaint. The OIA website is available via the following link: <a href="https://www.oiahe.org.uk/" target="_blank">https://www.oiahe.org.uk/</a>.</p><p>The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) has published guidance on consumer contracts, cancellation and refunds affected by the COVID-19 outbreak. This sets out the CMA’s view on how the law operates to help consumers understand their rights and help businesses treat their customers fairly. This is available via the following link: <a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/cma-to-investigate-concerns-about-cancellation-policies-during-the-coronavirus-covid-19-pandemic/the-coronavirus-covid-19-pandemic-consumer-contracts-cancellation-and-refunds" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/cma-to-investigate-concerns-about-cancellation-policies-during-the-coronavirus-covid-19-pandemic/the-coronavirus-covid-19-pandemic-consumer-contracts-cancellation-and-refunds</a>.</p><p>The OfS has also published guidance on student consumer protection during the COVID-19 outbreak, which is available via the following link: <a href="https://www.officeforstudents.org.uk/for-students/student-and-consumer-protection-during-coronavirus/" target="_blank">https://www.officeforstudents.org.uk/for-students/student-and-consumer-protection-during-coronavirus/</a>.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency Chippenham answering member printed Michelle Donelan question first answered 15/01/2021 17:36:40 answering member 4530 label Biography information for Michelle Donelan
	tabling member	4253 label Biography information for Seema Malhotra

1363032

	registered interest
	date	25/10/2021
	answering body	Department for Education
	answering dept id	60
	answering dept short name	Education
	answering dept sort name	Education
	hansard heading	Students: Fees and Charges
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment he has made of the potential merits of a reduction in student tuition fees.
	tabling member constituency	York Central
	tabling member printed	Rachael Maskell
	uin	62772
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 01/11/2021 answer text <p>The department remains committed to a sustainable funding model for the higher education system which supports high value provision, meets the skills needs of the country and maintains the world-class reputation of UK higher education.</p><p>We continue to consider carefully the recommendations made by the independent panel that reported to the Review of Post-18 Education and Funding. This includes their proposals relating to changes to tuition fee caps and the level of Strategic Priorities Grant funding that is paid directly to providers by the Office for Students. The department plans to set out a full conclusion to the Review in due course.</p><p>The government has announced that maximum tuition fee caps for academic year 2022/23 will be frozen at their current levels to deliver better value for students and to keep the cost of higher education under control.</p> answering member constituency Chippenham answering member printed Michelle Donelan grouped question UIN 62771 question first answered 01/11/2021 15:31:38 answering member 4530 label Biography information for Michelle Donelan
	tabling member	4471 label Biography information for Rachael Maskell