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1077036

registered interest
date	25/02/2019
answering body	Department for Education
answering dept id	60
answering dept short name	Education
answering dept sort name	Education
hansard heading	Higher Education: Correspondence
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Viscount Younger of Leckie on 20 February (HL13570), what regulations are in place to ensure that Higher Education institutions maintain high standards of accuracy and transparency in correspondence with external stakeholders, especially correspondence relating to offers for study on a deferred basis.
tabling member printed	Lord Alton of Liverpool
uin	HL13960
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 06/03/2019 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> answering member printed Viscount Younger of Leckie question first answered 06/03/2019 13:52:14 answering member 4169 label Biography information for Viscount Younger of Leckie
tabling member	738 label Biography information for Lord Alton of Liverpool

1064782

registered interest
date	21/02/2019
answering body	Department for Education
answering dept id	60
answering dept short name	Education
answering dept sort name	Education
hansard heading	Universities: Admissions
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Viscount Younger of Leckie on 20 February (HL13570), whether the recommendations they made to the Office for Students to reduce the numbers of unconditional offers included reversing prior offers of places to students who already satisfied previously advertised admissions criteria.
tabling member printed	Lord Alton of Liverpool
uin	HL13946
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 28/02/2019 answer text <p>The Department for Education has not made any recommendations to the Office for Students (OfS) to reverse prior offers of places to students who already satisfied previously advertised admissions criteria.</p><p>We have made clear to the OfS that they should use the full range of powers at their disposal to take action where an institution cannot justify their rising numbers of unconditional offers. However, we recognise that where a student already has relevant entry level qualifications, and for some creative arts subjects, unconditional offers may be justified. Admissions are a matter of institutional autonomy but we expect universities to make their admissions criteria fair, accessible and transparent.</p><p> </p> answering member printed Viscount Younger of Leckie question first answered 28/02/2019 17:50:27 answering member 4169 label Biography information for Viscount Younger of Leckie
tabling member	738 label Biography information for Lord Alton of Liverpool

1064572

registered interest
date	20/02/2019
answering body	Department for Education
answering dept id	60
answering dept short name	Education
answering dept sort name	Education
hansard heading	Disabled Students' Allowances: Specific Learning Difficulties
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the undertaking in the letter from Viscount Younger of Leckie to Lord Addington on 3 December that those diagnosed with dyslexia or specific learning difficulties before the age of 16 will no longer have to undertake a second diagnosis to qualify for the Disabled Students’ Allowance, whether those who have been qualified to carry out this assessment will continue to be so after February 2019.
tabling member printed	Lord Addington
uin	HL13891
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 28/02/2019 answer text <p>The department is yet to conclude discussions currently being held with relevant experts, including the British Dyslexia Association, about the qualifications that should be held by those undertaking specific learning difficulty diagnostic assessments that can be used to determine eligibility for Disabled Students’ Allowances. The experts with whom the department is discussing this issue have knowledge and understanding of diagnostic assessment undertaken for school pupils. The department expects to conclude these discussions by the middle of March 2019.</p> answering member printed Viscount Younger of Leckie grouped question UIN HL13892 HL13893 question first answered 28/02/2019 17:48:55 answering member 4169 label Biography information for Viscount Younger of Leckie
tabling member	3453 label Biography information for Lord Addington

1064573

registered interest
date	20/02/2019
answering body	Department for Education
answering dept id	60
answering dept short name	Education
answering dept sort name	Education
hansard heading	Disabled Students' Allowances: Specific Learning Difficulties
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask Her Majesty's Government whether all potential students with a diagnosis of dyslexia or specific learning difficulties whose assessment was carried out by somebody without the Assessment Practising Certificate before the end of February 2019 will have to undertake and pay for a second assessment to make them eligible for the Disabled Students’ Allowance in the future.
tabling member printed	Lord Addington
uin	HL13892
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 28/02/2019 answer text <p>The department is yet to conclude discussions currently being held with relevant experts, including the British Dyslexia Association, about the qualifications that should be held by those undertaking specific learning difficulty diagnostic assessments that can be used to determine eligibility for Disabled Students’ Allowances. The experts with whom the department is discussing this issue have knowledge and understanding of diagnostic assessment undertaken for school pupils. The department expects to conclude these discussions by the middle of March 2019.</p> answering member printed Viscount Younger of Leckie grouped question UIN HL13891 HL13893 question first answered 28/02/2019 17:48:55 answering member 4169 label Biography information for Viscount Younger of Leckie
tabling member	3453 label Biography information for Lord Addington

1064574

registered interest
date	20/02/2019
answering body	Department for Education
answering dept id	60
answering dept short name	Education
answering dept sort name	Education
hansard heading	Disabled Students' Allowances: Specific Learning Difficulties
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask Her Majesty's Government whether those involved in teaching and diagnosing pupils with dyslexia and specific learning difficulties in the school system have been consulted about the changes to people who can conduct assessments for eligibility for the Disabled Students’ Allowance.
tabling member printed	Lord Addington
uin	HL13893
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 28/02/2019 answer text <p>The department is yet to conclude discussions currently being held with relevant experts, including the British Dyslexia Association, about the qualifications that should be held by those undertaking specific learning difficulty diagnostic assessments that can be used to determine eligibility for Disabled Students’ Allowances. The experts with whom the department is discussing this issue have knowledge and understanding of diagnostic assessment undertaken for school pupils. The department expects to conclude these discussions by the middle of March 2019.</p> answering member printed Viscount Younger of Leckie grouped question UIN HL13891 HL13892 question first answered 28/02/2019 17:48:55 answering member 4169 label Biography information for Viscount Younger of Leckie
tabling member	3453 label Biography information for Lord Addington

1063551

registered interest
date	18/02/2019
answering body	Department for Education
answering dept id	60
answering dept short name	Education
answering dept sort name	Education
hansard heading	Universities: Billing
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask Her Majesty's Government who is responsible for monitoring the payment performance of universities and ensuring that they comply with the Public Service Contracts Regulations 2015.
tabling member printed	Lord Mendelsohn
uin	HL13789
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 27/02/2019 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> answering member printed Viscount Younger of Leckie question first answered 27/02/2019 11:59:24 answering member 4169 label Biography information for Viscount Younger of Leckie
tabling member	4286 label Biography information for Lord Mendelsohn

1061390

registered interest
date	14/02/2019
answering body	Department for Education
answering dept id	60
answering dept short name	Education
answering dept sort name	Education
hansard heading	Education: Travellers
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Statement by Viscount Younger of Leckie on 4 February (HLWS1264), what action they will take to improve access for Gypsy, Traveller and  Roma young people to further and higher education.
tabling member printed	Baroness Whitaker
uin	HL13770
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 26/02/2019 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> answering member printed Viscount Younger of Leckie question first answered 26/02/2019 12:25:55 answering member 4169 label Biography information for Viscount Younger of Leckie attachment 1 file name HL13770__tackling_ethnic_disparity.pdf title HL13770_Tackling_ethnic_disparity
tabling member	2510 label Biography information for Baroness Whitaker

1059175

registered interest
date	11/02/2019
answering body	Department for Education
answering dept id	60
answering dept short name	Education
answering dept sort name	Education
hansard heading	Universities: Admissions
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the answer by the Minister for Universities, Science, Research and Innovation on 28 March 2018 (HC Deb, col 408WH) about unconditional university offers and autonomy over admissions, what data they hold on the number of students with offers for study at British universities with admission for deferred entry who were contacted by the Admissions and Access Service of those universities to indicate that they would no longer be offered their intended course; what assessment they have made of the cost implications that such decisions hold for each prospective student who as a result may be obliged to pursue their intended studies further afield; and what compensatory arrangements they consider to be appropriate for the failure to honour such places offered to students who satisfied previously advertised admissions criteria.
tabling member printed	Lord Alton of Liverpool
uin	HL13570
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 20/02/2019 answer text <p>Higher Education institutions are independent, autonomous bodies. As such, they are responsible for their own admissions decisions.</p><p> </p><p>Data on the number of applicants with offers for deferred entry who were no longer offered their intended course is not held centrally. Consequently, no assessment has been made of the cost implications to prospective students in this scenario.</p><p> </p><p>We are concerned by the steep rise in the number of unconditional offers being made to students. Where institutions cannot justify the rising numbers being offered we have made clear to the Office for Students that they should use the full range of powers at their disposal to take action. We expect universities to act responsibly when setting admissions criteria and expect admissions to be fair, accessible and transparent.</p> answering member printed Viscount Younger of Leckie question first answered 20/02/2019 17:25:18 answering member 4169 label Biography information for Viscount Younger of Leckie
tabling member	738 label Biography information for Lord Alton of Liverpool

1056914

registered interest
date	07/02/2019
answering body	Department for Education
answering dept id	60
answering dept short name	Education
answering dept sort name	Education
hansard heading	Veterinary Medicine: Training
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to build capacity in the Higher Education system to address the shortage of veterinary surgeons in England.
tabling member printed	Lord Trees
uin	HL13568
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 15/02/2019 answer text <p>The government recognises the importance of ensuring there are sufficient skilled graduates to meet industry demand. We are working with different veterinary sector stakeholders, to look at ways of increasing veterinary school capacity and the number of graduates in all UK vet schools going forward.</p><p>The government also subsidises the costs of teaching high-cost subjects such as veterinary medicine, where tuition fee income does not meet the costs of teaching. This is supported through the teaching grant allocated annually to providers via the Office for Students.</p><p>In 2018/19, the recurrent teaching grant provided by the government totals £1,290 million, of which £681 million is specifically targeted at supporting high-cost subjects, including veterinary science. This is currently around £10,000 per veterinary science student.</p><p> </p><p>English higher education providers are autonomous institutions. Their institutional autonomy, which includes decisions as to what they teach, is protected by the Higher Education and Research Act 2017.</p><p>However, the lifting of student number controls in 2015/16 means that there is no longer an artificial cap on the numbers of students that higher education providers are able to recruit, including for veterinary science courses.</p><p> </p><p>There has been progress in the sector in increasing places for veterinary students. The first cohort of students to graduate with the University of Surrey's new veterinary degree is scheduled for July 2019, thereby bringing more domestically trained vets in to the profession. Alongside this, the new Harper and Keele Veterinary School will be commencing its new 5 year degree course in 2020.</p><p> </p> answering member printed Viscount Younger of Leckie question first answered 15/02/2019 12:55:10 answering member 4169 label Biography information for Viscount Younger of Leckie
tabling member	4260 label Biography information for Lord Trees

1056429

registered interest
date	06/02/2019
answering body	Department for Education
answering dept id	60
answering dept short name	Education
answering dept sort name	Education
hansard heading	Disabled Students' Allowances: Dyslexia
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask Her Majesty's Government whether the SpLD Assessment Standards Committee will recognise assessments carried out by Associate Members of the British Dyslexia Association for children under 16 for the purposes of the Disabled Students' Allowance without the need for a second assessment.
tabling member printed	Lord Addington
uin	HL13490
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 19/02/2019 answer text <p>It is the department, not the SpLD Assessment Standards Committee, that decides which diagnostic assessments should be recognised as suitable evidence to determine eligibility for Disabled Students’ Allowances. The department is currently considering which accreditation requirements should be met for diagnostic assessments carried out on young people below the age of 16.</p><p>Information regarding the qualifications or professional memberships of those undertaking dyslexia assessments for young people below the age of 16 is not held centrally, nor is it held by the Student Loans Company.</p> answering member printed Viscount Younger of Leckie grouped question UIN HL13491 question first answered 19/02/2019 16:42:17 answering member 4169 label Biography information for Viscount Younger of Leckie
tabling member	3453 label Biography information for Lord Addington