Asked by: Ian Sollom (Liberal Democrat - St Neots and Mid Cambridgeshire)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment her Department has made of the adequacy of access to post-18 information for deaf pupils.
Answered by Josh MacAlister - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)
We are improving careers advice in schools and colleges through the adoption of updated Gatsby Benchmarks into statutory guidance. The benchmarks put more focus on inclusion, making sure all pupils – including those in specialist settings – get personalised support and good quality, up-to-date information about future pathways, study options and labour market opportunities. We are funding training for careers leaders, Special Educational Needs Coordinators and other educators to help implement these benchmarks.
Young people who are deaf can also use the National Careers Service to get clear information about post‑18 options, along with careers and education advice designed for those with special educational needs or disabilities. The Service’s Accessibility Statement sets out how it supports people who face barriers in accessing information.
As they move into adulthood, deaf young people can receive more in‑depth, one‑to‑one guidance from community-based advisers. This enhanced support is prioritised for several groups, including individuals with SEND.
Asked by: Uma Kumaran (Labour - Stratford and Bow)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, pursuant to the Answer of 29 November 2024 to Question 15559, if she will set out what recent assessment her Department has made of the potential merits of introducing a stepped repayment structure for Plan 2 student loans.
Answered by Josh MacAlister - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)
We are determined that the higher education funding system should deliver for students, for our economy, and for universities.
The government keeps the student finance system under continuous review to ensure that it delivers good value for both students and taxpayers.
Asked by: Justin Madders (Labour - Ellesmere Port and Bromborough)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of levels of (a) graduate debt and (b) recent media reports on levels of children from low-income households choosing to study at university.
Answered by Josh MacAlister - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)
The department is committed to addressing the persistent disadvantage gap in access to higher education (HE) and we are encouraged by the fact that disadvantaged young people continue to choose this pathway.
We are introducing targeted, means-tested maintenance grants of up to £1,000 per year from the 2028/29 academic year. These will be paid on top of existing loan amounts, increasing the cash in students’ pockets without increasing their debt.
Repayments are based on income, not loan amount or interest. Borrowers earning below the earnings threshold make no repayments. Any outstanding loan, including interest, is cancelled at the end of the term, with no detriment to the borrower, and debt is never passed to family members or descendants.
HE providers intending to charge higher level tuition fees must have an Office for Students approved access and participation plan articulating how they will improve equality of opportunity for underrepresented groups, including students from low-income backgrounds.
We have gone further and asked Professor Kathryn Mitchell to lead an HE Access and Participation Task and Finish Group to consider how to tackle systemic barriers across the journey into HE for disadvantaged students.
Asked by: Justin Madders (Labour - Ellesmere Port and Bromborough)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps she is taking to ensure that students from low-income households are encouraged to consider university education.
Answered by Josh MacAlister - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)
The department is committed to addressing the persistent disadvantage gap in access to higher education (HE) and we are encouraged by the fact that disadvantaged young people continue to choose this pathway.
We are introducing targeted, means-tested maintenance grants of up to £1,000 per year from the 2028/29 academic year. These will be paid on top of existing loan amounts, increasing the cash in students’ pockets without increasing their debt.
Repayments are based on income, not loan amount or interest. Borrowers earning below the earnings threshold make no repayments. Any outstanding loan, including interest, is cancelled at the end of the term, with no detriment to the borrower, and debt is never passed to family members or descendants.
HE providers intending to charge higher level tuition fees must have an Office for Students approved access and participation plan articulating how they will improve equality of opportunity for underrepresented groups, including students from low-income backgrounds.
We have gone further and asked Professor Kathryn Mitchell to lead an HE Access and Participation Task and Finish Group to consider how to tackle systemic barriers across the journey into HE for disadvantaged students.
Asked by: James McMurdock (Independent - South Basildon and East Thurrock)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what proportion of people in South Basildon and East Thurrock constituency have not achieved a grade 4 in a) English and b) Maths by age 19.
Answered by Josh MacAlister - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)
The official statistics release 'Level 2 and 3 attainment age 16 to 25' includes numbers and proportions of those achieving GCSE English language and maths by age 19 for those who were recorded in mainstream state-funded schools in year 11, the final year of secondary school. The latest data available is for the 2023/24 academic year, available here: https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/find-statistics/level-2-and-3-attainment-by-young-people-aged-19/2023-24.
For South Basildon and East Thurrock constituency, the figures for those who have not achieved a grade 4 in a) English language and b) maths are provided in the table below.
Year | South Basildon and East Thurrock | England | |||
Academic year the young person turned 19 | Number in mainstream state-funded schools in year 11 | Proportion not achieved GCSE English language by 19 | Proportion not achieved GCSE maths by 19 | Proportion not achieved GCSE English language by 19 | Proportion not achieved GCSE maths by 19 |
2023/24 | 1,038 | 23.7% | 30.2% | 17.1% | 21.0% |
2022/23 | 1,052 | 25.0% | 27.4% | 15.9% | 19.2% |
Asked by: Joe Robertson (Conservative - Isle of Wight East)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of the further education funding model on workforce planning.
Answered by Josh MacAlister - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)
We use the 16 to 19 funding formula to calculate an allocation of funding to each institution, each academic year for 16-19-year-olds. We calculate the basic funding for institutions using lagged student volumes and funding rates, which depend on the size of their students’ study programmes or T Levels.
The department issues allocations to institutions each spring setting out how much 16 to 19 funding they will receive in the coming academic year, which can help with planning.
The Adult Skills Fund engages adults aged 19 and above and provides the skills and learning they need to equip them for work, an apprenticeship or further learning. The recent move of adult skills to the Department for Work and Pensions provides an opportunity to strengthen the bonds between the Adult Skills Fund and progression into the labour market and will help ensure that the skills and employment systems are more fully aligned.
Further education providers are able to use this funding to support workforce and other costs.
Asked by: Ian Sollom (Liberal Democrat - St Neots and Mid Cambridgeshire)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment her department has made of access to Communication Support Workers for post-18 year old deaf students.
Answered by Josh MacAlister - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)
As set out under section 20 of the Equality Act 2010, all education and training providers, and other related service providers, have a duty to make reasonable adjustments for disabled people, including those with a hearing impairment, so they are not placed at a substantial disadvantage compared to non-disabled students.
Education and training providers should assess the individual needs of the student and put in place the appropriate assistance. Where necessary, an education and training provider can arrange for a student to be supported by a Communication Support Worker.
University students can be supported by Disabled Students Allowance (DSA) which covers disability‑related study costs and ensure hearing impaired students have equal access to learning. Feedback from stakeholders shows that British Sign Language (BSL) interpreters are more suitable in a higher education setting. Therefore, DSA funds BSL interpreters rather than Communication Support Workers.
Asked by: James McMurdock (Independent - South Basildon and East Thurrock)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what proportion of graduates who were not in high-skilled roles 15 months after graduation remain outside high-skilled employment a) three years later and b) five years later.
Answered by Josh MacAlister - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)
The department does not produce estimates of the proportion of graduates in high-skilled roles at three or five years after graduation.
Graduate Outcome survey data published by HESA shows that around 70% of UK domiciled students who graduated with an undergraduate degree from a UK higher education provider during the 2022/23 academic year were in high-skilled employment fifteen months after graduation. This survey data does not track graduates beyond fifteen months to outline details of graduate employment three or five years later.
While the department uses Longitudinal Educational Outcomes data to track graduate earning and employment outcomes at three and five years after graduation, this data does not include graduate occupation. The latest Graduate Outcomes survey data was published in July 2025 and can be found at: https://www.hesa.ac.uk/data-and-analysis/sb272/figure-12.
Asked by: Justin Madders (Labour - Ellesmere Port and Bromborough)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether she has considered taking additional steps to facilitate further Parliamentary scrutiny of amending the terms of student loan repayments administrated by Student Finance England.
Answered by Josh MacAlister - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)
Parliamentary scrutiny is occurring in relation to the student loan system. For example, there has recently been a Westminster Hall Debate, as well as through the various mechanisms of parliamentary questions.
It is worth remembering that these loans were designed and implemented by previous governments, and the department is having to make hard choices to balance taxpayer and borrower interests to ensure that the student finance system remains sustainable. It is important that we have a sustainable student finance system that is fair to students and the taxpayer. We will continue to keep the terms of the system under review to ensure this remains the case.
Asked by: Calum Miller (Liberal Democrat - Bicester and Woodstock)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, when she plans to answer Question (a) 115147, (b) 115148 and (c) 115149 tabled by the hon. Member for Bicester and Woodstock on 23 February 2026.
Answered by Josh MacAlister - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)
The response to Written Parliamentary Question 115148 was published on 2 March 2026. The responses to Written Parliamentary Questions 115147 and 115149 were published on 31 March 2026.