Asked by: Lord Cashman (Non-affiliated - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask His Majesty's Government what plans they have to address high levels of interest some graduates pay on student loans.
Answered by Baroness Smith of Malvern - Minister of State (Minister for Women and Equalities)
Student loans are subject to interest so as to ensure that those who can afford to do so contribute to the full cost of their degree.
Interest rates on student loans do not affect monthly repayments made by borrowers. Regular repayments are based on a fixed percentage of earnings above the applicable student loan repayment threshold, not on amount borrowed or the rate of interest. If income is below the relevant student loan repayment threshold, or a borrower is not earning, then they do not have to make repayments at all. Any outstanding debt, including interest built up, is written off after the loan term ends or in case of death or disability, at no detriment to the borrower.
Interest rates are set annually in relation to the Retail Price Index. The government caps maximum student loan rates when needed to ensure that student loan interest rates do not exceed market rates for comparable unsecured personal loans.
A full equality impact assessment of how the student loan reforms may affect graduates, including detail on changes to average lifetime repayments under Plan 5, was produced and published in February 2022 and can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/higher-education-reform-equality-impact-assessment.
Asked by: Lord Cashman (Non-affiliated - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to attract international students to UK institutions who are unable to enrol at US universities due to recent US policy changes.
Answered by Baroness Smith of Malvern - Minister of State (Minister for Women and Equalities)
The UK is a highly attractive study destination for international students with 4 universities in the top 10 and 15 in the top 100, alongside a wide array of high quality institutions which can offer a fulfilling and enjoyable experience to international students from around the world.
As my right hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Education has made clear in her video message last year, this government welcomes international students who enrich our university campuses, forge lifelong friendships with our domestic students and become global ambassadors for the UK.
As set out in the Immigration White Paper, published on 12 May, the department will retain our competitive post-study work offer for international students, principally through the graduate visa that will remain available for a reduced duration so that graduates move more quickly into skilled work. This will maintain our attractiveness as a study destination while ensuring individuals granted a graduate visa obtain employment in graduate level roles and contribute to the country’s skills needs. We will issue further details on implementation of the White Paper measures in due course.
Asked by: Lord Cashman (Non-affiliated - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask Her Majesty's Government whether all schools in England will begin to teach compulsory relationships education or relationships and sex education from September 2020.
Answered by Baroness Berridge
We want to support all young people to be happy, healthy and safe. We also want to equip them for adult life and to make a positive contribution to society. That is why we are making Relationships Education (RE) compulsory for primary school-age pupils, Relationships and Sex Education (RSE) compulsory for secondary school-age pupils and Health Education compulsory for pupils in all state-funded schools, from September 2020.
Ofsted’s school inspection handbook sets out that inspectors will consider the provision for RE and RSE and Health Education, as part of a wider judgment of pupils’ personal development.
To support schools in their preparations, the department is investing in a central support package to help all schools to increase the confidence and quality of their teaching practice. This includes developing a new online service featuring innovative training materials, case studies and support to access resources. This will cover all of the teaching and consultation requirements in the statutory guidance and will be available in the summer term, with additional content added in the following months.
The department has been working to assess the impact of COVID-19 on a school’s ability to discharge their duty relating to the implementation of these subjects. The department will provide an update in due course. Schools will be required to consult with parents when developing and reviewing their policies for RE (primary) and RSE (secondary), which will inform schools’ decisions on when and how certain content is covered. The statutory guidance sets out effective practice on parental engagement and we have published further advice for primary schools on engaging parents positively in the development of their RE policy, which you can find here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/engaging-parents-with-relationships-education-policy. In addition we have published leaflets for schools to provide to parents, which summarise the key changes: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/relationships-sex-and-health-education-guides-for-schools.
.
Asked by: Lord Cashman (Non-affiliated - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what action will be taken against schools in England that do not begin to teach compulsory relationships education or relationships and sex education from September 2020.
Answered by Baroness Berridge
We want to support all young people to be happy, healthy and safe. We also want to equip them for adult life and to make a positive contribution to society. That is why we are making Relationships Education (RE) compulsory for primary school-age pupils, Relationships and Sex Education (RSE) compulsory for secondary school-age pupils and Health Education compulsory for pupils in all state-funded schools, from September 2020.
Ofsted’s school inspection handbook sets out that inspectors will consider the provision for RE and RSE and Health Education, as part of a wider judgment of pupils’ personal development.
To support schools in their preparations, the department is investing in a central support package to help all schools to increase the confidence and quality of their teaching practice. This includes developing a new online service featuring innovative training materials, case studies and support to access resources. This will cover all of the teaching and consultation requirements in the statutory guidance and will be available in the summer term, with additional content added in the following months.
The department has been working to assess the impact of COVID-19 on a school’s ability to discharge their duty relating to the implementation of these subjects. The department will provide an update in due course. Schools will be required to consult with parents when developing and reviewing their policies for RE (primary) and RSE (secondary), which will inform schools’ decisions on when and how certain content is covered. The statutory guidance sets out effective practice on parental engagement and we have published further advice for primary schools on engaging parents positively in the development of their RE policy, which you can find here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/engaging-parents-with-relationships-education-policy. In addition we have published leaflets for schools to provide to parents, which summarise the key changes: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/relationships-sex-and-health-education-guides-for-schools.
.
Asked by: Lord Cashman (Non-affiliated - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what resources and support they are providing to schools in England to help them (1) consult parents about the provision of, and (2) teach, compulsory relationships education and relationships and sex education.
Answered by Baroness Berridge
We want to support all young people to be happy, healthy and safe. We also want to equip them for adult life and to make a positive contribution to society. That is why we are making Relationships Education (RE) compulsory for primary school-age pupils, Relationships and Sex Education (RSE) compulsory for secondary school-age pupils and Health Education compulsory for pupils in all state-funded schools, from September 2020.
Ofsted’s school inspection handbook sets out that inspectors will consider the provision for RE and RSE and Health Education, as part of a wider judgment of pupils’ personal development.
To support schools in their preparations, the department is investing in a central support package to help all schools to increase the confidence and quality of their teaching practice. This includes developing a new online service featuring innovative training materials, case studies and support to access resources. This will cover all of the teaching and consultation requirements in the statutory guidance and will be available in the summer term, with additional content added in the following months.
The department has been working to assess the impact of COVID-19 on a school’s ability to discharge their duty relating to the implementation of these subjects. The department will provide an update in due course. Schools will be required to consult with parents when developing and reviewing their policies for RE (primary) and RSE (secondary), which will inform schools’ decisions on when and how certain content is covered. The statutory guidance sets out effective practice on parental engagement and we have published further advice for primary schools on engaging parents positively in the development of their RE policy, which you can find here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/engaging-parents-with-relationships-education-policy. In addition we have published leaflets for schools to provide to parents, which summarise the key changes: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/relationships-sex-and-health-education-guides-for-schools.
.
Asked by: Lord Cashman (Non-affiliated - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask Her Majesty's Government how far in advance parents of pupils in schools in England must be consulted before the teaching of relationships education or relationships and sex education starts.
Answered by Baroness Berridge
We want to support all young people to be happy, healthy and safe. We also want to equip them for adult life and to make a positive contribution to society. That is why we are making Relationships Education (RE) compulsory for primary school-age pupils, Relationships and Sex Education (RSE) compulsory for secondary school-age pupils and Health Education compulsory for pupils in all state-funded schools, from September 2020.
Ofsted’s school inspection handbook sets out that inspectors will consider the provision for RE and RSE and Health Education, as part of a wider judgment of pupils’ personal development.
To support schools in their preparations, the department is investing in a central support package to help all schools to increase the confidence and quality of their teaching practice. This includes developing a new online service featuring innovative training materials, case studies and support to access resources. This will cover all of the teaching and consultation requirements in the statutory guidance and will be available in the summer term, with additional content added in the following months.
The department has been working to assess the impact of COVID-19 on a school’s ability to discharge their duty relating to the implementation of these subjects. The department will provide an update in due course. Schools will be required to consult with parents when developing and reviewing their policies for RE (primary) and RSE (secondary), which will inform schools’ decisions on when and how certain content is covered. The statutory guidance sets out effective practice on parental engagement and we have published further advice for primary schools on engaging parents positively in the development of their RE policy, which you can find here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/engaging-parents-with-relationships-education-policy. In addition we have published leaflets for schools to provide to parents, which summarise the key changes: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/relationships-sex-and-health-education-guides-for-schools.
.
Asked by: Lord Cashman (Non-affiliated - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the preparedness of schools in England to begin teaching compulsory relationships education or relationships and sex education from September.
Answered by Baroness Berridge
We want to support all young people to be happy, healthy and safe. We also want to equip them for adult life and to make a positive contribution to society. That is why we are making Relationships Education (RE) compulsory for primary school-age pupils, Relationships and Sex Education (RSE) compulsory for secondary school-age pupils and Health Education compulsory for pupils in all state-funded schools, from September 2020.
Ofsted’s school inspection handbook sets out that inspectors will consider the provision for RE and RSE and Health Education, as part of a wider judgment of pupils’ personal development.
To support schools in their preparations, the department is investing in a central support package to help all schools to increase the confidence and quality of their teaching practice. This includes developing a new online service featuring innovative training materials, case studies and support to access resources. This will cover all of the teaching and consultation requirements in the statutory guidance and will be available in the summer term, with additional content added in the following months.
The department has been working to assess the impact of COVID-19 on a school’s ability to discharge their duty relating to the implementation of these subjects. The department will provide an update in due course. Schools will be required to consult with parents when developing and reviewing their policies for RE (primary) and RSE (secondary), which will inform schools’ decisions on when and how certain content is covered. The statutory guidance sets out effective practice on parental engagement and we have published further advice for primary schools on engaging parents positively in the development of their RE policy, which you can find here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/engaging-parents-with-relationships-education-policy. In addition we have published leaflets for schools to provide to parents, which summarise the key changes: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/relationships-sex-and-health-education-guides-for-schools.
.