Students’ Return to Universities

Baroness Andrews Excerpts

Thursday 1st October 2020 Lords Chamber

[Lord Parkinson of Whitley Bay (Con)]

I certainly join my noble friend in providing that congratulation to the University of Bolton; that is exactly the sort of response we are seeing from across the sector to make sure that students get the high-quality education they expect. My noble friend is right that that should be accompanied by the student experience more broadly—learning to live away from home, meeting people from different backgrounds and exchanging ideas—which is such an integral part of the university experience. We need to make sure that universities are doing that and doing it safely.

[Baroness Andrews (Lab) [V]]

My Lords, in the Statement, the Secretary of State said:

“As with all our education settings, we will continue monitoring the situation closely and will follow the latest scientific advice, adapting policies as the situation changes.”


What is the latest scientific advice to universities, especially to those that do not have their own testing capacity?

[Lord Parkinson of Whitley Bay (Con)]

As my right honourable friend said, we continue to follow the scientific advice; this is a changing circumstance, and the advice changes as well. We are providing guidance to the sector, as we did most recently on 10 September, to inform universities as term began. As that changes, we will update it and provide it directly to universities. I imagine that that is published, but if it is not I will correct the record and write to the noble Baroness.