Universities: Impact of Industrial Action on Students Debate

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Department: Department for Education

Universities: Impact of Industrial Action on Students

Baroness Garden of Frognal Excerpts
Thursday 16th March 2023

(1 year, 1 month ago)

Lords Chamber
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Baroness Barran Portrait Baroness Barran (Con)
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Obviously, the noble Baroness brings many years of expertise to this matter, but I think that employers in universities and other sectors of the economy are suffering great penalties—financial, reputational and in terms of their relationships with their customers—which have a considerable impact on them.

Baroness Garden of Frognal Portrait Baroness Garden of Frognal (LD)
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My Lords, I entirely accept that the Office for Students has overall responsibility for this issue, but, as we have heard, Ministers have a responsibility too. Is she saying that there is nothing at all that Ministers can do to try to mediate or to help in this dispute?

Baroness Barran Portrait Baroness Barran (Con)
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What I am saying is that we established the Office for Students to ensure that students’ interests are respected and upheld. The Government have no direct role in relation to the Universities Superannuation Scheme beyond the legislation that applies to all workplace pension schemes as regulated by the Pensions Regulator.