Asked by: Freddie van Mierlo (Liberal Democrat - Henley and Thame)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what measures are in place to ensure students are informed of student loan repayment thresholds and contracts.
Answered by Josh MacAlister - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)
We understand that the student loan system we inherited is of significant concern to graduates. Prospective students have access to information about student loan repayment arrangements before applying, including through GOV.UK and Student Loans Company (SLC) guidance. This enables them to consider the costs of borrowing alongside the benefits of higher education.
The full terms and conditions are provided at the final stage of the application process. Students cannot submit their application without confirming that they have read and understood them. These make clear that loan conditions may change in line with the regulations governing student loans. Borrowers can find out about repayment thresholds and interest rates either on GOV.UK or in their statement.
In response to the Treasury Committee report on student loans, the government committed to improving information and guidance so it is clear, fair and accessible, including making clearer that loan terms are governed by legislation and may be amended by future governments. With SLC, we are improving guidance using customer insight, user research and government best practice.
Asked by: Freddie van Mierlo (Liberal Democrat - Henley and Thame)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, when she plans to respond to the joint correspondence of 5 June 2026 from the hon. Member for Henley and Thame and Sean Gaul of Oxfordshire County Council regarding funding and support for RAF Benson Community Primary School and other schools serving military communities.
Answered by Georgia Gould - Minister of State (Education)
I can confirm that a response to the correspondence of 5 June 2026 from the hon. Member for Henley and Thame and Sean Gaul of Oxfordshire County Council was sent on 21 October.
Asked by: Freddie van Mierlo (Liberal Democrat - Henley and Thame)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment she has made of whether split site funding provides adequate support for schools operating across multiple sites; and whether her Department has estimated the number of schools whose additional annual costs arising from split site arrangements exceed the funding provided.
Answered by Georgia Gould - Minister of State (Education)
The national funding formula (NFF) includes a split sites factor in recognition that schools operating across more than one site face additional costs. Schools attract a £55,100 lump sum payment for each of their additional eligible sites. Additionally, schools whose sites are separated by more than 100 metres will attract distance funding. The distance funding varies depending on how far apart the sites are, up to a maximum of £27,600 for sites which are at least 500 metres away from the main site.
The department consulted on the operation of the split sites factor before it was introduced in 2024/25, including the amount of funding to be allocated through the factor. We implemented the option which had most support from respondents, with only a minority (24%) supporting higher levels of funding through the factor. The government keeps all elements of the national funding formula under review as part of its ongoing consideration of school funding arrangements.
Asked by: Freddie van Mierlo (Liberal Democrat - Henley and Thame)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what recent assessment has been made of the potential impact of student loan interest rates on total debt; and what legislative steps are being taken to lower the overall debt burden on recent graduates.
Answered by Josh MacAlister - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)
The department recently published a set of statistics presenting analysis of earnings and lifetime repayment forecasts for student loans in England, which looks at the level of earnings required to reduce student loan balances, taking interest accrual into account. These statistics are available at: https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/find-statistics/student-loan-forecasts-earnings/2025-26.
The government has capped the maximum interest rates on Plan 2 and 3 student loans at 6% for the 2026/27 academic year. We are clear it does not resolve all the issues with the inherited Plan 2 system. We are considering a range of options to make the system fairer. However, to be fiscally responsible, we must consider how any change would be funded.
Asked by: Freddie van Mierlo (Liberal Democrat - Henley and Thame)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what measures her Department has in place to prevent the closure of financially vulnerable rural schools, including those affected by low pupil numbers and per-pupil funding arrangements within the academy school system.
Answered by Georgia Gould - Minister of State (Education)
The government recognises the essential role that small schools play in their communities, many of which are in rural areas. There is a presumption against the closure of all rural maintained schools and departmental guidance states that both the department and the local authority need to agree to the closure of a rural academy. Additionally, the schools national funding formula accounts for the challenges faced by small schools in rural areas through the lump sum, which every school attracts regardless of size, and the sparsity factor.
In 2026/27, every school attracts a lump sum of £152,700 through the schools national funding formula irrespective of their size. In addition, through the sparsity factor, eligible primary schools can attract up to £58,600 and eligible secondary schools can attract up to £85,200. This sits alongside an increase in overall school funding, with the core schools budget rising by £2.3 billion to a total of £67.6 billion in 2026/27.
Asked by: Freddie van Mierlo (Liberal Democrat - Henley and Thame)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what discussions her department has had with the Treasury regarding the decision to freeze the repayment threshold for student loans and the impact this has on students going into further education and young graduates with their first jobs.
Answered by Josh MacAlister - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)
The student loans system inherited by the department, including Plan 2 loans, was devised by the previous government. Students in England starting degrees under this government have different arrangements. As Plan 2 loans are not available for prospective students in England, there is no impact on participation.
The department has regular engagement with HM Treasury on a range of issues including on student loan repayments.
This government increased the Plan 2 repayment threshold in 2025 and increased it again to £29,385 on 6 April, and will remain at this level until April 2030, at which point it will increase annually by inflation. The threshold freezes have been introduced to protect taxpayers and students now, alongside future generations of learners and workers.
The department produced the attached analysis regarding the impact of freezing the repayment and interest thresholds.
Asked by: Freddie van Mierlo (Liberal Democrat - Henley and Thame)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment she has made of the potential impact the student loan repayment threshold freeze has had on students and graduates.
Answered by Josh MacAlister - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)
The student loans system inherited by the department, including Plan 2 loans, was devised by the previous government. Students in England starting degrees under this government have different arrangements. As Plan 2 loans are not available for prospective students in England, there is no impact on participation.
The department has regular engagement with HM Treasury on a range of issues including on student loan repayments.
This government increased the Plan 2 repayment threshold in 2025 and increased it again to £29,385 on 6 April, and will remain at this level until April 2030, at which point it will increase annually by inflation. The threshold freezes have been introduced to protect taxpayers and students now, alongside future generations of learners and workers.
The department produced the attached analysis regarding the impact of freezing the repayment and interest thresholds.
Asked by: Freddie van Mierlo (Liberal Democrat - Henley and Thame)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, with reference to the Answer of 20 April 2026 to Question 126112 on Service Pupil Premium, what assessment she has made of the effectiveness of the Service Pupil Premium in meeting the additional needs of pupils who are the children of service personnel.
Answered by Georgia Gould - Minister of State (Education)
The Service Pupil Premium (SPP) provides extra funding to help schools meet the pastoral and educational needs of children from service families. It is designed to help schools respond to the specific challenges associated with service life, including mobility, parental deployment and periods of family separation.
Schools have flexibility in how they use SPP funding, and there are many examples of it being used constructively to support service children. The department works closely with the Ministry of Defence to provide joint guidance for schools and share good practice. It is important that schools remain attentive to the potential impacts of service life on pupils’ educational experience and their wider wellbeing.
As a group, service children’s academic attainment is broadly comparable to that of non‑Service, non‑free school meals pupils, and their rates of progression to further education, employment or training after key stage 4 are also similar.
Asked by: Freddie van Mierlo (Liberal Democrat - Henley and Thame)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, with reference to the answer of 20 April 2026 to question 125953, whether the resources provided by Best Start for Life Family Hubs includes guidance for fathers who have been released from prison on co-parenting and handling children's emotional response.
Answered by Olivia Bailey
Best Start Family Hubs provide a welcoming, non-stigmatising space for families to get help, or simply meet other parents and access peer support. They offer evidence-based parenting programmes and tailored support to strengthen relationships, promote positive co-parenting, and support children’s social and emotional development.
The recently published Best Start Family Hubs guidance sets clear expectations for local authorities to provide inclusive, accessible, and joined‑up support for families facing disadvantage or disruption, to ensure they receive holistic, practical support that reflects the realities of their lives, eases pressures, and helps children thrive. This guidance can be found at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/best-start-family-hubs-and-healthy-babies-guidance-for-local-authorities.
Local authorities are expected to take a proactive outreach approach with voluntary and community partners, to engage family groups and reduce barriers to accessing services. Within this flexible, locally-led model, they can tailor integrated support, including for families affected by imprisonment, such as those with a parent in custody or returning home, helping to rebuild relationships and improve children’s wellbeing.
Asked by: Freddie van Mierlo (Liberal Democrat - Henley and Thame)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, pursuant to the response of 20 April 2026 to question 126112, what assessment she has made of the effectiveness of the Service Pupil Premium in meeting the additional needs of pupils who are the children of service personnel.
Answered by Georgia Gould - Minister of State (Education)
It has not proved possible to respond to the hon. Member in the time available before Prorogation.