Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Gareth Bacon and Josh MacAlister

Monday 2nd March 2026 Commons Chamber

[Josh MacAlister]

I would like to think there is cross-party agreement that tackling educational inequality is one of the most important things that we can do. It is a shame on our country that we are one of the most unequal when it comes to the relationship between how well a child can do at school and how much money is in their parents’ pockets. The Labour party is all about addressing such inequalities, and that is what this Government are doing. That is in no way at odds with finding ways to make our student loan system fairer and fixing it after the 10 years of freezes on thresholds by the Conservatives that hit working graduates.

[Gareth Bacon (Orpington) (Con)]

9. What steps she has taken to help improve nursery provision in Greater London.

Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Gareth Bacon and Josh MacAlister

Monday 19th January 2026 Commons Chamber

[Josh MacAlister]

I thank my hon. Friend for raising that important point. The Government are focused on protecting support and increasing it for those who need it most, which is why we are increasing loans in line with inflation, reintroducing maintenance grants and, crucially—something I am very proud of and which the Secretary of State recently announced—giving care-experienced students automatic access to the full loan entitlement.

[Gareth Bacon (Orpington) (Con)]

A year ago the Secretary of State dropped the statutory free speech complaints scheme from the Higher Education (Freedom of Speech) Act 2023. According to a letter published in The Sunday Times from 370 academics, including three Nobel prize winners, this has totally negated the whole point of the Act, thus imperilling freedom of speech on university campuses. When is the Secretary of State going to do something to correct this mistake?