Asked by: Ian Sollom (Liberal Democrat - St Neots and Mid Cambridgeshire)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, when he plans to announce Music and Dance Scheme funding for the 2026-27 academic year; and what assessment he has made of the potential impact of a lack of announcement on potential funding on schools' ability to plan for future cohorts.
Answered by Georgia Gould - Minister of State (Education)
The government has committed to a continuation of the Music and Dance Scheme. Providers will be informed of future funding shortly.
Asked by: Ian Sollom (Liberal Democrat - St Neots and Mid Cambridgeshire)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment she has made of the potential merits of offering funding support for those universities affected by the costs of the Teachers Pension Scheme contributions, in line with support provided for further education colleges and schools.
Answered by Josh MacAlister - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)
The government recognises the financial challenges in the higher education (HE) sector both for providers and their staff.
HE providers are autonomous bodies, and the government does not fund the costs of changes to the scheme for them in the same way as for schools and colleges.
However, we remain committed to engaging with both employer and staff representatives to fully understand the impacts of pension provision in HE on both staff and providers.
Furthermore, we appreciate both the impact of the increased Teachers’ Pension Scheme employer contribution rate on providers and that defined benefit pensions are highly valued by staff across the sector. As set out in the Post-16 Education and Skills White Paper, the government is seeking to better understand concerns within the post-1992 HE sector regarding pension provision.
Asked by: Ian Sollom (Liberal Democrat - St Neots and Mid Cambridgeshire)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment she has made of the impact of Teachers’ Pension Scheme contribution rates on the ability of post-1992 higher education institutions to compete with pre-92 institutions for staff.
Answered by Josh MacAlister - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)
The government recognises the financial challenges in the higher education (HE) sector both for providers and their staff.
HE providers are autonomous bodies, and the government does not fund the costs of changes to the scheme for them in the same way as for schools and colleges.
However, we remain committed to engaging with both employer and staff representatives to fully understand the impacts of pension provision in HE on both staff and providers.
Furthermore, we appreciate both the impact of the increased Teachers’ Pension Scheme employer contribution rate on providers and that defined benefit pensions are highly valued by staff across the sector. As set out in the Post-16 Education and Skills White Paper, the government is seeking to better understand concerns within the post-1992 HE sector regarding pension provision.
Asked by: Ian Sollom (Liberal Democrat - St Neots and Mid Cambridgeshire)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, with reference to page 11 of her Department's consultation document entitled Assistive software funded through Disabled Students’ Allowance, published on 26 March 2026, what evidence supports the proposed policy position that assistive software is readily available to students; what assessment her Department has made of the adequacy of the accessibility and suitability of commonly available software for students with different disabilities; and if she will set out how it will be determined that a student’s disability-related needs cannot be met by assistive software before specialist provision is funded.
Answered by Josh MacAlister - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)
The anecdotal feedback referenced in the consultation document reflects issues raised through routine engagement activities, including meetings and discussions with delivery partners, sector bodies and other stakeholders. It would not be appropriate to identify individual contributors, and no quantified count of cases has been compiled. No assessment has yet been made of the extent to which students feel overwhelmed by the volume of recommended support because the department is currently gathering the evidence that would be required to support such an assessment.
The rationale underpinning the proposed policy position that assistive software is widely available is explained in the consultation document, which is available here: https://consult.education.gov.uk/disabled-students-allowance-team/assistive-software-funded-through-disabled-student/supporting_documents/assistive_software_funded_through_dsa_consultation_march_2026pdf.
It also sets out proposals relating to considerations around the accessibility and suitability of commonly available software for students with different disabilities. Decisions on how it would be determined that a student’s disability-related needs cannot be met by such software before specialist provision is funded would be made following the conclusion of the consultation process.
An initial equality impact assessment of the proposed changes is included in the consultation document, and the department intends to develop and refine this further as the consultation progresses.
Asked by: Ian Sollom (Liberal Democrat - St Neots and Mid Cambridgeshire)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, with reference to her Department's consultation document entitled Assistive software funded through Disabled Students’ Allowance, published on 26 March 2026, whether an Impact Assessment has been conducted on the potential impact of the proposed changes to Disabled Students’ Allowance support for assistive software.
Answered by Josh MacAlister - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)
The anecdotal feedback referenced in the consultation document reflects issues raised through routine engagement activities, including meetings and discussions with delivery partners, sector bodies and other stakeholders. It would not be appropriate to identify individual contributors, and no quantified count of cases has been compiled. No assessment has yet been made of the extent to which students feel overwhelmed by the volume of recommended support because the department is currently gathering the evidence that would be required to support such an assessment.
The rationale underpinning the proposed policy position that assistive software is widely available is explained in the consultation document, which is available here: https://consult.education.gov.uk/disabled-students-allowance-team/assistive-software-funded-through-disabled-student/supporting_documents/assistive_software_funded_through_dsa_consultation_march_2026pdf.
It also sets out proposals relating to considerations around the accessibility and suitability of commonly available software for students with different disabilities. Decisions on how it would be determined that a student’s disability-related needs cannot be met by such software before specialist provision is funded would be made following the conclusion of the consultation process.
An initial equality impact assessment of the proposed changes is included in the consultation document, and the department intends to develop and refine this further as the consultation progresses.
Asked by: Ian Sollom (Liberal Democrat - St Neots and Mid Cambridgeshire)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, with reference to page 11 of her Department's consultation document entitled Assistive software funded through Disabled Students’ Allowance, published on 26 March 2026, what evidence underpins the statement that anecdotal feedback has indicated students are being recommended excessive assistive software, including the stakeholders or sources that provided this anecdotal feedback and the number of cases that contributed to this assessment; and what assessment her Department has made of the extent to which students feel overwhelmed by the volume of recommended support.
Answered by Josh MacAlister - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)
The anecdotal feedback referenced in the consultation document reflects issues raised through routine engagement activities, including meetings and discussions with delivery partners, sector bodies and other stakeholders. It would not be appropriate to identify individual contributors, and no quantified count of cases has been compiled. No assessment has yet been made of the extent to which students feel overwhelmed by the volume of recommended support because the department is currently gathering the evidence that would be required to support such an assessment.
The rationale underpinning the proposed policy position that assistive software is widely available is explained in the consultation document, which is available here: https://consult.education.gov.uk/disabled-students-allowance-team/assistive-software-funded-through-disabled-student/supporting_documents/assistive_software_funded_through_dsa_consultation_march_2026pdf.
It also sets out proposals relating to considerations around the accessibility and suitability of commonly available software for students with different disabilities. Decisions on how it would be determined that a student’s disability-related needs cannot be met by such software before specialist provision is funded would be made following the conclusion of the consultation process.
An initial equality impact assessment of the proposed changes is included in the consultation document, and the department intends to develop and refine this further as the consultation progresses.
Asked by: Ian Sollom (Liberal Democrat - St Neots and Mid Cambridgeshire)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what data her Department holds on the cost of overpayments by the Student Loans Company to students; the reasons for the overpayments being made; and the cost of the overpayment per reason.
Answered by Josh MacAlister - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)
It has not proved possible to respond to the hon. Member in the time available before Prorogation.
Asked by: Ian Sollom (Liberal Democrat - St Neots and Mid Cambridgeshire)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what is the cost of (a) overpayments per academic year by the Student Loans Company to students and (b) reclaimed overpayments per academic year by the Student Loans Company since 2000.
Answered by Josh MacAlister - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)
It has not proved possible to respond to the hon. Member in the time available before Prorogation.
Asked by: Ian Sollom (Liberal Democrat - St Neots and Mid Cambridgeshire)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment her Department has made of the adequacy of access to post-18 information for deaf pupils.
Answered by Josh MacAlister - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)
We are improving careers advice in schools and colleges through the adoption of updated Gatsby Benchmarks into statutory guidance. The benchmarks put more focus on inclusion, making sure all pupils – including those in specialist settings – get personalised support and good quality, up-to-date information about future pathways, study options and labour market opportunities. We are funding training for careers leaders, Special Educational Needs Coordinators and other educators to help implement these benchmarks.
Young people who are deaf can also use the National Careers Service to get clear information about post‑18 options, along with careers and education advice designed for those with special educational needs or disabilities. The Service’s Accessibility Statement sets out how it supports people who face barriers in accessing information.
As they move into adulthood, deaf young people can receive more in‑depth, one‑to‑one guidance from community-based advisers. This enhanced support is prioritised for several groups, including individuals with SEND.
Asked by: Ian Sollom (Liberal Democrat - St Neots and Mid Cambridgeshire)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment her department has made of access to Communication Support Workers for post-18 year old deaf students.
Answered by Josh MacAlister - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)
As set out under section 20 of the Equality Act 2010, all education and training providers, and other related service providers, have a duty to make reasonable adjustments for disabled people, including those with a hearing impairment, so they are not placed at a substantial disadvantage compared to non-disabled students.
Education and training providers should assess the individual needs of the student and put in place the appropriate assistance. Where necessary, an education and training provider can arrange for a student to be supported by a Communication Support Worker.
University students can be supported by Disabled Students Allowance (DSA) which covers disability‑related study costs and ensure hearing impaired students have equal access to learning. Feedback from stakeholders shows that British Sign Language (BSL) interpreters are more suitable in a higher education setting. Therefore, DSA funds BSL interpreters rather than Communication Support Workers.