Asked by: Jack Rankin (Conservative - Windsor)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps she has taken to identify the nationalities and ethnicities most associated with (a) childcare grant fraud and (b) student loan fraud.
Answered by Josh MacAlister - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)
The government is resolute in its commitment to protecting public money, including all types of student funding. We are working closely with the Student Loans Company (SLC) and other bodies across government to tackle fraudulent behaviour as swiftly as possible and improve controls.
Eligibility for student finance, including Childcare Grant (CCG), is set out within the Education (Student Support) Regulations 2011, which detail a number of provisions which a student must meet to receive funding. These include being registered on a designated course of study, together with requirements relating to immigration status and residency requirements. The intention is to ensure that resources are focused on students who are most likely to contribute positively to the UK economy.
My right hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Education regularly receives information from the SLC, and other organisations, on suspected and actual fraud cases. This information is used to inform departmental policy and engagement with the higher education sector. The analysis received includes assessment of CCG.
Abuse of student funding is not tolerated. Investigations into suspected student loan fraud, including CCG fraud, are routinely carried out by the SLC. These investigations utilise a range of prevention and detection methods but do not target based on nationality or ethnicity. However, from the SLC’s analysis of recent investigations, as well as intelligence from external partners, we have become aware that some nationalities are disproportionately involved in some cases of exploitation of the student finance system. This relates to both student loans and CCG.
The SLC will always act to stop funding for a childcare provider where fraud or exploitation of public money is identified. The SLC CCG is linked to the Ofsted registration and can only be used for childcare that meet Ofsted’s registration requirements. The department works across government to share intelligence and develop policy, processes and systems that minimise fraud exposure. We are also working with the Public Sector Fraud Authority (PSFA) to help better understand and respond to emerging threats.
The government is aware that cases of confirmed student funding fraud occur disproportionately among students in franchised provision. The National Audit Office reported that, in 2022/23, 53% of the £4.1 million fraud detected by the SLC by value was at franchised providers, although students at franchised providers made up only 6.5% of the total number of SLC-funded students. The National Audit Office report is available at: : https://www.nao.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/investigation-into-student-finance-for-study-at-franchised-higher-education-providers.pdf.
We are increasing regulatory oversight of this provision, and any franchised provider with 300 or more students will now be subject to direct regulation by the Office for Students as a condition for access to student finance. This requirement will be brought in for the 2028/29 academic year, with the first decisions on designation being made in September 2027. We have published information on GOV.UK to support providers in understanding what they need to do to implement this requirement.
Asked by: Jack Rankin (Conservative - Windsor)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment she has made of trends in the level of childcare grant fraud linked to student loans.
Answered by Josh MacAlister - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)
The government is resolute in its commitment to protecting public money, including all types of student funding. We are working closely with the Student Loans Company (SLC) and other bodies across government to tackle fraudulent behaviour as swiftly as possible and improve controls.
Eligibility for student finance, including Childcare Grant (CCG), is set out within the Education (Student Support) Regulations 2011, which detail a number of provisions which a student must meet to receive funding. These include being registered on a designated course of study, together with requirements relating to immigration status and residency requirements. The intention is to ensure that resources are focused on students who are most likely to contribute positively to the UK economy.
My right hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Education regularly receives information from the SLC, and other organisations, on suspected and actual fraud cases. This information is used to inform departmental policy and engagement with the higher education sector. The analysis received includes assessment of CCG.
Abuse of student funding is not tolerated. Investigations into suspected student loan fraud, including CCG fraud, are routinely carried out by the SLC. These investigations utilise a range of prevention and detection methods but do not target based on nationality or ethnicity. However, from the SLC’s analysis of recent investigations, as well as intelligence from external partners, we have become aware that some nationalities are disproportionately involved in some cases of exploitation of the student finance system. This relates to both student loans and CCG.
The SLC will always act to stop funding for a childcare provider where fraud or exploitation of public money is identified. The SLC CCG is linked to the Ofsted registration and can only be used for childcare that meet Ofsted’s registration requirements. The department works across government to share intelligence and develop policy, processes and systems that minimise fraud exposure. We are also working with the Public Sector Fraud Authority (PSFA) to help better understand and respond to emerging threats.
The government is aware that cases of confirmed student funding fraud occur disproportionately among students in franchised provision. The National Audit Office reported that, in 2022/23, 53% of the £4.1 million fraud detected by the SLC by value was at franchised providers, although students at franchised providers made up only 6.5% of the total number of SLC-funded students. The National Audit Office report is available at: : https://www.nao.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/investigation-into-student-finance-for-study-at-franchised-higher-education-providers.pdf.
We are increasing regulatory oversight of this provision, and any franchised provider with 300 or more students will now be subject to direct regulation by the Office for Students as a condition for access to student finance. This requirement will be brought in for the 2028/29 academic year, with the first decisions on designation being made in September 2027. We have published information on GOV.UK to support providers in understanding what they need to do to implement this requirement.
Asked by: Jack Rankin (Conservative - Windsor)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps she has taken to identify the proportion of the student loan book used for fraudulent activity by students, franchised and non-franchised HE providers and intermediaries.
Answered by Josh MacAlister - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)
The government is resolute in its commitment to protecting public money, including all types of student funding. We are working closely with the Student Loans Company (SLC) and other bodies across government to tackle fraudulent behaviour as swiftly as possible and improve controls.
Eligibility for student finance, including Childcare Grant (CCG), is set out within the Education (Student Support) Regulations 2011, which detail a number of provisions which a student must meet to receive funding. These include being registered on a designated course of study, together with requirements relating to immigration status and residency requirements. The intention is to ensure that resources are focused on students who are most likely to contribute positively to the UK economy.
My right hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Education regularly receives information from the SLC, and other organisations, on suspected and actual fraud cases. This information is used to inform departmental policy and engagement with the higher education sector. The analysis received includes assessment of CCG.
Abuse of student funding is not tolerated. Investigations into suspected student loan fraud, including CCG fraud, are routinely carried out by the SLC. These investigations utilise a range of prevention and detection methods but do not target based on nationality or ethnicity. However, from the SLC’s analysis of recent investigations, as well as intelligence from external partners, we have become aware that some nationalities are disproportionately involved in some cases of exploitation of the student finance system. This relates to both student loans and CCG.
The SLC will always act to stop funding for a childcare provider where fraud or exploitation of public money is identified. The SLC CCG is linked to the Ofsted registration and can only be used for childcare that meet Ofsted’s registration requirements. The department works across government to share intelligence and develop policy, processes and systems that minimise fraud exposure. We are also working with the Public Sector Fraud Authority (PSFA) to help better understand and respond to emerging threats.
The government is aware that cases of confirmed student funding fraud occur disproportionately among students in franchised provision. The National Audit Office reported that, in 2022/23, 53% of the £4.1 million fraud detected by the SLC by value was at franchised providers, although students at franchised providers made up only 6.5% of the total number of SLC-funded students. The National Audit Office report is available at: : https://www.nao.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/investigation-into-student-finance-for-study-at-franchised-higher-education-providers.pdf.
We are increasing regulatory oversight of this provision, and any franchised provider with 300 or more students will now be subject to direct regulation by the Office for Students as a condition for access to student finance. This requirement will be brought in for the 2028/29 academic year, with the first decisions on designation being made in September 2027. We have published information on GOV.UK to support providers in understanding what they need to do to implement this requirement.
Asked by: Jack Rankin (Conservative - Windsor)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps she has taken to connect information on (a) childcare grant and (b) student loan claims with regulatory information about childcare providers.
Answered by Josh MacAlister - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)
The government is resolute in its commitment to protecting public money, including all types of student funding. We are working closely with the Student Loans Company (SLC) and other bodies across government to tackle fraudulent behaviour as swiftly as possible and improve controls.
Eligibility for student finance, including Childcare Grant (CCG), is set out within the Education (Student Support) Regulations 2011, which detail a number of provisions which a student must meet to receive funding. These include being registered on a designated course of study, together with requirements relating to immigration status and residency requirements. The intention is to ensure that resources are focused on students who are most likely to contribute positively to the UK economy.
My right hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Education regularly receives information from the SLC, and other organisations, on suspected and actual fraud cases. This information is used to inform departmental policy and engagement with the higher education sector. The analysis received includes assessment of CCG.
Abuse of student funding is not tolerated. Investigations into suspected student loan fraud, including CCG fraud, are routinely carried out by the SLC. These investigations utilise a range of prevention and detection methods but do not target based on nationality or ethnicity. However, from the SLC’s analysis of recent investigations, as well as intelligence from external partners, we have become aware that some nationalities are disproportionately involved in some cases of exploitation of the student finance system. This relates to both student loans and CCG.
The SLC will always act to stop funding for a childcare provider where fraud or exploitation of public money is identified. The SLC CCG is linked to the Ofsted registration and can only be used for childcare that meet Ofsted’s registration requirements. The department works across government to share intelligence and develop policy, processes and systems that minimise fraud exposure. We are also working with the Public Sector Fraud Authority (PSFA) to help better understand and respond to emerging threats.
The government is aware that cases of confirmed student funding fraud occur disproportionately among students in franchised provision. The National Audit Office reported that, in 2022/23, 53% of the £4.1 million fraud detected by the SLC by value was at franchised providers, although students at franchised providers made up only 6.5% of the total number of SLC-funded students. The National Audit Office report is available at: : https://www.nao.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/investigation-into-student-finance-for-study-at-franchised-higher-education-providers.pdf.
We are increasing regulatory oversight of this provision, and any franchised provider with 300 or more students will now be subject to direct regulation by the Office for Students as a condition for access to student finance. This requirement will be brought in for the 2028/29 academic year, with the first decisions on designation being made in September 2027. We have published information on GOV.UK to support providers in understanding what they need to do to implement this requirement.
Asked by: Jack Rankin (Conservative - Windsor)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, for what reason the tripartite approach of discussions involving trade unions and business groups was not followed for the consultation period of the Employment Rights Act, with specific reference to the consultation entitled 'Make Work Pay: trade union right of access'.
Answered by Kate Dearden - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)
The Department for Business and Trade engaged with business groups and trade unions in developing the statutory framework for trade union right of access to workplaces, including through a public consultation on the operational details of the framework and a draft Code of Practice. Alongside these formal consultations, officials have held several roundtable discussions with both trade unions and industry groups.
This approach has enabled stakeholders to contribute to the design of the right of access framework. We will continue to engage with business groups and trade unions as we move towards implementation, including through tripartite discussions.
Asked by: Jack Rankin (Conservative - Windsor)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, if he will commit to completing an affordability impact assessment of trade union access to SMEs.
Answered by Kate Dearden - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)
The government considers the impact of its policies on businesses, including small and medium-sized enterprises, as part of the standard impact assessment process.
The Employment Rights Act 2025 created a new legal framework for unions and employers to negotiate access into the workplace, ensuring that access takes place in a regulated and responsible manner. The government has taken steps to ensure the framework is proportionate, including by providing an exemption to the policy for employers with fewer than 21 workers.
An impact assessment for the Employment Rights Act was published during its parliamentary passage. A further impact assessment on the trade union right of access policy will be published in due course.
Asked by: Jack Rankin (Conservative - Windsor)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what the cost to her Department was of the recent campaign starring Gemma Collins.
Answered by Olivia Bailey - Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Department for Education) (Equalities)
No payments, fees, gifts, hospitality, or any other benefits are being made from the department to Gemma Collins or TM Media PR or any other agent or representative on her behalf.
Asked by: Jack Rankin (Conservative - Windsor)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment he has made of the potential merits of recommending screening for the BRCA 1 gene for women who have a mother who has died from (a) breast and (b) ovarian cancers.
Answered by Sharon Hodgson - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
The current eligibility criteria for genetic testing are set out in the NHS National Genomic Test Directory. The aim is to offer individuals at higher risk of developing cancer (those with pathogenic variants in their genes) clinical pathways to support them to manage their risk, offer their family members testing and ultimately lead to more cancers being prevented or detected earlier. The directory is available at the following link:
https://www.england.nhs.uk/publication/national-genomic-test-directories/
NHS England is currently funding the Retrospective Genetic Testing Programme to offer genetic testing to people who have not yet received a test, in line with the current eligibility criteria set out in the directory. More information is available at the following link:
https://brca-direct.icr.ac.uk/privacy_policy
All individuals who test positive will be added to the National Inherited Cancer Predisposition Register. More information is available at the following link:
https://digital.nhs.uk/ndrs/our-work/genomics/nicpr
Following this, individuals will be invited for screening in line with guidance available at the following link:
The UK National Screening Committee has not been asked to consider whether a screening programme for BRCA1 would be appropriate for women with a family history of breast or ovarian cancer, and no cost effectiveness estimates have been made of such a policy.
Asked by: Jack Rankin (Conservative - Windsor)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what estimate he has made of the potential cost savings to the NHS from earlier identification of BRCA1 mutations through expanded screening.
Answered by Sharon Hodgson - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
The current eligibility criteria for genetic testing are set out in the NHS National Genomic Test Directory. The aim is to offer individuals at higher risk of developing cancer (those with pathogenic variants in their genes) clinical pathways to support them to manage their risk, offer their family members testing and ultimately lead to more cancers being prevented or detected earlier. The directory is available at the following link:
https://www.england.nhs.uk/publication/national-genomic-test-directories/
NHS England is currently funding the Retrospective Genetic Testing Programme to offer genetic testing to people who have not yet received a test, in line with the current eligibility criteria set out in the directory. More information is available at the following link:
https://brca-direct.icr.ac.uk/privacy_policy
All individuals who test positive will be added to the National Inherited Cancer Predisposition Register. More information is available at the following link:
https://digital.nhs.uk/ndrs/our-work/genomics/nicpr
Following this, individuals will be invited for screening in line with guidance available at the following link:
The UK National Screening Committee has not been asked to consider whether a screening programme for BRCA1 would be appropriate for women with a family history of breast or ovarian cancer, and no cost effectiveness estimates have been made of such a policy.
Asked by: Jack Rankin (Conservative - Windsor)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment he has made of the adequacy of NHS eligibility criteria for BRCA1 genetic testing for individuals with a family history of (a) breast and (b) ovarian cancer.
Answered by Sharon Hodgson - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
The current eligibility criteria for genetic testing are set out in the NHS National Genomic Test Directory. The aim is to offer individuals at higher risk of developing cancer (those with pathogenic variants in their genes) clinical pathways to support them to manage their risk, offer their family members testing and ultimately lead to more cancers being prevented or detected earlier. The directory is available at the following link:
https://www.england.nhs.uk/publication/national-genomic-test-directories/
NHS England is currently funding the Retrospective Genetic Testing Programme to offer genetic testing to people who have not yet received a test, in line with the current eligibility criteria set out in the directory. More information is available at the following link:
https://brca-direct.icr.ac.uk/privacy_policy
All individuals who test positive will be added to the National Inherited Cancer Predisposition Register. More information is available at the following link:
https://digital.nhs.uk/ndrs/our-work/genomics/nicpr
Following this, individuals will be invited for screening in line with guidance available at the following link:
The UK National Screening Committee has not been asked to consider whether a screening programme for BRCA1 would be appropriate for women with a family history of breast or ovarian cancer, and no cost effectiveness estimates have been made of such a policy.