Asked by: Kim Johnson (Labour - Liverpool Riverside)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what assessment he has made of the economic impact of reduced international student numbers on regional economies and local communities from 2028/29 onwards.
Answered by Miatta Fahnbulleh - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
The Higher Education Statistics Agency collects, processes and publishes data about higher education in the UK, including student numbers. The Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government supports and encourages collaboration between Mayoral Strategic Authorities, local authorities, and their higher and further education institutions – through policies such as Industrial Strategy Zones and Local Growth Plans – in recognition of the role that universities play in local communities and economic growth. The department, however, has not carried out a specific assessment on the impact from 2028/29 onwards.
Asked by: Kim Johnson (Labour - Liverpool Riverside)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of the International Student Levy on the UK’s ability to attract international postgraduate research students and the consequential impact this would have on the ambitions set out in the UK’s Modern Industrial Strategy.
Answered by Josh MacAlister - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)
Higher education (HE) providers are independent from government and are responsible for managing their own finances, including any impact from the International Student Levy (ISL). To support providers’ financial planning, the levy will be introduced in 2028/29 and paid one year in arrears, with a 220-student allowance applying per provider per year.
We have also announced tuition fee cap increases in line with forecast inflation for the 2025/26, 2026/27 and 2027/28 academic years, and will legislate, when parliamentary time allows, to increase caps automatically for future years. Over the next five years, these uplifts could generate an additional £6 billion for HE providers, significantly outweighing the currently projected less than £1 billion levy cost.
ISL revenue will fund the reintroduction of maintenance grants for disadvantaged students studying level 4 to 6 courses aligned with the government’s missions and the Industrial Strategy.
Asked by: Kim Johnson (Labour - Liverpool Riverside)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether the proposed International Student Levy aligns with the Government’s International Education Strategy and its target for growth in education exports.
Answered by Josh MacAlister - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)
As outlined in the International Education Strategy, the UK aims to both grow the value of education exports to £40 billion per year by 2030, whilst ensuring the sustainable recruitment of high-quality students, in line with the Immigration White Paper.
International higher education (HE) students are only one part of the UK’s wider international education offer, which includes education exports and transnational education provision across the entire sector, from early years to schools, colleges and universities.
Introducing a £925 flat-fee International Student Levy on English HE providers will support sustainable international student recruitment, whilst ensuring students contribute to the communities where they study, with the levy revenue funding the reintroduction of targeted maintenance grants for disadvantaged students.
The UK’s world‑class HE sector will continue to offer an attractive and fulfilling experience to students from around the globe.
Asked by: Kim Johnson (Labour - Liverpool Riverside)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether her Department has considered alternative funding models for the reintroduction of maintenance grants, other than revenues raised through the proposed International Student Levy.
Answered by Josh MacAlister - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)
The department is reintroducing targeted, means-tested maintenance grants of up to £1,000 per year, funded by a levy on international student fees, with both being introduced in the 2028/29 academic year.
This will ensure that the proceeds from international student fees benefit domestic learners, furthering our national opportunity mission, and creating stronger economic links between both home and international students.
This government is clear that it welcomes and values the contributions to our society, economy and higher education providers made by overseas students who want to come to the UK. But it is right to ensure that the financial benefit these students provide also helps our most disadvantaged home students.
Asked by: Kim Johnson (Labour - Liverpool Riverside)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether the Department plans to review the legislative approach to the frozen pensions policy, including the option of presenting it in a form that enables routine parliamentary debate and vote.
Answered by Torsten Bell - Parliamentary Secretary (HM Treasury)
The Social Security Benefits Up-rating Regulations 2026 are consequential on the Social Security Benefits Up-rating Order 2026.
The regulations are subject to the negative procedure and are therefore only subject to Parliamentary debate if one is sought and granted. They were laid on 6 March 2026 and will come into force on the same date as the Up-rating Order on 6 April 2026. This is a convention that has been in place for a number of years.
Asked by: Kim Johnson (Labour - Liverpool Riverside)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether his Department has made an assessment of the adequacy of opportunities for parliamentary scrutiny of the Social Security Benefits Up-rating Regulations 2026, laid on 6 March 2026.
Answered by Torsten Bell - Parliamentary Secretary (HM Treasury)
The Social Security Benefits Up-rating Regulations 2026 are consequential on the Social Security Benefits Up-rating Order 2026.
The regulations are subject to the negative procedure and are therefore only subject to Parliamentary debate if one is sought and granted. They were laid on 6 March 2026 and will come into force on the same date as the Up-rating Order on 6 April 2026. This is a convention that has been in place for a number of years.
Asked by: Kim Johnson (Labour - Liverpool Riverside)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment her Department has made of the potential impact of the proposed international student levy on the financial sustainability of higher education institutions in the context of the Office for Students' press release entitled Significant challenges continue to face higher education finances – with nearly half facing deficits in 2025-26, published on 20 November 2025.
Answered by Josh MacAlister - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)
The International Student Levy will require higher education (HE) providers to pay £925 per international student per year. This is broadly equivalent to a 4.5% fee, reduced from 6% proposed in the Immigration White Paper. Levy revenue will be fully reinvested into higher education and skills, including to reintroduce targeted maintenance grants.
To mitigate disproportionate impacts on smaller providers, a 220-student allowance will apply to each provider per year. The levy will be introduced in 2028/29 and paid one year in arrears to support financial planning.
An impact analysis published in November 2025 estimated that, in isolation, the levy would result in around £270 million in income losses to the sector in its first year. This impact analysis is accessible at: https://consult.education.gov.uk/international-student-levy-unit/international-student-levy/supporting_documents/international-student-levy-impact-analysispdf.
We have also announced a tuition fee cap increase in line with forecast inflation for the 2025/26, 2026/27 and 2027/28 academic years, and will legislate, when parliamentary time allows, to increase caps automatically for future years. Over the next five years, these uplifts could generate an additional £6 billion for HE providers, significantly outweighing the currently projected less than £1 billion levy cost.
Asked by: Kim Johnson (Labour - Liverpool Riverside)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether she has made an assessment of the potential merits of including provisions for the protection of transport workers’ pensions during the transition to Great British Railways in the Railways Bill.
Answered by Keir Mather - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
After the transition to Great British Railways, we plan for the Railways Pension Scheme to continue to be the primary vehicle through which rail employees build up their pension provision. The protections within the 1993 Railways Act remain unchanged by the Railways Bill and consequentially pensions are not mentioned in the Bill.
Asked by: Kim Johnson (Labour - Liverpool Riverside)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment she has made of the levels of challenges for transport workers in the transition to Great British Railways.
Answered by Keir Mather - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
In accordance with TUPE regulations, I can confirm that existing train operator staff transferring to the public-sector operator will do so with their contractual terms and conditions protected. In the meantime, we are keeping trade union leaders informed on all relevant matters through the Rail Engagement Group.
Asked by: Kim Johnson (Labour - Liverpool Riverside)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of the establishment of Great British Railways on the statutory duty to consult with the public on any significant change to Schedule 17 of the Ticketing and Settlement Agreement.
Answered by Keir Mather - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
Train operating companies are expected to maintain the ticket office opening hours set out in Schedule 17 to the Ticketing and Settlement Agreement (TSA). When a train operator proposes a "major change" to opening hours, they are required to undertake a consultation as set out in the TSA.
The processes set out in Schedule 17 of the TSA will continue to apply as operators transfer into public ownership. Importantly, any changes to the TSA can only be made with wider agreement across the industry, providing a strong level of protection and ensuring that established safeguards cannot be unilaterally altered.