Higher Education: Government Support

Debate between Pam Cox and Bayo Alaba

Monday 12th January 2026 Commons Chamber

[Mr Alaba]

Yes, I do agree. We need to look at the business model and make sure that it is sustainable, certainly when it comes to higher education, which is a huge and significant asset of our country. We need to future-proof it, so I welcome my hon. Friend’s comments.

[Pam Cox (Colchester) (Lab)]

I thank my hon. Friend for securing this debate. I share his concern about the impact of the closure in Southend, which is a community that I know very well. Does he agree that the community in Colchester will also be hard hit by the situation, with a number of redundancies in and around that campus too?

[Mr Alaba]

Absolutely; this closure affects the community in Southend and in Colchester. Four hundred members of staff will be made redundant across both campuses. Another consequence is the uncertainty that this is causing the student community, the staff and the whole wraparound community that supports the institution.

I welcome the Government’s actions to support students and universities financially, including through an inflation-based increase to both maintenance loans and tuition fees.

Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Pam Cox and Bayo Alaba

Thursday 4th September 2025 Commons Chamber

[Mr Bayo Alaba (Southend East and Rochford) (Lab)]

4. What steps she has taken with the Crown Prosecution Service to support victims of crime.

[Pam Cox (Colchester) (Lab)]

7. What steps she has taken with the Crown Prosecution Service to support victims of crime. [R]