Asked by: Paula Barker (Labour - Liverpool Wavertree)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment her Department has made of the capacity of schools to deliver the nature, outdoor and adventure enrichment benchmark across all regions of England.
Answered by Georgia Gould - Minister of State (Education)
The department has published a new enrichment framework with benchmarks to provide a clear structure against which schools can evaluate and make considered improvements to their offer, including nature, outdoors and adventure provision. Baroness Grey-Thompson has been appointed as Nature, Outdoors and Adventure Ambassador, to highlight effective enrichment practice, and help develop and expand opportunities for young people.
The £22.5 million Enrichment Expansion Programme, which the Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) and the department are working in partnership to deliver, will work with over 400 schools to support them to meet the benchmarks set out in the enrichment framework. The programme will support connections between providers and organisations (including, for example, zoos), and schools, enabling pupils to take advantage of the expertise, capacity and experiences available.
This is alongside a variety of governmental programmes which can support schools with enrichment, for example National Education Nature Parks. DCMS’s Every Child Can programme will deliver £132.5 million for new activities programmes structured around the 5 enrichment categories within the framework, delivered through schools, community programmes, weekend activities and holiday provision.
Asked by: Paula Barker (Labour - Liverpool Wavertree)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether her Department plans to work with zoos and other outdoor learning providers to support delivery of the nature, outdoor and adventure enrichment benchmark.
Answered by Georgia Gould - Minister of State (Education)
The department has published a new enrichment framework with benchmarks to provide a clear structure against which schools can evaluate and make considered improvements to their offer, including nature, outdoors and adventure provision. Baroness Grey-Thompson has been appointed as Nature, Outdoors and Adventure Ambassador, to highlight effective enrichment practice, and help develop and expand opportunities for young people.
The £22.5 million Enrichment Expansion Programme, which the Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) and the department are working in partnership to deliver, will work with over 400 schools to support them to meet the benchmarks set out in the enrichment framework. The programme will support connections between providers and organisations (including, for example, zoos), and schools, enabling pupils to take advantage of the expertise, capacity and experiences available.
This is alongside a variety of governmental programmes which can support schools with enrichment, for example National Education Nature Parks. DCMS’s Every Child Can programme will deliver £132.5 million for new activities programmes structured around the 5 enrichment categories within the framework, delivered through schools, community programmes, weekend activities and holiday provision.
Asked by: Paula Barker (Labour - Liverpool Wavertree)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps her Department is taking to help support schools to deliver the nature, outdoor and adventure enrichment benchmark, including through sufficient funding.
Answered by Georgia Gould - Minister of State (Education)
The department has published a new enrichment framework with benchmarks to provide a clear structure against which schools can evaluate and make considered improvements to their offer, including nature, outdoors and adventure provision. Baroness Grey-Thompson has been appointed as Nature, Outdoors and Adventure Ambassador, to highlight effective enrichment practice, and help develop and expand opportunities for young people.
The £22.5 million Enrichment Expansion Programme, which the Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) and the department are working in partnership to deliver, will work with over 400 schools to support them to meet the benchmarks set out in the enrichment framework. The programme will support connections between providers and organisations (including, for example, zoos), and schools, enabling pupils to take advantage of the expertise, capacity and experiences available.
This is alongside a variety of governmental programmes which can support schools with enrichment, for example National Education Nature Parks. DCMS’s Every Child Can programme will deliver £132.5 million for new activities programmes structured around the 5 enrichment categories within the framework, delivered through schools, community programmes, weekend activities and holiday provision.
Asked by: Paula Barker (Labour - Liverpool Wavertree)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what her Department’s estimate is of the (a) total level of student loan debt of Plan 2 students who started their course between 2012 and 2023 and (b) total level of student loan debt of Plan 2 students at the point that the freeze in repayment thresholds is planned to end in 2029-2030 for which the latest data is available.
Answered by Josh MacAlister - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)
The current mean average level of student loan balance of Plan 2 students who started their course between 2012 and 2023 to the nearest £100, as of 9 February, is £52,100 for England domiciled borrowers.
We do not hold a forecast for this average balance in 2029/30 on a consistent basis to the above figure provided by the Student Loans Company (SLC), as we forecast loan balances at the course level rather than borrower level, so cannot calculate the average balance by borrower.
The total level of student loan balances of Plan 2 students who started their course between 2012 and 2023 is £213 billion (to the nearest billion, as of 31 March 2025), for England and EU domiciled borrowers, as published here: https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/student-loans-in-england-2024-to-2025/student-loans-in-england-financial-year-2024-25.
Our modelled forecast of estimated total loan balance at the end of 2029/30 is £249 billion (rounded to the nearest billion, estimate for 1 April 2030), as published here: https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/find-statistics/student-loan-forecasts-for-england/2024-25#explore-data-and-files.
The 2029/30 total loan balance figure is forecasted and not certain. More details on the methodology are here: https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/methodology/student-loan-forecasts-for-england.
Asked by: Paula Barker (Labour - Liverpool Wavertree)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what is her Department’s estimate of the (a) average level of student loan debt of Plan 2 students who started their course between 2012 and 2023 and (b) average level of student loan debt of Plan 2 students at the point that the freeze in repayment thresholds is planned to end in 2029-2030 for which the latest data is available.
Answered by Josh MacAlister - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)
The current mean average level of student loan balance of Plan 2 students who started their course between 2012 and 2023 to the nearest £100, as of 9 February, is £52,100 for England domiciled borrowers.
We do not hold a forecast for this average balance in 2029/30 on a consistent basis to the above figure provided by the Student Loans Company (SLC), as we forecast loan balances at the course level rather than borrower level, so cannot calculate the average balance by borrower.
The total level of student loan balances of Plan 2 students who started their course between 2012 and 2023 is £213 billion (to the nearest billion, as of 31 March 2025), for England and EU domiciled borrowers, as published here: https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/student-loans-in-england-2024-to-2025/student-loans-in-england-financial-year-2024-25.
Our modelled forecast of estimated total loan balance at the end of 2029/30 is £249 billion (rounded to the nearest billion, estimate for 1 April 2030), as published here: https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/find-statistics/student-loan-forecasts-for-england/2024-25#explore-data-and-files.
The 2029/30 total loan balance figure is forecasted and not certain. More details on the methodology are here: https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/methodology/student-loan-forecasts-for-england.
Asked by: Paula Barker (Labour - Liverpool Wavertree)
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 maintaining thresholds for repayment of student loans between 2027-28 and 2029-30 for Plan 2 students who started their course between 2012 and 2023 on fair access to higher education for students from economically disadvantaged backgrounds.
Answered by Josh MacAlister - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)
Plan 2 loans were designed and implemented by previous governments. Students in England starting degrees under this government have different arrangements.
Lower earning graduates remain protected by this change. Graduates only begin repaying once their earnings exceed the threshold, paying 9% of income above that level. As repayments remain income-contingent if a borrower’s salary remains the same, their monthly repayments will also stay the same.
The department has produced the attached analysis regarding the lifetime impact of freezing the repayment and interest thresholds.
The department will release an equalities impact assessment, including the impact on lifetime repayments, alongside other borrower impacts for the Plan 2 repayment threshold and interest threshold freeze announced at the Autumn Budget. Published results may differ from those provided due to model and data updates.
Asked by: Paula Barker (Labour - Liverpool Wavertree)
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 maintaining thresholds for repayment of student loans between 2027-28 and 2029-30 for Plan 2 students who started their course between 2012 and 2023 on fair access to higher education for women students.
Answered by Josh MacAlister - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)
Plan 2 loans were designed and implemented by previous governments. Students in England starting degrees under this government have different arrangements.
Lower earning graduates remain protected by this change. Graduates only begin repaying once their earnings exceed the threshold, paying 9% of income above that level. As repayments remain income-contingent if a borrower’s salary remains the same, their monthly repayments will also stay the same.
The department has produced the attached analysis regarding the lifetime impact of freezing the repayment and interest thresholds.
The department will release an equalities impact assessment, including the impact on lifetime repayments, alongside other borrower impacts for the Plan 2 repayment threshold and interest threshold freeze announced at the Autumn Budget. Published results may differ from those provided due to model and data updates.
Asked by: Paula Barker (Labour - Liverpool Wavertree)
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 maintaining thresholds for repayment of student loans between 2027-28 and 2029-30 for Plan 2 students who started their course between 2012 and 2023 on fair access to higher education for disabled students.
Answered by Josh MacAlister - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)
Plan 2 loans were designed and implemented by previous governments. Students in England starting degrees under this government have different arrangements.
Lower earning graduates remain protected by this change. Graduates only begin repaying once their earnings exceed the threshold, paying 9% of income above that level. As repayments remain income-contingent, if a borrower’s salary remains the same, their monthly repayments will also stay the same. Outstanding loans, including interest accrued, are cancelled at the end of the loan term, or in case of death or permanent disability, with no detriment to the borrower.
The department has produced the attached analysis regarding the lifetime impact of freezing the repayment and interest thresholds.
The department will release an equalities impact assessment, including the impact on lifetime repayments, alongside other borrower impacts for the Plan 2 repayment threshold and interest threshold freeze, as announced at the Autumn Budget. Published results may differ from those provided due to model and data updates.
Asked by: Paula Barker (Labour - Liverpool Wavertree)
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 freezing the Plan 2 repayment threshold on (a) nursing students with Plan 2 loans and (b) nursing students with Plan 2 loans who started their courses between August 2017 and September 2020.
Answered by Josh MacAlister - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)
Plan 2 loans were designed and implemented by previous governments. Students in England starting degrees under this government have different arrangements.
Lower earning graduates remain protected by this change. Graduates only begin repaying once their earnings exceed the threshold, paying 9% of income above that level. As repayments remain income-contingent, if a borrower’s salary remains the same, their monthly repayments will also stay the same. Outstanding loans, including interest accrued, are cancelled at the end of the loan term, or in case of death or permanent disability, with no detriment to the borrower.
The department has produced the attached analysis regarding the lifetime impact of freezing the repayment and interest thresholds.
The department will release an equalities impact assessment, including the impact on lifetime repayments, alongside other borrower impacts for the Plan 2 repayment threshold and interest threshold freeze, as announced at the Autumn Budget. Published results may differ from those provided due to model and data updates.
Asked by: Paula Barker (Labour - Liverpool Wavertree)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what estimate her Department has made of the average weekly cost of (a) student accommodation, (b) food and (c) living for university students in the latest period for which data is available.
Answered by Janet Daby
The latest Student Income and Expenditure Survey for 2021/22 collects data on income and expenditure across the academic year, assumed to be 39 weeks.
In the 2021/22 academic year, full-time undergraduate students’ total median living costs were £5,841 including spending on food, entertainment, personal items and other spending not directly related to students’ courses.
Full-time undergraduate students had a median spend of £1,814 on food in the 2021/22 academic year.
The median expenditure on housing costs across full-time undergraduate students who incurred those costs was £4,940.