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Written Question
Overseas Students: Student Wastage
Friday 10th April 2026

Asked by: Peter Bedford (Conservative - Mid Leicestershire)

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how many foreign nationals claiming student loan or a maintenance loan dropped out of their courses in the last academic year for which data is available.

Answered by Josh MacAlister - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)

The number of student loan borrowers who are not UK Nationals and withdrew from their latest recorded course in 2024/25 was 15,000 (to the nearest 500).

The department and the Student Loans Company have strengthened the quality and consistency of data in this area and now hold reliable information on borrowers’ UK national status and nationality.


Written Question
Students: Loans
Friday 10th April 2026

Asked by: Peter Bedford (Conservative - Mid Leicestershire)

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, if she will publish student loan repayment data, broken down by national origin, for the last academic year for which data has been collated.

Answered by Josh MacAlister - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)

The number of student loan borrowers who are not UK Nationals and withdrew from their latest recorded course in 2024/25 was 15,000 (to the nearest 500).

The department and the Student Loans Company have strengthened the quality and consistency of data in this area and now hold reliable information on borrowers’ UK national status and nationality.


Written Question
Department for Science, Innovation and Technology: Redundancy Pay
Wednesday 1st April 2026

Asked by: Peter Bedford (Conservative - Mid Leicestershire)

Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:

To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what was the total value of non-contractual severance payments across the department in 2023, 2024 and 2025.

Answered by Ian Murray - Minister of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)

The Department for Science, Innovation and Technology’s first set of accounts were for 2023/24 where the expenditure on special severance payments was £99,390. Expenditure in subsequent years can be found in the relevant annual report and accounts.


Written Question
Department for Energy Security and Net Zero: Redundancy Pay
Wednesday 1st April 2026

Asked by: Peter Bedford (Conservative - Mid Leicestershire)

Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what was the total value of non-contractual severance payments across the department in 2023, 2024 and 2025.

Answered by Michael Shanks - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)

The total value of non-contractual severance payments across the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero (DESNZ) was £22,500 in 2023, £nil in 2024 and £60,000 in 2025.


Written Question
Department for Business and Trade: Redundancy Pay
Wednesday 1st April 2026

Asked by: Peter Bedford (Conservative - Mid Leicestershire)

Question to the Department for Business and Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what was the total value of non-contractual severance payments across the department in 2023, 2024 and 2025.

Answered by Kate Dearden - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)

The total value of severance payments is set out in the department’s Annual Report and Accounts, which are available for the last three years.


Written Question
Department for Transport: Redundancy Pay
Monday 30th March 2026

Asked by: Peter Bedford (Conservative - Mid Leicestershire)

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what was the total value of non-contractual severance payments across the department in 2023, 2024 and 2025.

Answered by Simon Lightwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)

The total value of severance payments is set out in the department’s Annual Report and Accounts, which are available for the last three years.


Written Question
Asylum: Applications
Thursday 26th March 2026

Asked by: Peter Bedford (Conservative - Mid Leicestershire)

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if she will provide the latest data her department possesses on the asylum claim acceptance rate for cases that were decided by Home Office immigration caseworkers that are British nationals.

Answered by Alex Norris - Minister of State (Home Office)

The information requested could only be collated and verified for the purpose of answering this question at disproportionate cost.


Written Question
Asylum: Applications
Thursday 26th March 2026

Asked by: Peter Bedford (Conservative - Mid Leicestershire)

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if she will provide the latest data her department possesses on the asylum claim acceptance rate for cases that were decided by Home Office immigration caseworkers that are foreign nationals.

Answered by Alex Norris - Minister of State (Home Office)

The information requested could only be collated and verified for the purpose of answering this question at disproportionate cost.


Written Question
Undocumented Migrants: English Channel
Thursday 26th March 2026

Asked by: Peter Bedford (Conservative - Mid Leicestershire)

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what estimate her Department has made of the number of small boat migrants that will enter the UK in 2026.

Answered by Alex Norris - Minister of State (Home Office)

The Home Office does not make a single estimate of this kind. A range of scenarios are considered for operational planning purposes.


Written Question
Department for Culture, Media and Sport: Redundancy Pay
Thursday 26th March 2026

Asked by: Peter Bedford (Conservative - Mid Leicestershire)

Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what was the total value of non-contractual severance payments across the department in 2023, 2024 and 2025.

Answered by Ian Murray - Minister of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)

The total value of severance payments is set out in the department’s Annual Report and Accounts, which are available for the last three years.