Oral Answers to Questions

Stephen Timms Excerpts

Monday 23rd May 2022 Commons Chamber

[Mr Walker]

The safety of pupils and staff is paramount. We have one of the largest condition data collection programmes in Europe, which helps us to assess and manage risk across the estate. Through our programmes, we prioritise buildings where there is a risk to health and safety. We have invested more than £13 billion since 2015 in improving the condition of school buildings and facilities, which includes £1.8 billion committed this year. In addition, our new school rebuilding programme will transform the learning environment at 500 schools over the next decade and will prioritise evidence of severe need and safety issues.

[Stephen Timms (East Ham) (Lab)]

5. What progress his Department has made on developing an alternative student finance product for Muslim students.

[The Secretary of State for Education (Nadhim Zahawi)]

We remain committed to delivering alternative student finance, and we are currently considering if and how it can be delivered as part of the lifelong loan entitlement.

[Stephen Timms]

It is estimated that 4,000 Muslim students a year do not go into higher education because there is no finance available that is compatible with their faith. David Cameron promised to fix this nine years ago. A good deal of work was done, but it seems to have run into the sand in the past few years. I am grateful to the Secretary of State for reaffirming the Government’s commitment to delivering on David Cameron’s promise, but can he give us an indication of how much longer Muslim students will have to wait?

[Nadhim Zahawi]

We will provide a further update on alternative student finance as part of our response to the LLE consultation, which closed earlier this month.