Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what plans his Department has to ensure universities provide adequate support for lost learning during the covid-19 outbreak to new students in the 2021 intake.

We recognise students have experienced unprecedented disruption to their education this year and this disruption has not fallen equally across the country.

In December 2020, the department confirmed the launch of an expert advisory group to consider the differential impacts of the COVID-19 outbreak on pupils and recommend mitigations for these impacts. In light of the decision to cancel exams, the department is working to finalise the terms of reference and membership of the group. We will ensure that membership is representative of the sector and is geographically diverse. Further details on membership and priorities of the group will be provided in due course.

We will consider the advice of the group and work closely with sector leaders in the higher education taskforce on any recommendations arising.

Universities are extremely aware of the difficulties that students have faced this year and we encourage them to take this into account and be flexible when making offers to students and when supporting them in their transition into higher education.