Question

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, which of the proposals in Higher education: teaching excellence, social mobility and student choice, published by his Department on 6 November 2015 are intended to enhance part-time higher education.

Proposals in the Green Paper, ‘Fulfilling our Potential: Teaching Excellence, Social Mobility and Student Choice’ will benefit both full-time and part-time higher education. Through the Teaching Excellence Framework all students will get better value for money and have more information about the courses they are applying for. Our proposals on social mobility and widening participation will apply to all students and creating a competitive, well regulated higher education system will benefit current and prospective part-time students as well as full-time.

We have taken steps to support part-time students including introducing non-means tested fee loans and extending loans for those already holding a degree to students wishing to retrain in engineering, technology and computer science. We continue to examine what more we can do to support part-time and are engaging actively with the sector on this issue.