Question

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what steps he is taking to ensure courses equivalent to those on the list of prescribed courses in the Further and Higher Education Act 1992 are not excluded from Higher Education Funding Council for England funding by virtue of coming into existence following the introduction of that Act.

Our higher education reforms have transferred money from Higher Education Funding Council for England (HEFCE) block grant to support Government backed loans which students now use to pay fees at the institution of their choice. The most recent figures show that, for the first time, the majority of HE funding is now determined by the choices students make rather than coming directly from Government. In this context, we have no plans to extend HEFCE's statutory funding remit.

Students are able to take a range of qualifications for which they can access higher education student support, 24+ advanced learning loans, or professional and career development loans. We are currently looking at a number of options to ensure that we have effective progression pathways to support the development of higher level skills, particularly at levels 4 and 5. This includes having the right supporting funding mechanisms in place to deliver quality and value for money.