Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what recent assessment he has made of the effect of university tuition fees on the finances of graduates.

The government is considering how graduates contribute to the cost of their studies. This includes the level, terms and duration of their contribution as part of the review of Post-18 Education and Funding. We want to make sure that funding arrangements across post-18 education and training are transparent, do not act as barriers to choice and offer value for money for students and taxpayers.

The independent panel’s report to the government, published on 30 May, forms an important step in the review. The government will consider the panel’s recommendations carefully and will conclude the review at the Spending Review. The government has not yet taken decisions with regards to the recommendations put forward.