Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, if he will reintroduce maintenance grants to ensure that disadvantaged students are not discouraged from entering higher education owing to concerns about the cost of living.

The government will consider the Post-18 Education and Funding review 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. Access and successful participation remain a priority for this government and is enshrined in the Higher Education and Research Act 2017. Everyone with the ability to succeed in higher education should have the opportunity, regardless of their background or where they grew up.