Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps she is taking to support a sustainable funding model for Higher Education.

The government is determined that the higher education (HE) funding system should deliver for our economy, for universities and for students. The department will look carefully at all options and come forward with proposals. The department is committed to supporting the aspiration of every person who meets the requirements and wants to go to university.

The department also recognises the immediate financial strain that some HE providers are under. As such, the department continues to work closely with the Office for Students (OfS), the independent regulator of HE in England, to monitor emerging risks and to ensure there are robust plans in place to mitigate them. The department has already appointed Sir David Behan as interim chair to oversee the important work of refocusing the OfS' role to concentrate on key priorities, including the financial stability of the HE sector.