Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what guidance his Department has issued to universities on support for students who are due to begin their studies in the 2020-21 academic year.

We expect universities to be open for the autumn term and for them to offer a blend of online teaching and in-person tuition as they consider appropriate, while taking account of the need to minimise the risk to staff and students.

We have now published guidance for higher education providers on reopening campuses and buildings. This will support them in deciding when and how they can make facilities accessible again to students and staff, as long as they follow the relevant public health advice, available at the following link: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/higher-education-reopening-buildings-and-campuses.