Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what Barnett consequential will accrue to Wales as a result of the planned saving of £2.5 billion of the decision to replace maintenance grants with maintenance loans for students in England.

As the changes to maintenance arrangements will come into effect for the academic year 2016-17, they will be factored into the budget for the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills which will be set at the forthcoming Spending Review. The Barnett Formula will be applied to this settlement in the usual way.

Should the Welsh Government choose to offer students from Wales maintenance loans on a similar basis, the Treasury will make available a proportionate level of cover.