Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, for what reason she proposes to withdraw funding for Access to HE Diplomas; and what assessment has been made of the potential impact on levels of participation in further education.

Access to HE Diplomas remain an important pathway to support adults to go into higher education. That is why we are retaining funding for students aged 19+ through Advanced Learner Loans (ALLs). Students who take out an ALL for an Access to HE Diploma will have the outstanding balance written off if they complete an eligible higher education course, such as an undergraduate degree.

Following the completion of our post-16 pathways qualification reforms, students after 16 will have a clear choice between A Levels, V Levels and T Levels at level 3. The equalities impact assessment published alongside the government response to the Post-16 Level 3 and below pathways consultation sets out our analysis of impacts for students aged 16 to 19 with protected characteristics, and anticipates positive impacts for students from clearer choices and progression routes.