Asked by: Darren Paffey (Labour - Southampton Itchen)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment she has made of the potential merits of adding veterinary medicine to the list of second-degree courses eligible for tuition fee loans, including the potential impact on (a) access to the veterinary profession and (b) the UK’s veterinary workforce.
Answered by Josh MacAlister - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)
To ensure the student finance system remains sustainable, students who already hold a qualification at an equivalent or higher-level qualification (ELQ) to that of their current course are not normally eligible for tuition fee or maintenance loans. An exception has been made to these rules to encourage access to certain professions, including veterinary medicine. Students undertaking a full-time second degree in veterinary medicine starting before 1 January 2027 will qualify for maintenance support for the duration of their course.
This position will change under the Lifelong Learning Entitlement, which will replace higher education student finance loans from 1 January 2027. An additional loan entitlement will be made available for a limited number of priority subjects, such as medicine. These are courses required to address priority skills needs and that align with the government’s Industrial Strategy.
Asked by: Lord Taylor of Warwick (Non-affiliated - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the findings of SumUp's UK Business Confidence Report 2025, and of the implications of those findings for policies relating to the cost pressures faced by small and independent retailers.
Answered by Baroness Lloyd of Effra - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)
We recognise the challenges facing businesses at the moment. This is why we are taking action – including through creating a fairer business rates system which includes introducing permanently lower rates for eligible retail, hospitality and leisure properties.
We're protecting the smallest businesses from the impact of the increase to employer National Insurance by increasing the Employment Allowance from £5,000 to £10,500, which means that 865,000 employers will pay no employer NICs at all this year.
We also recognise the challenge in accessing the right skills which is why we've created Skills England, the new Growth and Skills Levy, the introduction of the Lifelong Learning Entitlement, as well as qualifications reform and the Independent Curriculum and Assessment Review, this Government is ensuring employers will be better supported to recruit and train the domestic workforce with the skills they need.
Finally, our Plan for small and medium-sized businesses aims to tackle late payments, boost access to finance, and remove red tape to enable SMEs across the country to grow and thrive.
Asked by: Ellie Chowns (Green Party - North Herefordshire)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether her Department has conducted an equalities impact assessment of the age limit for Lifelong Learning Entitlement tuition fee loans; and what steps her Department is taking to ensure that knowledge of the age limit is widely promoted amongst people who are over 60 years old.
Answered by Josh MacAlister - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)
The department conducted an equalities impact assessment (EIA) in 2023 that considered the availability of Lifelong Learning Entitlement tuition loans up to the age of 60. The EIA can be found in the public domain and is available at: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/64061b31e90e0740d2e5a80b/Lifelong_loan_entitlement_-_equality_analysis.pdf.
The department has published guidance about the availability of the Lifelong Learning Entitlement which is accessible here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/lifelong-learning-entitlement-lle-overview/lifelong-learning-entitlement-overview . The Student Loans Company has also published information on its website: https://www.heinfo.slc.co.uk/lle/lle-faq/lifelong-learning-entitlement-faq/.
Asked by: Dan Norris (Independent - North East Somerset and Hanham)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps she is taking to increase access to higher technical qualifications and degree courses by low-income students.
Answered by Josh MacAlister - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)
The Post-16 White Paper sets out our vision for a reformed system that helps everyone with the desire and aptitude to access higher education (HE), breaking down barriers to opportunity and supporting growth.
Higher Technical Qualifications (HTQs) are a key route into HE for disadvantaged learners. At Level 5, 54% of learners come from the 40% most deprived areas. As of September 2025, 281 qualifications have been approved as HTQs across 13 occupational routes, and the growth of HTQs will help to address key skills gaps.
We aim to reform regulation of Access and Participation Plans, allowing the Office for Students (OfS) to be more risk-based. There will be greater accountability for providers lagging behind in supporting disadvantaged students, and reduced bureaucracy for those doing well, with a greater focus on continuous improvement.
We will introduce targeted maintenance grants to support students from low-income households studying courses at Levels 4 to 6, including technical qualifications and degrees, aligned with the government’s missions and the Industrial Strategy. The department is also introducing the lifelong learning entitlement, to help people study flexibly in a way that suits their needs.
Asked by: James McMurdock (Independent - South Basildon and East Thurrock)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment she has made of the adequacy of the alignment between degree subject provision and priority occupations identified by Skills England.
Answered by Josh MacAlister - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)
The Skills England report, ‘Assessment of Priority Skills to 2030’ sets out that in higher education (HE) over half (53%) of employed recent education leavers are in priority occupations (see table below).
The HE sector is independent and individual institutions are responsible for deciding which courses to deliver. The government is not involved in these decisions but does support delivery of high-cost courses through the Strategic Priorities Grant (SPG). We are reforming the SPG to ensure alignment of funding with the priority sectors which support the Industrial Strategy and the Plan for Change and future skills needs. In addition, Priority Additional Entitlement under the Lifelong Learning Entitlement (LLE) will be available for courses that align with industrial strategy priorities. From January 2027, LLE funding will all also be available for level 4, 5 and 6 modules from full level qualifications in subject groups that address priority skills gaps and align with the government’s industrial strategy.
Top 10 first degree (level 6) higher education subjects into priority occupations:
Subject | Share of learners entering priority occupations |
Nursing and midwifery | 97% |
Medicine and dentistry | 96% |
Medical sciences | 81% |
Architecture, building and planning | 79% |
Pharmacology, toxicology and pharmacy | 78% |
Allied health | 73% |
Computing | 70% |
Engineering | 68% |
Economics | 65% |
Physics and astronomy | 60% |
Further information can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/assessment-of-priority-skills-to-2030/assessment-of-priority-skills-to-2030#education-supply-for-priority-occupations.
Asked by: Paul Kohler (Liberal Democrat - Wimbledon)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment he has made of the adequacy of levels of access to (a) lifelong learning and (b) reskilling opportunities for adults seeking employment in emerging industries.
Answered by Andrew Western - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Work and Pensions)
We are continuing to invest in education and skills training for adults (19 and over) through the Adult Skills Fund (ASF), spending £1.4 billion in the 2025/26 academic year, ensuring that adults can access the education and training they need to get into employment or progress in work. The ASF supports a range of courses for adults of all ages including those relating to new and emerging industries, such as digital technologies.
Currently, 68% of the ASF is devolved to 12 Mayoral Strategic Authorities and the Greater London Authority (GLA). These authorities are responsible for the provision of ASF-funded adult education for their residents, the allocation of the ASF to learning providers, and deciding how the ASF best meets the needs of the local economy. By honouring our commitments to combine and further devolve adult skills funding, we give those with local knowledge the power they need to make decisions that are best for their areas.
This government is also transforming the apprenticeships offer into a new growth and skills offer, which will give greater flexibility to employers and to learners throughout their careers.
From April 2026, the government will also enable employers to use the growth and skills levy for new short courses in areas such as digital, artificial intelligence and engineering, to support Industrial Strategy sectors. This new flexible offer will support employed learners to update or improve relevant aspects of their skills base, with the support of their employer.
Additionally, in August 2025 the government reduced the apprenticeship minimum duration to 8 months so that shorter duration apprenticeships are now possible. We expect this flexibility to open-up more opportunities, including where the apprentice already has relevant prior learning or experiences that reduces their time needed to train. This change will enable more adults with prior career experience to access apprenticeships and achieve occupational competence more quickly.
Lastly, the Lifelong Learning Entitlement (LLE) will launch in academic year 2026/27 and will support individuals to learn, upskill and retrain across their working lives. Learners will be able to use this new entitlement more flexibly than ever before to fund individual modules as well as full courses at levels 4 to 6, regardless of whether they are provided in colleges, universities or independent providers.
Asked by: Andrew Rosindell (Reform UK - Romford)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps she has taken to help increase the number of pupils obtaining Level 4 qualifications in (a) England and (b) Romford constituency.
Answered by Josh MacAlister - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)
The government has set an ambition for two-thirds of young people to participate in higher-level study (level 4+) by age 25.
From September 2026, learners will be able to apply for Lifelong Learning Entitlement funding, that will support learners to take on courses and modular learning at levels 4-6, across universities, colleges and independent providers.
The government will also reintroduce targeted, means-tested maintenance grants, which will offer vital financial support to eligible students from low-income households, helping more of these students to access and excel in higher education.
The department is expanding Higher Technical Qualifications (HTQs), which are quality-marked, occupation-focused level 4–5 courses available at universities, further education colleges, and independent providers. They offer flexible study options, such as part-time and distance learning, making them accessible to those with caring responsibilities or in work. 282 HTQs have been approved across 13 occupational routes.
Asked by: Lord Taylor of Warwick (Non-affiliated - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to support workers to train in new sectors when facing unemployment due to artificial intelligence.
Answered by Baroness Smith of Malvern - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
At the recent Spending Review, the government announced substantial investment in skills in England with an additional £1.2 billion by 2028/29. This includes supporting targeted skills packages for key sectors such as construction, digital and technology, engineering, and defence.
The government will provide approximately £1.4 billion in funding for the adult skills fund in the 2025/26 academic year. This includes funding the Free Courses for Jobs offer, which gives eligible adults the chance to access high value Level 3 qualifications for free, which can support them to gain higher wages or a better job.
The government will also support adult learners to retrain through our technical education offer, including through a range of apprenticeships and Skills Bootcamps. Our new levy-funded growth and skills offer will introduce greater flexibility to employers and learners in England.
From September 2026, learners will be able to apply for funding from the Lifelong Learning Entitlement (LLE), which will be the new student finance system for courses and modules starting from January 2027 onwards. The LLE will allow people to retrain, upskill and gain new qualifications across their working lives, at a time that is right for them, such as those returning from a career break.
Asked by: Andrew Snowden (Conservative - Fylde)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps she is taking to provide training opportunities for people to upskill in the use of artificial intelligence.
Answered by Janet Daby
Through our Industrial Strategy, published in June 2025, this government will ensure the skills system and employment support align with strategic economic priorities, including the needs of priority sectors and transformative opportunities like artificial intelligence (AI).
The government’s commitment to realising the benefits of AI was also illustrated in January, when we agreed to take forward all 50 recommendations from Matt Clifford’s AI Opportunities Action Plan.
New short courses in areas such as digital, AI, and engineering will be introduced in England, funded through the Growth and Skills Levy, to support Industrial Strategy sectors like Creative Industries and Advanced Manufacturing from April 2026.
From January 2027, the department will launch the Lifelong Learning Entitlement, enabling individuals to learn, upskill and retrain across their working lives. The first modular courses for approval will support progression into Industrial Strategy priority sectors.
The government recently announced a joint commitment with leading technology companies to provide 7.5 million workers with essential AI skills by 2030, around 20% of the UK workforce. Companies such as Google, Microsoft and Accenture have committed to making high quality training materials widely available to workers in businesses, large and small, across the country free of charge over the next five years.
Asked by: Sarah Olney (Liberal Democrat - Richmond Park)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what recent discussions she has had with Cabinet colleagues on the introduction of lifelong learning grants.
Answered by Janet Daby
The government recognises that lifelong learning is a core part of a sustainable higher education system which provides opportunities for all and offers learners greater flexibility in an ever-evolving economy. We are committed to supporting lifelong learning as part of our wider commitment to skills.
The lifelong learning entitlement (LLE) will transform the post-18 student finance system to create a single post-18 student funding system. From September 2026, learners will be able to apply for LLE funding for the first time for courses and modules starting from January 2027 onwards.
The department has worked with Ministers and officials in other government departments to ensure that its approach to lifelong learning will be as effective as possible, enabling people to gain the skills they need to support their careers.
Further information on the LLE can be found at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/lifelong-learning-entitlement-lle-overview.