Commons Sense

House of Commons · Ministers' Questions

Student Loan Changes: Social Mobility

Monday 14 March 2022 · 3 questions

Summarised by AI from the official record, so it can contain mistakes.

Read the full transcript on Parliament.uk

At a glance

Answered 0 Partly answered 2 Not answered 0

Key points

  • Margaret Ferrier asked about the potential impact of student loan changes on social mobility.
  • The Minister responded that the changes aim to provide a fairer deal for students, graduates, and taxpayers, promoting social mobility.
  • Margaret Ferrier questioned the impact of decreasing eligibility and extending repayment periods on students from low-income families.

Topics (select to filter)

Questions & Answers

Q1 Margaret Ferrier SNP
Context

Student loan requirements have been changed, and there are concerns about their effect on social mobility.

Question

What assessment has been made of the potential impact of changes to student loan requirements on social mobility?

Answer from Michelle Donelan

Our changes mean a fairer deal for students, graduates and the taxpayer, and build on our work to drive up quality so that more young people go on to complete their education and then go on to graduate jobs, delivering real social mobility.

Partly answered

Not addressed: The answer did not provide a specific impact assessment of changes on social mobility.

Was this summary accurate? Tell us

How accurate was this summary? (1 = poor, 5 = spot on)

Get updates like this by email
Q2 Margaret Ferrier SNP
Context

Concerns about the impact of decreased eligibility, extended repayment periods, and lower thresholds for student loans on students from low-income families.

Question

Decreasing eligibility, extending the repayment period and lowering the repayment threshold for student loans will disproportionately impact students from low-income families. What impact assessment has been undertaken on these changes from an equality perspective?

Answer from Michelle Donelan

When we published our response to Augar, we also published our impact assessment in full, but at the heart of our plans is fairness, as I have said, for the taxpayer, for students and for graduates. No student will pay back more in real terms than they borrow.

Partly answered

Not addressed: The answer did not provide a detailed impact assessment from an equality perspective or specific data on how these changes affect student numbers.

Was this summary accurate? Tell us

How accurate was this summary? (1 = poor, 5 = spot on)

Get updates like this by email
Q3 Matt Western Lab Warwick and Leamington
Education
Context

Research shows that only about half of pupils on free school meals achieve a grade 4 in GCSE English and Maths, compared to 70% overall.

Question

Research by the Higher Education Policy Institute shows that 70% of parents want their children to go to university, but the Government's proposal for minimum entry requirements of a grade 4 in GSCE English and maths for student finance will disproportionately affect disadvantaged students. Why is this being proposed?

Answer from Michelle Donelan

Once again, this shows the Opposition's obsession with targets and numbers. We want an education system that delivers for the individual, whether that means going into further education, an apprenticeship or university. We want to ensure that every young person knows that whichever option they pick, it is a high-quality option.

Not addressed: The answer did not address why minimum entry requirements for GSCE English and maths are being proposed despite their negative impact on disadvantaged students.

How: Changing The Subject

Was this summary accurate? Tell us

How accurate was this summary? (1 = poor, 5 = spot on)

Get updates like this by email