Further Education College Condition Allocation 2026-27
- I am pleased to announce £307 million of capital funding will be allocated to further education colleges and designated institutions across England in 2026-27 to help them maintain, improve, and ensure the suitability of their estate. This is the second year of the FE college condition allocation, providing colleges with funding certainty to strategically plan and manage their estates.FE colleges will have the discretion to prioritise how best to use this funding over a three year period, supported by spend guidance the Department has published on gov.uk: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/further-education-college-condition-allocation-2026-to-2027This funding forms part of the £1.7 billion investment announced in the UK’s modern industrial strategy to improve the condition of FE college buildings. It is also part of the Government’s education estates strategy, published in February 2026, which set out plans for an education estate that supports opportunity for all, backed by a 10-year plan to deliver a decade of renewal to transform schools and colleges. High quality and inspiring college buildings are essential for expanding opportunity, breaking down barriers, and ensuring clear pathways from education into skilled employment.By investing in FE colleges, we are investing in the country’s future workforce and long-term growth.[HCWS1495]
Improving School Food Standards in England: Consultation Launch
- I have asked my Department to consult on proposed changes to the school food standards in England.A good meal or a nutritious breakfast can set a child up for the day, helping them to concentrate, learn, and thrive. Working alongside the Office for Health Improvements and Disparities and as part of our 10-year health plan for England, we have committed to overhaul school food standards to ensure that every child gets the good-quality food they need that gives them the best start in life.Too many children are not getting the nutritious food they need. The latest National Diet and Nutrition Survey shows children consume twice the recommended amount of free sugars, and most are consuming insufficient fibre. Over 10.5% of children aged 4 to 5 start school with obesity and by the end of primary school this rises to 22.2%. This is simply not good enough.The school food standards are out of date, and that is why we are proposing to update the regulations to align with the latest nutritional guidance to reduce sugar, increase fibre and limit unhealthy foods. These are changes that respond directly to what parents, health experts, and the food sector have been telling us for years. It means increasing fibre by ensuring schools offer more wholegrains, vegetables, pulses and fruit across meals and snacks. It means reducing sugar by limiting sweetened breakfast items, desserts and drinks, and by lowering the added sugar content of everyday menu options. It means restricting foods that are higher in fat, sugar and salt, such as deep-fried items, processed meats, confectionery and savoury snacks, and ensuring these appear less often or in controlled portions. It also means doing this in a way that schools can continue to serve food that children are familiar with. For secondary schools, we propose phasing in some of these changes to give schools and caterers more time to adapt.
Student Loan Interest Rates: Academic Year 2026-27
- On the 7 April the Government announced that we are capping the maximum interest rates on Plan 2 and Plan 3—postgraduate—student loans at 6% for the 2026-27 academic year, from the 1 September 2026 to the 31 August 2027.This short-term protective measure removes the risk of any temporary increase in inflation causing loan balances to compound at an unsustainable rate, and will protect students and graduates from the potential of inflationary pressures due to the situation in the middle east.Student loan interest rates are ordinarily set for each academic year by reference to the retail prices index value for the year to the preceding March. On that basis, interest rates for academic year 2026-27 would normally be determined using the outturn RPI figure for March 2026, which is due to be published on 22 April 2026.The Government are therefore making this change ahead of student loan interest rates being confirmed for the coming 2026-27 academic year.Under existing arrangements, borrowers on Plan 2 loans may be charged interest of up to RPI plus 3%. This maximum rate applies to borrowers in repayment earning above the upper interest rate threshold, which increased to £52,885 on 6 April 2026. For Plan 3 loans and Plan 2 students in study, a flat rate of RPI plus 3% applies to all borrowers.Capping the maximum interest rate at 6% instead of RPI plus 3% will ensure no Plan 2 or Plan 3 borrower faces an interest rate above 6% for academic year 2026-27.This follows changes this Government have already made to the student finance system we inherited to improve it and make it fairer for students, graduates and taxpayers. This includes increasing the repayment threshold for Plan 2 loans to £28,470 in April 2025—its first increase since 2021—and we increased it again on 6 April this year, to £29,385. We are also reintroducing targeted, means-tested maintenance grants from the 2028-29 academic year, providing students from low-income households with up to £1,000 extra support that will not need to be repaid to ensure those from the poorest families receive more support without increasing their debt.