Contributions
444 recent contributions in Hansard
HANSARDEducationI think it is really relevant to make sure that the public know who created this system—and not only created it, but froze those loans 10 times over the last 12 years— […23 Mar 2026HANSARD Student Loansrose—18 Mar 2026HANSARD Student LoansI would be delighted to take the right hon. Member’s incredibly short intervention.18 Mar 2026HANSARD Student LoansI thank my hon. Friend for his advocacy on this issue. I know that he represents a number of students, and this is something that he has raised continually. We have heard the…18 Mar 2026HANSARD Student LoansI was talking about plan 2— [ Interruption. ] The debate today that has been called by the Opposition is about plan 2 loans—a system that was created in 2012 by the Conservatives.18 Mar 2026HANSARD Student LoansOf course I recognise the critical role that FE colleges play in supporting children into the creative industries. That is why this Government are backing FE colleges after the…18 Mar 2026HANSARD Student LoansWe are lifting the threshold, which will make a difference this year for students. We have already announced that, and we have said that we will continue to look at this matter as…18 Mar 2026HANSARD Student LoansMy hon. Friend makes an important contribution to this debate. The Government have taken the tough, immediate action that is required, including by making the difficult decision…18 Mar 2026HANSARD Student LoansI think it is really relevant to make sure that the public know who created this system—and not only created it, but froze those loans 10 times over the last 12 years— […18 Mar 2026HANSARD Student LoansI thank my hon. Friend for that powerful point. Her creative arts degree was of huge benefit in getting her to this place.18 Mar 2026HANSARD Student LoansWe saw a 40% reduction in young people’s apprenticeships over a decade. That was the legacy of the Conservative party. While the foundational principles of our higher education…18 Mar 2026HANSARD Student LoansWe want young people to have a choice: to go to university, to study, to take up an apprenticeship or to earn and learn. We want that range of routes to be available and for young…18 Mar 2026HANSARD Student LoansOpposition Members were accusing me of talking about the past, but I think I was nine years old when that was going on. I do not regret the real focus on opening up access to…18 Mar 2026HANSARD Student LoansWe are committed to opening up those routes to lifelong learning, and we are setting out plans on that. I welcome that intervention.18 Mar 2026HANSARD Student LoansI think it important to make it clear—some people watching the debate will be worried about this—that these are not normal loans, in that young people who are not earning, or are…18 Mar 2026HANSARD Student LoansI thank the hon. Member for that comment, and that is why we are supporting maintenance grants to help students with the cost of living. I will conclude by saying that our…18 Mar 2026HANSARD Student LoansMy hon. Friend makes an incredibly important point. We need to open up access to apprenticeships. That is why the Government are making this investment, and it is why we have set…18 Mar 2026HANSARD Student LoansWe have acknowledged the issues and the unfairness in the system. The Prime Minister, the Chancellor and the Secretary of State for Education have acknowledged that, and we have…18 Mar 2026HANSARD Student LoansI have made it very clear that we want to increase the quality of courses, and that is one of the conditions that we attached to increasing the fees in a fair way, but we want to…18 Mar 2026HANSARD Student LoansI thank my hon. Friend for making that point. As she knows, increasing security for women on maternity leave is a really important part of this Government’s agenda, and that is…18 Mar 2026