Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:

To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what steps her Department is taking to encourage students from disadvantaged backgrounds to complete postgraduate research.

The Government continues to provide targeted funding to increase the accessibility of postgraduate research (PGR) to students from disadvantaged backgrounds and is committed to creating a New Deal of support for PGR students.

In 2022, the Office for Students and Research England announced funding for 13 projects to tackle persistent inequalities and barriers for Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic students to access PGR. In 2023, UKRI published results of a Call for Input on a PGR New Deal and will respond later this year.

The Department for Science, Innovation and Technology continues to work with UKRI and the Department for Education to consider further steps to support access to and widen participation in PGR.