Asked by: Ian Sollom (Liberal Democrat - St Neots and Mid Cambridgeshire)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps her Department is taking to support the financial viability of universities.
Answered by Janet Daby - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)
The department acknowledges the challenging financial environment faced by the higher education (HE) sector. The Office for Students' (OfS) latest report on the HE sector's financial health, which was published in November, stated that the sector's financial context has become more challenging since its previous report in May. Their analysis suggests that up to 72% of providers could face deficit and up to 40% may have low liquidity if they do not take significant mitigating actions.
The report also found that international recruitment is significantly below the sector’s previous expectations. This government has taken a different stand on international students, and we have spoken clearly about it. In my right hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Education’s first speech in July 2024, and the subsequent video messages addressed to international students, she set out that we welcome international students who make a positive impact on the UK’s HE sector and our economy and society as a whole. That is why international students are offered the opportunity to remain in the UK, and contribute to the society and economy, on a graduate visa for two or three years after their studies come to an end.
Nevertheless, all providers must continue to adapt to uncertainties and financial risks. As autonomous bodies independent of government, it is for providers to decide on effective business models and to how to manage their finances. However, the department is determined to secure the future of our world leading HE sector. That is why we have taken decisive action to support the sector in moving towards a more stable financial footing.
Sir David Behan has been appointed interim Chair of the OfS to oversee the important work of refocusing their role to concentrate on key priorities, including the HE sector’s financial stability. In December, the OfS announced temporary changes to its operations to allow greater focus on financial sustainability. The OfS will work more closely with providers under significant financial pressure in order to protect students’ interests.
Moreover, the government has made the difficult decision to increase tuition fee limits in line with forecast inflation. The maximum fee for a standard full-time undergraduate course in the 2025/26 academic year will increase by 3.1%, from £9,250 to £9,535. The department will set out a long term plan for sector reform this summer.
The department will continue to work closely with the OfS in order to understand the ongoing impacts and changing landscape of financial sustainability in the sector.
Asked by: Ian Sollom (Liberal Democrat - St Neots and Mid Cambridgeshire)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps she is taking to ensure that Skills England is accountable to Parliament.
Answered by Janet Daby - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)
It is intended for Skills England to become an Executive Agency of the Department for Education. As with all other Executive Agencies, Skills England will be required to have robust governance arrangements and clear lines of accountability, including to parliament. This will be set out in a publicly available Framework Document.
Asked by: Ian Sollom (Liberal Democrat - St Neots and Mid Cambridgeshire)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what recent discussions she has had with universities on the importance maintaining the provision of maths.
Answered by Janet Daby - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)
My right hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Education, recognises the critical importance of mathematics provision at universities. English universities are independent, autonomous institutions and are therefore free to choose which courses they run. The quality of these courses is assessed by the Office for Students, the regulator of higher education providers in England. The government acknowledges that robust mathematics education is essential for developing the skills needed in various sectors and for maintaining the UK's competitive edge in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics fields.
The government is committed to ensuring the provision of high-quality mathematics education across universities of all tariff levels. Measures include financial incentives to attract talented individuals into teaching key shortage subjects, such as mathematics.
Asked by: Ian Sollom (Liberal Democrat - St Neots and Mid Cambridgeshire)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps she is taking to maintain provision of maths at universities of all tariff levels.
Answered by Janet Daby - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)
My right hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Education, recognises the critical importance of mathematics provision at universities. English universities are independent, autonomous institutions and are therefore free to choose which courses they run. The quality of these courses is assessed by the Office for Students, the regulator of higher education providers in England. The government acknowledges that robust mathematics education is essential for developing the skills needed in various sectors and for maintaining the UK's competitive edge in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics fields.
The government is committed to ensuring the provision of high-quality mathematics education across universities of all tariff levels. Measures include financial incentives to attract talented individuals into teaching key shortage subjects, such as mathematics.
Asked by: Ian Sollom (Liberal Democrat - St Neots and Mid Cambridgeshire)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment she has made of the importance of maths provision at universities of all tariff levels.
Answered by Janet Daby - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)
My right hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Education, recognises the critical importance of mathematics provision at universities. English universities are independent, autonomous institutions and are therefore free to choose which courses they run. The quality of these courses is assessed by the Office for Students, the regulator of higher education providers in England. The government acknowledges that robust mathematics education is essential for developing the skills needed in various sectors and for maintaining the UK's competitive edge in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics fields.
The government is committed to ensuring the provision of high-quality mathematics education across universities of all tariff levels. Measures include financial incentives to attract talented individuals into teaching key shortage subjects, such as mathematics.
Asked by: Ian Sollom (Liberal Democrat - St Neots and Mid Cambridgeshire)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what the cost to the public purse has been of the school rebuilding programme broken down by spending on (a) completed projects and (b) ongoing projects.
Answered by Stephen Morgan - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)
School buildings are integral to high and rising standards and need to be fit for the future.
We have committed to rebuilding or refurbishing 518 schools and sixth form colleges through the School Rebuilding Programme (SRP).
The Autumn Budget 2024 included £1.4 billion for the 2025/26 financial year to drive the ongoing delivery of the current programme. Future capital funding for schools beyond 2025/26 will be confirmed following the next multi-year phase of the Spending Review.
Annual capital budgets to date for the SRP are published within the Supplementary and Main Estimates on parliament.uk. These budgets are combined with the legacy Priority School Building Programme.
The department also publishes information on all contracts awarded over £10,000, including rebuilding projects, normally within 30 days of the contract being signed. These are published on GOV.UK at: https://www.contractsfinder.service.gov.uk/Search.
Asked by: Ian Sollom (Liberal Democrat - St Neots and Mid Cambridgeshire)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how much funding has been allocated in total for the school rebuilding programme.
Answered by Stephen Morgan - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)
School buildings are integral to high and rising standards and need to be fit for the future.
We have committed to rebuilding or refurbishing 518 schools and sixth form colleges through the School Rebuilding Programme (SRP).
The Autumn Budget 2024 included £1.4 billion for the 2025/26 financial year to drive the ongoing delivery of the current programme. Future capital funding for schools beyond 2025/26 will be confirmed following the next multi-year phase of the Spending Review.
Annual capital budgets to date for the SRP are published within the Supplementary and Main Estimates on parliament.uk. These budgets are combined with the legacy Priority School Building Programme.
The department also publishes information on all contracts awarded over £10,000, including rebuilding projects, normally within 30 days of the contract being signed. These are published on GOV.UK at: https://www.contractsfinder.service.gov.uk/Search.
Asked by: Ian Sollom (Liberal Democrat - St Neots and Mid Cambridgeshire)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how many and what proportion of school rebuilding projects have (a) been completed, (b) been completed within their intended time frame and (c) have passed their original deadline.
Answered by Stephen Morgan - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)
As of 31 December 2024, buildings have been handed over at 23 schools. Of these, demolition and ground works are complete at nine schools, with a further six forecast to reach practical completion this financial year.
The programme started in 2020, with the first projects announced in 2021. In line with initial expectations for the programme, just under half of School Rebuilding Programme projects have commenced various stages of delivery activity, despite some market challenges caused by significant global events. The remaining projects have been given indicative start dates for delivery over the next few years based on a prioritisation of need, with building projects taking up to five years from commencement to complete.
Asked by: Ian Sollom (Liberal Democrat - St Neots and Mid Cambridgeshire)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how many temporary classrooms are currently in use in schools across England, broken down by number in use in (a) primary schools (b) secondary schools and (c) special schools.
Answered by Stephen Morgan - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)
It is the responsibility of those who run schools, academy trusts, local authorities and voluntary aided school bodies, to manage the maintenance of their schools and alert the department if there is a concern with a building. Local authorities and academy trusts do not need to report the use of temporary classrooms to the department, therefore, the department does not hold this data. The department does provide support on a case-by-case basis, working with the sector, if it is alerted to a serious safety issue. The department always puts the safety and wellbeing of children and staff in schools and colleges at the heart of its policy decisions.
Asked by: Ian Sollom (Liberal Democrat - St Neots and Mid Cambridgeshire)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, which contractors have been chosen to carry out works under the school rebuilding programme; and on what criteria these contractors were chosen.
Answered by Stephen Morgan - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)
The department procures contractors from its frameworks to deliver the vast majority of projects, including the School Rebuilding Programme. Information on the contractors on its frameworks, including the criteria for selecting contractors for individual projects, can be found on GOV.UK, and is available here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/school-buildings-construction-framework-2021/appendix-d-framework-contractors.