Disabled Students’ Allowance

Lord Addington Excerpts

Wednesday 7th January 2015 Lords Chamber

Asked by

[Lord Addington]

To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether any reform of Disabled Students’ Allowance will take full account of the case for encouraging independent learning and study for eligible students.

[Lord Addington (LD)]

My Lords, I beg leave to ask the Question standing in my name on the Order Paper, and draw the House’s attention to my declared interests.

[Baroness Williams of Trafford (Con)]

The Government support the case for encouraging more independent study. In future, we expect higher education institutions to consider a more inclusive learning environment as part of their provision of support for disabled students, and our reforms support that.

[Lord Addington]

I thank my noble friend for that Answer. However, does she agree that at the moment the sector is very worried about what is coming, as it is seen as a cost-cutting exercise? If there were a clear statement that independent learning were to be at the heart of all the changes, it would to some extent head this off and give clarity of direction to the ongoing discussion.

[Baroness Williams of Trafford]

I understand that any change afoot will engender some sort of worry, but the DSA has not been reformed for several years now. We need to improve value for money within the system and balance the responsibility to disabled students between government and higher education institutions, and to make DSA sustainable, because it is a demand-led provision.