To match an exact phrase, use quotation marks around the search term. eg. "Parliamentary Estate". Use "OR" or "AND" as link words to form more complex queries.

Keep yourself up-to-date with the latest developments by exploring our subscription options to receive notifications direct to your inbox

Written Question
Universities: Scotland
Thursday 2nd July 2020

Asked by: Peter Grant (Scottish National Party - Glenrothes)

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what recent discussions he has had with the Scottish Government on the decision to cap the number of English students attending university in Scotland.

Answered by Michelle Donelan

My right hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Education, and I have regular meetings with Scottish ministers, and with ministers from all the devolved administrations, about higher education issues. These discussions have included the development of student number controls policy. Departmental officials also have regular meetings and discussions with their counterparts.

Student number controls are a direct response to the COVID-19 outbreak. They are designed to minimise the impact to the financial threat posed by the outbreak and they form a key part of the package of measures to stabilise the admissions system. We want to make sure that university places are available to all who are qualified by ability and attainment to pursue them and who wish to do so.

These controls are a temporary measure and will be in place for one academic year only. Student number controls for institutions in the devolved administrations only apply to the number of English-domiciled entrants who will be supported with their tuition fees through the Student Loans Company. They are set at a level which will allow every institution to take more first year English students than they took last year. The funding of English-domiciled students is not a devolved matter, and it is right and fair that this policy should apply as consistently as possible wherever they are studying in the UK.

Ministers will continue to work closely with the devolved administrations on strengthening and stabilising the higher education system following the COVID-19 outbreak.

Written Question
Universities: Scotland
Wednesday 1st July 2020

Asked by: Peter Grant (Scottish National Party - Glenrothes)

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what economic assessment he undertook of the potential effect on Scottish universities of capping numbers of students from England attending Scottish universities before making that decision.

Answered by Michelle Donelan

My right hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Education, and I have regular meetings with Scottish ministers, and with ministers from all the devolved administrations, about higher education issues. These discussions have included the development of student number controls policy. Departmental officials also have regular meetings and discussions with their counterparts.

Student number controls are a direct response to the COVID-19 outbreak. They are designed to minimise the impact to the financial threat posed by the outbreak and they form a key part of the package of measures to stabilise the admissions system. We want to make sure that university places are available to all who are qualified by ability and attainment to pursue them and who wish to do so.

These controls are a temporary measure and will be in place for one academic year only. Student number controls for institutions in the devolved administrations only apply to the number of English-domiciled entrants who will be supported with their tuition fees through the Student Loans Company. They are set at a level which will allow every institution to take more first year English students than they took last year. The funding of English-domiciled students is not a devolved matter, and it is right and fair that this policy should apply as consistently as possible wherever they are studying in the UK.

Ministers will continue to work closely with the devolved administrations on strengthening and stabilising the higher education system following the COVID-19 outbreak.

Speech in Commons Chamber - Tue 09 Jun 2020
Education Settings: Wider Opening

"Education authorities in England, which have to implement the decisions, knew nothing about the now delayed planned return to full schooling until the Government bounced them into it last month. What steps has the Secretary of State taken to make sure that in future, local authorities, headteachers and unions are …..."
Peter Grant - View Speech

View all Peter Grant (SNP - Glenrothes) contributions to the debate on: Education Settings: Wider Opening
Speech in Commons Chamber - Mon 11 Mar 2019
Oral Answers to Questions

"T10. Earlier this afternoon, my hon. Friends the Members for North Ayrshire and Arran (Patricia Gibson) and for Glasgow South West (Chris Stephens) pointed out that in Scotland the achievement gap between the most and least deprived pupils has halved in less than 10 years. The Minister declined to welcome …..."
Peter Grant - View Speech

View all Peter Grant (SNP - Glenrothes) contributions to the debate on: Oral Answers to Questions
Speech in Commons Chamber - Mon 12 Nov 2018
Oral Answers to Questions

"T4. The University and College Union has described the Chancellor’s Budget as a “missed opportunity to…address the urgent financial challenges facing our education system”. Will the Minister agree to make representations to the Chancellor and ask him to follow the example of the Scottish Government by delivering a 5.1% real-terms …..."
Peter Grant - View Speech

View all Peter Grant (SNP - Glenrothes) contributions to the debate on: Oral Answers to Questions
Speech in Commons Chamber - Mon 10 Sep 2018
Oral Answers to Questions

"T7. The Minister will realise that it is a bit too late to welcome Scottish pupils and teachers back to school, because they have been back for the best part of a month. They are attending schools and universities in what is now the only country in the world where …..."
Peter Grant - View Speech

View all Peter Grant (SNP - Glenrothes) contributions to the debate on: Oral Answers to Questions
Speech in Commons Chamber - Thu 01 Dec 2016
Transgender Equality

"Given that there are relatively few transgender people in the population, a family with a transgender child in a rural community might well feel that they are only people in the world who have to address this issue. That is why it is so important that events such as this …..."
Peter Grant - View Speech

View all Peter Grant (SNP - Glenrothes) contributions to the debate on: Transgender Equality
Speech in General Committees - Tue 03 Nov 2015
EU Merger Control

"For a partial takeover—a minority stakeholding—involving two companies registered in the same member state, I understand the argument that the member state should be able to regulate the proposed purchase of shares. Does the Minister appreciate, though, that although the companies may be registered in one member state their activities …..."
Peter Grant - View Speech

View all Peter Grant (SNP - Glenrothes) contributions to the debate on: EU Merger Control
Speech in Commons Chamber - Tue 15 Sep 2015
Oral Answers to Questions

"10. What assessment he has made of the potential effect on businesses of the UK leaving the EU...."
Peter Grant - View Speech

View all Peter Grant (SNP - Glenrothes) contributions to the debate on: Oral Answers to Questions
Speech in Commons Chamber - Tue 15 Sep 2015
Oral Answers to Questions

"Earlier this morning, the Secretary of State referred to the difference of opinion on the Labour Benches with regard to our membership of the European Union. Will the Minister take this opportunity to demonstrate the undeniable, 100% unity that exists on the Conservative Benches by confirming that she and all …..."
Peter Grant - View Speech

View all Peter Grant (SNP - Glenrothes) contributions to the debate on: Oral Answers to Questions