Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what recent discussions she has had with stakeholders on requirements on new further education provider entrants who wish to gain access to further education loans.

The Education and Skills Funding Agency (ESFA) decided not to announce a loans provider expansion exercise earlier in 2017.

Following consultation with the Association of Colleges and the Association and Employment and Learning Providers, the ESFA published criteria against which providers could apply for a loans facility in June 2017. The criteria is set out in the Advanced Learner Loans Funding and Performance Management Rules 2017/18.

Learners can obtain an Advanced Learner Loan to support study at over 700 providers.