Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, if he will issue guidance to universities that they are not to require (a) healthcare students, (b) social care students and (c) any other students to be vaccinated against covid-19 as a condition of education.

There is no requirement for students to be vaccinated to access education. However, we strongly encourage all students to be vaccinated as soon as possible, unless they are medically exempt.

On 31 January 2022, the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) announced that the legal requirement for health and social care staff to be fully vaccinated is to be removed, subject to consultation and parliamentary approval. The outcome of the consultation will be published soon.

While the legal requirement on vaccinations as a condition of deployment is set to be revoked, those working in health and social care are still strongly urged to get vaccinated and boosted as a professional responsibility.

We will continue working with DHSC, Health Education England and NHS England as this policy area evolves to make sure messages on vaccinations are communicated clearly to students.