Question

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what funds his Department will make available to universities as a result of transferring responsibility for the disabled students allowance to them.

Higher education Institutions already have a duty to make reasonable adjustments for disabled students under the Equality Act 2010. The recently announced changes consider how the balance of responsibility between reasonable adjustments and support provided through Disabled Students Allowances (DSAs) should change. DSAs will remain available for students to complement the reasonable adjustments provided by the institution.

The Government also provides annual funding to Higher Education Institutions through the teaching grant. The Student Opportunity Fund is part of the overall Teaching Grant allocated to Higher Education Institutions by HEFCE. This funding element to support disabled students rose to £15 million for 2013/14, an increase of £2 million on the previous year and has been maintained for 2014/15. There are no plans to transfer additional funds.