Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment she has made of the potential implications for her policies of reports of financial irregularities at the University of Greater Manchester.

This is a matter for the University of Greater Manchester. We understand the Office for Students, the independent regulator for higher education (HE) in England, has also been notified of this case. The university is conducting its own investigation, and it would be inappropriate to comment further at this stage.

This government is determined to ensure the safeguarding of public money and in January we published a consultation with proposals to strengthen oversight of partnership delivery in HE.