Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what information her Department holds on the number of postgraduate students with childcare responsibilities.

The department does not routinely collect or hold information on the number of postgraduate students who have childcare responsibilities.

The government introduced new support packages for students starting postgraduate master’s degree courses from the 2016/17 academic year onwards and postgraduate doctoral degree courses from 2018/19 onwards.

These loans are not based on income and are intended to be a contribution to the cost of study. They can be used by students according to their personal circumstances to cover the costs of fees and living costs, including childcare. The new support packages have provided a significant uplift in support for postgraduate students while ensuring the student support system remains financially sustainable.