Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, if she will make an assessment of the potential impact of the commencement of the socio-economic duty under the Equality Act 2010 on (a) school and (b) university admissions.

The government issued a call for evidence on equality law, which included commencing the socio-economic duty under the Equality Act 2010. This closed on 30 June 2025.

All mainstream state-funded schools are required to comply with relevant legislation and the statutory School Admissions Code. It is for a school’s admission authority to decide which oversubscription criteria to include in their arrangements. They must ensure that their arrangements will not disadvantage unfairly, either directly or indirectly, a child from a particular social or racial group, or a child with a disability or special educational needs.

We will support the aspiration of every person who meets the requirements and wants to go to university, regardless of their background, where they live and their personal circumstances.

Gaps in access, completion and outcomes between disadvantaged students and others at university are unacceptably large and stubborn.