Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of an International Student Levy on the ability for universities to deliver on the Post-16 Skills White Paper.

The Post-16 Education and Skills White Paper sets out how the department intends to work with the sector to achieve our vision for the future of higher education (HE).This includes the introduction of a tuition fee escalator to put the sector on a more sustainable footing, and the reintroduction of targeted means-tested maintenance grants, alongside a commitment to increase maintenance loans in line with inflation every academic year to widen access. We are also strengthening the Office for Students’ powers to tackle pockets of low quality provision and protect value for public money.

The levy on international student fees will fund the means-tested maintenance grants. We will set out further details on both measures at the Autumn Budget.

HE providers are independent from government and as such must continue to make the necessary and appropriate financial decisions to ensure their long-term sustainability.