Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the economic impact the restrictions in place to address the COVID-19 pandemic has had on university cities and towns; and what financial assistance, if any, they intend to provide.

This question was answered on 23rd June 2020
We recognise that every region and community will be feeling the impacts of this crisis and we are working to monitor the impact of Covid-19 on local communities across the United Kingdom.

In May, we announced measures to support students and universities. These included bringing forward £100m of research funding for vital research, and an estimated £2.6bn worth of tuition fee payments for providers to help manage cash flow.

The Government has also confirmed that providers are eligible to apply for its support packages, including business loan support schemes, which the Office for Students (OfS) the regulator in England, estimates could be worth at least £700m to the sector, depending on eligibility and take up.

We are working closely with local areas to make sure that individuals and businesses in all regions are directed to the right support during this difficult period.