Summary of Michelle Donelan's evidence session with the Education Committee

The Education Committee today held a one-off session with Michelle Donelan, Minister of State for Higher and Further Education, who was asked questions on a range of issues.

Committee chair Robert Halfon MP (Conservative, Harlow) opened the session with questions about today’s report of the Times Education Commission - of which he is a member - which proposed the introduction of a baccalaureate to replace A levels. Ms Donelan said she had not read the report yet. In principle it was important to have a simple system which was understandable by employers. She denied the government had closed its mind to having a more skills-based education system. A levels were right for some in their focus of academic achievement, as were T Levels. There would be further reforms in future years, but there was already a radical agenda in place. 

On the question of social mobility, the minister said there had been an obsession that university was the goal for everybody. The government wanted people to have the information available to make choices suitable for them. 

On face-to-face tuition, she expected every university to be back to pre-pandemic levels, although improvements using technology were welcome. There was only a stubborn minority of universities falling short and the government was working with the Office for Students to investigate the issue. She agreed with Mr Halfon that if a university could be open for business conferences then it should be providing face-to-face classes. 

On the problems faced by disadvantaged students, the focus had been on ‘getting in as opposed to getting on’ and that was why universities’ access and participation plans had to be ripped up and rewritten. The new role of Student Support Champion would focus on best practice and engagement.  She refuted that the government did not have a plan of action.

Mr Halfon congratulated the government on the work done to combat antisemitism. He quoted a study by King’s College, London which showed that 92% of British Jews believed antisemitism at universities was a problem. The Community Security Trust had said incidents of antisemitism hit record levels in 2021. The minister agreed it was atrocious that in this day and age students should even be concerned antisemitism. That was why radical action had been taken with the NUS to crack down on ‘a sustained pattern of behaviour.’ Sanctions, including financial penalties, could be imposed on universities which failed to comply with required standards on sexual harassment and abuse and bullying. She thought the measures in place would be such that universities would not have to be forced to sign up to the IHRA definition of antisemitism. The government would not re-engage with the NUS until there was tangible action to deal with antisemitism. 

Anna Firth (Conservative, Southend West) asked about student finance and value for money. Ms Donelan said student loans could not be compared to mortgages and the rise in interest rates would not have a bearing on monthly repayments. She agreed that universities should be up-front in telling students how many face-to-face tuition hours they could expect to receive. If the voluntary system did not work, the government would consider taking enforcement action. She thought that investigations to be held in the autumn would make a difference. Ms Firth said she was pleased to hear the government wanted to incentivise universities to offer courses that would lead to graduate jobs. The minister said it was not good enough that the taxpayer was paying 44p in the pound and that 75% of students would not be paying it back. That was why the government has been forthright in its support of Augar and was constantly focussed on outcomes. She told Ms Firth the government was committed to alternative student finance, which would cost at least £10 million. The entire higher education sector would be turned on its head with the introduction of the Lifelong Loan Entitlement. A response to the consultation on this would be published ‘in the next few months.’ 

The minister said reporting on minimum eligibility requirements had been misreported. It did not help anybody to push young people into university courses before they were ready. Instead there had to be options to get them ready; things like foundation years, access to university courses and resitting of qualifications. Subject to the results of the consultation, there would be exemptions from the minimum eligibility requirements for groups such as mature and part-time students. 

Tom Hunt (Conservative, Ipswich) asked about freedom of speech and the balance of issues such as equal rights. He also asked about interference from China. The minister said university funding had to be transparent.  

Replying to Anna Firth about T Levels and the involvement of employers, she said the 45-day placement scheme was fundamental but there needed to be flexibility on how the system worked. The government did take into account some of the unforeseen financial burdens that might occur and which might create barriers to small businesses getting involved. There would ‘shortly’ be an announcement regarding the £1,000 award to employers who took T Level students. 

She clarified that degree apprenticeships could be applied for through UCAS. The number had doubled since she had been minister and she hoped they would double again within the next two years. She agreed that availability of degree of apprenticeships had to be better publicised at an early age and that they should be better accessed by disadvantaged students. It was also important to reduce the bureaucracy involved. She wanted universities to offer more degree apprenticeships, but did not agree there should be targets. 

Kim Johnson (Labour, Liverpool, Riverside) returned to the question of disadvantaged students and, in particular, the outcomes achieved by those from minorities. The minister felt that universities had cracked down on racism, harassment and bullying but she was not complacent. Universities had a requirement under law to support all students and the Student Engagement Champion would monitor the situation. 

On teacher training, she told Ms Johnson some HEIs had not reapplied for accreditation and there would be opportunities for them to do so. They could also partner with organisations that had been accredited so there could be confidence that teacher training was up to a standard.  

Angela Richardson (Conservative, Guildford) asked about the mental health of students. Ms Donelan explained measures to help students, especially those badly effected during the pandemic. She was determined to keep up the momentum on this subject. 

Returning to the question, raised by Robert Halfon, of degree apprenticeships, the minister repeated that targets were not desirable. But it was necessary to tackle the issues that were stopping their provision, including start-up costs, the regulatory burden - which was being reduced - and to learn examples from other sectors. Every university - including Oxford and others in the Russell Group - should be encouraged to offer degree apprenticeships, but this was not a one-size-fits-all situation. 

Mr Halfon questioned whether the apprentices levy could be reformed so businesses could use more of the levy if they hired apprentices from disadvantaged backgrounds and also focussed on skills the country needed. The minister said Mr Halfon’s view would be taken into account in the review being led by the Treasury.