Written questions by Reed.

What estimate her Department has made of the proportion of Plan 2 borrowers graduating between 2016 and 2023 whose total lifetime student loan repayments, including interest, are projected to exceed the net present value of the graduate earnings premium attributable to their degree.

The department does not hold estimates of lifetime repayment costs for Plan 2 borrowers by earnings bands.The Autumn Budget included freezes to Plan 2 repayment and interest thresholds for at their 2026/27 financial year level until April 2030, when they will increase annually by inflation.The following analysis of the impact of freezing the repayment and interest thresholds to aid the decision:Average Lifetime repayments (2024/25 financial year prices)BaselinePolicyImpact£%Entire cohort£27,000£28,300£1,3005%AverageLifetime graduate earnings decile1£2,000£2,000£00%2£4,300£4,700£4009%3£7,700£8,100£4005%4£11,600£13,000£1,40012%5£16,900£18,500£1,6009%6£23,100£25,200£2,1009%7£31,300£33,600£2,3007%8£41,200£43,500£2,3006%9£54,500£56,100£1,6003%10£59,100£59,500£4001%We also do not hold the proportion of borrowers projected to repay of their student loan than the graduate earnings premium attributable to their degree.

What was the repayment forecast for Plan 2 student loan graduates in each of the last five years compared to actual repayments in each of those years.

The actual repayments for plan 2 are published in Figure 14 on this page:https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/student-loans-in-england-2024-to-2025/student-loans-in-england-financial-year-2024-25#income-contingent-loan-borrower-repayment-status.The forecasts for Plan 2 are published here:2020/21: https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/data-tables/permalink/537c9923-1dee-4dd7-03b6-08de802d14ab.2021/22: https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/data-tables/permalink/72cb044b-3268-42b8-2298-08de802e40a1.2022/23: https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/data-tables/permalink/63aca262-3422-41f2-03b4-08de802d14ab.2023/24: https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/data-tables/permalink/8be5221a-77a1-4544-2297-08de802e40a1.2024/25: https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/data-tables/permalink/8b17045b-d933-4ac1-03af-08de802d14ab.Forecasts are always likely to deviate from actuals due to uncertainty around many factors. Forecasts are based on the most up to date inputs available. Even looking only a year into the future, factors affecting repayments are likely to deviate from model inputs, especially in times of greater economic uncertainty. Over time, improvements to modelling methodology also affect accuracy of forecasts.

Pursuant to the Answer of 12 February 2026 to Question 113311 Private Education: Single Sex Education, how the Department records and retains information on applications by independent schools for approval of material changes.

Information regarding applications for approval to make a material change is recorded and retained on the Independent Education and School Safeguarding Division's customer relationship management system, against the school’s individual record. Once a material change application is approved, the department's publicly available register of schools in England, the ‘Get Information About Schools’ service, is amended to reflect the change to the school's registered details.

Pursuant to Question 115946 on Students: Loans, whether her Department holds the data requested on the number and proportion of people with Plan 2 student loans who had an effective marginal deduction rate of at least (a) 51 per cent and (b) 71 per cent in the 2024–25 tax year as a result of the combined effects of Income Tax, employee National Insurance contributions and Plan 2 student loan repayments.

Producing an answer to this question would be a significant analytical task at disproportionate cost. We will continue to keep the terms of the system under review to ensure the system protects taxpayers and students now and in the future.

How many and what proportion of people with Plan 2 student loans had an effective marginal deduction rate of at least (a) 51 per cent and (b) 71 per cent as a result of the combined effects of Income Tax, employee National Insurance contributions and Plan 2 student loan repayments in the 2024-25 tax year.

The Plan 2 Student Loan Scheme was introduced in 2012 under the Conservative and Liberal Democrat Coalition Government. The student finance system is heavily subsidised by government, and lower-earning graduates will always be protected, with any outstanding loan and interest cancelled at the end of the repayment term. It is right that those who are able to repay loans do so. We will continue to keep the terms of the system under review to ensure the system protects taxpayers and students now and in the future.

What estimate she has made of the long-term fiscal impact of replacing RPI with CPI for Plan 2 student loan interest.

Interest rates on student loans have been consistently linked to a widely recognised and adopted measure of inflation. Interest rates are set in legislation in reference to the Retail Price Index (RPI) (from the previous March) and are applied annually on 1 September until 31 August.The Office for National Statistics has undertaken a substantial programme of work over the past two years to enhance how inflation is measured and this will be carried over into student loans. The Office for Budget Responsibility has confirmed that from 2030 (at the earliest), movements in RPI will be aligned with Consumer Prices Index including owner occupiers' housing costs as viewed here: https://obr.uk/box/the-long-run-difference-between-rpi-and-cpi-inflation/.

What assessment she has made of the adequacy of the interest charged on Plan 2 student loans for meeting the Government’s cost of (a) borrowing to finance those loans and (b) estimated write-offs.

The estimated write offs are reflected in the Resource and Accounting Budget (RAB) charge, the government subsidy anticipated on student loans issued in any particular financial year. The RAB charge is forecast at 32% of total full-time plan 2 loans issued in 2024/25.

What estimate she has made of the net present value impact on the public finances of capping total interest on Plan 2 student loans at 20 per cent of the original principal.

The department does not hold analysis on the impact on the public finances of capping total interest on Plan 2 student loans at 20% of the original principal value of the loan.

How much and what proportion of the downward revaluation of the student loan book in the latest outturn reflects (a) revised graduate earnings and repayment assumptions and (b) changes in the discount rate used to value future repayments.

As of 31 March 2025, the fair value of the student loan book was £157.9 billion, representing a £6.9 billion increase on the opening balance of £151.0 billion.The fair value loss in the 2024/25 financial year was £8.6 billion. Of this, the change in the discount rate brought about a £280 million gain. The residual loss was £6.7 billion, which was impacted by changes in macroeconomic determinants such as the Office for Budget Responsibility’s earnings outlook, which was more pessimistic than in the prior year.

What comparative assessment her Department has made of the (a) average repayment duration and (b) total interest paid over the life of the loan for (i) male and (ii) female Plan 2 student loan borrowers.

The median repayment duration of loans for students in the final cohort of Plan 2 borrowers, those who commenced study in the 2022/23 academic year, is 30 years. This is consistent with the average borrower in this cohort not being forecast to fully repay their loan and instead have some loan debt written off after 30 years. Information on repayment behaviour for this cohort is published here: https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/find-statistics/student-loan-forecasts-for-england/2022-23.The department does not hold figures comparing the lifetime repayment duration for male and female Plan 2 borrowers or the total interest paid over the life of the loan.

What assessment she has made of the potential impact of effective marginal deduction rates exceeding 50 per cent on Plan 2 student loan borrowers’ labour supply, including decisions on a) overtime, b) hours worked and c) promotions.

Plan 2 loans were designed and implemented by the previous government and, given the inherited fiscal situation, the department is making tough but necessary decisions.Graduates only begin repaying their student loan once earnings exceed the earnings threshold, after which they pay 9% of income above that level. At the end of the tax year, a borrower with total earnings below the annual student loan repayment threshold, may reclaim any repayments made where a pay period threshold was exceeded.If earnings fall below the repayment threshold, borrowers are not required to make repayments, regardless of their plan. Any outstanding loan, including interest accrued, will be cancelled after the loan term ends, and debt is never passed on to family members or descendants.

What estimate she has made of the value of interest repayments on Plan 2 student loans net of (a) the Government’s cost of financing student loan outlay, (b) expected write-offs and (c) administrative costs.

Repayments made against accrued interest are not separated from repayments made against the borrowed portion of the loan.The department publishes an estimate of the subsidy portion of student loan outlay in the form of the Resource Accounting and Budgeting (RAB) charge. The RAB charge for Plan 2 outlay in England in 2024/25 was 32%.The RAB charge is calculated as the present value of student loan outlay less expected future repayments, discounted by inflation plus the financial instrument discount rate. Expectations of interest, write offs and the government’s borrowing costs are factored into the fair value of student loans on issuance. In valuing the loan book at financial year end, estimated operational costs of servicing student loans are accounted for, in accordance with International Financial Reporting Standards. Higher interest relative to inflation reduces the forecasted cost of the loan system due to increased future repayments.

What estimate her Department has made of the average additional years in repayment for Plan 2 student loan borrowers attributable to charging interest at RPI plus up to three percentage points compared with CPI only.

The department does not hold analysis of the impact on the number of additional years of repayment for Plan 2 borrowers attributable to the level of interest charged.

What proportion of Plan 2 student loan borrowers have repaid in real terms more than (a) 100 per cent, (b) 120 per cent and (c) 150 per cent of the amount originally borrowed; and how many of those borrowers have (i) an outstanding balance and (ii) fully repaid their loans.

The department does not hold data that allows us to provide the proportion of the amount originally borrowed that has been repaid in real terms.The projected percentage of Plan 2 student borrowers in 2022 who are expected to fully repay their loan in real terms is available at:https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/find-statistics/student-loan-forecasts-for-england/2022-23.

Pursuant to the Answer of 9 January 2026 to Question 104598 Private Education: Single Sex Education, how many material change requests have been submitted by independent single-sex education settings seeking approval to become co-educational since (a) 1 January 2023 and (b) 1 January 2025.

The department has processed 1232 material changes between 1 January 2023 and 1 January 2025. The department does not record data below this level in terms of types of school or type of material change.

What discussions she has had with the the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology on updating the Computer Misuse Act 1990 to remove limits on the ability of cybersecurity professionals to deploy and use artificial intelligence tools to strengthen the UK’s resilience against cyber threats.

The Government is conducting an ongoing review of the Computer Misuse Act (CMA). The Home Office will update on proposals taken forward in due course.

Whether he has had recent discussions with his US counterpart on (a) consent to transfer sovereignty over the British Indian Ocean Territory and (b) amendment to the 1966 UK–US treaty.

I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave on 26 January 2026 to Question 107405 to the hon. Member for South Suffolk (Mr Cartlidge).

How many independent single-sex schools have (a) closed and (b) changed their admissions policy to become dual-sex since 1 January 2025.

Five girls’ single sex schools and two boys’ single sex schools have closed since 1 January 2025. The department does not collect data on how many schools have changed their admissions policy to become dual-sex.

Whether his Department will require a cyber incident database with compulsory fixes to be created for attacks on the energy system.

The Department for Energy Security and Net Zero takes the security and resilience of UK energy infrastructure extremely seriously, including the cyber security of critical infrastructure. Maintaining a secure and reliable energy supply is a key priority. The Network and Information Systems (NIS) Regulations, impose strict incident-reporting obligations on critical energy operators. The Government has recently introduced the Cyber Security and Resilience (Network and Information Systems) Bill. The Bill proposes expanding incident-reporting requirements, broadening the scope of reportable events, and enhancing the powers of regulators to oversee compliance and require remedial actions where necessary.

What assessment his Department has made on the potential security impacts of cyber attacks on the energy system.

The Department takes the security and resilience of UK energy infrastructure extremely seriously, including the cyber security of critical infrastructure. Maintaining a secure and reliable energy supply is a key priority. The Department works closely with partners, including industry, to assess potential risks from cyber threats and their possible impacts on the availability and integrity of energy systems. These risks are reflected in the National Risk Register, which includes three cyber-related risks owned by the Department. In partnership with the National Cyber Security Centre, the Department ensures threats are understood and appropriate mitigations implemented to maintain robust protections and resilience.