Written questions by Akehurst.

What estimate her Department has made of the (a) revenue from the international student levy on higher education providers’ income from international students and (b) cost of introducing maintenance grants for the most disadvantaged students.

The International Student Levy (ISL) will require higher education providers to pay a flat fee of £925 per international student per year. An impact analysis of the ISL published in November 2025 estimated that the levy would raise £445 million in the 2028/29 financial year, rising to £480 million in 2030/31. The full impact analysis is available here: https://consult.education.gov.uk/international-student-levy-unit/international-student-levy/supporting_documents/international-student-levy-impact-analysispdf. Proceeds from the ISL will be fully reinvested into higher education and skills, to support the reintroduction of targeted maintenance grants, progression through the post-16 system, and for wider skills. This will make sure that revenue from international students directly benefits domestic students from low-income households.

What steps she is taking to ensure that reintroduced maintenance grants reach students who need them most; what proportion of the student population will be eligible for support; and what steps she is taking to ensure take-up rates among students from the most disadvantaged backgrounds.

This government is committed to supporting the aspiration of every person who meets the requirements and wants to attend higher education. This is why we are reintroducing maintenance grants for students from low-income households studying courses aligned with the government’s Missions and the Industrial Strategy. Maintenance grants will be available to new and continuing full-time students from the 2028/29 academic year. Students who have a household residual income of £25,000 or less will receive the maximum grant of £1,000 per year. The proportion of students that receive maintenance grants will depend on the list of eligible subjects, and it is vital that this is informed by the best and most up-to-date evidence on future employment and skills priorities. The full list of eligible subjects will be confirmed in advance of maintenance grant introduction, helping raise awareness amongst prospective students.

If she will extend funding for the holiday activities and food programme beyond 21 March 2025.

I refer my hon. Friend, the Member for North Durham to the answer of 17 January 2025 to Question 24633.