Every parliamentary written question tabled by Neil O'Brien this session, with the full answer and department. See how every department answers, or back to the MP page.
Showing 1–20 of 130 · Department for Education
What assessment she has made of the potential impact of the 1% capital budget reduction announced in the Defence Investment Plan on her Department's delivery of spending plans; and where those reductions have been allocated, with particular reference to the capital spending in Voted Expenditure on page 62 of the Central Government Supply Estimates 2026/7 in i) Other School Funding (Department), ii) Grants to LA - Schools & Early Years and iii) Grants to Academies.
Awaiting answer.
When she plans to answer Questions 296, 297, 298, 10703, 10704 and 10705 tabled by the hon. Member for Harborough, Oadby and Wigston.
Awaiting answer.
How many overseas borrowers currently classified as non-compliant by the Student Loans Company had their first student loan disbursed in each academic year since 2005, broken down by nationality.
Awaiting answer.
How many individuals have received student loans from the Student Loans Company over the past 20 academic years, broken down by nationality.
Awaiting answer.
How many people have received a student loan from the Student Loans Company since 2005, broken down by nationality and by the academic year in which they first received a loan.
Awaiting answer.
How many students who are not United Kingdom nationals received a student loan for the first time in each of the last five academic years, broken down by (a) nationality group and (b) type of loan.
Awaiting answer.
What the total value of student loans issued was by nationality of recipient in each of the last five years.
Awaiting answer.
If she will publish data on the repayment rate of student loans, by nationality of borrower, in each of the last five years.
Awaiting answer.
With reference to the Answer of 22 April 2026 to Question 124528 and in the context of the March RPI figure being published, what is the estimated total fiscal cost of the policy of capping the maximum interest
The government is capping the maximum interest rates on Plan 2 and Plan 3 student loans at 6%, instead of the Retail Prices Index (RPI) plus 3%, for the 2026/27 academic year. This short term measure will protect students and graduates from the potential ...
Pursuant to the answer of 22 April 2026 to Question 124528 and in the context of the March RPI figure being published, what is the estimated total fiscal cost of the policy of capping the maximum interest rates on Plan 2 and 3 student loans at 6% for the 2026/7 academic year.
It has not proved possible to respond to the hon. Member in the time available before Prorogation.
How many students who are not United Kingdom nationals received a student loan for the first time in each of the last five academic years, broken down by (a) nationality group and (b) type of loan.
It has not proved possible to respond to the hon. Member in the time available before Prorogation.
If she will publish data on the repayment rate of student loans, by nationality of borrower, in each of the last five years.
It has not proved possible to respond to the hon. Member in the time available before Prorogation.
If she will publish a breakdown of the total value of student loans issued, by nationality of recipient, in each of the last five years.
It has not proved possible to respond to the hon. Member in the time available before Prorogation.
With reference to her Department's press release entitled Interest rate cap introduced to protect Plan 2 borrowers, published on 7 April 2026, what estimate her Department has made of the cost to the public purse of capping interest on Plan 2 and 3 student loans at 6% for the 2026/7 academic year.
I refer the hon. Member for Harborough, Oadby and Wigston to the answer of 22 April 2026 to Question 124528.
With reference to his Answer of 12 January 2026 to WPQ 101070, of the over 100,000 people that the Government estimates could benefit from mobility and partnership opportunities from Erasmus+ participation in 2027-8, how many he expects to be UK students.
Erasmus+ is open to learners, trainees and staff in higher education, further education, vocational education and training, schools, adult education, youth programmes and sport programmes. The department will have detailed information on the UK’s Erasmus+ beneficiaries after our first year of participation.
How many people started apprenticeships who were aged a) 16, b) 17, c) 18, d) 19, e) 20, f) 21, g) 22, h) 23, i) 24 in each year since 2017-18.
Apprenticeship starts in England for the individual ages requested are available in the accompanying file. Further information on apprenticeship starts can be found in the department’s apprenticeships statistics publication, which can be accessed here: https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/find-statistics/apprenticeships.
What funding has been allocated to programmes relating to the UKs relationship with Europe in the (a) 2026-7, (b) 2028-9 and (c) 2029-30 financial years.
The European Union is the UK’s largest trading partner, and cooperation with our European partners is, among other issues, central to the government’s work on trade, security, illegal migration, development and climate change, not to mention our support for Ukraine. In order to obtain an answer, the hon. Member for Harborough, Oadby and Wigston may therefore wish to be more specific about the aspects of the UK’s relationship with Europe that he has in mind.
What estimate he has made of he number of UK students who will access the Erasmus scheme in 2027-28, 2028-29 and 2029-30.
The UK and European Commission have reached an agreement in principle for the UK’s association to Erasmus+ in 2027.The department expects that over 100,000 people could benefit from mobility and partnership opportunities from participation in 2027. Our immediate focus is on realising the benefits of Erasmus+ association in 2027.
What the median annual earnings were for apprentices whose prior attainment was equivalent to (a) 4 As or above, (b) 360 points, (c) 300-359 points, (d) 240-299 points, (e) 180-239 points, (f) below 180 points, (g) 1 or 2 A level passes, (h) BTEC and (i) other (i) 1, (ii) 3 and (iii) 5 years after the completion of their apprenticeship in the most recent year for which data is available.
The department publishes annual data on the learning and employment outcomes of apprentices, including earnings up to 5 years after completion in the Further Education Outcomes publication available here: https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/find-statistics/further-education-outcomes#explore-data-and-files.The latest published data on earnings outcomes by level for apprenticeships was published on 10 December 2025 and can be found here: https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/data-tables/permalink/c75d0f51-44de-418d-ccdc-08de37c05e81.Earnings outcomes data for apprenticeships broken down by prior attainment is not readily available and could only be obtained at disproportionate cost.
What the total cost was of (a) settlement agreements and (b) special severance payments made to departing staff in her Department in the last year.
For the last financial year, the total cost to the department of payments associated with settlement agreements is set out in annual report and accounts. Where relevant, this includes special severance payments that have associated settlement agreements.