Today my right honourable friend the Minister of State for Higher Education and Intellectual Property (David Lammy) made the following Written Ministerial Statement. In July 2006, Bill Rammell announced that the Student Loans Company (SLC) would become the national delivery organisation of a transformed student finance service which provides a...

Today my right honourable friend the Minister of State for Higher Education and Intellectual Property (David Lammy) made the following Written Ministerial Statement. In July 2006, Bill Rammell announced that the Student Loans Company (SLC) would become the national delivery organisation of a transformed student finance service which provides a...

I have added my name to Amendment No. 6 and Amendment No. 7, which is in this group, is tabled in my name. The noble Baroness, Lady Verma, made much of the proposed timing of the sale. I was somewhat alarmed to receive on 4 April a letter from the...

I have added my name to Amendment No. 6 and Amendment No. 7, which is in this group, is tabled in my name. The noble Baroness, Lady Verma, made much of the proposed timing of the sale. I was somewhat alarmed to receive on 4 April a letter from the...

It is not on the face of the Bill. Therefore, the borrowers might be worried. The Teaching and Higher Education Act 1998 is, I think, appropriate here. There is no point in pursuing this now. Again, I shall read carefully what the Minister has said and think more about these...

It is not on the face of the Bill. Therefore, the borrowers might be worried. The Teaching and Higher Education Act 1998 is, I think, appropriate here. There is no point in pursuing this now. Again, I shall read carefully what the Minister has said and think more about these...

The Bill does not allow the Government to transfer power to amend terms and conditions. The amendment of terms and conditions will be done only by regulations that are scrutinised by Parliament. It is not that we do not want to extend protection, but that that protection is already in...

The Bill does not allow the Government to transfer power to amend terms and conditions. The amendment of terms and conditions will be done only by regulations that are scrutinised by Parliament. It is not that we do not want to extend protection, but that that protection is already in...

I shall start with the last point first. The student loans payments are collected through HMRC alongside the process of the collection of tax. From time to time there are cases of overpayment, which the Student Loans Company investigates, and corrections are made. I reassure the noble Baroness on the...

I shall start with the last point first. The student loans payments are collected through HMRC alongside the process of the collection of tax. From time to time there are cases of overpayment, which the Student Loans Company investigates, and corrections are made. I reassure the noble Baroness on the...

Anonymised information will be available to those who are interested in becoming purchasers. Personal data would be made available to the actual purchaser. We are concerned with two groups of people.

Anonymised information will be available to those who are interested in becoming purchasers. Personal data would be made available to the actual purchaser. We are concerned with two groups of people.

A purchaser in the UK will abide by the legislative requirements here, but where is the data protection if those sales are made abroad? What covers that?

A purchaser in the UK will abide by the legislative requirements here, but where is the data protection if those sales are made abroad? What covers that?

moved Amendment No. 1: 1: Clause 1, page 1, line 13, at end insert ““including the obligation to protect personal data”” The noble Baroness said: I shall speak also to Amendment No. 26, which stands in my name on the Order Paper. All the amendments in this group are concerned...

moved Amendment No. 1: 1: Clause 1, page 1, line 13, at end insert ““including the obligation to protect personal data”” The noble Baroness said: I shall speak also to Amendment No. 26, which stands in my name on the Order Paper. All the amendments in this group are concerned...

moved Amendment No. 6: 6: Clause 1, page 2, line 11, at end insert— ““( ) In advance of entering into transfer arrangements, the Secretary of State shall— (a) examine the prevailing market conditions and ensure that a competitive market for the loans has been generated; (b) provide the market...

moved Amendment No. 6: 6: Clause 1, page 2, line 11, at end insert— ““( ) In advance of entering into transfer arrangements, the Secretary of State shall— (a) examine the prevailing market conditions and ensure that a competitive market for the loans has been generated; (b) provide the market...

It is a pertinent point, because we may see student loans sold on to foreign-owned banks. An answer to that question would be useful. There is not much more to pursue on this issue. I will read the Minister’s answer with care. We may bring back the matter on Report...

It is a pertinent point, because we may see student loans sold on to foreign-owned banks. An answer to that question would be useful. There is not much more to pursue on this issue. I will read the Minister’s answer with care. We may bring back the matter on Report...

I thank the noble Baronesses, Lady Sharp and Lady Verma, for their comments, giving me the opportunity, I hope, to offer significant reassurance on their concerns. I should like to say to the noble Baroness, Lady Sharp, that I do not think that identity fraud and concerns about the internet...

I thank the noble Baronesses, Lady Sharp and Lady Verma, for their comments, giving me the opportunity, I hope, to offer significant reassurance on their concerns. I should like to say to the noble Baroness, Lady Sharp, that I do not think that identity fraud and concerns about the internet...

Like the noble Baroness, Lady Sharp, I did not think that it was a private company.

Like the noble Baroness, Lady Sharp, I did not think that it was a private company.

It may be helpful to know that we own it. Nevertheless, my understanding is that it was created under private company law.

It may be helpful to know that we own it. Nevertheless, my understanding is that it was created under private company law.

This gets even more confusing. All along, we have been clearly told that the loans would be sold through the Student Loans Company. Therefore, the Student Loans Company owns the loans. Purchasers will be purchasing from the Student Loans Company. We have suddenly been told that it is a private...

This gets even more confusing. All along, we have been clearly told that the loans would be sold through the Student Loans Company. Therefore, the Student Loans Company owns the loans. Purchasers will be purchasing from the Student Loans Company. We have suddenly been told that it is a private...

We are also extremely unhappy at the open-ended nature of this amendment. It seems in many senses to give powers to the Secretary of State to do things or not do things more or less as he or she wishes. We are not happy to lob through these provisions.

We are also extremely unhappy at the open-ended nature of this amendment. It seems in many senses to give powers to the Secretary of State to do things or not do things more or less as he or she wishes. We are not happy to lob through these provisions.

moved Amendment No. 20: 20: Clause 5, page 4, line 13, leave out ““2(2)”” and insert ““2”” On Question, amendment agreed to. [Amendment No. 21 not moved.] Clause 6 [Information]:

moved Amendment No. 20: 20: Clause 5, page 4, line 13, leave out ““2(2)”” and insert ““2”” On Question, amendment agreed to. [Amendment No. 21 not moved.] Clause 6 [Information]:

I will have to go back and get some more questions for the Minister on that because I am slightly thrown.

I will have to go back and get some more questions for the Minister on that because I am slightly thrown.

There will be provisions in the contract to ensure that the Secretary of State is notified of any onward sale, so we will know that an onward sale has been made and where. I stress that the trade and the buying and selling will be of the bonds. The title...

There will be provisions in the contract to ensure that the Secretary of State is notified of any onward sale, so we will know that an onward sale has been made and where. I stress that the trade and the buying and selling will be of the bonds. The title...

I am grateful to the Minister for her response. I see that gremlins have got into the amendments. I confess that I did not check it on the Marshalled List, but the amendment that I had proposed refers to: "““Page 3, line 18 ““transfer arrangements shall””." That picks up the...

I am grateful to the Minister for her response. I see that gremlins have got into the amendments. I confess that I did not check it on the Marshalled List, but the amendment that I had proposed refers to: "““Page 3, line 18 ““transfer arrangements shall””." That picks up the...