Lords motion to consider. Agreed to on question.

Lords motion to consider. Agreed to on question.

My Lords, I thank the Joint Committee on Statutory Instruments and the Secondary Legislation Scrutiny Committee for the scrutiny of this instrument they have provided. I believe that they were satisfied with it. The draft regulations were laid in Parliament on 18 May 2026. These regulations are the first of...

My Lords, I thank the Joint Committee on Statutory Instruments and the Secondary Legislation Scrutiny Committee for the scrutiny of this instrument they have provided. I believe that they were satisfied with it. The draft regulations were laid in Parliament on 18 May 2026. These regulations are the first of...

My Lords, I welcome these regulations and, obviously, support the objective of the lifelong learning entitlement. As the Minister said, it originated in the Augar review a few years ago, in which the noble Baroness, Lady Wolf, played an important part. I am glad that this Government are continuing the...

My Lords, I welcome these regulations and, obviously, support the objective of the lifelong learning entitlement. As the Minister said, it originated in the Augar review a few years ago, in which the noble Baroness, Lady Wolf, played an important part. I am glad that this Government are continuing the...

I also welcome these regulations. They seem to have taken a while, and it is really good to see them. As the noble Lord, Lord Johnson, pointed out, this policy was the number one recommendation of the Augar review, of which I was fortunate enough to be a member. The...

I also welcome these regulations. They seem to have taken a while, and it is really good to see them. As the noble Lord, Lord Johnson, pointed out, this policy was the number one recommendation of the Augar review, of which I was fortunate enough to be a member. The...

My Lords, on these Benches we have also long supported the principle of lifelong learning. Because of the rapidly changing economy, where technology, artificial intelligence and the transition to a greener economy are reshaping jobs, people need the opportunity to retrain and upskill throughout their lives. Education should not be...

My Lords, on these Benches we have also long supported the principle of lifelong learning. Because of the rapidly changing economy, where technology, artificial intelligence and the transition to a greener economy are reshaping jobs, people need the opportunity to retrain and upskill throughout their lives. Education should not be...

My Lords, I thank the Minister for introducing these regulations. Lifelong access to high-quality education is a key component for a successful society. Access to resources that improve the skills and capabilities of the workforce goes hand in hand with a more dynamic economy and a more independent public. It...

My Lords, I thank the Minister for introducing these regulations. Lifelong access to high-quality education is a key component for a successful society. Access to resources that improve the skills and capabilities of the workforce goes hand in hand with a more dynamic economy and a more independent public. It...

My Lords, in summary, these regulations should be viewed as positive and we hope that they are effective.

My Lords, in summary, these regulations should be viewed as positive and we hope that they are effective.

My Lords, I genuinely thank all noble Lords for their contributions to this debate. It is always refreshing to debate something with people who were there at the beginning and who were part of the very important Augar review that led to this work in the first place. I appreciate...

My Lords, I genuinely thank all noble Lords for their contributions to this debate. It is always refreshing to debate something with people who were there at the beginning and who were part of the very important Augar review that led to this work in the first place. I appreciate...

I thank the Minister very much for her comments in response to my remarks. I make just two observations. In relation to the Minister’s point on the master’s loan, it is,

I think, still the case that the master’s loan is not available in a modular, flexible form; it is...

I thank the Minister very much for her comments in response to my remarks. I make just two observations. In relation to the Minister’s point on the master’s loan, it is,

I think, still the case that the master’s loan is not available in a modular, flexible form; it is...

It is of course the case that, even for distance learning, if you had a disability, for example, you would have access to the disabled students’ allowance. However, with limited resource, we have to make decisions about where we want to focus maintenance support. I do not think that it...

It is of course the case that, even for distance learning, if you had a disability, for example, you would have access to the disabled students’ allowance. However, with limited resource, we have to make decisions about where we want to focus maintenance support. I do not think that it...

It seemed like the least I could do.

It seemed like the least I could do.

I am grateful to the Minister for giving way. I am clearly one of the guilty people who did not turn up to the briefing sessions, but I am sure my question will be answered. There is a view that

success will look like more people moving in and out...

I am grateful to the Minister for giving way. I am clearly one of the guilty people who did not turn up to the briefing sessions, but I am sure my question will be answered. There is a view that

success will look like more people moving in and out...

The noble Lord makes an important point. I think the noble Lord, Lord Mohammed, asked how we change regulation to support what we want to see here. It is a fair point that the regulation at the moment is designed around that traditional three-year course. Part of how we expand...

The noble Lord makes an important point. I think the noble Lord, Lord Mohammed, asked how we change regulation to support what we want to see here. It is a fair point that the regulation at the moment is designed around that traditional three-year course. Part of how we expand...

Just to clarify, I know that that is the case, but there seem to be a lot of people out there who have not quite grasped that. That is the only point I was trying to make.

Just to clarify, I know that that is the case, but there seem to be a lot of people out there who have not quite grasped that. That is the only point I was trying to make.

To be fair to them, that might be because I am frequently banging on about the opportunities of modularity and different ways of providers being able to offer courses. The noble Baroness also raised an important point about the proposed consultation on break points that we will bring forward. We...

To be fair to them, that might be because I am frequently banging on about the opportunities of modularity and different ways of providers being able to offer courses. The noble Baroness also raised an important point about the proposed consultation on break points that we will bring forward. We...

Motion to consider. Agreed to on question.

Motion to consider. Agreed to on question.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps her Department is taking to assist in expanding Life Long Learning, particularly among those post school leavers who are from more disadvantaged backgrounds.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps her Department is taking to assist in expanding Life Long Learning, particularly among those post school leavers who are from more disadvantaged backgrounds.

There will be a Westminster hall debate on the impact of the University of the Air White Paper on lifelong learning opportunities on Tuesday 16 June at 2:30pm. The debate will last 90 minutes and be led by Patrick Hurley MP.

There will be a Westminster hall debate on the impact of the University of the Air White Paper on lifelong learning opportunities on Tuesday 16 June at 2:30pm. The debate will last 90 minutes and be led by Patrick Hurley MP.

Lifelong learning supports skills development, as technological change, ageing and labour market shifts increase demand for upskilling and retraining. What are the opportunities, challenges and wider impacts?

Lifelong learning supports skills development, as technological change, ageing and labour market shifts increase demand for upskilling and retraining. What are the opportunities, challenges and wider impacts?

Today I am laying before Parliament the Lifelong Learning (Fee Limits) Regulations 2026, which is the first in a package of secondary legislation needed to implement the Lifelong Learning Entitlement (LLE), ahead of its launch in September 2026 for courses and modules starting from January 2027.

The LLE will transform the...

Today I am laying before Parliament the Lifelong Learning (Fee Limits) Regulations 2026, which is the first in a package of secondary legislation needed to implement the Lifelong Learning Entitlement (LLE), ahead of its launch in September 2026 for courses and modules starting from January 2027.

The LLE will transform the...