Student Maintenance Grants

The abolition of student maintenance grants will have a big impact on those who come from lower-income families, who will now leave university with much higher debts than many of their peers. This is likely to discourage many from studying without saving the Government much money.

The Conservative Government tried to bring through the changes using a statutory instrument, meaning there would be no vote in the Chamber. Labour tabled an annulment motion to force a vote on the proposals.

Unfortunately, the Government's majority meant that the proposals passed by 306 votes to 292.