§ Mr. SedgemoreTo ask the Prime Minister if she has any plans to discuss the future of the scheme for student loans with the chairman of Barclays bank.
§ The Prime MinisterNo.
§ Mr. SedgemoreTo ask the Prime Minister if she will dismiss the Secretary of State for Education and Science for his conduct in relation to the banks' decision to pull out of the student loan scheme; and if she will make a statement.
§ The Prime MinisterNo. I was very disappointed that the banks decided to react to external pressure and withdrew from the memorandum of understanding with the Government to administer the student loans scheme. It is the students themselves who will now not have the benefit of access to the banks' branch networks to obtain the loans. But the banks' withdrawal does not affect in any way the objectives, principles or funding of the scheme. Preparatory work is well in hand.
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§ Mr. SedgemoreTo ask the Prime Minister if the Government have any plans to take fiscal or other action against those banks which pulled out of the Government scheme for student loans; and if she will make a statement.
§ The Prime MinisterThe Government have expressed strong disappointment at the banks' withdrawal from the memorandum of understanding: at no stage has there been any question of action against the banks.