§ Mr. BoswellTo ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment if proposals for write-offs of student loans initiated by his Department(a) require extension to European students and (b) require approval by the European Union. [155871]
§ Ms Estelle MorrisDetailed proposals for the write-off of student loans are still being developed by my Department. We do not believe that they require European Union approval, but we will naturally take full account of relevant EU legislation.
§ Mr. BoswellTo ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment if comparable incentives to the proposed write-offs of student loans for trainee teachers are planned for trainees without loan debt. [155869]
§ Ms Estelle MorrisNo directly comparable incentives are planned for trainees without loan debt. Other measures to encourage more people into teaching, especially in shortage subjects, include improved pay and training, Golden Hellos, and our recently-announced Back To Work bonus for returners to teaching. The number of teachers in England and Wales has increased by 7,400 since 1998, and we hope that this rise will continue.
686W