Commenting on the recent NUS Poverty Commission Report, Liberal Democrat education spokesperson Layla Moran said:

“It is disappointing and completely unacceptable that people from lower income backgrounds still face so many barriers to education and training.

“As this important report makes clear, the factors driving this inequality are varied and complex, but the government must not shy away from trying to tackle them, including by immediately reinstating maintenance grants and exploring options like individual learning accounts to provide more funding support for people during education and training.

“In a fair and liberal society access to high quality education and training must never be limited by an individuals background or circumstances, and it should be an absolute priority for the government to address the fundamental unfairness highlighted in this report”.