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Two amendments to the Education (Student Loans) Bill have been defeated this week in the House of Lords. The Bill's committee stage, on Tuesday, began with an amendment moved by Lord Morris to limit the amount of subsidy paid, out of public funds, to the firm operating any future private loans scheme.

A second amendment, moved by Lord Addington, called for a delay in the enactment of the Bill until such time as a firm comes forward and guarantees a loans scheme for at least two years.