(cont. from § 6) Student support (cont. UbU2)

Anders Alftberg (SD)

Madam Speaker! I would first like to take the opportunity to move for approval of the proposal in the Education Committee's report regarding expenditure area 15 Student Grants.

We all know that knowledge and education are the primary tools for achieving success, both for the individual and for society as a whole.

Sweden today has one of the world's most generous student grant systems, and we shall, of course, continue to have it. It gives the gifted and talented girl or boy the opportunity to continue their studies regardless of social background. It gives the single parent the opportunity to make a necessary career change in the middle of life.

Madam Speaker! The great challenge for CSN during the past year has undoubtedly been the development of the new transition study support.

The transition study support is, as most in this chamber know, intended to complement the regular study support and finance studies that can strengthen adults' future position on the labor market.

The new transition study support has been characterized by very long processing times during the spring. Before the reinforcement efforts in the autumn, approximately 500 decisions were made per week.

But in and with the autumn budget for 2023 and the budget bill for 2024, CSN receives increased funds. This enables seventy new positions for CSN to ramp up the work even further. This corresponds to almost a doubling of the number of case officers. In addition to this, a comprehensive legislative package is being prepared which, among other things, involves regulatory simplifications and better opportunities for transition study support for those who already today work in shortage occupations.

Madam Speaker! It is obviously far too early to evaluate the effects of the transition study support, whether the reform is achieving the intended benefit and so on. We can, however, note some interesting facts.

57 percent of the 2,400 students who were paid transition study support during the first half of 2023 had ordinary study support during the previous semester. They have simply switched from one type of study support to a more favorable one. The recruiting effect of the transition study support for studies thus seems to be quite limited. It should also be pointed out that the cost of providing transition study support instead of study support is estimated to amount to approximately 77 million - something to reflect upon.

Madam Speaker! Our colleagues at CSN have certainly not had an easy year. Without engaging too much in any blame game, I nevertheless want to say that a great responsibility rests on the previous Social Democratic government when it comes to the difficult launch of the transition student support. Despite powerful warnings from CSN, this reform was launched without the relevant authorities being ready. No developed system support and a non-existent IT environment are a couple of the reasons for the very difficult launch. A greater measure of self-awareness and self-criticism would have been appropriate from the Social Democratic side when they are now denigrating themselves over the situation that has arisen.

Madam Speaker! Another issue that has been the subject of discussion and debate today is our decision to revise the objective for the Swedish student support system. The overall objectives for student support have existed for more than 20 years, and the system has changed. New grants have been introduced and others have disappeared. Therefore, there is a great need for the objectives for the expenditure area to be clarified.

The new goal reads: "Student financial aid in the form of grants and loans is a part of education policy. Student financial aid shall be recruiting for women and men regardless of background and contribute to a high participation in education. Student financial aid shall also have a good effect on the economy of society over time."

As has been pointed out frequently by the opposition at various occasions, we strike the following sentence: "It shall further level differences between individuals and groups in the population and thereby contribute to increased social justice."

To clarify that the recruiting goal shall apply equally to everyone, we simply propose that today's recruiting and balancing goals be merged into a new goal, as I just mentioned.

This does not mean any revolutionary changes. The main features of the student support system remain fixed. The student support shall continue to be recruiting for both young and old, unemployed and employed, regardless of educational background, gender, and origin. We shall, however, avoid too many special solutions in the student support system that in some cases can be perceived as discriminatory.

Madam Speaker! I would like to conclude by thanking all the hard-working officials within our administrations and agencies and wish you all a very Merry Christmas.

(Applause)

The speech at riksdagen.se, in Swedish (opens in a new tab)

Niklas Sigvardsson (S)

Madam Speaker! When listening to Member Alftberg's speech, one could almost believe that the Sweden Democrats voted against the transition study support when it was introduced. The same system that he claims we Social Democrats introduced without anyone being ready for it, the Sweden Democrats also voted for, on the same basis, yes.

When the system was launched and it was seen that the applications were many more than the applications that had been calculated, the Sverigedemokraterna chose to do nothing. We Socialdemokrater added money in the supplementary budget. We wanted that coordinators should be appointed so that assignments could be given to more agencies than just CSN, which also worked with the transition study support, and who would ensure that resources were available to increase the capacity.

We were prepared, when the system became so much more popular than could have been expected, to ensure that the authority could scale up faster. Imagine if the 70 case officers that the member describes in their speech could have been in place in June, July, or August instead of in December and January! Many of these 70 will not be operational until after the turn of the year. Think what it would have done if those who applied in October last year could have received the support now!

Why have the Sweden Democrats refrained from providing money to CSN? Why have the Sweden Democrats refrained from giving assignments to both CSN and other agencies so that they can work better with the support?

(Applause)

The speech at riksdagen.se, in Swedish (opens in a new tab)

Anders Alftberg (SD)

Madam Speaker! The member knows very well that one of the very biggest problems when it comes to handling the increased amounts of applications is that we have no automation in the systems. We receive an enormous number of applications from individuals who are not eligible. CSN has clearly declared that during the spring and the coming autumn, when these systems are in place, they will be able to process these applications much more efficiently. Instead of pouring money into a system that rather needs to be modernized with automation and a good IT environment, we chose this path. We will see clear results during both the spring and the autumn, I can assure the member.

(Applause)

The speech at riksdagen.se, in Swedish (opens in a new tab)

Niklas Sigvardsson (S)

Madam Speaker! It is 46,000 unique applicants we are talking about. It is 46,000 individuals in this society who have applied for support and who are waiting for a decision. Fortunately, some have received a decision, but we could have increased the pace significantly if one had been proactive enough to see that CSN needs more resources to be able to handle the influx of applications. This influx is something positive. More people want to educate themselves and move forward in their working lives. That is what this support is about.

The Speaker says it is about automated systems. Yes, that was needed. I have personally visited the case officers in Gävle who work with the transition study support. But what was also needed are simplifications of the rules, and those rule simplifications have today lain on the government's desk for over a month. We have still not heard any government representative or any representative for the government parties in this chamber say a word about how they view the agency's rule simplification proposals and how they will continue to work with them.

These are also regulatory simplification proposals that need to enter into force quickly and which CSN desires a rapid processing of. Not even we here are being told anything about how they intend to move them forward. Without these regulatory simplification proposals, much of the automation will have to be put on hold, because one does not want to automate a system that one does not know will hold up over time.

So, there are further questions to ask the government representatives and to MP Alftberg. When will the decisions on the simplification proposals be announced? We are prepared to ensure that CSN and the parties speed up the process so that more people can receive the support.

(Applause)

The speech at riksdagen.se, in Swedish (opens in a new tab)

Anders Alftberg (SD)

Madam Speaker! How quickly should one let a new support, for example the transition study support, expand when one does not have vital systems in place? It is indeed questionable whether it is healthy to do so in the way you suggested.

In my ears, it almost sounds as if the Social Democratic member believes that CSN's primary mission is to administer the transition study support. There is an extensive study support system that needs to handle many other things. The transition study support therefore needs to grow with moderation and caution so that we do not destroy other parts of the operations. We risk facing a displacement that is not healthy.

It is very interesting that even though something has only been on our or the government's table for a month, the member is almost hysterical. It was not long ago that there was a school minister who was supposed to save the school in 100 days. But that didn't go so well, so I do not intend to commit to any exact date. I will let the Social Democrats do that.

(Applause)

The speech at riksdagen.se, in Swedish (opens in a new tab)

Marie-Louise Hänel Sandström (M)

Madam Speaker! I move for approval of the proposals in the report on expenditure area 15 Student Grants.

Yesterday we celebrated our eldest son's 25th birthday here in Stockholm. Well, it is just to accept that he is an adult now, since he has his own housing and has gotten a new job here. He recently finished his studies at Chalmers. I remember his joy when he got his first student apartment and could move out from home. It was very small, but it was his own. It would not have been possible without the student support that we have in Sweden. Several here have already said that it is the world's most generous student support, and that is something I am very proud of. CSN says: "We make studies possible." The country Sweden makes studies possible.

Support involves both opportunities and obligations. Just as it is a given that one can borrow money, it is a given that one must pay it back. I am pleased that CSN runs quite a few campaigns that ensure they get back much more than what they have received previously from the money that is to be repaid.

A concern has been those who live abroad, but now it has been well organized. Almost 95 percent of those who live in Sweden pay back and around 80 percent of those who live abroad. It can, of course, only get better.

It is approximately half a million people in Sweden who receive student support. Many receive help through that system.

Madam Speaker! We have talked quite a lot about the new, modernized goals for student support. There have been many discussions here. One might wonder why. The goals have existed for 20 years. Since then, quite a lot has happened. New types of student support have been added, including the transition student support and the study start support. In that case, it is quite appropriate to review the goals, and that is also what the government has done together with SD.

We have merged two goals because the recruiting and the leveling effects can overlap. Therefore, we have changed those goals. S does not need to be worried about that. It is rather good that we review goals and can even broaden the recruitment with the help of these new goals.

The new goals are part of our education policy with loans and student support. Both women and men, regardless of background, shall be recruited. This contributes to high participation in all forms of education and should, of course, have a good effect on the economy of society. We therefore see only advantages with a review of the goals, but obviously we will evaluate this. We have 15 indicators that are used to follow up the goal fulfillment. It is very important. Of the 15 indicators, 6 are about recruitment, 4 about equalization, and 5 about the economy of society.

I feel that this has been investigated very thoroughly. One can say that we Moderates love follow-up and evaluating to see if we perhaps should change something – which we do, in this case.

Madam Speaker! I am also very pleased that the Moderates have pushed the issue of raising the age limit for student support. Since October 1, 2021, it has been raised from 56 to 60 years, which is very good, as well as that the tapering off of what one can borrow begins at 51 instead of 47 years. It is a consequence of the fact that we have seen changes in the labor market. Life expectancy has increased, and people work longer before they receive their pension.

It is also important with the possibility of transition, which many have talked about here earlier. One might change direction several times in life, so it is important that there is a possibility to receive student aid in different ways.

What was previously seen as a typical student has changed. People are studying at older ages and may have had children before starting their studies or during the time they are studying. Many also study for several different programs.

Madam Speaker! It has also already been said that we have the most generous student grant system in the world. It is very positive that positive changes are coming and that the level of the student grant from 2024 is raised by 1,100. It is an effect of a raised price base amount. The free amount is raised so that one will be able to earn up to 111,000 during the first half of the year without the student loan being affected. That is very good. I would have gladly been able to raise the limit even more or perhaps even remove it, but this is a compromise solution. We are pursuing slightly different lines and are not entirely in agreement within the party, but it is very good that this increase was made.

Studies must of course come first - that is the absolute most important thing - but we also think that the individual should be able to be given freedom under responsibility to work as much as they have the opportunity to. During the pandemic, we saw that it was extremely good that, for example, those who were studying for a healthcare profession could work within healthcare. It is good to get insight into the profession one is studying for.

There is also a great need for various vocational educations. We ensure that the university college expands and invest quite a lot of money. There will be many more places. We also do this within the IT sector and with natural science subjects. This means that we invest large sums of money to increase CSN's budget so that they can provide increased student support for the larger educations where we are increasing the number of places.

Madam Speaker! Much has been said about the transition study support. It is no news to us. One almost has to remind oneself that it was introduced on 1 January 2023. It has, therefore, not existed for very long. The opportunity to apply was given just over a year ago, and an incredibly large number of people applied. A year ago, 27,000 had applied. During only the last two months, or since 1 October 2023, 12,300 new applications have come in. Approximately 350 applications come in per week. The interest is great, and it naturally requires a large amount of handling.

The regulatory framework surrounding this is complex, and the waiting times have become long for the applicants. As a colleague mentioned, there is a need for system support. The so-called regular student grants are handled in a fairly automated way. The applicants, therefore, do not need to wait particularly long to receive a decision on them.

To facilitate things, we have given more money to CSN. They have also received a mandate since September to propose how things can be further facilitated. Quite a few proposals have come in. The Government is, of course, looking at them and has close contact with CSN regarding what can be introduced, as it is planned to happen as early as possible next year. Among other things, they will look at how to handle, for example, if someone has received a student grant during the first half of the year and wants to renew it. In that case, they shall be given priority so that they can continue their education. There will be many changes, and some of them will come already quite early in 2024. We will have to return to how this will turn out.

The transition study support is intended primarily for shortage occupations. It is extremely important that it exists and that one should be able to move forward. One should be able to move from one shortage occupation to another, but this is still intended so that more people can enter the labor market.

The transition study support is a loan just like the regular study support, but different conditions apply. One can receive it for 44 weeks, and it is approximately 80 percent of the salary that becomes your compensation.

Madam Speaker! The important thing is that student support changes as society changes. We see that many more want to study abroad. Many have difficulty financing their dream education but do so either via the transition student support or the regular student support. There are many different solutions, and we have many different variants of student support that have not been mentioned as much here in the chamber.

As we have said before, more people will undergo new education or perhaps need to supplement their education later in life. The major transition that is occurring with, for example, electrification requires quite large efforts in the form of various educations.

A longer working life will require better skills development, and career changes will occur. With the regular student support system and with the transition study support, very many will get to study more. Many will get new professions, and many will succeed better in entering the working life. I therefore view this very positively. The Moderates are extremely positive both towards the regular student support and towards the transition study support.

I vote in favor of the proposal in the report.

(Applause)

The speech at riksdagen.se, in Swedish (opens in a new tab)

Niklas Sigvardsson (S)

Madam Speaker! I intended to speak a little about the transition study support.

This proposal, and this entire year's budget policy, has meant that CSN has hardly received half of the money they have requested. In the spring, CSN said that with unchanged funds, they would need to pay back 600 million for 2023 and 2 billion for 2024. If they receive approximately half of what they request, there is a risk that approximately 1 billion of the money that we allocate through the budget for the transition study support next year will not be used.

It would mean that approximately 10,000 people who meet the requirements in the regulations and who would have been allowed to study do not receive the transition study support. They might not dare to take the chance to study when the economic situation in society is tough. They might be single and perhaps have no one else who can take care of the bills if the transition study support does not come. It might involve people who cannot forego a second salary to educate themselves and to strengthen their future position on the labor market.

That is why I want to ask you, Marie-Louise Hänel Sandström, how you view the fact that 1 billion might go to waste and that 10,000 people who should have had the right to it might not get the chance to study with transition study support.

(Applause)

The speech at riksdagen.se, in Swedish (opens in a new tab)

Marie-Louise Hänel Sandström (M)

Madam Speaker! I thank Niklas Sigvardsson for the questions.

Those who receive transition study support are in employment; it is a requirement to receive transition study support. It sounds like they are standing on level ground, but that is not really the case.

Of course, the government is in constant contact with CSN regarding how this can be done – hence the mandate to facilitate for those who are entitled to transition study support. Not everyone who applies is entitled to it.

It is important that the whole process is handled in a much better way when people apply for transition study support. It is better to get an early answer if one is not entitled to support. There is a transition study support center that one has contact with, which the parties have agreed upon. It is they who from the beginning should see who is even going to apply for transition study support. When it comes to CSN, there is a cooperation to see how the application can be simplified. This will ensure that more people who are in need of transition study support and are entitled to it will receive it. Then we will not get such figures as the member is worried about. The change is intended to take place as early as the beginning of next year.

The speech at riksdagen.se, in Swedish (opens in a new tab)

Niklas Sigvardsson (S)

Madam Speaker! Unfortunately, I am not becoming calmer. I have asked some different questions to representatives for the government parties, or the majority parties. It feels like they are still not on the ball and still have not realized that we need to increase the pace and ensure that we really try to act with a flashing light so that we get the best possible result.

During the autumn, I was in Gävle and met with case officers for the transition study support. There was energy among the employees, despite a tough year, but there was also an ounce of wonder. When will the regulatory simplifications come? Will there be any more money? Will we manage to handle this?

After a year, the first week arrived when the number of applications they managed to process was greater than the number of applications that came in. For most of us, it would feel impossible if we knew every day that an extremely large number of cases are coming in and that we never have time to clear them. That this has been ongoing for a period of a year is unreasonable. Therefore, I want to give a great tribute to all these case officers.

I am still bothered by the fact that half of the funds that CSN says they need to be able to process the system are missing, despite the government injecting money. It is not about them wanting it because it is good, but they need these funds to be able to carry out this. They have already streamlined and moved processors, who are working overtime on top of overtime. This affects other student loan recipients, because CSN has had to move employees from other parts of the operations and shut down telephone hours in order to manage it all. However, funds are still missing.

How does the government intend to proceed? How many will not receive their support?

The speech at riksdagen.se, in Swedish (opens in a new tab)

Marie-Louise Hänel Sandström (M)

Madam Speaker! It feels like an honor to be the government - I thank the member for that!

As a member, I also have quite a lot of contact with CSN and know how they work. I know how they recruit and that they are extremely ambitious. The important thing, even though I am unfortunately not in the government now, is that CSN continuously talks with the government and has a good dialogue with it on how things can be done.

CSN is moving employees and recruiting people from other agencies who are quite knowledgeable in this area. As I understand it, they have good hopes regarding the regulatory changes that are to come, which the government has asked to receive proposals on. Many good proposals have also come in from CSN; I have seen them all. Several things could be implemented quite quickly - some things are quite simple to do when it comes to more automation. I have good hope that this will be improved.

I think the most important thing is that at an earlier stage, one should see if one has applied incorrectly or does not meet the requirements, so that one is not sitting and waiting after having submitted their application. One should know from the very beginning that one will not receive the grant. I think it is very important to do that, because we should not let people have a hope and let them wait.

The important thing is that we do it right from the beginning when people apply and let them know whether they meet the requirements or not, so that they do not stand in line and wait.

I see good hope from the government – with whom I still have much contact – and from the Moderaterna that this will be improved. We will also see that there are many different solutions. Furthermore, one has been in constant contact with the parties that were involved when we decided on the transition study support.

I hope the member can be somewhat calmed by this - I am, at least, becoming so.

The speech at riksdagen.se, in Swedish (opens in a new tab)

Niels Paarup-Petersen (C)

Madam Speaker! I would, of course, never ever think of criticizing other parties, so I will only read out what others say.

Svenskt Näringsliv says the following regarding the government's management of the transition student support:

It is obvious that the government fails. It is difficult to see any legitimate excuse. Many actors have a lot that needs to be put in place. Not least, the parties' own security organizations have done their jobs. It is surprising that the government has not managed to deliver. It is very upsetting - people have the right to expect that the reforms the government has promised will be realized. For individual individuals, this can have huge consequences. First, you go and consider studying. You talk to your family, your boss, and your colleagues. Your company has adjusted and hired a substitute for you. You are ready. Then it becomes a no - because the government does not deliver what it has promised.

This is the reality. Furthermore, one is very worried about how 2024 will turn out, because CSN has warned that there could be problems.

I believe Fredrik Malm said that it is not always possible to deliver everything to everyone. Member Hänel Sandström was also touching upon that one would of course have liked to do more. I know that this government has had a somewhat different view in many areas, but I am still of the opinion that one should keep the promises that one makes. I would therefore like to ask Marie-Louise Hänel Sandström from Moderaterna: Is there any possibility that you will actually deliver what you have promised in 2024?

The speech at riksdagen.se, in Swedish (opens in a new tab)

Marie-Louise Hänel Sandström (M)

Madam Speaker! I thank you for the question from Svenskt Näringsliv or possibly from the Member of Parliament from C.

Of course, the government will deliver to the extent that it is possible. I am a bit curious about how C had intended to solve it. Still, very many more applications arrived than had been expected from the beginning, and much has been done to improve the situation. But initially, one expected approximately 5,000 applications, and about 27,000 arrived. There was, therefore, a large difference, and I believe that all parties and stakeholders were surprised by it.

The government is working in cooperation with CSN on how recruitment can be improved and how to find out at an early stage so that no one new is hired for the job. It is important to quickly find out that one does not meet the conditions. It is also important for the employer to know who can apply. Several parties therefore have an interest in receiving information so that both employees and employers know when it is possible.

Both I and the government see great opportunities to be able to improve the situation during 2024 thanks to the proposals CSN has submitted. CSN, with its case officers, are working on this and have been involved in the response packages submitted to the government's inquiry from September 7. I therefore have great hopes.

The speech at riksdagen.se, in Swedish (opens in a new tab)

Niels Paarup-Petersen (C)

Madam Speaker! I will be a bit more Centerpartiet so that it becomes clearer.

"To the extent that it is possible" is a somewhat vague answer. I naturally hope for a better answer, namely "yes, we intend to keep our promises." One should perhaps refrain from making promises if one is unsure whether they can keep them.

I was asked how the Center Party intended to solve the fact that many more applications were coming in. We did add half a billion to our budget motion so that it could be handled. But the government did not do that. It is a challenge that we have a government that is, in theory, Moderat-led which can find money for subsidies but not for transition. For me, this deviates from the Moderaternas political view, so how is it that now there is money for subsidies but not for transition and new job opportunities?

The speech at riksdagen.se, in Swedish (opens in a new tab)

Marie-Louise Hänel Sandström (M)

Madam Speaker! I now thank the Centre Party for the question.

I am wondering a bit about what the member means with the last sentence, but of course, the Moderaterna want everyone who wants to familiarize themselves to be able to do so. It sounded like the member thought that we are choosing between different people who should get that opportunity, but that is absolutely not the case.

I do not think it always helps to provide very much money, as C wants to do. Here, it is about complex rules and a system that has not functioned. This may be because it was done quickly when it was introduced and that old routines were used. CSN says that the regulatory framework is complex and difficult to interpret, and this is what we now want to change. It is not always about money but about how one works and the methods of work. CSN and the government are now discussing how rules and methods of work for recruitment can be simplified, to ensure that one finds out earlier in the process and to include more companies.

Several employers and employee representatives have been involved in the process from the start, so there are quite a few who are involved in the transition study support. It is important that everyone helps to find solutions, and that is what we are working on, of course.

Let me dismiss the member's possible reflections that it would be of different value depending on which study support one applies for. That is not what the Moderates believe; we think that the regular study support and the transition study support are equally important. The goal is for it to be socially beneficial, and it becomes so if one enters employment, regardless of which form of study support one has. The goal is to enter the working life and be able to contribute to society, so study support is good in all forms.

(Applause)

The speech at riksdagen.se, in Swedish (opens in a new tab)

Niels Paarup-Petersen (C)

Madam Speaker! I vote in favor of reservation 1 and also refer to the Centre Party's special statement.

The debate has been quite a bit about the transition support and the opportunity the exemption limit gives students to earn their own money. Let me summarize the discussion.

When it comes to the transition support, we have a situation where many people in our country would like to leave an industry where they see no future and enter an industry where people are needed, but they cannot do so because the government has not done its job. It is not good, because it leads to increased unemployment and that people are stuck in occupations without a future.

For society, it is absolutely crucial that we continue to produce competence for future jobs instead of past jobs at a high pace. In that case, the government must understand how important it is to invest in making basic things like the transition study support work. I hope that the government now takes away that one must get a bit better at that, which Svenskt Näringsliv has also been clear about.

The idea regarding the exemption limit is a bit funny. In order for you to be able to receive student support, the state must decide how much you are allowed to earn. There is no fundamental reason why it must be so. It is always good for people with competence to be able to contribute as much as they can to developing our economy.

We, the remaining bourgeois parties, believe that the cake can become larger. We do not believe that there is only a certain number of jobs and when they are taken, there are no more. We believe that when someone takes a job, the company develops, which creates more jobs. Therefore, every person who can be out and working is something positive. That students work and learn more about their future profession is fantastically important, because then they become even better and understand more of the labor market they will enter in the future.

I therefore hope that the government also reviews this. It is good that the conditions have improved, but the state still wants to limit people's right to income. I do not understand why it must be so. I still believe that there is a potential in the conservative idea that people should be able to utilize their full potential, and the conservative part of the government constellation can bring that into the work.

I hope that we can strengthen the competence lines with the help of the transition study support and ensure that CSN does everything to secure people's development opportunities. I hope that we can also ensure that young people are given all the opportunities to contribute to society that are at all possible.

Finally: I wish all those I do not meet on Tuesday a Merry Christmas and you others a pleasant weekend.

The speech at riksdagen.se, in Swedish (opens in a new tab)

Lili André (KD)

Madam Speaker! I vote in favor of the committee's proposal in the report on student support.

As a Christian Democrat, I am also proud that we in Sweden have one of the world's most generous student support systems. It is important that the state provides support to people who wish to pursue further studies after their schooling, and it is pleasing that a large number of people today receive student support. We Christian Democrats want the student support system to continue to be one of the world's most generous.

An important link in the work of conducting a purposeful education policy is student financial aid, both the grant and the loan components. Student financial aid shall provide economic conditions for persons who wish to begin studying, and the support shall contribute to ensuring that everyone who wants can receive an education. All parts of student financial aid, namely study grants during upper secondary studies, grants to students with disabilities, apprentice compensation, and student aid with a grant and loan component, contribute in such a way as to level differences in economic conditions between individuals and between groups in society.

A competitive business sector requires a workforce with the right skills. In times of poorer economic conditions, as we are seeing now, there is a risk that long-term unemployment will remain stuck at a high level. In that case, education plays an important role so that more people get the chance to enter employment. We continue to see high levels of unemployment, especially regarding long-term unemployment, while a number of industries are in great need of trained personnel. Therefore, it is important that the student support system remains strong and contributes to the business sector receiving the supply of competence it needs. We Christian Democrats view the government's continued investments in the transition student support positively, which is an important reform.

Madam Speaker! The transition study support has existed since June 2022, and the purpose is to improve the conditions for adults to finance studies that strengthen their position on the labor market. It is a skills journey that working people get the opportunity to undertake, which is important today as the business sector, healthcare, and other public activities lack important skills.

The transition study support contributes to the fact that most can study with at least 80 percent of their salary for up to one year. The reform shall not only facilitate skills development and transition in working life but can also improve the economic conditions for these individuals.

Madam Speaker! The Christian Democrats see an intrinsic value in students establishing themselves in the labor market and therefore view it positively that those students who so wish also work during their studies. With the requirements for study results that exist in order to retain the student grant, the Christian Democrats have confidence that the individual themselves has the ability to balance studies and work based on their own capacity and life situation so that the studies do not suffer. We Christian Democrats are therefore pleased that the exemption limit, that is, the amount that a student can earn without the level of the student grants being lowered, has been raised.

It is important that students who want to and can get increased opportunities to work in, for example, health and social care now that the exemption limit is being raised. We still have long queues in health and medical care and a great need for labor in many other sectors.

Madam Speaker! We have a student support system that aims to level differences between individuals and between groups. It is something we should be proud of in Sweden. A well-balanced student support system creates conditions for both individuals and for Sweden as a nation to grow with knowledge. Flexible and well-adjusted amount levels remove obstacles for people to complement previous studies or continue studying at a higher level.

I vote in favor of the committee's proposal in the report.

(Applause)

The speech at riksdagen.se, in Swedish (opens in a new tab)

Camilla Hansén (MP)

Madam Speaker! Sweden has one of the world's most generous student grant systems. It is something we must safeguard, because it has led to us also having one of the world's most educated peoples. It is needed when we are to handle global megatrends such as climate change, migration, digitalization and changed demographics.

Students invest their time and their money in Sweden's future. A strong student support system is important for Sweden to invest in the students here and now. It is not just about the future, but it is about daring to become a student and about life when one is a student.

Starting from the student perspective is also an important aspect for raising the quality of the education. It is about being able to see the student's entire life circumstances in a holistic perspective in order to counteract conditions that steal focus from the studies. There is a large untapped potential here. If we enable the students to focus more on their studies and less on other things, we use our resources in a much more efficient way, and the education becomes better. Here, the economic security that the student support provides plays a large role.

Everyone should be able to study at a college or university regardless of where they come from in society and the country, regardless of which parents they have and what background they have. It needs to become easier to be able to take the step to study further, and we do that by improving the students' housing situation and the entire economic security. The person who chooses to study further should be able to manage financially. And it is of course important to emphasize that the goal for the student grant needs to be to "equalize differences between individuals and groups in the population and thereby contribute to increased social justice."

When Miljöpartiet joined the government, we pushed through an increase of the student grant by 300 kronor. It may seem trivial in context, but 300 kronor is more than zero kronor. Now we want to once again increase it by an additional 300 kronor per month. Students are a group with small economic margins, and the economic stress affects students' health negatively. An increase in student aid would create better conditions for more people to dare to pursue further education and for those who actually do.

The grant component of student aid has long lagged behind price developments, and single-student households belong to the group that is hit very hard by the increased costs and inflation. Now, of course, student aid will be increased anyway – this is what the government likes to communicate – but it is the built-in indexation; it is not political will, but it is a system that we have.

This is a late compensation for the students. We mean that a real increase of the grant portion of the student aid was needed. I know that more parties also see this need, but it is still only Miljöpartiet that puts the money on the table. We also raise the level of the student aid for students in upper secondary school and want to introduce the same indexing as for the student grant also for them. This is of course also financed in our budget motion.

A changing labor market requires an education and labor market policy that gives people good opportunities to choose a new career in the middle of life. The transition study support is intended to give people the chance to educate themselves for their own sake and strengthen their own position on the labor market.

If I am to do an environmental party deep-dive into the transition study support and describe what I miss from the free period—the truly green reform that would give people this freedom—it is precisely the freedom and the simplicity. This has been lost along the way. So it can be when one struggles for a long time to make something possible.

We know now that the processing is too complicated, and that is because the rules are very complex. The simplifications that are proposed need to be implemented as quickly as possible, and the authorities need to be given the opportunity to carry out their mandate. In the Miljöpartiet budget motion, CSN receives the funds they request to fulfill this mandate.

Something that I actually believe no one has mentioned so far in the debate is that we are not making a general saving on state agencies. It is surprising that one sees the great needs that exist at CSN and still wants to nickel and dime. Nickel and diming is for lazy politicians. It is not efficiency. One needs to give CSN the opportunity to carry out its mission.

I will raise an issue that is not so often visible in the debate on student support. It concerns the special grant that can be used for hearing aids for parents with hearing-impaired or deaf children. It lies in this expenditure area.

In Sweden, approximately 200 children are born every year with a hearing impairment or deafness. Approximately the same number suffer a hearing injury during their upbringing. The vast majority, 95-98 percent, have hearing parents. As a parent of a child with deafness or hearing impairment, one is entitled partly to basic training in sign language organized by the region, and partly to 240 hours of training in sign language during the child's upbringing. We can compare this with the fact that in Norway, one has a right to 1,600 hours of training in sign language as a hearing parent to a deaf child. This corresponds to 30 full days or 60 half days to learn the language that the child communicates in and to be able to be an active parent throughout the child's entire upbringing.

The education is financed and monitored by the state, the National Agency for Special Needs Education, and is eligible for student grants. We want the education to be expanded so that parents, but also those close to the children, can be educated in sign language to a sufficient extent so that they have time to learn the language and can guide their child on the way to adulthood in a language that both master. Therefore, we allocate funds in the budget.

In the Green Party's budget alternative, we allocate approximately 1.7 billion kronor more than the government for the purposes that the budget area concerns. It is the Green Party that makes the largest investments when it comes to student support to strengthen the transition student support, to strengthen students' finances, and so that parents of deaf and hard-of-hearing children can learn sign language.

Student financial aid

Madam Speaker! Miljöpartiet abstains from participating in the decision on the state budget, and I refer to our special statement.

I move for approval of reservation 1, where the united opposition maintains that the goal of student support shall be to level differences between individuals and groups in the population and thereby contribute to increased social justice.

(Applause)

The deliberation was hereby concluded.

(A decision was to be taken on 19 December.)

The speech at riksdagen.se, in Swedish (opens in a new tab)