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1700509

	registered interest
	date	12/04/2024
	answering body	Department for Education
	answering dept id	60
	answering dept short name	Education
	answering dept sort name	Education
	hansard heading	Disabled Students' Allowances: Overseas Students
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Education, if she will make an assessment with Cabinet colleagues of the potential (a) merits of extending eligibility for Disabled Students’ Allowance to international students and (b) impact of the existing eligibility criteria on educational inequalities in higher education.
	tabling member constituency	Coventry South
	tabling member printed	Zarah Sultana
	uin	21396
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 18/04/2024 answer text <p>The government appreciates the significant economic and cultural contribution that international students make to UK higher education (HE). The department’s offer to international students remains very competitive and the department is committed to ensuring the UK remains a destination of choice for the brightest and best international students from across the globe.</p><p> </p><p>To be eligible for Disabled Students Allowance, students must: (a) meet the personal eligibility criteria for student finance within the Education (Student Support) Regulations 2011 and be studying a course designated for student support; and (b) have a disability as defined in the Equality Act 2010.</p><p>Entitlement to student support and home fee status is limited to eligible students who are undertaking HE courses offered by UK institutions that are designated for support. This is to ensure that the HE student finance system remains financially sustainable. The government has no plans to extend home fee status and student support to international students.</p><p> </p><p>All HE providers must fulfil their responsibilities under the Equality Act 2010 in their support for all disabled HE students regardless of whether they are home or international students.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency Thornbury and Yate answering member printed Luke Hall question first answered 18/04/2024 16:49:09 answering member 4450 label Biography information for Luke Hall
	tabling member	4786 label Biography information for Zarah Sultana

1700555

	registered interest
	date	12/04/2024
	answering body	Department for Education
	answering dept id	60
	answering dept short name	Education
	answering dept sort name	Education
	hansard heading	Higher Education: Overseas Students
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what progress her Department has made in implementing the objectives of the International Education Strategy to increase the (a) value of education exports and (b) number of international higher education students studying in the UK.
	tabling member constituency	Stirling
	tabling member printed	Alyn Smith
	uin	21440
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 18/04/2024 answer text <p>The International Education Strategy (IES) is a UK wide strategy which commits to growing the value of education exports. An update to the department’s IES was published on 26 May 2023. This is the third annual progress update to the original 2019 IES. A link to the 2023 update can be found here: <a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/international-education-strategy-2023-update" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/international-education-strategy-2023-update</a>.</p><p> </p><p>The UK has met the IES international student ambition of 600 thousand per year by 2030 for two years running in both 2020/21 and 2021/22. The department is on track and will continue working towards the IES education export ambition of £35 billion per year by 2030 with £27.9 billion revenue in 2021. Data used to track progress against these two ambitions is published annually.</p><p>As the International Education Champion, Professor Sir Steve Smith continues to promote UK education export growth and supports ministers to engage in strategic discussions on progress on implementing the strategy with the education sector.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency Thornbury and Yate answering member printed Luke Hall grouped question UIN 21441 question first answered 18/04/2024 16:40:37 answering member 4450 label Biography information for Luke Hall
	tabling member	4738 label Biography information for Alyn Smith

1700556

	registered interest
	date	12/04/2024
	answering body	Department for Education
	answering dept id	60
	answering dept short name	Education
	answering dept sort name	Education
	hansard heading	Education: Exports
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps her Department is taking to (a) promote and (b) protect education exports.
	tabling member constituency	Stirling
	tabling member printed	Alyn Smith
	uin	21441
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 18/04/2024 answer text <p>The International Education Strategy (IES) is a UK wide strategy which commits to growing the value of education exports. An update to the department’s IES was published on 26 May 2023. This is the third annual progress update to the original 2019 IES. A link to the 2023 update can be found here: <a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/international-education-strategy-2023-update" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/international-education-strategy-2023-update</a>.</p><p> </p><p>The UK has met the IES international student ambition of 600 thousand per year by 2030 for two years running in both 2020/21 and 2021/22. The department is on track and will continue working towards the IES education export ambition of £35 billion per year by 2030 with £27.9 billion revenue in 2021. Data used to track progress against these two ambitions is published annually.</p><p>As the International Education Champion, Professor Sir Steve Smith continues to promote UK education export growth and supports ministers to engage in strategic discussions on progress on implementing the strategy with the education sector.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency Thornbury and Yate answering member printed Luke Hall grouped question UIN 21440 question first answered 18/04/2024 16:40:37 answering member 4450 label Biography information for Luke Hall
	tabling member	4738 label Biography information for Alyn Smith

1698553

	registered interest
	date	25/03/2024
	answering body	Department for Education
	answering dept id	60
	answering dept short name	Education
	answering dept sort name	Education
	hansard heading	Graduates: Visas
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment her Department has made of the potential impact of changes to the graduate visa route on (a) the financial sustainability of the university sector and (b) local economies.
	tabling member constituency	Leeds North West
	tabling member printed	Alex Sobel
	uin	20405
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 17/04/2024 answer text <p>The Migration Advisory Committee (MAC) has been commissioned to provide further evidence to support the government’s understanding of how the Graduate Route is operating in practice. The focus of the Graduate Route review will be to prevent abuse and ensure the integrity and quality of our world-leading UK higher education (HE) sector is protected. No decisions have been made on the future of the Graduate Route and the department awaits the report of the MAC in May.</p><p>​</p><p>​The Office for Students (OfS), as the independent regulator of HE in England, is responsible for monitoring and reporting on the sustainability of HE providers. The department works closely with the OfS to understand the impact of international student recruitment on HE provider financial sustainability.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency Thornbury and Yate answering member printed Luke Hall question first answered 17/04/2024 11:43:07 answering member 4450 label Biography information for Luke Hall
	tabling member	4658 label Biography information for Alex Sobel

1699196

	registered interest
	date	26/03/2024
	answering body	Department for Education
	answering dept id	60
	answering dept short name	Education
	answering dept sort name	Education
	hansard heading	Higher Education: Finance
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Education, if she will make an assessment of the impact of the tuition fee-based funding model on the financial stability of the higher education sector.
	tabling member constituency	City of Durham
	tabling member printed	Mary Kelly Foy
	uin	20771
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 17/04/2024 answer text <p>As autonomous organisations, higher education (HE) providers have a high degree of financial independence and it is for them to make appropriate and necessary decisions around income, funding, spending and borrowing which ensure their continued financial viability and sustainability.</p><p> </p><p>The department believes that the current fee freeze achieves the best balance between ensuring that the system remains financially sustainable, offering good value for the taxpayer and reducing debt levels for students in real terms.</p><p> </p><p>The Office for Students (OfS), as the regulator of HE in England, is responsible for monitoring the financial sustainability of registered HE providers. The department continues to work closely with the OfS and other parties including providers, mission groups and other government departments to understand the ongoing impacts and changing landscape of financial sustainability across the sector.</p> answering member constituency Thornbury and Yate answering member printed Luke Hall question first answered 17/04/2024 09:03:20 answering member 4450 label Biography information for Luke Hall
	tabling member	4753 label Biography information for Mary Kelly Foy

1700498

	registered interest
	date	12/04/2024
	answering body	Department for Education
	answering dept id	60
	answering dept short name	Education
	answering dept sort name	Education
	hansard heading	Adult Education and Community Education: Finance
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment she has made of the impact of trends in the level of funding of Adult and Community Education since 2010 on that sector; and whether she plans to restore funding to 2010 levels.
	tabling member constituency	Coventry South
	tabling member printed	Zarah Sultana
	uin	21385
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 17/04/2024 answer text <p>The department is continuing to invest in education and skills training for adults through the Adult Education Budget (AEB), the Multiply programme and Skills Bootcamps.</p><p>The AEB is worth £1.34 billion in 2023/24 and approximately 60% of the AEB is devolved to nine Mayoral Combined Authorities (MCA) and the Greater London Authority (GLA). These authorities are now responsible for the provision of AEB-funded adult education for their residents. The Education and Skills Funding Agency (ESFA) is responsible for the remaining AEB in non-devolved areas.</p><p> </p><p>In ESFA AEB areas, the department applied a 2.2% increase to the final earnings for all AEB formula-funded provision, excluding associated learner and learning support, in 2022/23 and 2023/24. The department also applied a 20% boost on top of earnings for all AEB formula-funded provision in six sector subject areas: Engineering, Manufacturing Technologies, Transport Operations and Maintenance, Building and Construction, ICT for Practitioners, and Mathematics and Statistics. Additionally, in 2024/25, as part of the AEB transition to the Adult Skills Fund, the department will introduce five new funding rates that will apply to the ESFA Adult Skills Fund with 78% of qualifications seeing a funding increase.</p><p> </p><p>Prior to devolution, the Community Learning portion of the AEB amounted to approximately £230 million in 2018/19. The department does not collect data on what MCAs and the GLA currently spend on Community Learning.</p><p> </p><p>In 2024/25, as part of the Adult Skills Fund, the term Tailored Learning brings together what was the AEB Community Learning, formula-funded AEB non-regulated learning, which was previously delivered through the adult skills, and new employer-facing innovative provision that is not qualification based.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>The department is also providing up to £270 million directly to local areas in England to deliver innovative interventions to improve adult numeracy through the Multiply programme. The department is also building the evidence base on what works to improve adult numeracy, including through randomised control trials.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>Skills Bootcamps are free, flexible courses of up to 16 weeks, giving people the opportunity to build up sector-specific skills, with an offer of a job interview upon completion. This is supported by £550 million over the current Spending Review period as well as £170 million in grant funding to MCAs and local areas in 2024/25.</p><p> </p><p>Spend by the department on further education is reported through publication of the Annual Report and Accounts. This can be found here: <a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/dfe-annual-reports" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/dfe-annual-reports</a>.</p><p> </p><p> </p> answering member constituency Thornbury and Yate answering member printed Luke Hall question first answered 17/04/2024 11:34:37 answering member 4450 label Biography information for Luke Hall
	tabling member	4786 label Biography information for Zarah Sultana

1698915

	registered interest
	date	26/03/2024
	answering body	Department for Education
	answering dept id	60
	answering dept short name	Education
	answering dept sort name	Education
	hansard heading	Literacy and Numeracy: Standards
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps she is taking to help improve adult (a) numeracy and (b) literacy skills.
	tabling member constituency	York Central
	tabling member printed	Rachael Maskell
	uin	20684
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 15/04/2024 answer text <p>This government recognises the importance of literacy and numeracy skills in both work and everyday life. Securing good levels of literacy and numeracy has a positive impact on participation in society, improves earnings and employment opportunities and opens doors to further learning.</p><p>That is why the department is continuing to support participation in English and mathematics provision through its essential skills entitlements which provide the opportunity of free study for adults who do not have essential literacy and numeracy skills up to and including Level 2.</p><p> </p><p>This allows learners who have not previously attained a GCSE grade 4 or higher to undertake a range of courses fully funded through the Adult Education Budget (AEB) including GCSEs, Functional Skills and other relevant qualifications from entry level to Level 2.</p><p>The department also supports adults in England who are non-native speakers to access English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) provision, which is funded through the AEB.</p><p>Further training for adults is available in community settings through the AEB. Prioritised for disadvantaged learners, Community Learning can provide a stepping stone for those adults who are not ready for formal accredited learning or who would benefit from learning in a more informal way.</p><p>Currently approximately 60% of the AEB is devolved to nine Mayoral Combined Authorities (MCAs) and delegated to the Mayor of London acting through the Greater London Authority (GLA). These authorities are responsible for the provision of adult education and the allocation of the AEB in their local areas.</p><p>The Education and Skills Funding Agency (ESFA) is responsible for the remaining AEB in non-devolved areas where colleges and training providers have the freedom and flexibility to determine how they use their AEB to meet the needs of their communities.</p><p> </p><p>​​In addition, the department funds all apprentices, including adults, to achieve up to a Level 2 in English and maths by the end of their apprenticeship, where they do not already hold a suitable equivalent qualification. In January, the department increased funding by a minimum of 54%, from £471 to £724, for new apprentices to help them gain these vital skills.</p><p> </p><p>The department have also launched the Multiply Programme to improve adult numeracy. The programme is funded through the UK Shared Prosperity Fund, which is the government’s flagship fund for supporting people and places across the UK. Up to £270 million is directly available for local areas in England to deliver innovative interventions to improve adult numeracy. Delivery is now well underway. Multiply Programme provision is available across the country, with over 113,000 course starts in England since the programme began to the end of January 2024.</p> answering member constituency Thornbury and Yate answering member printed Luke Hall question first answered 15/04/2024 12:04:26 answering member 4450 label Biography information for Luke Hall
	tabling member	4471 label Biography information for Rachael Maskell

1699203

	registered interest
	date	26/03/2024
	answering body	Department for Education
	answering dept id	60
	answering dept short name	Education
	answering dept sort name	Education
	hansard heading	English Language and Mathematics: Further Education
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether her Department has undertaken an assessment of the impact of the 16 to 19 maths and English condition of funding on (a) student experience of learning at and (b) staffing levels in (i) further education colleges and (ii) independent training providers.
	tabling member constituency	Twickenham
	tabling member printed	Munira Wilson
	uin	20782
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 15/04/2024 answer text <p>This government recognises the importance of literacy and numeracy skills, both in work and everyday life. Securing good levels of literacy and numeracy has a positive impact on participation in society, improves earnings and employment opportunities and opens doors to further learning.</p><p> </p><p>The changes to the mathematics and English condition of funding are intended to have a positive effect on 16-19 students, giving them the English and mathematics skills they need to progress in life and work. The changes also bring England in line with other countries in the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), where 16-19 students receive significantly more hours of English and mathematics teaching. For the 2024/2025 academic year, the department expects providers to comply as far as reasonably possible with the changes, so they have time to plan and prepare before the department measures compliance from the 2025/2026 academic year. Only then will the department begin the phased removal of the tolerance. More information about mathematics and English condition funding can be found here: <a href="https://www.gov.uk/guidance/16-to-19-funding-maths-and-english-condition-of-funding" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/guidance/16-to-19-funding-maths-and-english-condition-of-funding</a>.</p><p> </p><p>As the department works with the sector on implementation, the department remains committed to considering the impacts on students in further education colleges and independent training providers. This includes the workforce implications, and maximising the benefits for them.</p> answering member constituency Thornbury and Yate answering member printed Luke Hall grouped question UIN 20783 question first answered 15/04/2024 12:38:50 answering member 4450 label Biography information for Luke Hall
	tabling member	4776 label Biography information for Munira Wilson

1699204

	registered interest
	date	26/03/2024
	answering body	Department for Education
	answering dept id	60
	answering dept short name	Education
	answering dept sort name	Education
	hansard heading	English Language and Mathematics: Further Education
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Education, if she will make an assessment of the potential impact of the phased removal of the tolerance of students who do not meet the 16 to 19 maths and English condition of funding from 5% to 0%, starting in academic year 2026-27, on (a) further education colleges and (b) independent training providers.
	tabling member constituency	Twickenham
	tabling member printed	Munira Wilson
	uin	20783
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 15/04/2024 answer text <p>This government recognises the importance of literacy and numeracy skills, both in work and everyday life. Securing good levels of literacy and numeracy has a positive impact on participation in society, improves earnings and employment opportunities and opens doors to further learning.</p><p> </p><p>The changes to the mathematics and English condition of funding are intended to have a positive effect on 16-19 students, giving them the English and mathematics skills they need to progress in life and work. The changes also bring England in line with other countries in the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), where 16-19 students receive significantly more hours of English and mathematics teaching. For the 2024/2025 academic year, the department expects providers to comply as far as reasonably possible with the changes, so they have time to plan and prepare before the department measures compliance from the 2025/2026 academic year. Only then will the department begin the phased removal of the tolerance. More information about mathematics and English condition funding can be found here: <a href="https://www.gov.uk/guidance/16-to-19-funding-maths-and-english-condition-of-funding" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/guidance/16-to-19-funding-maths-and-english-condition-of-funding</a>.</p><p> </p><p>As the department works with the sector on implementation, the department remains committed to considering the impacts on students in further education colleges and independent training providers. This includes the workforce implications, and maximising the benefits for them.</p> answering member constituency Thornbury and Yate answering member printed Luke Hall grouped question UIN 20782 question first answered 15/04/2024 12:38:50 answering member 4450 label Biography information for Luke Hall
	tabling member	4776 label Biography information for Munira Wilson

1354604

	registered interest
	date	10/09/2021
	answering body	Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government
	answering dept id	7
	answering dept short name	Housing, Communities and Local Government
	answering dept sort name	Housing, Communities and Local Government
	hansard heading	Leisure: Older People
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, whether his Department holds figures on the amounts spent by local authorities in England on older people’s leisure activities.
	tabling member constituency	Croydon North
	tabling member printed	Steve Reed
	uin	46993
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 15/09/2021 answer text <p>The Department does not hold figures on the amounts spent by councils in England on older people's leisure activities.</p> answering member constituency Thornbury and Yate answering member printed Luke Hall question first answered 15/09/2021 09:30:01 answering member 4450 label Biography information for Luke Hall
	tabling member	4268 label Biography information for Steve Reed