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<p>The further education sector plays a key role in ensuring quality vocational training
opportunities and improving social mobility across England, including in North Cornwall.
We have protected the base rate of funding for 16 to 19 year olds until the end of
the current spending review period in 2020. Additional funding is provided through
the 16 to 19 funding formula, including over £500 million across England in 2018-19
to support disadvantaged students and therefore improving social mobility. Overall,
the government plans to invest nearly £7 billion nationally during 2018-19 to ensure
that there is a place in education or training for every 16 to 19 year old.</p><p>
</p><p>Through the Adult Education Budget, we are continuing to invest in further
education for adults aged 19 and above, including those who are furthest from the
labour market, to support their progression to further study, employment or an apprenticeship.
We are also supporting adults who have been motivated to move out of unemployment
and are in low-paid or low-skilled jobs to upskill at no charge and to progress further.</p><p>
</p><p>We are creating 3 million high quality apprenticeships that will change the
lives of apprentices and the prospects of businesses. Apprenticeships disproportionately
benefit people from lower socio-economic backgrounds. Delivering more and better quality
apprenticeships will ensure that more people from these backgrounds are enabled to
gain the skills and training they need to build successful careers.</p><p> </p><p>The
European Social Fund (ESF) has been an important source of skills and employment funding
used to support those furthest from learning and the labour market. Following Brexit,
whilst we will no longer have access to the ESF, the government has committed to create
a UK Shared Prosperity Fund to reduce inequalities between communities and help deliver
sustainable, inclusive growth.</p><p> </p><p>The department works closely with HM
Treasury (HMT) in considering further education funding. We are considering the efficiency
and resilience of the sector and assessing how far current funding and regulatory
structures enable high quality provision, including vocational training. We continue
to look carefully at these issues with HMT in preparation for the Spending Review.</p>
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