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1697075

registered interest
date	19/03/2024
answering body	Department for Education
answering dept id	60
answering dept short name	Education
answering dept sort name	Education
hansard heading	Internet: Older People
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Education, pursuant to the Answer of 1 March 2024 to Question 15588 on Digital Technology: Disadvantaged, whether she has made an assessment of the adequacy of availability of free or low cost internet training for people aged 65 and over to tackle digital exclusion.
tabling member constituency	Hornsey and Wood Green
tabling member printed	Catherine West
uin	19418
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 26/03/2024 answer text <p>The government recognises that digital skills are important for adults of all ages, and we are committed to improving their level of digital skills to support active participation in society.</p><p>From August 2020, the department introduced a digital entitlement for adults with no or low digital skills to undertake specified digital qualifications, up to level 1, free of charge. The new entitlement mirrors the existing legal entitlements for English and maths, and puts essential digital skills on an equal footing in the adult education system, as a third basic skill. The department introduced new Essential Digital Skills qualifications (EDSQs) at entry level and level 1 from August 2020, funded under the digital entitlement. EDSQs are based on the new national standards for essential digital skills and are designed to meet the diverse needs of adults with no or low digital skills, reflecting different learning needs, motivations and starting points.</p><p>To further enhance the essential digital skills offer for adults, from August 2023 the department introduced new digital Functional Skills qualifications (FSQs), which have replaced FSQs in Information and Communication Technology. Digital FSQs have standardised content and assessment, providing a benchmark of digital skills for employers. The department published the final subject content for digital FSQs in October 2021.</p><p>The government recognises that formal qualifications are not appropriate for everyone. That is why the department also funds community learning and other non-regulated learning, such as building confidence in essential digital skills, through the Adult Education Budget. Many local authorities and other further education providers are already delivering these courses that help equip adults with the essential digital skills they need for work, life and further learning.</p><p>More information about essential digital skills and other government funded training opportunities can be found here: <a href="https://www.skillsforcareers.education.gov.uk/pages/skills-for-life" target="_blank">https://www.skillsforcareers.education.gov.uk/pages/skills-for-life</a>.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency Harlow answering member printed Robert Halfon question first answered 26/03/2024 10:15:28 answering member 3985 label Biography information for Robert Halfon
tabling member	4523 label Biography information for Catherine West

1696650

registered interest
date	18/03/2024
answering body	Department for Education
answering dept id	60
answering dept short name	Education
answering dept sort name	Education
hansard heading	Teachers: Qualifications
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Education, with reference to the Answer of 10 May 2023 to Question 182611 on Teachers: Qualifications, if she will take steps to make the Education Accreditation Scheme available to online education providers for adult learners.
tabling member constituency	Bradford West
tabling member printed	Naz Shah
uin	19081
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 22/03/2024 answer text <p>The Online Education Accreditation Scheme (OEAS) was launched by the department in April 2023. The objective of the scheme is to bring regulatory oversight to an unregulated part of the education sector. The scheme is not designed to cover all forms of online education but to focus where the need for quality assurance is most pronounced, which is to pupils of compulsory school age. The OEAS is only open to applications from those providers offering full-time education online to pupils of compulsory school age. The government has no plans to expand the scheme to online education providers for adults.</p> answering member constituency Harlow answering member printed Robert Halfon question first answered 22/03/2024 11:05:31 answering member 3985 label Biography information for Robert Halfon
tabling member	4409 label Biography information for Naz Shah

1696799

registered interest
date	18/03/2024
answering body	Department for Education
answering dept id	60
answering dept short name	Education
answering dept sort name	Education
hansard heading	Institute for Apprenticeships and Technical Education: Small Businesses
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what proportion of Institute for Apprenticeships and Technical Education Route Panel members are SMEs.
tabling member constituency	Feltham and Heston
tabling member printed	Seema Malhotra
uin	19068
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 21/03/2024 answer text <p>This is a matter for the Institute for Apprenticeships and Technical Education. I have asked its Chief Executive, Jennifer Coupland, to write to the Honourable Member and a copy of her reply will be placed in the Libraries of both Houses.</p> answering member constituency Harlow answering member printed Robert Halfon question first answered 21/03/2024 17:13:40 answering member 3985 label Biography information for Robert Halfon
tabling member	4253 label Biography information for Seema Malhotra

1696472

registered interest
date	15/03/2024
answering body	Department for Education
answering dept id	60
answering dept short name	Education
answering dept sort name	Education
hansard heading	Job Creation and Skilled Workers: South Holland and the Deepings
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what fiscal steps she is taking to support (a) training programmes, (b) apprenticeships and (c) other efforts to promote (i) job creation and (ii) skills development in South Holland and the Deepings constituency.
tabling member constituency	South Holland and The Deepings
tabling member printed	Sir John Hayes
uin	18840
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 25/03/2024 answer text <p>Funding allocations are not available broken down to the level of individual constituencies.</p><p> </p><p>The government is committed to creating a world-leading skills system that is employer-focused, high quality and fit for the future. The department’s reforms are strengthening higher and further education to help more people get good jobs and upskill and retrain throughout their lives; and to improve national productivity and economic growth. The department’s reforms are backed with an additional investment of £3.8 billion over the course of this parliament to strengthen higher and further education.</p><p> </p><p>In the 2023/24 academic year, the department is investing nearly £7 billion for education and training places for 16 to 19 year olds, and up to 25 for those with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND). This funding is allocated to education providers to deliver study programmes and T Levels to young people.</p><p> </p><p>The department is continuing to invest in education and skills training for adults through the Adult Education Budget (AEB), which totalled £1.34 billion in the 2023/24 Funding Year. The AEB fully funds or co-funds skills provision for eligible adults aged 19 and above from pre-entry to Level 3, to support adults to gain the skills they need for work, an apprenticeship or further learning. This includes funding going to Boston College, which includes the Spalding Campus in the South Holland and the Deepings Constituency.</p><p> </p><p>The Free Courses for Jobs offer gives eligible adults the chance to access high value Level 3 qualification for free, which can support them to gain higher wages or a better job. Around 400 qualifications are available on the offer, chosen specifically as they offer good wage outcomes and address skills needs in the economy. There have been over 61,000 enrolments since April 2021.</p><p> </p><p>Skills Bootcamps are free, flexible courses of up to 16 weeks in priority skills areas, with a guaranteed interview upon completion. The department is expanding Skills Bootcamps through increased national procurement and grant funding to 30 Mayoral Combined Authorities and local areas to meet national and local skills needs in the 2024/25 financial year. The department granted Great Lincolnshire LEP, in partnership with Lincolnshire County Council, £2 million for Skills Bootcamps across Greater Lincolnshire and Rutland in 2023, and a further £3 million for courses starting after April 2024.</p><p> </p><p>The department is increasing investment in the apprenticeships system in England to over £2.7 billion by the 2024/25 financial year to support more high quality apprenticeship opportunities across the country, including in South Holland and the Deepings. There have been over 11,000 apprenticeship starts in South Holland and the Deepings since 2010.</p><p> </p><p>The department has introduced employer-designed T levels, which are equipping thousands of young people with the skills, knowledge, and experience to access employment or further study in some of the most in-demand skills areas. 18 T Levels are now available, being delivered through over 250 providers across all regions of the country. University Academy Holbeach in South Holland and the Deepings currently offers seven T Levels and is planning to offer three more from September 2024.</p><p> </p><p>Multiply is the government’s programme for improving adult numeracy. Multiply 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. Lincolnshire County Council has been allocated £4.02 million of Multiply funding from the 2022/23 to 2024/25 financial years to improve adult numeracy in their area.</p> answering member constituency Harlow answering member printed Robert Halfon question first answered 25/03/2024 16:55:19 answering member 3985 label Biography information for Robert Halfon
tabling member	350 label Biography information for Sir John Hayes

1695689

registered interest
date	13/03/2024
answering body	Department for Education
answering dept id	60
answering dept short name	Education
answering dept sort name	Education
hansard heading	Vocational Guidance
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 with career advice services to help ensure that young people leaving school can move into a (a) job and (b) apprenticeship.
tabling member constituency	York Central
tabling member printed	Rachael Maskell
uin	18524
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 21/03/2024 answer text <p>In October 2023, the department launched a new website called Skills for Careers that provides a single digital front door to information about skills training options and careers. From Skills for Careers, users are guided through government’s skills offer from apprenticeships to Skills Bootcamps, A levels to Multiply. The website provides an overview of each option, along with information about writing job applications and CVs. The Skill for Life website can be found here: <a href="https://www.skillsforcareers.education.gov.uk/pages/skills-for-life" target="_blank">https://www.skillsforcareers.education.gov.uk/pages/skills-for-life</a>.</p><p>The government has strengthened legislation to ensure all secondary pupils have access to independent and impartial careers guidance, and pupils in years 8-13 have at least six opportunities to hear directly from providers of technical education and apprenticeships.</p><p>Since September 2012, schools have had a statutory duty to secure independent careers guidance. For pupils of compulsory school age, this must include information on the full range of 16-18 education and training options, including apprenticeships.</p><p>The Careers and Enterprise Company will ensure that Careers Hubs increase young peoples’ exposure to employers and more in-depth workplace experiences. These experiences give young people a real feel for work and the skills they need to succeed.</p><p>The National Careers Service provides free, impartial high-quality careers information, advice and guidance. Young people aged 13-18 can access information and advice through the service website and local community-based careers advisers via a web chat service and a telephone helpline.</p><p>The Careers Pathway Dashboard allows users to see which are the most popular and best qualifications needed to gain successful employment in a specific sector within a local area. This is a first attempt to create information to support careers advice for young people exploring their career options or starting their career. The Careers Pathway Dashboard can be found here: <a href="https://department-for-education.shinyapps.io/education-to-employment-dashboard/" target="_blank">https://department-for-education.shinyapps.io/education-to-employment-dashboard/</a>.</p><p>Careers Leaders work to develop careers programmes that will improve the quality of careers advice in schools and give more aspirational careers advice for children and young people.</p><p>The department actively promotes apprenticeships in schools and colleges through the Apprenticeship Support and Knowledge (ASK) programme. During the 2022/23 academic year, ASK engaged over 2,400 schools and colleges, with over 625,000 student engagements and more than 45,000 parent/carer engagements.</p><p>Jobcentre Plus school advisers work closely with schools and colleges to support their statutory duty to deliver careers education and guidance, assisting young people to make informed choices about which path they can follow when they leave secondary school or reach 18.</p> answering member constituency Harlow answering member printed Robert Halfon question first answered 21/03/2024 12:21:14 answering member 3985 label Biography information for Robert Halfon
tabling member	4471 label Biography information for Rachael Maskell

1695690

registered interest
date	13/03/2024
answering body	Department for Education
answering dept id	60
answering dept short name	Education
answering dept sort name	Education
hansard heading	Apprentices: Young People
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Education, if she will take steps to encourage young people to undertake a foundation apprenticeship on leaving school.
tabling member constituency	York Central
tabling member printed	Rachael Maskell
uin	18525
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 19/03/2024 answer text <p>Apprenticeships offer brilliant opportunities for school leavers, with over 690 high-quality apprenticeship standards available across all sectors of the economy and at all levels, including 368 standards at levels 2 and 3. The department has a range of work underway to promote and support young people into apprenticeships, and it is encouraging to see that starts by under-19s so far this academic year have increased by 6% on the same period last year.</p><p>Students can now see apprenticeship vacancies on their UCAS Hub, and our Career Starter Apprenticeships campaign is promoting apprenticeships at levels 2 and 3 which offer great opportunities for those looking for their first role after leaving full-time education. The department also continues to invest around £3.2 million annually in the Apprenticeship Support and Knowledge programme which ensures students are aware of the benefits of apprenticeships, with over 620,000 student interactions across 2,300 schools and further education colleges in the 2022/23 academic year.</p><p>In addition, the department continues to pay £1,000 to employers and providers when they take on apprentices aged 16-18, and the care leavers bursary has tripled to £3,000 to help even more young people to access and complete apprenticeships.</p> answering member constituency Harlow answering member printed Robert Halfon question first answered 19/03/2024 16:39:57 answering member 3985 label Biography information for Robert Halfon
tabling member	4471 label Biography information for Rachael Maskell

1695691

registered interest
date	13/03/2024
answering body	Department for Education
answering dept id	60
answering dept short name	Education
answering dept sort name	Education
hansard heading	Apprentices: English Language and Mathematics
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Education, if she will take steps to help enable apprentices to gain proficiency in maths and English in the first year of their apprenticeship.
tabling member constituency	York Central
tabling member printed	Rachael Maskell
uin	18526
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 21/03/2024 answer text <p>Achieving a good standard in English and mathematics is important to longer term career prospects, with research showing that achieving English and mathematics qualifications can correlate to higher earning potential. That is why the department funds apprentices to achieve qualifications in English and/or mathematics by the end of their apprenticeship if they do not already hold them.</p><p>The department recently increased funding by 54% so apprentices receive more support in gaining these vital skills. It is important that providers maintain the flexibility to plan how and when this provision is delivered in the most effective way possible during the apprenticeship.</p> answering member constituency Harlow answering member printed Robert Halfon question first answered 21/03/2024 11:48:39 answering member 3985 label Biography information for Robert Halfon
tabling member	4471 label Biography information for Rachael Maskell

1695692

registered interest
date	13/03/2024
answering body	Department for Education
answering dept id	60
answering dept short name	Education
answering dept sort name	Education
hansard heading	Apprentices
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 encourage people to undertake a higher level apprenticeship on completion of an apprenticeship.
tabling member constituency	York Central
tabling member printed	Rachael Maskell
uin	18527
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 19/03/2024 answer text <p>Higher-level apprenticeships offer great opportunities for people of all ages and backgrounds, from those starting out in their career to those looking to upskill or retrain, with over 320 apprenticeship standards at Levels 4 to 7.</p><p>Each apprenticeship standard covers a distinct occupation. Although learners do not need to have completed an apprenticeship at a lower level to start a higher-level apprenticeship, the department is continuing to promote career progression through apprenticeships.</p><p>The Institute for Apprenticeships and Technical Education publishes occupational maps which show how apprenticeships and technical education support progression in each sector. This is available at: <a href="https://occupational-maps.instituteforapprenticeships.org/" target="_blank">https://occupational-maps.instituteforapprenticeships.org/</a>.</p><p>To help more people benefit from the high-quality training that higher-level apprenticeships offer, the department is investing £40 million over the next two years to expand degree apprenticeships and students can now see apprenticeship vacancies on their UCAS Hub alongside undergraduate courses.</p> answering member constituency Harlow answering member printed Robert Halfon question first answered 19/03/2024 16:31:34 answering member 3985 label Biography information for Robert Halfon
tabling member	4471 label Biography information for Rachael Maskell

1695693

registered interest
date	13/03/2024
answering body	Department for Education
answering dept id	60
answering dept short name	Education
answering dept sort name	Education
hansard heading	Apprentices: Small Businesses
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether she is taking steps to encourage clusters of small employers to take on an apprentice jointly.
tabling member constituency	York Central
tabling member printed	Rachael Maskell
uin	18528
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 21/03/2024 answer text <p>The department has introduced flexi-job apprenticeship agencies (FJAAs), which are supporting sectors with short-term project-based work by allowing apprentices to work with multiple host employers, and on a range of projects, to gain the skills and knowledge needed to be successful in their chosen field. The department encourages small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) to become host employers and benefit from access to a diverse apprenticeship talent pipeline to help their businesses grow and prosper.</p><p>There are now 42 FJAAs supporting the delivery of apprenticeships across every region in England in sectors such as the creative industries, construction, and education. SMEs interested in hosting apprentices can contact a flexi-job apprenticeship agency directly. The current register of FJAAs can be accessed here: <a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/flexi-job-apprenticeships/flexi-job-apprenticeship-agencies" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/flexi-job-apprenticeships/flexi-job-apprenticeship-agencies</a>.</p><p>More widely, the department has made it easier for SMEs to grow their businesses by removing the limit on the number of apprentices they can take on and cutting by a third the number of steps needed to register to take on an apprentice. The department also continues to pay 95% of training costs for SMEs and has recently launched an expert provider pilot which will give additional permissions to providers within the apprenticeship service so they can take on more administration from SMEs. This will inform development of a wider offer next year.</p> answering member constituency Harlow answering member printed Robert Halfon question first answered 21/03/2024 12:03:02 answering member 3985 label Biography information for Robert Halfon
tabling member	4471 label Biography information for Rachael Maskell

1695699

registered interest
date	13/03/2024
answering body	Department for Education
answering dept id	60
answering dept short name	Education
answering dept sort name	Education
hansard heading	Shipping: Apprentices
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how many seafarer apprentices have been trained by private shipping companies operating in the UK since 17 March 2022.
tabling member constituency	Kingston upon Hull East
tabling member printed	Karl Turner
uin	18422
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 18/03/2024 answer text <p>There were 50 apprenticeship starts in England on the Seafarer (Deck Rating) apprenticeship standard in the 2021/22 academic year, 40 starts in 2022/23 and 20 starts reported so far, August to October, for 2023/24. The department cannot identify whether the apprenticeship employer is a private shipping company.</p> answering member constituency Harlow answering member printed Robert Halfon question first answered 18/03/2024 16:38:49 answering member 3985 label Biography information for Robert Halfon
tabling member	4030 label Biography information for Karl Turner