The government recognises the importance of studying part-time and the benefits that it can bring to individuals, employers and the wider economy, including the opportunities it can provide to develop new skills, which will be especially important in the recovery from the COVID-19 outbreak.<\/p>
<\/p>
In recent years, we have made a number of changes to support part-time and mature learners. Students who started a part-time degree level course from 1 August 2018 onwards are able to access full-time equivalent maintenance loans. We have removed the \u201cequivalent or lower qualification\u201d restrictions, for all science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) part-time degree courses. Students on these courses who already hold a degree can now access support through student loans. We have also made funding available through the teaching grant to providers to recognise the additional costs of part-time study.<\/p>
<\/p>
Evidence shows that shorter, accelerated degree courses appeal to those who want to retrain and to enter the workplace more quickly than a traditional course would permit. Graduating one year sooner means that accelerated degree students have one less year of tuition fees and save on the living costs of the final year of standard degree study. If a student is required to attend their course for more than 30 weeks and 3 days in an academic year (which is very common for accelerated degree courses), they can apply for a means-tested Long Courses Loan in addition to the standard loan for living costs.<\/p>
<\/p>
The Independent Panel led by Philip Augar, set up to provide input into the Review of Post 18 Education and Funding, considered different ways to support learners who want to study higher education more flexibly. The government is considering the Independent Panel\u2019s report carefully but has not yet taken decisions with regards to the recommendations put forward. The government will conclude the review alongside the next Spending Review.<\/p>"} , "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4218", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Baroness Berridge"} } , "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Baroness Berridge"} , "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2020-06-29", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "groupedQuestionUIN" : {"_value" : "HL5660"} , "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2020-06-29T16:44:28.84Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} ]} , "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "60"} , "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Education"} , "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Education"} , "date" : {"_value" : "2020-06-15", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Higher Education: Coronavirus"} , "houseId" : {"_value" : "2"} , "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25277", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Lords"} } ], "questionText" : "Her Majesty's Government what plans they have, if any, to encourage those who have lost work as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic to develop new skills through part-time higher education.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4322", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Lord Fox"} } , "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Lord Fox"} ], "uin" : "HL5658"} , {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1203533", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Department for Education"} ], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1203533/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : "
The government recognises the importance of studying part-time and the benefits that it can bring to individuals, employers and the wider economy, including the opportunities it can provide to develop new skills, which will be especially important in the recovery from the COVID-19 outbreak.<\/p>
<\/p>
In recent years, we have made a number of changes to support part-time and mature learners. Students who started a part-time degree level course from 1 August 2018 onwards are able to access full-time equivalent maintenance loans. We have removed the \u201cequivalent or lower qualification\u201d restrictions, for all science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) part-time degree courses. Students on these courses who already hold a degree can now access support through student loans. We have also made funding available through the teaching grant to providers to recognise the additional costs of part-time study.<\/p>
<\/p>
Evidence shows that shorter, accelerated degree courses appeal to those who want to retrain and to enter the workplace more quickly than a traditional course would permit. Graduating one year sooner means that accelerated degree students have one less year of tuition fees and save on the living costs of the final year of standard degree study. If a student is required to attend their course for more than 30 weeks and 3 days in an academic year (which is very common for accelerated degree courses), they can apply for a means-tested Long Courses Loan in addition to the standard loan for living costs.<\/p>
<\/p>
The Independent Panel led by Philip Augar, set up to provide input into the Review of Post 18 Education and Funding, considered different ways to support learners who want to study higher education more flexibly. The government is considering the Independent Panel\u2019s report carefully but has not yet taken decisions with regards to the recommendations put forward. The government will conclude the review alongside the next Spending Review.<\/p>"} , "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4218", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Baroness Berridge"} } , "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Baroness Berridge"} , "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2020-06-29", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "groupedQuestionUIN" : {"_value" : "HL5658"} , "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2020-06-29T16:44:28.87Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} ]} , "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "60"} , "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Education"} , "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Education"} , "date" : {"_value" : "2020-06-15", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Higher Education: Finance"} , "houseId" : {"_value" : "2"} , "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25277", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Lords"} } ], "questionText" : "Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the benefits of providing greater financial support for learners on shorter higher education courses.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4322", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Lord Fox"} } , "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Lord Fox"} ], "uin" : "HL5660"} , {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1177898", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Department for Education"} ], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1177898/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : "
The apprenticeship levy is collected by Her Majesty\u2019s Revenue and Customs (HMRC) from all UK employers with a pay bill above £3 million. Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland receive a share of levy funding, which increased to £459 million in 2019-20. It is for the devolved administrations to decide how their allocations should be used.<\/p>
The funds available to levy-paying employers through their apprenticeship service accounts are not the same as the Department for Education\u2019s annual apprenticeships budget, which is set to fund apprenticeships in England only and is set irrespective of actual levy receipts. This budget is used to fund training for new apprenticeship starts in levy and non-levy paying employers and to cover the ongoing costs of apprentices already in training. It is also used to cover the cost of end-point assessment and any additional payments made to employers and providers.<\/p>
In 2018-19, we spent £1.7 billion of the £2.3 billion ring-fenced budget. The underspend of £489 million against this budget is set out on page 71 of the Education and Skills Funding Agency\u2019s annual report and accounts, published in July 2019 and attached. In 2019-20, our total budget allocation is £2.5 billion. Final end-of-year outturns will be published in the 2019-20 annual report and accounts.<\/p>
Spending on the apprenticeship programme is demand-led and employers can choose which apprenticeships they offer, how many apprenticeships they offer and when they offer the apprenticeships. We do not anticipate that all employers who pay the levy will need or want to use all the funds available to them but they are able to do so if they wish.<\/p>
In 2018-19, levy paying employers spent, on average, around 30% of the funds available to them in their apprenticeship service accounts. In the same period, spending on apprenticeship training and assessment in non-levy paying employers was £0.5 billion.<\/p>"} , "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4218", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Baroness Berridge"} } , "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Baroness Berridge"} , "attachment" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1177898/answer/attachment/1", "fileName" : {"_value" : "HL1521_HL1522_Education_and_Skills_Funding_Agency_annual_report_and_accounts_2018_2019.pdf"} , "title" : "HL1521_HL1522_report"} , "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2020-02-25", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "groupedQuestionUIN" : {"_value" : "HL1522"} , "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2020-02-25T17:16:19.697Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} ]} , "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "60"} , "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Education"} , "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Education"} , "date" : {"_value" : "2020-02-11", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Apprentices: Taxation"} , "houseId" : {"_value" : "2"} , "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25277", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Lords"} } ], "questionText" : "To ask Her Majesty's Government what estimate they have made of the average amount spent from apprenticeship levy pots by companies; how much of the apprenticeship levy fund was spent in total in 2019; whether that total represents an (1) overspend, (2) underspend, or (3) spend as forecast; and how the forecast overspend of that fund was calculated.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4322", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Lord Fox"} } , "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Lord Fox"} ], "uin" : "HL1521"} , {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1177899", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Department for Education"} ], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1177899/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : "
The apprenticeship levy is collected by Her Majesty\u2019s Revenue and Customs (HMRC) from all UK employers with a pay bill above £3 million. Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland receive a share of levy funding, which increased to £459 million in 2019-20. It is for the devolved administrations to decide how their allocations should be used.<\/p>
The funds available to levy-paying employers through their apprenticeship service accounts are not the same as the Department for Education\u2019s annual apprenticeships budget, which is set to fund apprenticeships in England only and is set irrespective of actual levy receipts. This budget is used to fund training for new apprenticeship starts in levy and non-levy paying employers and to cover the ongoing costs of apprentices already in training. It is also used to cover the cost of end-point assessment and any additional payments made to employers and providers.<\/p>
In 2018-19, we spent £1.7 billion of the £2.3 billion ring-fenced budget. The underspend of £489 million against this budget is set out on page 71 of the Education and Skills Funding Agency\u2019s annual report and accounts, published in July 2019 and attached. In 2019-20, our total budget allocation is £2.5 billion. Final end-of-year outturns will be published in the 2019-20 annual report and accounts.<\/p>
Spending on the apprenticeship programme is demand-led and employers can choose which apprenticeships they offer, how many apprenticeships they offer and when they offer the apprenticeships. We do not anticipate that all employers who pay the levy will need or want to use all the funds available to them but they are able to do so if they wish.<\/p>
In 2018-19, levy paying employers spent, on average, around 30% of the funds available to them in their apprenticeship service accounts. In the same period, spending on apprenticeship training and assessment in non-levy paying employers was £0.5 billion.<\/p>"} , "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4218", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Baroness Berridge"} } , "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Baroness Berridge"} , "attachment" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1177899/answer/attachment/1", "fileName" : {"_value" : "HL1521_HL1522_Education_and_Skills_Funding_Agency_annual_report_and_accounts_2018_2019.pdf"} , "title" : "HL1521_HL1522_report"} , "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2020-02-25", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "groupedQuestionUIN" : {"_value" : "HL1521"} , "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2020-02-25T17:16:19.743Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} ]} , "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "60"} , "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Education"} , "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Education"} , "date" : {"_value" : "2020-02-11", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Apprentices: Taxation"} , "houseId" : {"_value" : "2"} , "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25277", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Lords"} } ], "questionText" : "To ask Her Majesty's Government what proportion of the apprenticeship levy fund is currently being spent by non-levy payers.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4322", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Lord Fox"} } , "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Lord Fox"} ], "uin" : "HL1522"} , {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1177901", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Department for Education"} ], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1177901/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : "
The apprenticeship levy underpins our reforms to raise apprenticeship quality and supports employers to make long-term, sustainable investments in the skills that they need to grow.<\/p>
The levy is collected by Her Majesty\u2019s Revenue and Customs from all UK employers with a pay bill above £3 million. Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland receive a share of levy funding, which increased to £459 million in 2019-20. It is for the devolved administrations to decide how funds raised from the levy should be used.<\/p>
The funds available to levy-paying employers through their apprenticeship service accounts are not the same as the Department for Education\u2019s annual apprenticeships budget, which is set to fund apprenticeships in England only, and is set irrespective of actual of levy receipts. We do not anticipate that all employers who pay the levy will need or want to use all the funds available to them, but they are able to if they wish. In the 2019-20 year, over £2.5 billion is available for investment in apprenticeships in England. This is double what was spent in 2010.<\/p>
The apprenticeship budget is used to fund training for new apprenticeship starts in levy and non-levy paying employers and to cover the ongoing costs of apprentices already in training. <\/em>It is also used to cover the cost of end-point assessment and any additional payments made to employers and/or providers, including for apprentices who are 16 to 18, 19 to 24 and have previously been in care, or who need additional support to achieve the English and maths requirements.<\/p> <\/p>"}
, "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4218", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Baroness Berridge"}
}
, "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Baroness Berridge"}
, "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2020-02-25", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2020-02-25T16:54:23.14Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
]}
, "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "60"}
, "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Education"}
, "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Education"}
, "date" : {"_value" : "2020-02-11", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Apprentices: Taxation"}
, "houseId" : {"_value" : "2"}
, "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25277", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Lords"}
}
], "questionText" : "To ask Her Majesty's Government what the apprenticeship levy fund is being spent on, other than supporting apprentice training instigated by (1) companies, (2) levy payers, and (3) non-levy payers.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4322", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Lord Fox"}
}
, "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Lord Fox"}
], "uin" : "HL1524"}
, {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/856313", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Department for Education"}
], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/856313/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : " EU students, staff and researchers make an important contribution to our universities. We want that contribution to continue and are confident \u2013 given the quality of our higher education sector \u2013 that it will.<\/p> <\/p> Analysis of Higher Education Statistics Agency finance data shows that in 2015/16, EU tuition fee income accounted for around 2.3% of total higher education institution sector income in the UK. However, some institutions are more dependent on the EU tuition fee income meaning the impact of leaving the EU may be greater for some institutions than others. The precise impact will depend on the outcome of the UK\u2019s negotiations with the EU and the subsequent response of universities.<\/p>"}
, "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4169", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Viscount Younger of Leckie"}
}
, "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Viscount Younger of Leckie"}
, "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2018-03-20", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "groupedQuestionUIN" : {"_value" : "HL6104"}
, "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2018-03-20T17:33:51.573Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
]}
, "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "60"}
, "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Education"}
, "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Education"}
, "date" : {"_value" : "2018-03-06", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Overseas Students: EU Nationals"}
, "houseId" : {"_value" : "2"}
, "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25277", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Lords"}
}
], "questionText" : "To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they have run an impact study on the likely effect on UK university finances of EU students having to pay international fees following Brexit; and if so, what was the outcome of that study.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4322", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Lord Fox"}
}
, "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Lord Fox"}
], "uin" : "HL6103"}
, {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/856314", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Department for Education"}
], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/856314/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : " EU students, staff and researchers make an important contribution to our universities. We want that contribution to continue and are confident \u2013 given the quality of our higher education sector \u2013 that it will.<\/p> <\/p> Analysis of Higher Education Statistics Agency finance data shows that in 2015/16, EU tuition fee income accounted for around 2.3% of total higher education institution sector income in the UK. However, some institutions are more dependent on the EU tuition fee income meaning the impact of leaving the EU may be greater for some institutions than others. The precise impact will depend on the outcome of the UK\u2019s negotiations with the EU and the subsequent response of universities.<\/p>"}
, "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4169", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Viscount Younger of Leckie"}
}
, "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Viscount Younger of Leckie"}
, "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2018-03-20", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "groupedQuestionUIN" : {"_value" : "HL6103"}
, "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2018-03-20T17:33:51.62Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
]}
, "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "60"}
, "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Education"}
, "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Education"}
, "date" : {"_value" : "2018-03-06", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Overseas Students: EU Nationals"}
, "houseId" : {"_value" : "2"}
, "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25277", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Lords"}
}
], "questionText" : "To ask Her Majesty's Government what estimate they have made of the possible reduction in the number of EU students registering for UK universities in the event of those students having to pay international fees following Brexit.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4322", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Lord Fox"}
}
, "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Lord Fox"}
], "uin" : "HL6104"}
, {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/856315", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Department for Education"}
], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/856315/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : " The information requested is not held centrally.<\/p> <\/p> Further information on qualifications within apprenticeship standards is available on the Institute for Apprenticeships website at: https://www.instituteforapprenticeships.org/developing-new-apprenticeships/developing-and-writing-an-apprenticeship-occupational-standard/<\/a>. The latest information we have on the number of Higher National Certificates and Higher National Diplomas is from the 2016/17 academic year, and as such covers a period prior to the levy coming into effect.<\/p>"}
, "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4689", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Lord Agnew of Oulton"}
}
, "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Lord Agnew of Oulton"}
, "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2018-03-20", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2018-03-20T17:46:56.787Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
]}
, "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "60"}
, "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Education"}
, "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Education"}
, "date" : {"_value" : "2018-03-06", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Apprentices: Taxation"}
, "houseId" : {"_value" : "2"}
, "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25277", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Lords"}
}
], "questionText" : "To ask Her Majesty's Government how many Higher National Certificate and Higher National Diploma courses have been terminated as a result of new rules arising out of the Apprentice Levy.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4322", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Lord Fox"}
}
, "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Lord Fox"}
], "uin" : "HL6105"}
, {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/792404", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Department for Education"}
], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/792404/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : " The cost of individual apprenticeships will depend on the price agreed by employers and apprenticeship providers.<\/p> <\/p>