The government currently provides funding for adult learners aged 19 and over to undertake British Sign Language (BSL) qualifications through the Adult Education Budget (AEB), up to and including level 2. BSL forms part of the flexible local offer (non-statutory) and qualifications are either fully funded (if the learner is unemployed or participating in the low wage trial) or co-funded depending on the age, prior achievement and employment status of the learner. BSL qualifications at level 3 and above can be funded through an Advanced Learner Loan.<\/p>
<\/p>
We have not undertaken any recent assessment of the impact of costs on learners looking to participate in BSL courses, therefore we are unable provide a formal assessment of the impacts of cost on participation levels. However, the department publishes the National Aims Report showing the number of further education and skills enrolments by individual learning aim, broken down by different type of provision including BSL aims. Only aims with 50 or more enrolments per year are included in this report. This report can be found at the following link: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/777927/FEandSkills-National-Aims-1718-Final_v2.xlsx<\/a>.<\/p> <\/p> From the start of the 2019/20 academic year approximately 50% of the AEB will be devolved to 6 Mayoral Combined Authorities (MCAs) and delegated to the Mayor of London acting through the Greater London Authority (GLA). From that date the MCAs/GLA will be responsible for commissioning and funding AEB provision for learners in their areas. The Education and Skills Funding Agency will be responsible for funding AEB provision, including BSL provision, for learners in non-devolved areas.<\/p>"}
, "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4597", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Kemi Badenoch"}
}
, "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Saffron Walden"}
, "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Mrs Kemi Badenoch"}
, "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2019-08-02", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "previousAnswerVersion" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1140799/answer/previousversion/131207", "answeringMember" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4039", "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Orpington"}
, "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Joseph Johnson"}
}
, "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2019-08-02T13:58:05.827Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
]}
, "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "60"}
, "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Education"}
, "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Education"}
, "date" : {"_value" : "2019-07-23", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Sign Language: Education"}
, "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"}
, "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"}
}
], "questionText" : "To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment she has made of the effect of the cost of learning BSL on take up of those courses.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4638", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Mr Tanmanjeet Singh Dhesi"}
}
, "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Slough"}
, "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Mr Tanmanjeet Singh Dhesi"}
], "uin" : "280364"}
, {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1140954", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Speaker's Committee on the Electoral Commission"}
], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1140954/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : " The Electoral Commission sets standards for and monitors the performance of Electoral Registration Officers (EROs). These standards have the objective of ensuring that all eligible people are able to participate in the electoral process.<\/p> The Commission provides guidance to EROs to support them in delivering their functions and meeting the performance standards. In developing this guidance to improve the accessibility of electoral registration services, the Commission works with a variety of disability organisations \u2013 including groups representing electors with sight loss and learning difficulties \u2013 to ensure its work reflects good practice.<\/p>"}
, "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4046", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Bridget Phillipson"}
}
, "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Houghton and Sunderland South"}
, "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Bridget Phillipson"}
, "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2019-08-05", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2019-08-05T10:32:59.823Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
]}
, "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "36"}
, "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Speaker's Committee on the Electoral Commission"}
, "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Speaker's Committee on the Electoral Commission"}
, "date" : {"_value" : "2019-07-23", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Electoral Registration Officers: Standards"}
, "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"}
, "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"}
}
], "questionText" : "To ask the hon. Member for Houghton and Sunderland South, representing the Speaker's Committee on the Electoral Commission, if he will make an assessment of the ability of the Electoral Commission to monitor the performance of electoral registration officers in dealing with electors who (a) have low reading and writing skills, (b) are visually impaired and (c) have learning difficulties.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/534", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Chris Ruane"}
}
, "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Vale of Clwyd"}
, "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Chris Ruane"}
], "uin" : "280147"}
, {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1141251", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Department of Health and Social Care"}
], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1141251/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : " The interim NHS People Plan, published on 3 June 2019, puts the workforce at the heart of the National Health Service and will ensure we have the staff needed to deliver high quality care. A final People Plan will be published soon after the conclusion of the 2019 Spending Review.<\/p> Phase 1 of the Cancer Workforce Plan for England, published in December 2017 by Health Education England (HEE), set out plans to expand capacity and skills in the cancer workforce, including targeting additional training support for seven priority professions which are key to cancer prevention, diagnosis and treatment, such as clinical radiology, histopathology, oncology and diagnostic and therapeutic radiography.<\/p> HEE will now work with NHS England and NHS Improvement to understand the longer-term workforce implications of further development of cancer services. This work will inform the final People Plan.<\/p>"}
, "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4380", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Jo Churchill"}
}
, "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Bury St Edmunds"}
, "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Jo Churchill"}
, "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2019-08-05", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2019-08-05T11:30:43.603Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
]}
, "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "17"}
, "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Health and Social Care"}
, "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Health and Social Care"}
, "date" : {"_value" : "2019-07-23", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Cancer: Health Services"}
, "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"}
, "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"}
}
], "questionText" : "To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, when a long-term workforce plan which sets out the number of staff required to meet the current and future needs of cancer patients will be published.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/1506", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Andrew Gwynne"}
}
, "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Denton and Reddish"}
, "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Andrew Gwynne"}
], "uin" : "280964"}
, {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1141253", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Department of Health and Social Care"}
], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1141253/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : " The United Kingdom will leave the European Union on 31 October, with or without a deal. The Government would prefer the UK to leave the EU with a deal and, in the event that the UK leaves the EU with a new deal, the Department\u2019s assessment is that access to medicines and medical devices will not change for industry or the National Health Service.<\/p> While the Prime Minister is confident that he can strike a new arrangement with the EU, it is vital that we prepare for a \u2018no deal\u2019 outcome. Therefore, as a responsible Government, we continue to take steps to ensure the supply of medicines and medical products is uninterrupted in a \u2018no deal\u2019 scenario.<\/p> On 26 June, we wrote to suppliers of medicines to the UK from or via the EU or European Economic Area setting out our continuing multi-layered approach to ensure the continuity of supply of all medicines and medical products in a potential \u2018no deal\u2019 exit scenario on 31 October.<\/p> Further details can be found at the following link:<\/p>