Tag: Baroness Wolf of Dulwich

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Baroness Wolf of Dulwich on 2016-06-20.

To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the Written Answer by Baroness Evans of Bowes Park on 9 May (HL7498), whether the recent inquiry and report by the Quality Assurance Agency on West London Vocational Training has led them to reconsider or amend current measures relating to alternative providers; and if not, why not.

Baroness Evans of Bowes Park

The Government has revoked West London Vocational Training College’s designation for student support funding for Higher Education (HE) courses in England with effect from 3 June. Affected students will be supported so they can continue their studies with as limited disruption as possible. The cross-agency action in this case demonstrates the Government’s continuing strong focus on improving quality and value for money across the Alternative Provider (AP) sector.

Since the 2012-13 academic year the Government has progressively strengthened systems to oversee the specific course designation of APs to secure improved quality and standards, including the introduction of a more rigorous, risk-based approach to quality assurance and annual provider re-designation.

Further reforms announced in the May 2016 HE White Paper will create a level playing field for all HE providers, supporting greater diversity, innovation and choice for students, whilst preserving quality and value for money.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Baroness Wolf of Dulwich on 2016-07-20.

To ask Her Majesty’s Government, between 2013 and 2016 inclusive, how many institutions applied to the Quality Assurance Agency’s Advisory Committee on Degree Awarding Powers (ACDAP) with a view to obtaining (1) degree awarding powers, and (2) university title, but did not proceed to full scrutiny of their applications because of the ACDAP’s preliminary judgment and feedback; and of those, how many were (a) public or not-for-profit institutions, and (b) private for-profit providers.

Earl of Courtown

The Advisory Committee on Degree Awarding Powers (ACDAP) does not consider applications for university title. In the period 2013-2016, there have been two applications for degree awarding powers that did not proceed to full scrutiny of their application because of ACDAP’s preliminary judgement and feedback. One application was from a publicly funded provider and one was from a private for profit provider.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Baroness Wolf of Dulwich on 2016-09-06.

To ask Her Majesty’s Government how many level 5 and level 6 Construction Industry Training Board Construction NVQ diplomas were awarded in (1) 2014, and (2) 2015.

Lord Nash

Final data for 2014/15 show that there were no Level 5 or Level 6 Construction Industry Training Board (CITB) NVQ diploma achievements in the construction, planning and the built environment sector subject area.

Data reported so far for August to April of the 2015/16 academic year also show that there were no Level 5 or Level 6 CITB NVQ diploma achievements in the construction sector subject area. The data for 2015/16 are subject to change as further data returns relating to the period are received later in the year.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Baroness Wolf of Dulwich on 2016-09-05.

To ask Her Majesty’s Government how many students, broken down by region of domicile, were enrolled for higher education qualifications at further education colleges in England in the academic year 2014–15.

Lord Nash

Information prepared by the Higher Education Funding Council for England (HEFCE) on participation in Higher Education at Further Education Colleges (FECs) in England in the academic year 2014/15 has been provided in the table.

Full-person equivalent students registered for a HE qualification by region of domicile

Further Education Colleges in England

Academic Year 2014/15

Region of Domicile	Academic Year 2014/15
North East	6,040
North West	14,690
Yorkshire and the Humber	12,595
East Midlands	5,945
West Midlands	5,150
East of England	3,755
Greater London	6,695
South East	7,640
South West	4,555
Wales	570
Scotland	315
Northern Ireland	195
England (unknown)	3,715
United Kingdom (unknown)	25
EU	565
Rest of the world	2,160
Total (all domiciles)	74,610

Source: Information is derived from the Higher Education Statistics Agency (HESA) student return and the Skills Funding Agency individualised learner record (ILR) F05 return

Prepared by: Analytical Services Directorate, HEFCE, 7 September 2016

Coverage:

– Students registered at FECs are only included if they are studying a prescribed course of HE.

– Includes students across all years of study, at all levels and modes of higher education and distance learners.

– Numbers are based on where the student was domiciled rather than where they student studied.

– Full-person equivalents (FPEs) have been rounded to the nearest 5.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Baroness Wolf of Dulwich on 2016-09-15.

To ask Her Majesty’s Government what sum of money was allocated for advanced learner loans in 2015–16; and how much was taken up and lent to eligible learners.

Lord Nash

The available budget for Advanced Learner Loans for the financial year 2015-16 was up to £498m. A total of £162m was lent for loan-eligible courses in that period.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Baroness Wolf of Dulwich on 2016-09-15.

To ask Her Majesty’s Government what percentage of advanced learner loans in 2015–16, as a percentage of the total number of individual loans made in that year, were made for courses at (1) level 3, and (2) level 4.

Lord Nash

82,990 eligible applications for Advanced Learner Loans were received for courses starting in the 2015/16 academic year. Approximately 94% of courses taken were for provision at Level 3, with approximately 6% for provision at Level 4.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Baroness Wolf of Dulwich on 2016-10-10.

To ask Her Majesty’s Government under what circumstances a student may currently obtain a loan from the Student Loans Company for the fees for an equivalent level qualification at degree or sub-degree level.

Viscount Younger of Leckie

Students must already hold an honours degree and must be personally eligible for support in order to qualify for a tuition fee loan for an equivalent level qualification.

In addition, they must be studying for a part-time degree in engineering, technology or computer science, and study should be at least 25% intensity of a full-time equivalent course. Graduates entering full-time study must be studying on a graduate entry accelerated medical or dental degree of no more than four years’ duration.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Baroness Wolf of Dulwich on 2016-10-10.

To ask Her Majesty’s Government how many students received loans from the Student Loans Company for the fees for equivalent level qualifications at degree or sub-degree level in engineering, technology and computer science in 2015–16.

Viscount Younger of Leckie

The first release of statistics covering English tuition fee loans to part-time students in the academic year 2015/16 will be on 30 November 2016 in the Statistical First Release ‘Student Support for Higher Education in England’.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Baroness Wolf of Dulwich on 2015-11-30.

To ask Her Majesty’s Government what guidance, if any, they give to local authorities and London boroughs about conducting consultations with neighbouring authorities or boroughs before making an Experimental Traffic Management Order.

Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon

We have not issued any guidance that specifically advises how consultation should be carried out with neighboring authorities or boroughs before making an Experimental Traffic Management Order.

However, under regulation 6 of the Local Authorities’ Traffic Orders (Procedure)(England and Wales) Regulations 1996, before making an experimental order, traffic authorities are obliged to consult other authorities where the order relates to, or might affect traffic on, a road for which another authority is the highway authority or the traffic authority.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Baroness Wolf of Dulwich on 2015-12-22.

To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon on 14 December (HL4061), what checks are in place to ensure that Regulation 6 of the Local Authorities’ Traffic Orders (Procedure) (England and Wales) Regulations 1996 is complied with; who is entitled to complain if that Regulation is not complied with, and to whom; and what penalties are incurred by local authorities or London boroughs for failing to comply with that regulation.

Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon

There are no checks in place to ensure that local authorities comply with the Local Authorities’ Traffic Orders (Procedure) (England and Wales) Regulations 1996, including the duty concerning consultation. Anyone can complain if they consider that the authority has failed to comply with their duty. Complaints should initially be raised with the authority concerned, and if they are not satisfactorily addressed, they can be raised with the Local Government Ombudsman. Alternatively, failure to comply with the consultation requirements in regulation 6 would be grounds for bringing a legal challenge against an order under paragraph 35 of Schedule 9 to the Road Traffic Regulation Act 1984.