The below Parliamentary question was asked by Gordon Marsden on 2016-03-21.
To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will estimate how much the apprenticeship levy is expected to raise in (a) 2017-18, (b) 2018-19 and (c) 2019-20.
Greg Hands
The latest forecasts for the apprenticeship levy by the Office for Budget Responsibility are published in table 2.2 of the Budget 2016 document, which is available on gov.uk.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Gordon Marsden on 2016-04-28.
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what discussions he has had with the Association of Employment and Learning Providers on the nature of their involvement with and contribution to the Institute of Apprenticeships.
Nick Boles
I will be meeting with the incoming CEO of the Association of Employment and Learning Providers later this month. My officials have regular discussions with the Association on all aspects of apprenticeships policy.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Gordon Marsden on 2016-05-09.
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, from which academic year the Government plans that a Sharia-compliant student loan will be available for Muslim students.
Joseph Johnson
The November 2015 Higher Education Green Paper (Teaching Excellence, Social Mobility and Student Choice) confirms the Government’s intention to introduce, for the first time, a new system of alternative student finance. Subject to Parliament, the Government plans to introduce the system through new primary legislation.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Gordon Marsden on 2016-06-06.
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what mechanisms there will be under the Apprenticeship Levy for additional support to incentivise employers to take on disadvantaged young people.
Nick Boles
Extra support will be provided for employers to take on disadvantaged young people, including 16-18 year olds, those aged 19-24 who have been in the care of the Local Authority, apprentices with additional learning needs, and apprentices who do not have the level of English and maths that is required to meet the minimum standard.
Further guidance will be published in June 2016.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Gordon Marsden on 2015-11-09.
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what estimate he has made of the likely impact of freezing the earnings repayment thresholds for 24+ Advanced Learner Loans on the Resource Account and Budgeting charge of outstanding debt which will be written off for 24+ Advanced Learner Loans.
Nick Boles
We estimate the RAB charge under option 1 (freeze threshold for all Plan 2 loans, existing and new borrowers from April 2016 to April 2021) will decrease by about 5 percentage points from the current level of 55% to 50%.
Further information on the impact of freezing the earnings repayment thresholds for 24+ Advanced Learning Loans on future repayments is shown in the Consultation on freezing the student loan repayment thresholds, which has been published here:
https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/freezing-the-student-loan-repayment-threshold
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The below Parliamentary question was asked by Gordon Marsden on 2015-12-10.
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, how many staff by full-time equivalence there were in his Department in (a) 2010-11, (b) 2012-13 and (c) 2014-15; and how many staff by full-time equivalence he expects there will be in his Department in (i) 2015-16, (ii) 2016-17 and (iii) 2017-18.
Joseph Johnson
The staff figures (full-time equivalent) for 2010/11, 2012/13 and 2014/15 are set out below:
|
Year |
FTE (Core BIS only, not UKTI) |
Source/Notes |
|
2010/11 |
2,781 |
Published in the BIS Annual Report & Accounts 2011 (Core Dept (3,373) minus UKTI (592)) |
|
2012/13 |
2,692 |
Published in the BIS Annual Report & Accounts 2014/15 |
|
2014/15 |
2,627 |
Published in the BIS Annual Report & Accounts 2014/15 |
|
|
In the further years of this Parliament, the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS) is expecting to make further headcount reductions in the core Department, in line with our Spending Review settlement and our efficiency programme ambitions. The exact figures for full time equivalents in these years are not available at this stage.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Gordon Marsden on 2016-01-20.
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what additional checks on standards and quality his Department and the National Apprenticeship Service plan to introduce in response to the targets listed in his Department’s publication, English Apprenticeships: Our 2020 Vision, published on 7 December 2015.
Nick Boles
The Institute for Apprenticeships, a new independent body led by employers, is being established to oversee the quality of apprenticeships in England.
The Institute for Apprenticeships will put in place transparent mechanisms for the approval of apprenticeship standards and assessment plans, and maintain clear quality criteria so that only standards that are valued by employers will be approved and funded.
It will be fully operational by April 2017.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Gordon Marsden on 2016-02-04.
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, how he plans to secure comprehensive analyses of skills shortages in the UK economy after funding is withdrawn from the UK Commission for Employment and Skills.
Nick Boles
In the context of needing to make savings in non-participation budgets to allow the core adult skills participation budgets to be protected in cash terms, the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills has consulted the Devolved Administrations and other users of labour market information on future research priorities.
These discussions have identified the significance of the Employer Skills Survey, the Employer Perspectives Survey and the LMI (Labour Market Information) for All Portal. We are considering how these can best be delivered in future and will announce future arrangements as soon as final decisions are made.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Gordon Marsden on 2016-02-29.
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what assessment he has made of the implications for UK universities of the proposal for a £1,000 a year levy on all businesses employing skilled non-EU staff.
Joseph Johnson
The Government is considering carefully the Migration Advisory Committee’s recommendations on the rate and scope of the Immigration Skills Charge. In advance of finalising the regulations that will introduce the charge from April 2017, we will take account of evidence about the likely impact on different types of organisation, including universities.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Gordon Marsden on 2016-04-12.
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, with reference to the Skills Funding Agency data release of 5 April 2016, what discussions he has had with (a) education and training providers and (b) employer organisations on recent reductions in the number of apprenticeship vacancies.
Nick Boles
The number of vacancies on the `Find an Apprenticeship` website has been increasing from 71,060 in 2010/11 to 200,460 in 2014/15. The data does not reflect all vacancies as some employers choose alternative methods for advertising their apprenticeship opportunities.
English Apprenticeships: Our 2020 Vision sets out our plans to work with providers and employer organisations to reach our commitment of 3 million apprenticeships by 2020.
The new Apprenticeship Delivery Board will encourage more businesses to develop quality apprenticeships. Members act as apprenticeship champions within their sector, working with employers of all sizes to increase both the number of apprenticeship places on offer and the supply of talented candidates.