The below Parliamentary question was asked by Gordon Marsden on 2016-01-21.
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what discussions he has had with the (a) Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government and (b) Chancellor of the Exchequer on how the Apprenticeship Levy will operate in combined authorities to whom powers over skills and training are devolved.
Nick Boles
Apprenticeship funding is not devolved and we have no plans to do so.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Gordon Marsden on 2016-01-29.
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what assessment he has made of the potential effect of the UK voting to leave the EU on UK students’ participation in the Erasmus scheme.
Joseph Johnson
The Government is fighting hard to fix the aspects of EU membership that cause so much frustration in the United Kingdom – so we get a better deal for our country and secure our future. We are confident that the right agreement can be reached.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Gordon Marsden on 2016-02-24.
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what discussions he has had with the heads of further education colleges about the implications for recruitment and retention of college staff of the Government’s restrictions on public sector pay increases.
Nick Boles
Further Education (FE) colleges are independent organisations. Each college determines the terms and conditions of its employees, in accordance with their own circumstances. FE Colleges are therefore not affected by the Government’s restrictions on public sector pay increases.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Gordon Marsden on 2016-03-16.
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, pursuant to the Answer of 14 March 2016 to Question 30445, what target she has set for the (a) number of enterprise coordinators to be appointed and (b) timeframe for those coordinators to be put in place.
Mr Sam Gyimah
The Careers & Enterprise Company (CEC) has made excellent progress in its work to transform the provision of careers, enterprise and employer engagement experiences for young people.
The CEC is aiming for Local Enterprise Partnerships to recruit 50 Enterprise Co-ordinators and 300 volunteer Enterprise Advisers between September 2015 and March 2016. The Department for Education is in the process of agreeing the CEC’s funding and targets for the forthcoming financial year.
The number of full-time equivalent staff currently employed by the CEC is 18. Further recruitment will depend on the funding available to the company and its objectives for future years.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Gordon Marsden on 2016-04-26.
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, pursuant to the Written Statement of 26 April 2016, HCWS701, what estimate he has made of the number of students affected by the proposed changes to eligibility to student support for people with long residency in the UK.
Joseph Johnson
We estimated at the time of proposing the changes that they could lead to an additional 2,400 claims for student support in the first year after the changes take effect. This estimate was derived from information on those people who had non-asylum discretionary leave to remain and had applied for student support. However, we do not have information on the length of time these individuals have been in the UK or their age. It is therefore not possible to determine exactly how many of these individuals would meet the criteria in the new rules.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Gordon Marsden on 2016-05-03.
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, when his Department plans to publish its Skills White Paper.
Nick Boles
The Government is implementing reforms to the skills system to ensure we have the technical skills that the economy needs. We are considering when and how to publish details of our plans for further reform of the skills strategy.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Gordon Marsden on 2016-05-25.
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment she has made of the role of University Technical Colleges in the Skills Plan which is proposed for inclusion in the forthcoming Bill on education for all.
Nick Boles
The Government is taking forward reforms to the skills system to ensure we have the technical skills that the economy needs. We will publish details of our plans in due course.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Gordon Marsden on 2016-09-06.
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, if she will hold discussions with HM Treasury on the potential to fully fund apprenticeships for 16 to 18 year olds from savings accrued as a result of the introduction of the Apprenticeship Levy.
Robert Halfon
The department and HM Treasury have worked closely together on the development of the apprenticeships funding policy and plans for implementation of the Levy, including the digital apprenticeship service.
Our proposals for how apprenticeships will be paid for in England in the future will simplify the current complex funding system by introducing a single funding cap for individual apprenticeship framework pathways, regardless of the age of the learner or geographic location.
We expect the proposals will also include incentives for employers taking on younger apprentices – funding 100 per cent of apprenticeship training costs for small employers (with fewer than 50 staff) that don’t pay the levy when they employ 16-18 year old apprentices; and providing a £1,000 cash payment to both the employer and training provider to help with the extra costs of supporting apprentices in this age group.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Gordon Marsden on 2015-10-22.
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what assessment he has made of the possible savings to his Department of the outcome of post-16 area-based reviews.
Nick Boles
Yes. The Joint Area Review Delivery Unit supporting the area reviews will advise Hon. Membersas a matter of course when reviews are due to be undertaken in any part of their constituency.
Area reviews should take place as quickly as possible, the typical timescale being 3-4 months but this could vary depending on the number of colleges and complexity of the local issues involved.
The reviews are aimed at delivering a skills system that meets the economic and educational needs of areas whilst also ensuring the long term sustainability of colleges to support productivity. Their purpose is not to secure savings to Government. However, early evidence from the pilot reviews indicates that there is potential for the reviews to secure efficiency savings.
All applications to open a free school, academy, school sixth form or university technical college will be assessed on a case by case basis against the published criteria and taking account of local needs and circumstances.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Gordon Marsden on 2015-10-22.
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, whether an (a) free school, (b) academy, (c) school sixth form and (d) university technical college will be allowed to open while a post-16 area-based review is still taking place.
Nick Boles
Yes. The Joint Area Review Delivery Unit supporting the area reviews will advise Hon. Membersas a matter of course when reviews are due to be undertaken in any part of their constituency.
Area reviews should take place as quickly as possible, the typical timescale being 3-4 months but this could vary depending on the number of colleges and complexity of the local issues involved.
The reviews are aimed at delivering a skills system that meets the economic and educational needs of areas whilst also ensuring the long term sustainability of colleges to support productivity. Their purpose is not to secure savings to Government. However, early evidence from the pilot reviews indicates that there is potential for the reviews to secure efficiency savings.
All applications to open a free school, academy, school sixth form or university technical college will be assessed on a case by case basis against the published criteria and taking account of local needs and circumstances.