Tag: Gordon Marsden

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Gordon Marsden on 2016-03-02.

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what discussions his Department has had with the Department for Work and Pensions on the consequential effects of the introduction of maintenance loans for part-time students.

Joseph Johnson

The Government announced in the Spending Review that for the first time, student finance would be available to part time students to help meet both tuition and living costs.

Discussions are ongoing with other Government Departments and stakeholders regarding the new maintenance loan product for part time higher education students, and specifically its interaction with the social security system.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Gordon Marsden on 2016-04-14.

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, how the Access to Higher Education Diploma will be funded from academic year 2016-17 onwards.

Nick Boles

From 1 August 2016, funding for learners to study an Access to HE Diploma will be as follows:

• learners aged 19 or over who already have a full level 3 qualification will be able to access an Advanced Learner Loan;

• for those aged 19 to 23 who do not currently have a first full level 3 the Skills Funding Agency will provide full funding as the individual will be exercising their level 3 entitlement.

  Learners with an Advanced Learner Loan for their Access to HE Diploma course, who then go on to complete a course of Higher Education, will have the outstanding balance of their Advanced Learner Loan written off. Advanced Learner Loans for Access to HE Diploma courses continue to be accessed in good numbers.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Gordon Marsden on 2016-05-04.

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, when he expects to publish equality impact assessments relating to area reviews of post-16 education and training.

Nick Boles

The Government will produce an evaluation of the area review programme and its potential to impact on groups protected by the Equality Act 2010.

The Joint Area Review Delivery Unit, which supports the individual reviews, will work with the local steering groups overseeing the reviews to make sure that equality issues are considered in each review.

The reviews do not, however, mandate action. Colleges are independent corporations and it will be for each college’s governing body to assess the potential impact on groups protected by the Act, as part of its decision to accept or reject any recommendation requiring a change to their provision. This does not therefore require a modification of the outcomes of a review.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Gordon Marsden on 2016-05-23.

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, with reference to his Department’s White Paper, Success as a knowledge economy: teaching excellence, social mobility and student choice, published on 16 May 2016, what the minimum number of (a) students and (b) higher education students is which any new provider would have to have registered at their institution in order to be granted university teaching powers.

Joseph Johnson

The Government’s intention is that – as now – in order to be eligible for taught degree awarding powers a provider must have the majority of its higher education students enrolled on study programmes which are recognised as being at level 6 or above of the Framework of Higher Education Qualifications for England, Wales and Northern Ireland. This requirement will be set out in detailed criteria and guidance on degree awarding powers on which there will be a consultation in due course.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Gordon Marsden on 2016-06-13.

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what estimate he has made of the additional staffing and resources required by the Student Loans Company for administration and postgraduate loan applications from October 2016.

Joseph Johnson

The Student Loans Company will open applications for the new master’s loan for postgraduate study from the end of June 2016. Around 40 additional full-time equivalent staff will support the new loan product.

The additional staff will be required to process the applications, administer the payment of student loans and deal with any enquiries from students in relation to the new product.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Gordon Marsden on 2015-11-18.

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, how he plans for part-time taught masters students who study at a minimum of 50 per cent intensity, but not by means of distance learning, to access the proposed new postgraduate loans scheme.

Joseph Johnson

A consultation on support for postgraduate study was launched in March of this year. The consultation sought views on the Government’s intention to introduce a new loan scheme for taught Master’s study and a review of how to broaden and strengthen support for postgraduate research. Consultation responses have been analysed and the Department is preparing its response.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Gordon Marsden on 2016-01-08.

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, on what date the second wave Area Reviews for further education college providers he plans to commence.

Nick Boles

As we have set out in the published information relating to the second wave of area reviews, the first steering group meeting, which will be in the Marches and Worcestershire area, is scheduled to take place on Monday 18 January 2016.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Gordon Marsden on 2016-01-27.

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what discussions his Department has had with local businesses and LEPs on the economic effect of the area reviews for further education.

Nick Boles

Local Enterprise Partnerships (LEP) have a central role to play in supporting area reviews and are contributing to the analysis of the current and future economic and educational needs of their area. They are also supporting the review process through their wider economic development role and use of their potential resource leverage including capital funding and other related funding streams like European Social Funding. Being impartial and economically driven, LEP involvement is allowing the business voice to feature largely in discussions and to ensure there is a full understanding of employer demand.

There is regular contact with the LEP network and with individual LEPs through the local steering group arrangements. In addition local employers are being actively engaged in each area review through the wide range of stakeholder engagement taking place.

LEPs and the British Chamber of Commerce are also represented on the National Area Review Advisory group which is influencing how the area reviews are taken forward.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Gordon Marsden on 2016-02-11.

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what representations he has received form the governments of Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland on his decision to withdraw funding from the UK Commission for Employment and Skills.

Nick Boles

The Department for Business, Innovation and Skills has been in regular contact with the Devolved Administrations both at Ministerial and official level since the spending review decision by Whitehall Departments to withdraw funding from the UK Commission for Employment and Skills (UKCES).

A meeting of senior officials took place on 20th January and Ministers met on 4th February. These meetings discussed common issues within the UK’s devolved skills systems, including the implications of the decision on UKCES funding. At working level, officials in all Governments involved the work of UKCES are meeting regularly to discuss and agree the necessary transition arrangements that will be required as a result of the withdrawal of funding.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Gordon Marsden on 2016-03-10.

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, pursuant to the contribution of the Minister for Skills of 10 March 2016, what assessment he has made of the potential take-up of the apprenticeship levy by employers.

Nick Boles

Apprenticeships are paid jobs and their availability is employer demand-led, so we do not publish future forecasts. The levy will put apprenticeship funding in the hands of employers and will encourage an increase in the quality and quantity of apprenticeships in England.