Tag: Peter Kyle

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Peter Kyle on 2016-03-15.

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what the planned duration is of the appointment of Rachel Sandby-Thomas as shadow CEO of the Institute for Apprenticeships.

Nick Boles

The appointment of Rachel Sandby-Thomas as shadow CEO will commence on 4th April 2016 and will continue through to the launch of the Institute for Apprenticeships when arrangements will be made to appoint on a permanent basis.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Peter Kyle on 2016-04-12.

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, if he will appoint a Shadow Board of the Institute of Apprenticeships.

Nick Boles

The Institute for Apprenticeships Board will be appointed through a public appointments process. The outcome will be announced as soon as the process allows in 2016.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Peter Kyle on 2016-05-09.

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what the Government’s policy is on whether an employer with an annual pay bill of under £3 million will be liable to pay the apprenticeship levy.

Nick Boles

It has not proved possible to respond to the hon. Member in the time available before Prorogation.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Peter Kyle on 2016-09-15.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, when he plans to announce the composition of the project board for Southern Rail, announced on 1 September 2016.

Paul Maynard

Further details on the composition of the project board will be available in due course. MPs have been asked to nominate a passenger representative for the Project Board. These nominations are currently being considered and an announcement will be made in the coming weeks.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Peter Kyle on 2015-10-19.

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, how many people completed more than one apprenticeship at the same qualification level between May 2010 and May 2015.

Nick Boles

Individuals who have successfully completed an Apprenticeship are not normally allowed to repeat an Apprenticeship at the same Level. A recent piece of research focusing on value added post learning shows that of the 280,000 people with a Level 2 Apprenticeship as their highest qualification held between 2004/2005 to 2010/2011, 8,000 (3 per cent) had previously achieved a Level 2 Apprenticeship in the same period. And of the 233,000 people with a Level 3 Apprenticeship as their highest qualification held between 2004/2005 to 2010/2011, 5,000 (2 per cent) had previously achieved a Level 3 Apprenticeship in the same period.

Funding for Apprenticeships is managed by the Skills Funding Agency through funding rules. These rules state that Apprentices who have successfully completed an Apprenticeship at any level are not expected to start a second Apprenticeship at the same or lower level. Apprentices will be expected to progress to a higher level.

In general, to receive funding for an Apprenticeship, the training provider and SFA must be satisfied that, for all Apprentices, this is the most appropriate learning programme and that they are carrying out a new job role or an existing job role where the individual needs significant new knowledge and skills. If an individual changes jobs, remaining in the same sector or changing sector, and fulfils these criteria, funding is available for an Apprenticeship.

In certain circumstances, Apprentices may need to be multi-skilled. In this case, the SFA will fund an Apprenticeship at the same or lower level if the Apprenticeship is supporting the Apprentice in an extended job role.

However, individuals who have a prior qualification at Level 4 or above are only eligible for funding for a Higher Apprenticeship at Level 5 or above. They are not eligible for funding for an Intermediate Level (Level 2), Advanced Level (Level 3) or Level 4 Higher Apprenticeship, even if they change their job role or the sector they work in.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Peter Kyle on 2015-10-19.

To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what progress has been made on the feasibility study into the Brighton Main Line 2 proposals announced as part of the Summer Budget 2015 on 8 July 2015.

Greg Hands

Last week, the government published the terms of reference of the London-South Coast Rail Corridor Study. This will consider the case for investment in existing and new capacity on this important corridor, including the feasibility of a second Brighton Main line, and will recommend priorities in the short, medium and long term.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Peter Kyle on 2015-10-22.

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what estimate he has made of the proportion of the funds generated through the proposed apprenticeship levy which will be required for its administration costs.

Nick Boles

The Government is committed to fair and simple levy arrangements. We are working closely with Her Majesty’s Treasury and Her Majesty’s Revenue and Customs on the design and implementation of the levy. Further detail will be set out alongside the Spending Review later in the autumn.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Peter Kyle on 2015-10-22.

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, how many officials in his Department are working on the review of post-16 education and training institutions.

Nick Boles

The Department for Education (DfE) and the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS), along with respective funding agencies, have re-prioritised staffing resources to support the review of post-16 education and training.

There are seven reviews in the first wave of area reviews which have either launched since September or will launch in the next few weeks. Each review will take 3-4 months to complete and will be supported by resource from the DfE, BIS, Education Funding Agency and Skills Funding Agency.

The area reviews of post 16 education and training are being undertaken in waves and can be triggered by either the local area requesting a review or the FE Commissioner or Sixth Form College Commissioner identifying the need for a review because one or more colleges in an area are at risk of failing. The first wave is underway now and details of the following reviews have been announced and can be found on the gov.uk website :

Birmingham and Solihull

Greater Manchester

Sheffield City Region

Tees Valley

Sussex Coast

Solent

West Yorkshire

The second wave will start in January 2016 and we aim to announce details in November 2015. We are currently looking at the geographies and phasing for other areas and will aim to issue further information on this before the end of the year but in doing this we recognise that the position should remain fluid to take account of the views of local partners and also cases of failure.

We expect all reviews to be completed by March 2017.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Peter Kyle on 2015-10-22.

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, if he will publish the timetable setting out when each area will have its post-16 education and training reviewed.

Nick Boles

The Department for Education (DfE) and the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS), along with respective funding agencies, have re-prioritised staffing resources to support the review of post-16 education and training.

There are seven reviews in the first wave of area reviews which have either launched since September or will launch in the next few weeks. Each review will take 3-4 months to complete and will be supported by resource from the DfE, BIS, Education Funding Agency and Skills Funding Agency.

The area reviews of post 16 education and training are being undertaken in waves and can be triggered by either the local area requesting a review or the FE Commissioner or Sixth Form College Commissioner identifying the need for a review because one or more colleges in an area are at risk of failing. The first wave is underway now and details of the following reviews have been announced and can be found on the gov.uk website :

Birmingham and Solihull

Greater Manchester

Sheffield City Region

Tees Valley

Sussex Coast

Solent

West Yorkshire

The second wave will start in January 2016 and we aim to announce details in November 2015. We are currently looking at the geographies and phasing for other areas and will aim to issue further information on this before the end of the year but in doing this we recognise that the position should remain fluid to take account of the views of local partners and also cases of failure.

We expect all reviews to be completed by March 2017.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Peter Kyle on 2015-10-22.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how many officials in her Department are working on its review of post-16 education and training institutions.

Nick Boles

The Department for Education (DfE) and the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS), along with respective funding agencies, have re-prioritised staffing resources to support the review of post-16 education and training.

There are seven reviews in the first wave of area reviews which have either launched since September or will launch in the next few weeks. Each review will take 3-4 months to complete and will be supported by resource from the DfE, BIS, EFA and SFA.