Tag: Peter Kyle

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Peter Kyle on 2015-12-04.

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what progress his Department is making on doubling the proportion of people from disadvantaged backgrounds entering higher education by 2020.

Joseph Johnson

We have taken significant steps to widen participation in higher education. In particular, from 2015/16, we have removed the cap on student numbers, enabling more people than ever before to benefit from higher education. We have also established a stronger framework with increased responsibility placed on providers to widen access. The Director of Fair Access has agreed 183 Access Agreements for 2016/17 containing an estimated £745m to support students from disadvantaged backgrounds – up from £404m in 2009/10.

The Green Paper Fulfilling our Potential: Teaching Excellence, Social Mobility and Student Choice, CM 9141 sets out additional steps the Government plans to take to increase the proportion of students from disadvantaged background entering higher education including through the new guidance that we plan to issue to the Director of Fair Access, and through the social mobility taskforce being set up by Universities UK.

We will work with the Higher Education Funding Council for England to target the Student Opportunity Fund in the most effective way and with the Director of Fair Access to ensure that universities take more responsibility for widening access, prioritising activities that demonstrate the greatest value for money.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Peter Kyle on 2016-01-04.

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, if his Department will collect data on the prior qualification level of new apprentices.

Nick Boles

The prior qualification survey is the current method for collecting robust information on the prior qualification levels of apprentices. The most recent publication is based on the 2012/13 survey data. We plan to publish a similar report based on the 2013/14 prior qualifications survey data in 2016.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Peter Kyle on 2016-01-25.

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, how much was awarded to businesses in Brighton and Hove under the Government Start-Up Loans scheme; and how much of that has been repaid to date.

Anna Soubry

To date over £1.1million has been lent through Start-Up Loans issued in Brighton and Hove. Of this, over £268,000 has been repaid.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Peter Kyle on 2016-03-16.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps the Civil Aviation Authority has taken in response to the findings of the Air Accident Investigation Branch report into the Shoreham Airshow disaster of August 2015.

Mr Robert Goodwill

The Air Accidents Investigation Branch (AAIB) has not yet published its final report. The majority of recommendations in the AAIB’s latest bulletin cover areas where the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) has already taken action as part of its ongoing review of air display safety, which it established immediately after the Shoreham accident.

The CAA is now reviewing the AAIB’s bulletin in detail and will consider all of its recommendations carefully, alongside its ongoing air show review which is expected to be completed in the coming weeks.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, whether employers will be able to direct unused funds from their apprenticeship levy accounts towards supporting training apprentices working with (a) their distributers and (b) other companies in their supply chain.

Nick Boles

We want to give employers in England flexibility in how they use levy funds to pay for apprenticeship training that meets their needs. We know that some employers want to direct their funding to other employers, for instance their suppliers. We will consider ways this could be accommodated whilst avoiding additional complexity, maintaining the aims of the system and remaining compatible with State aid rules.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, when officials of his Department last met with representatives of the devolved administrations to discuss (a) how the apprenticeship levy will operate and (b) the proportion of the apprenticeship levy that each of the devolved administrations will receive.

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, with reference to the Answer of 23 March 2016, to Question 31738, when he plans to publish the findings of the London and South Coast Rail Corridor Study.

Paul Maynard

The study is now complete and the findings are being carefully considered by Ministers. We remain committed to publishing the findings, and Hon Members with constituencies along the study route will be notified when this happens.

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.