Parliamentary update October 2010

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Written questions

The Secretary of State for the Home Department and Minister for Women and Equalities was asked what discussions she has had with the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills on the effectiveness of the women and work sector skills pathway initiative.

To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the remarks by Baroness Wilcox on 14 October (Official Report, col. 671), how many apprenticeships they forecast will be created in the public sector in each of the next three years.

Skills minister John Hayes was asked what his policy is on the provision of funding for pre-apprentice courses.

The Secretary of State for Education responded to a question on his plans to allocate capital funding to sixth form colleges funded by the Young People's Learning Agency at the same level as that allocated to further education colleges through the Train to Gain programme for the purposes of renovating buildings and facilities.

John Hayes MP referred to the spending review regarding plans he has to implement his proposal to introduce student loans for people taking courses at further education colleges; and if he will make a statement.

The minister answered a question on the what steps he is taking to increase the number of apprenticeships offered by businesses.

Skills minister John Hayes responded to a number of questions regarding reclassification of further education as part of central government for accounting and borrowing purposes.

Skills Minister John Hayes was askedwhether previous investment in capital programmes by further education colleges will be taken into account when allocating capital funding through the enhanced renewal grant.

 John Hayes MP confirmed the amount of funding provided to the Apprenticeship Ambassador Network in each year since its inception.

John Hayes MP confirmed that his Department has budgeted to support 288 colleges with capital funding in 2010-11 as well as the plans for expenditure on further education college buildings in the next three years.

Universities and science minister, David Willetts was asked what plans he has to enable FE colleges to offer additional  (a) degrees and  (b) diploma level courses and what recent discussions he has had with colleges and universities on the provision of degrees in FE colleges. 

Skills Minister John Hayes outlined how skills gaps will be addressed in response to a question about how the levels of skills in the power systems engineering sector will be increased.

John Hayes MP was asked how many Business Link advisers were employed on Train to Gain.

John Hayes MP detailed the number of business that had used the National Apprenticeship Service in 2008-09 and 2009-10.

Education Minister Nick Gibb provided relevant sources for the numbers of students in each socio-economic group entered for diploma, A-level and GCSE qualifications.

Nick Gibb MP said careers education and guidance provision will be reviewed when asked a question about the Apprenticeships, Skills, Children and Learning Act 2009.

Nick Gibb MP said that BIS will work with key partners when asked if he will make it his policy to ensure full-time provision of plumbing qualifications for 16 to 18 year olds.

Oral questions

The Prime Minister was asked:

"In my constituency, Stroud college, a further education college, has launched an engineering centre to encourage training and apprenticeships. Does the Prime Minister agree that in the light of the encouraging economic figures, such programmes should be supported by business?"

The secretary of state was asked:

What plans he has to increase the level of provision of vocational education in schools.

What plans he has for the future of adult and community learning; and if he will make a statement.

What assessment he has made of the likely effects on development of small businesses of reductions in spending on adult education.

How many apprenticeship places his Department plans to fund in 2010-11.

If he will make a statement on his departmental responsibilities 

Debates

The government was urged to act on the recommendations of Ofsted's report on special educational needs (SEN). Introducing a debate on SEN policy, Baroness Warnock (CB) warned the government not to dismiss the report in the run-up to the SEN green paper.

Baroness Sharp of Guildford and Baroness Wilcox held a short debate on the benefits of adult education in the House of Lords.

The House of Lords debated the value of apprenticeships as Baroness Wall of New Barnet called attention to the case for maintaining and increasing apprenticeships in both the public and private sectors.