Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Philip Hollobone and Anne Milton

Monday 11th March 2019 Commons Chamber

[Mr Philip Hollobone (Kettering) (Con)]

The curriculum, diverse or otherwise, can be successfully delivered only if students attend. Will the Minister condemn the growing trend of students going on strike to protest against current political issues?

[Anne Milton]

My hon. Friend believes that it is a growing trend; I do not know that it is a trend. I think we all agree that it is good when young people are passionate about the issues that they care about. I do not believe that anybody should go on strike as such, but I am sure that those students made up their studies in their own time and at weekends.

Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Philip Hollobone and Anne Milton

Monday 4th February 2019 Commons Chamber

[Anne Milton]

I do not think that the Prime Minister and the Chancellor are deaf to the case, and, in fact, in the first 15 minutes of this Question Time we have focused largely on the further education sector. I think that Members on both sides of the House are doing well in making the case to ensure that we have a sustainable and resilient FE sector in the future.

[Mr Philip Hollobone (Kettering) (Con)]

How will the Department assist the businesses that will offer the placements which will be such an essential part of the T-level qualifications?

[Anne Milton]

We are doing a lot of work in that regard. For instance, we organised a pilot project, run by The Challenge, which highlighted some of the needs of employers. We are working closely with the sector, because it is crucial to the success of T-levels for us to get the industry placements right, and that means building relationships between colleges and those delivering T-levels and local employers.

Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Philip Hollobone and Anne Milton

Monday 10th September 2018 Commons Chamber

[Anne Milton]

Of course, the figure for those taking foreign language GCSEs, which fall into that age group, has gone up from 40% to 47%. We have also protected the base rate of funding for 16 to 19-year-olds until 2020. I should add, too, that the proportion of 16 and 17-year-olds in education or apprenticeships is the highest since records began, and of course we are putting in significant support for disadvantaged students as well.

[Mr Philip Hollobone (Kettering) (Con)]

What extra support and funding is going in to help these disadvantaged students between the ages of 16 and 19?

[Anne Milton]

Some £500 million was made available for disadvantaged students in 2017-18; there is a supplement of £600 for every additional level 3 maths student; £34 million is going in for free school meals; and, of course, there are discretionary bursaries totalling up to £130 million—because we feel it is right that sixth-form and FE colleges distribute that money as they think best.