Question to the Department for Education:

To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answers by Baroness Smith of Malvern on 12 November (HL11389 and HL11390), how many qualifications were approved as Higher Technical Qualifications as of (1) September 2023, and (2) September 2024.

Answered by Baroness Smith of Malvern - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)

In September 2023 there were 154 qualifications awarded the Higher Technical Qualification (HTQ) quality mark, and in September 2024 there were 227 qualifications awarded the HTQ quality mark.

The department’s data on learner enrolments does not distinguish between HTQs that were approved but had not yet started delivery, and those that were live and available but attracted no student enrolments. The department does not therefore have sufficient data to specify how many live HTQs had no students enrolled in any given academic year.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answers by Baroness Smith of Malvern on 12 November (HL11389 and HL11390), how many of the qualifications approved as Higher Technical Qualifications in September had no students enrolled in the 2023–24 academic year.

Answered by Baroness Smith of Malvern - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)

In September 2023 there were 154 qualifications awarded the Higher Technical Qualification (HTQ) quality mark, and in September 2024 there were 227 qualifications awarded the HTQ quality mark.

The department’s data on learner enrolments does not distinguish between HTQs that were approved but had not yet started delivery, and those that were live and available but attracted no student enrolments. The department does not therefore have sufficient data to specify how many live HTQs had no students enrolled in any given academic year.

Question to the Department for Business and Trade:

To ask His Majesty's Government whether they conducted an impact assessment of the effect on recruitment of 16-21 year old apprentices by non-levy-paying employers of the decision to (1) increase the apprentice wage for 16-17 year olds by 6 per cent, and (2) raise the national minimum wage for 18-20 year olds by 8.5 per cent; if so, what were the results of that assessment; and if not, why.

Answered by Baroness Lloyd of Effra - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)

The Department for Business and Trade will publish a comprehensive impact assessment alongside the legislation introducing the revised National Living Wage and National Minimum Wage rates early in the New Year. This assessment will provide detailed analysis for each rate including the apprentice rate, the projected number of workers who will benefit and the estimated costs to businesses, broken down by region, age group, and sector.

In addition, the Low Pay Commission have published their summary of evidence on gov.uk, which sets out the key evidence behind their recommendation. Finally, the Low Pay Commission will publish their full annual report in the new year, which will set out in greater detail the evidence and stakeholder feedback that informed their 2026 NMW recommendations.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask His Majesty's Government how many individuals were granted entry visas to the UK under the high-potential individual route in (1) 2023–24, and (2) 2024–25.

Answered by Lord Hanson of Flint - Minister of State (Home Office)

The Home Office publishes data on entry clearance visas by visa type in the ‘Immigration System Statistics Quarterly Release’ [https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/immigration-statistics-quarterly-release]. Data on grants of visa applications are published in table ‘Vis_D02’ of the ‘detailed entry clearance visas dataset’ [https://www.gov.uk/government/statistical-data-sets/immigration-system-statistics-data-tables#entry-clearance-visas-granted-outside-the-uk].

Information on how to use the dataset can be found in the ‘Notes’ page of the workbook. The latest data is from January 2005 up to the end of September 2025.

Figures for visa grants for the High Potential Individual route can be seen in the table below.

Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:

To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of developers’ ability under Section 106 of the Town and Country Planning Act 1990 to support apprenticeships and upskilling across local authorities as well as in specified developments, and to that end provide wage support as well as direct training costs.

Answered by Baroness Taylor of Stevenage - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)

Section 106 planning obligations are legally binding agreements made to mitigate the impacts of a proposed development. These obligations are an essential part of the planning system, ensuring that developments contribute positively to their surrounding area and address specific concerns that arise as a result of their implementation.

All contributions under Section 106 must adhere to the three statutory tests set out in regulation 122 of the Community Infrastructure Levy (CIL) regulations. Any contribution must be:

• Necessary to make the development acceptable in planning terms;
• Directly related to the development; and
• Reasonable in scale and kind.

Ultimately, the responsibility for determining whether a planning obligation is necessary to make a development acceptable lies with the local planning authority – including any obligation around to apprenticeships and skills.

Current planning practice guidance encourages local planning authorities to facilitate the process of agreeing planning obligations by using and publishing standard forms and templates. These resources may include model agreements and clauses, some of which have already been published by other organisations. Making these documents publicly available assists both authorities and applicants during the planning application process.

Guidance additionally states that policies regarding planning obligations should be clearly set out in local plans and subject to public examination, ensuring transparency and consistency in their application.

Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:

To ask His Majesty's Government what guidance, if any, they provide to local authorities on the content and drafting of agreements made under Section 106 of the Town and Country Planning Act 1990.

Answered by Baroness Taylor of Stevenage - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)

Section 106 planning obligations are legally binding agreements made to mitigate the impacts of a proposed development. These obligations are an essential part of the planning system, ensuring that developments contribute positively to their surrounding area and address specific concerns that arise as a result of their implementation.

All contributions under Section 106 must adhere to the three statutory tests set out in regulation 122 of the Community Infrastructure Levy (CIL) regulations. Any contribution must be:

• Necessary to make the development acceptable in planning terms;
• Directly related to the development; and
• Reasonable in scale and kind.

Ultimately, the responsibility for determining whether a planning obligation is necessary to make a development acceptable lies with the local planning authority – including any obligation around to apprenticeships and skills.

Current planning practice guidance encourages local planning authorities to facilitate the process of agreeing planning obligations by using and publishing standard forms and templates. These resources may include model agreements and clauses, some of which have already been published by other organisations. Making these documents publicly available assists both authorities and applicants during the planning application process.

Guidance additionally states that policies regarding planning obligations should be clearly set out in local plans and subject to public examination, ensuring transparency and consistency in their application.

Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask His Majesty's Government what was the apprenticeship budget for the Department for Education in 2024–25; what proportion of that budget was spent in total; and what proportion was spent on (1) training for apprenticeships with levy-paying employers, (2) training for apprenticeships with non-levy-paying employers, and (3) other activities.

Answered by Baroness Smith of Malvern - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)

In the 2024-25 financial year, the English apprenticeships budget was fully spent.

The following table provides a breakdown of total spend for the 2024-25 financial year, including the proportion of total spend on training for apprenticeships with levy paying employers and training for apprenticeships with non-levy paying employers in England.

In addition, the table reflects the spend on apprenticeships that started prior to the introduction of the apprenticeships levy and new funding system, as well as non-apprenticeships participation spend, such as the cost of running digital services and marketing and communications campaigns.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask His Majesty's Government how much was paid to retired teachers in pension payments in 2024; and what estimate they have made of the total pension payments to retired teachers in (1) 2040, and (2) 2050.

Answered by Baroness Smith of Malvern - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)

A total of £2.921 billion was paid by members into the Teachers’ Pension Scheme in the 2024/25 financial year, and £8.866 billion was paid by employers over the same period.

In the 2024/25 financial year, £10.253 billion was paid to retired members of the Teachers’ Pension Scheme.

The Teachers’ Pension Scheme does not produce long‑term forecasts beyond its normal planning horizon. Estimates for 2040 and 2050 are therefore not available.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask His Majesty's Government how much in total was paid to the Teachers' Pension Scheme by (1) teachers, and (2) employers, in 2024.

Answered by Baroness Smith of Malvern - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)

A total of £2.921 billion was paid by members into the Teachers’ Pension Scheme in the 2024/25 financial year, and £8.866 billion was paid by employers over the same period.

In the 2024/25 financial year, £10.253 billion was paid to retired members of the Teachers’ Pension Scheme.

The Teachers’ Pension Scheme does not produce long‑term forecasts beyond its normal planning horizon. Estimates for 2040 and 2050 are therefore not available.

Found: Lord Liddle; Lord Londesborough; Lord Petitgas; Lord Razzall; Lord Turnbull; Lord Verjee; Baroness Wolf of Dulwich

Found: Lord Liddle; Lord Londesborough; Lord Petitgas; Lord Razzall; Lord Turnbull; Lord Verjee; Baroness Wolf of Dulwich

Found: HCLG Select Committee, the Master of the Rolls’ office and Lord Carter of Haslemere and Baroness Wolf of Dulwich

Found: Turnbull No relevant interests to declare Lord Verjee No relevant interests to declare Baroness Wolf of Dulwich

Found: Lamont of Lerwick; Lord Liddle; Lord Petitgas; Lord Razzall; Lord Turnbull; Lord Verjee; Baroness Wolf of Dulwich

Found: Lord Liddle; Lord Londesborough; Lord Petitgas; Lord Razzall; Lord Turnbull; Lord Verjee; Baroness Wolf of Dulwich

Found: Liddell of Coatdyke; Lord Liddle; Lord Petitgas; Lord Razzall; Lord Turnbull; Lord Verjee; Baroness Wolf of Dulwich