Brexit: Negotiations

Debate between Lord Stevenson of Balmacara and Baroness Evans of Bowes Park

Monday 15th October 2018 Lords Chamber

[Baroness Evans of Bowes Park]

The noble Baroness is right. She has pushed me on this point in various ways and is completely correct. The last time she asked this question, it was still a matter for negotiation. I have to confess that I do not know whether that is still the case—whether it has been firmed down or is still within the bounds of negotiation, as it was when she last asked me the question. I will go back and check on that and will write to her about the exact position. I am not sure if things have moved on since our last discussion.

[Lord Stevenson of Balmacara (Lab)]

I do not know if other noble Lords have had the same experience but, when involved in negotiations, one is often heartened by the prospect of the opposition saying that we were so close that we must surely be able to reach an agreement. It usually means that you have won. There are many other borders that are also in dispute. Will the noble Baroness make a statement about Gibraltar?

[Baroness Evans of Bowes Park]

The noble Lord will be aware that the primary forum for engagement with Gibraltar is the Joint Ministerial Council, which has been meeting regularly. The Government of Gibraltar have been actively involved in these meetings and we are working closely with them on the practical implications arising from our exit. Those discussions are continuing positively.

Apprenticeships: Rural Economy

Debate between Lord Stevenson of Balmacara and Baroness Evans of Bowes Park

Thursday 14th July 2016 Lords Chamber

[Baroness Evans of Bowes Park]

I thank the right reverend Prelate for his question. To give him a full response, I will have to go back and write to him; I do not have the information he asked for.

[Lord Stevenson of Balmacara (Lab)]

My Lords, the news that the noble Baroness gives us is good in part and we are pleased to hear it, but it comes when a consultation is out on the measures that will be required for a number of insolvencies of FE colleges and just after the publication of a skills plan by the current Minister. The skills plan does not mention agriculture. Can the Minister explain why?

[Baroness Evans of Bowes Park]

The noble Lord will be aware that we are undertaking an extensive review of provision. Landex has undertaken a review of land-based provision across England to inform the relevant area reviews and to look at the availability of FE colleges. Where relevant, it will certainly take into account the demand for land-based skills and education.

Brexit: Horizon 2020 and Erasmus

Debate between Lord Stevenson of Balmacara and Baroness Evans of Bowes Park

Thursday 7th July 2016 Lords Chamber

[Baroness Evans of Bowes Park]

I can certainly reassure the noble Baroness that Ministers are in close contact with Commissioner Moedas on the issue, particularly around Horizon 2020, and we are being vigilant about any problems that may start to emerge in the area. But, as I have said, UK organisations can continue to participate in Horizon 2020 under the same terms and conditions as currently, and should not be discriminated against; we will of course maintain a watch on this. We are in very close contact with the university sector and, as I have said, with the Commissioners.

[Lord Stevenson of Balmacara (Lab)]

According to a recent THE review, more than 18 universities will lose more than 50% of their grant funding from EU sources. This affects not just the major universities, such as Cambridge and Oxford, but the whole range. In addition, substantial reductions in taught postgraduate courses will happen. Does it make sense, given the tsunami that is approaching us, for the Government to continue with their radical proposals to reorganise research structures in the new HE Bill?

[Baroness Evans of Bowes Park]

We believe that the current uncertainty makes it even more vital that we have a stable and robust regulatory framework to ensure that our world-class research base can maintain its position internationally. The Bill will put in place a framework to maintain our status; UKRI—the new body—will facilitate more multidisciplinary and interdisciplinary research and enable us to keep up with emerging economies. It is critical at this time that we provide the stability that the university sector is looking for.

Apprenticeships

Debate between Lord Stevenson of Balmacara and Baroness Evans of Bowes Park

Tuesday 7th June 2016 Lords Chamber

[Baroness Evans of Bowes Park]

The noble Lord is right, in that we are moving towards a new framework. We want to improve quality, which is why we are giving employers the opportunity to design apprenticeships that are more demanding and responsive to the needs of business, looking to have more rigorous testing and grading at the end of an apprenticeship, and giving employers control of funding so that they can become more demanding customers. That way, both employers and young people involved in apprenticeships get the quality training that we all want to see.

[Lord Stevenson of Balmacara (Lab)]

My Lords, I have rather lost track of the number of times the Minister has talked about ambition. Of course we support the ambition to have 3 million apprenticeships and we wish her well with that. However, is not the problem that currently, 96% of apprenticeships are at levels 2 and 3? These are obviously important to the service sector and associated sectors, but as she has said, we have to provide routes through to degree level. Where is that coming from?

[Baroness Evans of Bowes Park]

The noble Lord will be aware that we have introduced higher and degree level apprenticeships, and I am sure he will be delighted to know that in fact, higher apprenticeships are the fastest growing element of the apprenticeship programme. Through our national colleges we will be delivering specialist technical skills training at levels 4 and 6, and by 2020 we expect them to be delivering training to around 21,000 learners. We are focusing on higher and degree level apprenticeships, and it is a fast-growing area.

Professional and Career Development Loans

Debate between Lord Stevenson of Balmacara and Baroness Evans of Bowes Park

Monday 12th October 2015 Lords Chamber

[Baroness Evans of Bowes Park]

Well, as I said, obviously the professional career development loans exist at the moment, but the new postgraduate loan, which has been welcomed across the sector, will come in shortly. The consultation has closed and the full scope of that policy will be announced later in the autumn. Certainly, encouraging further study and making sure that everyone has access to the training and education they need are at the forefront of the Government’s mind.

[Lord Stevenson of Balmacara (Lab)]

My Lords, may I wish the noble Baroness a speedy recovery from what looks like a very awkward injury, attractively dressed in the blue to match her suit? For those who cannot see it, she is struggling to answer and almost strangling herself in the process.

It seems that almost a sense of panic is setting in. We have £50 million of emergency bursaries from HEFCE to bridge the gap until the new schemes come in. We have postgraduate and career development loans, which are £10,000 per student, but with 10% interest rates charged to be repayable within three weeks of graduating, and we then have the Government consulting on a £25,000 income-contingent loan. Yet there is a 10% reduction in the numbers of people going on to become postgraduates on taught courses. Is there not something more we can do?

[Baroness Evans of Bowes Park]

This Government will be the first to introduce a loan specifically targeted at postgraduates, so we are taking this extremely seriously. On the interest rate point on career development loans, over the course of the loan the interest rate is more like 6%, because the Government pay the interest while students are studying. That is not to say that more cannot be done, but I assure the House that the Government are focused on higher education and consider it to be extremely important.

Student Loans

Debate between Lord Stevenson of Balmacara and Baroness Evans of Bowes Park

Monday 20th July 2015 Lords Chamber

[Baroness Evans of Bowes Park]

I agree with the noble Baroness that providing opportunities for adults to reskill is important. However, university alone is not the only route to do this or to help us meet the productivity challenges ahead. She will be aware, for instance, that apprenticeships are not just for young people. In fact, last year, more than half of higher apprentices were over the age of 25. This Government have ambitious plans to deliver more than 3 million apprenticeships, including at degree level, over this Parliament. Just last week, the Advanced Manufacturing Research Centre announced a pioneering new education route for successful apprentices to study advanced vocational university degrees as part of their training.

[Lord Stevenson of Balmacara (Lab)]

My Lords, part-time students are more likely to come from groups underrepresented in higher education and therefore need to be supported. However, there were almost 55,000 fewer part-time higher education students in the UK in 2013-14, and that has been a continuous reduction of more than 40% since part-time fees were allowed to rocket. Now, the Chancellor proposes to axe maintenance grants. What is the forecast for HE part-time students in 2015-16 and beyond?

[Baroness Evans of Bowes Park]

As I said to the noble Baroness, there is a range of ways in which students can engage in higher education, including the 43% increase in the number of higher and degree apprenticeships compared to 2013. In 2013, 12.3 million people held a higher education qualification compared to 2.6 million in 2006. Of course one of the key impacts on people deciding what they want to do is the fact that the economy is improving. Almost 2 million jobs have been created since 2010, so people have security in their job and therefore may be deciding not to study.