Further Education Funding Debate

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Department: Department for Education

Further Education Funding

Adrian Bailey Excerpts
Tuesday 2nd April 2019

(5 years ago)

Westminster Hall
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Richard Graham Portrait Richard Graham
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I will give way in a second; let me just finish the sentence. I suspect that all of us here share the view that education in general is a good cause for the spending review and the Budget, so this is not to decry the other three categories but to highlight the importance of more funding for further education. Three colleagues wished to intervene—I think they were, in order, an hon. Friend and then two Opposition colleagues.

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Richard Graham Portrait Richard Graham
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The hon. Lady has brilliantly anticipated a line in my speech, and I agree with her.

Adrian Bailey Portrait Mr Bailey
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Notwithstanding the Treasury’s historical aversion to hypothecated taxation, does the hon. Gentleman agree that, given that the Government are making a substantial surplus out of the apprenticeship levy at the moment, there is a strong moral case for recycling that money into the 16-to-18 sector?

Richard Graham Portrait Richard Graham
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Hypothecated funds are interesting. I am an advocate of them for the field of care. I will leave my right hon. Friend the Minister to comment on the huge surplus being generated; I have not yet seen much sign of that surplus coming through in my constituency, but the hon. Gentleman raises an interesting point.