Draft Buckinghamshire Council (Adult Education Functions) Regulations 2026 Draft Surrey County Council (Adult Education Functions) Regulations 2026 Draft Warwickshire County Council (Adult Education Functions) Regulations 2026

Ashley Fox Excerpts

Tuesday 14th April 2026 General Committees

[Sir Ashley Fox (Bridgwater) (Con)]

It is a pleasure to serve under your chairmanship, Sir John. These three sets of draft regulations transfer responsibility for adult education and skills funding from the Secretary of State to three local councils. The aim is to bring decisions on education closer to the communities they serve.

The decisions we make on adult education and skills are important; a skilled workforce is essential for economic success. With technologies such as AI transforming the jobs market, it is crucial that people can retrain, upskill and re-enter the workforce as industries change. We know that, when funding is well targeted, more adults take up courses, particularly in sectors with real skills shortages.

The Minister will be aware, though, that councils are stretched and facing pressures on budgets and services. If we devolve responsibility without proper support, we risk letting adult education fall by the wayside. What measures will the Minister therefore take to ensure that the services are provided and that the funding he is devolving is well spent? What checks will he apply?

The Minister will also be aware that Surrey county council is being reorganised. He is proposing to devolve funding for adult education and skills to Surrey county council from 1 August this year, but I believe I am right in saying that, from 1 April next year, it will be replaced by two councils: East and West Surrey. What steps will he take to ensure that those new councils can deliver quality services for local residents?

The Conservatives are proud of our record on education and skills over our previous period in Government; we left rising standards in schools, improved attainment and expanded apprenticeships, but the job is not finished. Skills policy must work for adults as well as for young people, so we accept that there is more to do. We will do our job of scrutinising the Government: supporting policies that work and holding them to account on policies that do not.