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Speech in Commons Chamber - Mon 10 Oct 2016
Oral Answers to Questions

"Does my right hon. Friend agree that we should beware the law of unintended consequences? Adding students to the board of the Office for Students would put at risk representation and engagement with students throughout the higher education system. Will she assure me, and the student community, that the OFS …..."
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View all Ben Howlett (Con - Bath) contributions to the debate on: Oral Answers to Questions
Written Question
Apprentices
Thursday 15th September 2016

Asked by: Ben Howlett (Conservative - Bath)

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps her Department is taking to ensure that apprenticeships are undertaken by people in less affluent households.

Answered by Robert Halfon

Apprenticeships can transform lives. They are a great way for people of all ages and backgrounds to progress in work and life and a great way for employers to improve the skills base of their businesses.

Apprentices acquire skills much valued in the labour market, and the apprentice does not have to contribute to the costs of their learning. Apprenticeships are paid jobs with training and so, as with any other form of employment, selection decisions are made by individual employers, who choose the most appropriate candidates for their jobs.

We are encouraging a wider range of young people into apprenticeships. Traineeships are available to help 16-23 year olds become ‘work ready’. They include work preparation training, English, maths and work experience, which all help the trainee to enter the world of work, including apprenticeships. They are flexible so providers can adapt them to the needs of the trainee by including additional support such as mentoring.

We are giving employers more control of the funding for apprenticeships training in return for them investing more in apprenticeships; this includes simplifying the funding system to encourage employers to recruit more apprentices of all ages and from all backgrounds.

Speech in Commons Chamber - Mon 12 Sep 2016
Schools that work for Everyone

"I welcome the Secretary of State’s and the Prime Minister’s commitment to opening education up for everyone and leaving nobody behind, but, having conducted research on this issue and asked the Library, I have found no evidence, thus far, to suggest that social mobility is improved as a result of …..."
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View all Ben Howlett (Con - Bath) contributions to the debate on: Schools that work for Everyone
Written Question
Apprentices
Monday 12th September 2016

Asked by: Ben Howlett (Conservative - Bath)

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, if she will take steps to simplify the application process for securing an apprenticeship.

Answered by Robert Halfon

Apprenticeships are paid jobs with quality training, and dependent upon employers offering apprenticeships, they set any entry criteria and make selection decisions. There will always be competition for the best apprenticeship places, as there is for the best universities.

Apprenticeships vacancies in England can be found at the Find an Apprenticeship pages on gov.uk: https://www.gov.uk/apply-apprenticeship. The site offers information and guidance about finding and applying for vacancies advertised here – not all apprenticeships are advertised on this site.

A new ‘Get In Go Far’ campaign launched on 16 May aimed at 14-24 year-olds, their parents, teachers and employers. This major four-year campaign aims to influence public perceptions, awareness and attitudes towards apprenticeships as a route into a successful career, encouraging more young people to apply and more employers to offer apprenticeship opportunities. As of 24 August, there were over 560,000 visitors to the campaign website, with an average 35% of these being driven to view opportunities on the Find an Apprenticeship website.

The National Careers Service provides independent, professional advice on careers, skills and the labour market, including on the benefits of apprenticeships and how to apply for vacancies. The service is available on-line, over the telephone, via web chat, e-mail, text and online forums. A face-to-face service is available to adults aged 19 and over (or those aged 18 years plus if on out-of-work benefits or offenders in custody).

The statutory guidance for schools on careers guidance and inspiration was updated and published in March 2015 and is now in force. This is clear that schools should give employers and other providers delivering apprenticeships the opportunity to inform pupils directly, on school premises, about what they offer. It emphasises that apprenticeships and university offer two equally effective routes to a successful career.

Speech in Commons Chamber - Tue 19 Jul 2016
Higher Education and Research Bill

"It is a pleasure to follow the hon. Member for Sheffield Central (Paul Blomfield)—I should call him my hon. Friend—who is the chair of the all-party parliamentary group on students. I am the vice-chair, and it is a pleasure working with him to champion students across our country. I agree …..."
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View all Ben Howlett (Con - Bath) contributions to the debate on: Higher Education and Research Bill
Speech in Commons Chamber - Tue 19 Jul 2016
Higher Education and Research Bill

"I completely agree with my hon. Friend and near neighbour. Since 2011, students have said many times that they want more information, and in this digital age, it should not be too difficult to go online and find out in one place what information is available to help them make …..."
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View all Ben Howlett (Con - Bath) contributions to the debate on: Higher Education and Research Bill
Speech in Commons Chamber - Wed 25 May 2016
Education, Skills and Training

"Will the hon. Lady give way?..."
Ben Howlett - View Speech

View all Ben Howlett (Con - Bath) contributions to the debate on: Education, Skills and Training
Speech in Commons Chamber - Wed 25 May 2016
Education, Skills and Training

"There were two very interesting omissions in the speech of the hon. Member for Wallasey (Ms Eagle). There was not one mention of what students want, which is higher quality teaching. The other huge omission was the fact that if teaching quality decreases, the fees of course decrease as well, …..."
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View all Ben Howlett (Con - Bath) contributions to the debate on: Education, Skills and Training
Speech in Commons Chamber - Tue 03 May 2016
Oral Answers to Questions

"Businesses such as Rotork, BMT and Designability in Bath have taken on hundreds of new apprentices since the scheme first started, enabling young people to gain the best qualifications for a really great career. Does my hon. Friend agree, however, that although the Government are doing a great deal to …..."
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Speech in Commons Chamber - Mon 25 Apr 2016
Oral Answers to Questions

"As a school governor at the Bath Studio School, which is a member of a multi-academy trust, I must declare an interest. I have seen for myself the amazing performance that is being improved as a result of being a member of that academy chain. Will the Secretary of State …..."
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View all Ben Howlett (Con - Bath) contributions to the debate on: Oral Answers to Questions