Oral Answers to Questions Debate

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Department: Department for Education

Oral Answers to Questions

Bob Blackman Excerpts
Monday 4th July 2016

(7 years, 10 months ago)

Commons Chamber
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Nick Gibb Portrait Mr Gibb
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The hon. Gentleman is absolutely wrong. Following the apprenticeships review in 2012, employers are designing new apprenticeships that are more responsive to the needs of business. More than 1,300 employers are involved; 241 standards have been published; and more than 160 new standards are in development. In the last Parliament, there were 2.4 million apprenticeship starts, and the reforms to technical education will build on that. This is a very successful part of our education system.

Bob Blackman Portrait Bob Blackman (Harrow East) (Con)
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T3. One of the concerns about the fairer funding formula is what happens to sixth-form students. Can Ministers confirm that fairer funding will apply to sixth-form students in particular, and clarify what is proposed for sixth-form colleges?

Sam Gyimah Portrait The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Education (Mr Sam Gyimah)
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My hon. Friend will be aware that in the spending review, my right hon. Friend the Chancellor confirmed funding of £4,000 per pupil for post-16 education, and that remains the case. Obviously, where there are school sixth forms, reforming the national funding formula will impact on the whole school budget. I do not what to pre-empt what the consultation will say, but I am sure we can have a discussion once we have published it.