Asked by: Chris Evans (Labour (Co-op) - Caerphilly)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment he has made of which areas of England have the highest proportion of adults with below average functional (a) numeracy and (b) literacy.
Answered by Anne Milton
We recognise that more needs to be done to ensure adults in England have the literacy and numeracy skills that they need for life and work. This is why this government provides full funding for adults in England to enable them to develop their literacy and numeracy skills and to secure qualifications from entry level up to GCSE level.
The Skills for Life Survey, which was published in 2011, estimated the literacy and numeracy knowledge of adults aged 16 to 65 in England. This includes estimates for regions and local authorities. The survey shows estimates of the percentage of the adult population with different levels for these components for England and each region. It can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/36520/region-2009-all_1_.xlsx.
According to the survey, adults who have the lowest proportion of literacy and numeracy skills (with a L2 qualification or above) are in London and the North East respectively. However, this does not take into account adults who have English as a second language.
We are working with a range of sector and research partners to improve the evidence base on the best ways to support adults to secure basic English and maths skills. This includes exploring innovative ways through the Career Learning Pilots.
Asked by: Chris Evans (Labour (Co-op) - Caerphilly)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps his Department is taking to support adults without basic literacy skills.
Answered by Anne Milton
This government recognises the importance of English, both in work and everyday life. This is why we provide full funding for adult learners in England to secure English qualifications from entry level to level 2.
To raise standards of adult literacy, we are reforming English Functional Skills qualifications, which are accessed primarily by adults. This will make sure that these qualifications are more rigorous and better recognised by employers.
Through the Flexible Learning Fund, we are investing over £11 million to design and test ways of delivering learning more flexibly to adults with low or intermediate skills.
Asked by: Chris Evans (Labour (Co-op) - Caerphilly)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps his Department is taking to raise standards of adult literacy.
Answered by Anne Milton
We provide full funding for adult learners in England to secure English and mathematics qualifications from entry level to level 2.
To raise standards of adult literacy and numeracy, we are reforming English and mathematics Functional Skills qualifications, which are accessed primarily by adults. This will ensure that these qualifications are more rigorous and better recognised by employers.
Through the Flexible Learning Fund, we are investing over £11 million to design and test ways of delivering learning to adults with low or intermediate skills more flexibly.
We are also establishing 21 Centres for Excellence across the country, with at least one in every region of England, to improve the quality of mathematics teaching and basic mathematics knowledge and skills in post-16 institutions. The programme will spread best practice across the country through mathematics networks, which will benefit adult learners.
Asked by: Chris Evans (Labour (Co-op) - Caerphilly)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what plans the Government has to improve adult literacy and numeracy.
Answered by Anne Milton
We provide full funding for adult learners in England to secure English and mathematics qualifications from entry level to level 2.
To raise standards of adult literacy and numeracy, we are reforming English and mathematics Functional Skills qualifications, which are accessed primarily by adults. This will ensure that these qualifications are more rigorous and better recognised by employers.
Through the Flexible Learning Fund, we are investing over £11 million to design and test ways of delivering learning to adults with low or intermediate skills more flexibly.
We are also establishing 21 Centres for Excellence across the country, with at least one in every region of England, to improve the quality of mathematics teaching and basic mathematics knowledge and skills in post-16 institutions. The programme will spread best practice across the country through mathematics networks, which will benefit adult learners.
Asked by: Chris Evans (Labour (Co-op) - Caerphilly)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether any (a) external contractors and (b) consultancy companies engaged by her Department have charged more than the initial price agreed for their services since May 2010.
Answered by Nick Gibb
The Department for Education does not collect this information in the requested format and it could only be provided at disproportionate cost.