Asked by: Gordon Marsden (Labour - Blackpool South)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, how he plans to modify the outcome area reviews of post-16 education and training to take account of equality impact assessments available only after a review has concluded.
Answered by Nick Boles
The Government will produce an evaluation of the area review programme and its potential to impact on groups protected by the Equality Act 2010.
The Joint Area Review Delivery Unit, which supports the individual reviews, will work with the local steering groups overseeing the reviews to make sure that equality issues are considered in each review.
The reviews do not, however, mandate action. Colleges are independent corporations and it will be for each college’s governing body to assess the potential impact on groups protected by the Act, as part of its decision to accept or reject any recommendation requiring a change to their provision. This does not therefore require a modification of the outcomes of a review.
Asked by: Gordon Marsden (Labour - Blackpool South)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, when he expects to (a) receive and (b) publish the final recommendations for wave 1 of the area reviews of post-16 education and training.
Answered by Nick Boles
As each area review reaches its conclusion, we will receive confirmation of the recommendations that have been agreed and I have agreed to meet with MPs from the area to discuss those recommendations.
As we have set out in the published guidance for area reviews, we will publish a report relating to each review once it has finished. This will include the final recommendations agreed by each review.
The exact timing of both of these will depend on the progress of each individual review. We expect most reports from the first wave to be published before the Summer recess.
Asked by: Gordon Marsden (Labour - Blackpool South)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, when his Department plans to publish its Skills White Paper.
Answered by Nick Boles
The Government is implementing reforms to the skills system to ensure we have the technical skills that the economy needs. We are considering when and how to publish details of our plans for further reform of the skills strategy.
Asked by: Gordon Marsden (Labour - Blackpool South)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what discussions he has had with the Secretary of State for Education on the liability of multi-academy trusts to pay the apprenticeship levy.
Answered by Nick Boles
My Rt hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills has regular discussions with the Secretary of State for Education on a wide variety of issues, including the apprenticeship levy.
Asked by: Gordon Marsden (Labour - Blackpool South)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what discussions he has had with the Cabinet Office on the liability of charities and voluntary organisations to pay the apprenticeship levy.
Answered by Nick Boles
We are working with the Cabinet Office and other government departments on helping employers in different sectors prepare for the apprenticeship levy. Only charities and voluntary organisations with a pay bill greater than £3million will pay the apprenticeship levy. These organisations and all other employers will be able to get back the funds they pay in levy if they take on apprentices. Apprenticeships can benefit all sectors, including charities, and we will work with these organisations to grow the number of apprenticeships they offer.
Asked by: Gordon Marsden (Labour - Blackpool South)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what definition of the degree apprenticeship his Department uses in its work on that proposal.
Answered by Nick Boles
A degree apprenticeship is an approved English apprenticeship where one of the outcomes of the apprenticeship standard is a Bachelor’s or a Master’s degree awarded by the university where the apprentice undertook their academic study.
Degree Apprenticeships policy is still under development within the existing legal framework.
Asked by: Gordon Marsden (Labour - Blackpool South)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, how many existing staff from the Skills Funding Agency it is planned will be transferred to the new Institute for Apprenticeships.
Answered by Nick Boles
The final size and structure of the Institute for Apprenticeships will be determined in due course. No decisions have yet been made about its structure or staffing.
Asked by: Gordon Marsden (Labour - Blackpool South)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, pursuant to the oral contribution of 25 April 2016, Official Report, column 1131, which groups he (a) has met with and (b) plans to meet with to discuss the importance of apprenticeships and other technical education for young people with disabilities.
Answered by Nick Boles
I have held discussions with the Alliance for Inclusive Education and Access Bedford.
Work is currently ongoing with the Department for Work and Pensions to identity further groups, including charities, employer and training provider representatives, to engage with on these important issues.
I have met with a number of hon Members and their constituents to discuss the matter and will be holding a roundtable on engaging individuals with learning difficulties and disabilities in apprenticeships in the near future.
Asked by: Gordon Marsden (Labour - Blackpool South)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, pursuant to the Written Statement of 26 April 2016, HCWS701, what estimate he has made of the number of students affected by the proposed changes to eligibility to student support for people with long residency in the UK.
Answered by Lord Johnson of Marylebone
We estimated at the time of proposing the changes that they could lead to an additional 2,400 claims for student support in the first year after the changes take effect. This estimate was derived from information on those people who had non-asylum discretionary leave to remain and had applied for student support. However, we do not have information on the length of time these individuals have been in the UK or their age. It is therefore not possible to determine exactly how many of these individuals would meet the criteria in the new rules.
Asked by: Gordon Marsden (Labour - Blackpool South)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, pursuant to the Written Statement of 26 April 2016, HCWS701, what estimate he has made of the cost to the public purse of the proposed changes to eligibility to student support for people with long residency in the UK.
Answered by Lord Johnson of Marylebone
From 2016/17, the average student loan outlay for each additional student eligible for student finance is estimated to be between £15,000 and £17,000 depending on the household income of the students. Students could also be eligible for an average of £300 of support for allowances such as the Disabled Students Allowance. An additional 2,400 students, as estimated, could lead to around £40m in loan outlay and £0.7m in allowances annually. In RAB terms, the annual costs for 2,400 students could be £10m.