Oral Answers to Questions

Lord Evans of Rainow Excerpts

Monday 7th February 2011 Commons Chamber

[Mr Speaker]

Order. The Secretary of State will resume his seat. We are moving on to the next question.

[Graham Evans (Weaver Vale) (Con)]

4. What plans he has to improve vocational education; and if he will make a statement.

[The Minister for Further Education, Skills and Lifelong Learning (Mr John Hayes)]

The Government are keen to make significant improvements to vocational education, its organisation, funding and target audience—for example, through university technical colleges. Professor Alison Wolf has been commissioned to produce a report which will be published in spring 2011 and her findings will inform our determination to reinvigorate vocational education.

[Graham Evans]

How will the Government boost the number of apprentices and ensure that those who complete their training will get the status and recognition that they deserve?

[Mr Hayes]

It was Dr. Johnson who said that a lack of manual dexterity constitutes a form of ignorance. The Government are determined to boost the number of apprenticeships, which is why we have put in place funding for 75,000 more adult apprenticeships and 30,000 more apprenticeships for young people. Today, in The Times—I know you will have seen it, Mr Speaker; others may not have done—we have for the first time celebrated the achievements of those who achieved higher apprenticeships in 2010. This ensures that apprentices and all those who aspire to and achieve vocational qualifications get the status and recognition that they deserve.