Education

Sally-Ann Hart Excerpts

Thursday 20th July 2023 Ministerial Corrections

[Gillian Keegan]

There is nothing that would make me give such drastic advice. The truth about the apprenticeship budget is that 99.6% of it was spent in the 2021-22 financial year. We can look in the rear view mirror, and there are some reports going back over time that show some underspend in the levy, but they are back over time. We have spent 99.6% of the budget. Perhaps what the hon. Gentleman has not appreciated is that some of the funding goes to the devolved Administrations.

Reading Standards: Primary-age Children

[Sally-Ann Hart (Hastings and Rye) (Con)]

13. What steps her Department is taking to improve standards of reading of primary age children.

[The Minister for Schools (Nick Gibb)]

The Progress in International Reading Literacy Study was published in May this year. England had come fourth among 43 countries that tested children of the same age, nine and 10-year-olds. In 2012 we introduced the phonics screening check, testing six-year-olds for their progress in reading and phonics.

[Official Report, 17 July 2023, Vol. 736, c. 608.]

Letter of correction from the Minister for Schools:

An error has been identified in the response given to my hon. Friend the Member for Hastings and Rye (Sally-Ann Hart).

The correct response should have been: