Asked by: Sarah Wollaston (Liberal Democrat - Totnes)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment she has made of the effect of maintaining current levels of core educational funding for 16 to 18 year olds on (a) educational outcomes and (b) further education provision; and what plans she has for (i) funding and (ii) resourcing further education in the next five years.
Answered by Anne Milton
The post-16 system is performing well and a record proportion of 16 to 18-year olds are now participating in education or apprenticeships. The results in the first of the reformed A levels were released last month, with students continuing to achieve effectively against the high standards of the qualification and demonstrating their readiness for the demands of higher education. Overall A level results this year were stable compared to last year.
A record number of 18-year olds applied for places in Higher Education this year and the entry rate for English 18-year olds from disadvantaged backgrounds is at a record high.
Asked by: Sarah Wollaston (Liberal Democrat - Totnes)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, when her Department plans to publish the careers strategy.
Answered by Anne Milton
We will publish a careers strategy in the Autumn. The strategy will have a clear focus on improving social mobility.
Asked by: Sarah Wollaston (Liberal Democrat - Totnes)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, if she will publish a list of school transport plans with no mechanism for engaging schools and colleges as active stakeholders.
Answered by Caroline Dinenage
The statutory responsibility for transport to education and training for children of compulsory school age and for 16 to 19 year olds rests with local authorities, enabling them to make decisions which best match local needs and circumstances.
Local authorities are required to consult a range of stakeholders including schools and colleges about their post-16 transport policies. When developing transport policies for children of compulsory school age statutory guidance strongly encourages local authorities to consult.
Local authorities publish transport policies for school age children and post-16 young people on their websites. The department does not assess these to determine the extent to which local authorities meet these expectations for consultation. Links to post-16 transport policies can be found at www.gov.uk/subsidised-college-transport-16-19.
Asked by: Sarah Wollaston (Liberal Democrat - Totnes)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what estimate she has made of the cost of the Immigration Skills Charge to NHS and social care sponsors of Tier 2 visas in 2016-17; and if she will make a statement.
Answered by Robert Halfon
The income raised from the Immigration Skills Charge will support the provision of skills for the resident population, to address the skills gaps that employers face. Further information will be set out in due course. We have not estimated the potential annual cost to NHS and social care sponsors. The cost will depend on employer use of the Tier 2 skilled worker route.
Asked by: Sarah Wollaston (Liberal Democrat - Totnes)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether the revenue raised by the Immigration Skills Charge applied to NHS and social care sponsors of Tier 2 visas will be hypothecated for investment in apprenticeships in health and social care; and if she will make a statement.
Answered by Robert Halfon
The income raised from the Immigration Skills Charge will support the provision of skills for the resident population, to address the skills gaps that employers face. Further information will be set out in due course. We have not estimated the potential annual cost to NHS and social care sponsors. The cost will depend on employer use of the Tier 2 skilled worker route.