Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, with reference to paragraph 5.64 of the Autumn Statement, whether Sir Michael Barber has been asked to provide an assessment of the adequacy of funding for further education colleges.

Sir Michael Barber has been appointed to provide private advice to my righ hon. Friends, the Chancellor of the Exchequer and the Secretary of State for Education, on the implementation of the department’s current skills reforms programme. As part of those reforms, the department is investing £3.8 billion more in further education and skills over the Parliament, to ensure people can access high-quality education and training, including T Levels, that lead to good jobs.