Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what plans her Department has to increase the number of girls participating in STEM subjects after the age of 16.

The number of girls taking science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) A Levels has increased by 20% since 2010 and we are closing the gap between males and females in some subjects (chemistry, biology, mathematics and computing). The Department recognises that we need to do more to increase the number of girls participating in STEM subjects. The Department runs a number of projects to improve participation. For example, we are funding the Stimulating Physics Network to improve the take up of A level physics, particularly by girls. The Department announced a new Level 3 Maths Support Programme, worth £16m over two years, which will be required to raise the participation of girls in A level mathematics and further mathematics, and we continue to fund support to schools to improve the quality of teaching in mathematics, computing and science in primary and secondary schools.

The Department is taking action to improve STEM participation throughout the education pipeline. For example, in Higher Education we have seen applications from women to engineering, computer science and maths degrees rise since 2013 but, we know there is more that we can do. From the 2018/19 academic year, we are introducing maintenance loans available for part-time undergraduate students to help with living costs, which we anticipate will help widen participation.

We are raising awareness amongst children of the range of careers that science and technical qualifications offer, and providing stimulating scientific activities to increase their interest in STEM subjects. This includes the STEM Ambassadors programme, a nationwide network of over 30,000 volunteers, 42% of whom are women, from a range of employers, who work with schools across the UK.