Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what recent assessment he has made of the demand for further education from adults resident in (a) Worcestershire and (b) Herefordshire.

In 2019/20 there were 14,330 adult (19+) learners participating in further education and skills (including apprenticeships) in Worcestershire and 4,340 in Herefordshire.

It is for providers in local areas, including Worcestershire and Herefordshire, to determine the demand for provision from both learners and employers in their areas and tailor provision to meet those demands.

They do this by working with employers, other providers, and organisations such as Worcestershire and the Marches Local Enterprise Partnerships and their Skills Advisory Panels, which help to better understand, identify, and address skills challenges at a local level across England.

As we address the challenges presented by COVID-19 and prepare to seize the opportunities offered up by leaving the European Union, it is vital that we support adults, including those working in sectors directly affected by COVID-19, to attain the skills that will be needed in the economy of the future.

Starting this year, the government is investing £2.5 billion (£3 billion when including Barnett funding for devolved administrations) in the National Skills Fund. This is a significant investment and has the potential to deliver new opportunities to generations of adults who may have been previously left behind.

My right hon. Friend, the Chancellor of the Exchequer, announced £375 million for the National Skills Fund at the Spending Review in November 2020. This includes £95 million funding for a new level 3 adult offer and £43 million for Skills Bootcamps. Investment in skills through the National Skills Fund is vital, ensuring adults have the opportunity to progress into higher wage employment and to support those who need to retrain at different points throughout their lives.

From April 2021, we will be supporting any adult aged 24 and over who wants to achieve their first full level 3 qualification – equivalent to two A levels, or an advanced technical certificate or diploma – to access nearly 400 fully funded courses.

Complementing the Level 3 adult offer, the Skills Bootcamps offer free, flexible courses of up to 16 weeks, giving people the opportunity to build up sector-specific skills and fast-track to an interview with a local employer. Skills Bootcamps have the potential to transform the skills landscape for adults and employers.

The government plans to consult on the National Skills Fund in spring 2021 to ensure that we develop a fund that helps adults learn valuable skills and prepares them for the economy of the future.

We are also continuing to invest in education and skills training for adults through the Adult Education Budget (AEB) (£1.34bn in 2020/21). The AEB fully funds or co-funds skills provision for eligible adults aged 19 and above from pre-entry to level 3, to support adults to gain the skills they need for work, an apprenticeship or further learning.