Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, pursuant to the Prime Minister's Oral Answer of 14 November 2018, Official Report, column 310, to the hon. Member for Makerfield, what the evidential basis is for the statements that (a) the Government has invested nearly £7 billion this year in further education and (b) funding to support adult participation in further education will be higher than at any time in England’s history by 2020.

The government plans to invest nearly £7 billion during the 2018/19 academic year, to ensure there is a place in education or training for every 16 to 19 year old who wants one. This is made up of £5.7 billion as set out in the 2018/19 published 16 to 19 allocations (available at the following link: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/16-to-19-allocation-data-2018-to-2019-academic-year.) along with our estimates of: additional high needs funding from the Dedicated Schools Grant that will be invested by local authorities in young people with complex special educational needs or disabilities (whose support costs more than schools and colleges can meet from their annual budget); and investment in apprenticeships for 16 to 18 year olds.

By 2020, funding in adult skills participation will have increased through maintaining the Adult Education Budget at £1.5 billion per annum, by investing nearly £2.5 billion in apprenticeships per year, double what was spent in 2010, and by extending the reach of Advanced Learner loans so that funding has been available to meet demand. In addition, the total amount of investment in skills through the European Social Fund (ESF) is between £250 and £300 million per annum. Plans are being made to determine what provision should be delivered as a replacement for ESF.