Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, with reference to the Government's investment in additional college and post-16 education places announced on 28 July 2026, what recent assessment has been made of the number of additional education and training places that will be created in (a) Basildon, (b) Thurrock and (c) Essex.

The department is funding through the Post-16 and Construction Skills Capacity Fund no projects in Basildon, one in Thurrock and four in Essex. We expect these projects to lead to (a) no additional places in Basildon, (b) around 150 additional learners per year in Thurrock, and (c) around 900 additional learners per year in Essex.