Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what recent assessment she has made of the potential impact of international educational internships on developing skills among young people.

The government believes that work and study placements overseas, including internships, can help students to develop their skills, gain international experience and boost their employability. That is why, in the current academic year, the department is funding over 35,200 Turing Scheme placements, an estimated 61% of which are for students from disadvantaged backgrounds.

An evaluation of the Turing Scheme in its first year of operation showed that 91% of higher education and 80% of further education students on work placements believed that their Turing Scheme placement enhanced their career and prospects.

As set out at the UK-EU Summit in May, we are working towards association to Erasmus+ on mutually agreed financial terms. Erasmus+ provides opportunities for young people to study, train, or gain work experience abroad. Erasmus+ placements provide valuable international experiences, helping young people develop new skills, broaden horizons, and enhance future career prospects.