Question to the Department for Education:

To ask Her Majesty's Government what consideration they are giving to the recommendations of the report on the adult skills gap by the City and Guilds Group Missing Millions, published in February; and what plans they have to review adult education.

Our adult skills system seeks to increase productivity, support employment and promote social inclusion. The Adult Education Budget fully funds or co-funds skills provision for eligible adults aged 19+ from pre-entry to level 3 and includes funding to help learners to overcome barriers which prevent them from taking part in learning.

The attached City and Guilds Group report, ‘Missing Millions’, states that adult skills are becoming increasingly important due to adults being economically active for longer as well as automation and technological change. The department is committed to improving the offer for adults through user research and delivering the flexibility in training that adults tell us that they need.

Moreover, over the course of this Parliament, we are providing an extra £3 billion for a new National Skills Fund to help people learn new skills and to prepare for the economy of the future.

The City and Guilds Group report also highlights the important role that employers have in investing in training their workforces.