Asked by: Baroness Blower (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of how the United Kingdom and other international partners can protect minority communities in Syria.
Answered by Lord Collins of Highbury - Lord in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)
As part of our intensive diplomatic engagement with international partners, and in discussions with the interim Syrian authorities, we have consistently advocated for an inclusive political transition and underlined the importance of protecting the rights of religious and ethnic minorities. The Foreign Secretary raised this most recently with interim Foreign Minister Al Shaybani at the International Contact Group for Syria in Riyadh on 12 January. We want to see a political transition process which leads to an inclusive, non-sectarian and representative government. We will continue to work with our international partners in support of this.
Asked by: Baroness Blower (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask His Majesty's Government what plans they have to adjust the eligibility criteria of the holiday activities and food (HAF) programme to better target support and reduce stigma for those attending HAF schemes.
Answered by Baroness Smith of Malvern - Minister of State (Education)
The holiday activities and food (HAF) programme, although aimed at those children in receipt of benefits-related free school meals (FSM), is not exclusively for them. As set out in the HAF guidance, while the majority of funding that local authorities receive should be used for holiday club places for children in receipt of FSM, local authorities have discretion to use up to 15% of their funding to provide free or subsidised holiday club places for children who are not in receipt of benefits-related FSM, but who the local authority believe could benefit from HAF provision.
Many holiday clubs provide a mixture of HAF and paid-for places for children. Where this is the case, children funded through HAF must be provided with the same food and treated equally.
Asked by: Baroness Blower (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask His Majesty's Government (1) how many, and (2) what percentage, of levy-paying employers have spent more than half the funds in their apprenticeship levy account, for each of the past five financial years.
Answered by Baroness Barran - Shadow Minister (Education)
UK employers with an annual pay bill above £3 million pay the apprenticeship levy, which is collected by HM Revenue & Customs. The government introduced the apprenticeship levy to incentivise larger businesses to develop and invest in their own apprenticeship programmes whilst ensuring the availability of funding for smaller employers wanting to offer apprenticeships. Through the levy, the government is increasing investment in the apprenticeships system in England to £2.7 billion in the 2024/25 financial year to support employers of all sizes build their workforces. As the apprenticeships levy is UK wide, income from the levy also supports the Devolved Administrations to invest in their skills programmes.
In England, employers can use their levy funds for apprenticeships in their own business or transfer their funds to support apprenticeships in other businesses. Funds that levy payers do not draw on is used to fund apprenticeships in small and medium sized businesses. Levy payers are not expected to use all funds available to them, though they are able to do so.
Employers in England who pay the apprenticeship levy can access funds for apprenticeship training and assessment by registering for an apprenticeship service account. The funds in employers’ accounts reflect the ‘English percentage’ of an employer’s levy contribution and include a 10% top-up from the government.
The funds available to levy-paying employers through their apprenticeship service accounts does not represent the total spend on apprenticeships for levy-paying empoyers and is not the same as the apprenticeships budget which funds apprenticeships for employers of all sizes. On average, 98% of the apprenticeships budget has been spent in the last two financial years.
The table below shows the number of levy-paying employers that have spent more than 50% of the funds declared in their apprenticeship service accounts, including the 10% top-up from the government, in each financial year from 2018/19 to 2022/23.
FY | Number of employers who spent more than 50% of levy funds | Percentage of total employers who spent more than 50% of levy funds |
2018/19 | 4,210 | 27% |
2019/20 | 6,000 | 36% |
2020/21 | 6,080 | 35% |
2021/22 | 6,580 | 35% |
2022/23 | 6,970 | 35% |
The department is supporting employers to make greater use of their levy and have improved the transfer system to make it easier to find other employers who wish to take on apprentices with transferred funds. In April 2019, the department increased the transfer allowance from 10% to 25%, so levy-paying employers could transfer more of their annual funds to support any employer. Since September 2021, over 500 employers, including ASDA, HomeServe, and BT Group, have pledged to transfer over £33 million to support apprenticeships in businesses of all sizes. The table below shows the number of levy-paying employers who spent all of their transfer allowance in each financial year from 2018/19 to 2022/23.
FY (of allowance calculation) | Employers who used all their transfer allowance | Percentage of total employers who used all their transfer allowance |
2018/19 | 70 | 0.4% |
2019/20 | 170 | 1.0% |
2020/21 | 280 | 1.6% |
2021/22 | 370 | 2.0% |
2022/23 | 270 | 1.4% |
With regard to allowing levy-paying employers to use their funds on non-apprenticeship training schemes and courses, I refer the noble lady to the answer of 10 November 2023 to Question 614.
Asked by: Baroness Blower (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask His Majesty's Government (1) how many, and (2) what percentage, of levy-paying employers have transferred the maximum 25 per cent of apprenticeship levy funds to other businesses, for each of the past five financial years.
Answered by Baroness Barran - Shadow Minister (Education)
UK employers with an annual pay bill above £3 million pay the apprenticeship levy, which is collected by HM Revenue & Customs. The government introduced the apprenticeship levy to incentivise larger businesses to develop and invest in their own apprenticeship programmes whilst ensuring the availability of funding for smaller employers wanting to offer apprenticeships. Through the levy, the government is increasing investment in the apprenticeships system in England to £2.7 billion in the 2024/25 financial year to support employers of all sizes build their workforces. As the apprenticeships levy is UK wide, income from the levy also supports the Devolved Administrations to invest in their skills programmes.
In England, employers can use their levy funds for apprenticeships in their own business or transfer their funds to support apprenticeships in other businesses. Funds that levy payers do not draw on is used to fund apprenticeships in small and medium sized businesses. Levy payers are not expected to use all funds available to them, though they are able to do so.
Employers in England who pay the apprenticeship levy can access funds for apprenticeship training and assessment by registering for an apprenticeship service account. The funds in employers’ accounts reflect the ‘English percentage’ of an employer’s levy contribution and include a 10% top-up from the government.
The funds available to levy-paying employers through their apprenticeship service accounts does not represent the total spend on apprenticeships for levy-paying empoyers and is not the same as the apprenticeships budget which funds apprenticeships for employers of all sizes. On average, 98% of the apprenticeships budget has been spent in the last two financial years.
The table below shows the number of levy-paying employers that have spent more than 50% of the funds declared in their apprenticeship service accounts, including the 10% top-up from the government, in each financial year from 2018/19 to 2022/23.
FY | Number of employers who spent more than 50% of levy funds | Percentage of total employers who spent more than 50% of levy funds |
2018/19 | 4,210 | 27% |
2019/20 | 6,000 | 36% |
2020/21 | 6,080 | 35% |
2021/22 | 6,580 | 35% |
2022/23 | 6,970 | 35% |
The department is supporting employers to make greater use of their levy and have improved the transfer system to make it easier to find other employers who wish to take on apprentices with transferred funds. In April 2019, the department increased the transfer allowance from 10% to 25%, so levy-paying employers could transfer more of their annual funds to support any employer. Since September 2021, over 500 employers, including ASDA, HomeServe, and BT Group, have pledged to transfer over £33 million to support apprenticeships in businesses of all sizes. The table below shows the number of levy-paying employers who spent all of their transfer allowance in each financial year from 2018/19 to 2022/23.
FY (of allowance calculation) | Employers who used all their transfer allowance | Percentage of total employers who used all their transfer allowance |
2018/19 | 70 | 0.4% |
2019/20 | 170 | 1.0% |
2020/21 | 280 | 1.6% |
2021/22 | 370 | 2.0% |
2022/23 | 270 | 1.4% |
With regard to allowing levy-paying employers to use their funds on non-apprenticeship training schemes and courses, I refer the noble lady to the answer of 10 November 2023 to Question 614.
Asked by: Baroness Blower (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the impact of the recent police operation at the Kurdish Community Centre in London on relations with that community.
Answered by Lord Sharpe of Epsom - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Home Office)
It is a fundamental principal of British Policing that the police are operationally independent of the government, and it is for them take decisions on enforcement action.
No assessment has been made at this time on community relations following the police operation at the Kurdish Community Centre in London.
Asked by: Baroness Blower (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask His Majesty's Government (1) how many, and (2) what percentage, of levy paying employers have spent all funds in their apprenticeship levy account, for each of the past five financial years.
Answered by Baroness Barran - Shadow Minister (Education)
UK employers with an annual pay bill above £3 million pay the apprenticeship levy, which is collected by HM Revenue & Customs. Employers in England who pay the apprenticeship levy can access funds for apprenticeship training and assessment by registering for an apprenticeship service account. The funds in employers’ accounts reflect the ‘English percentage’ of an employer’s levy contribution and include a 10% top-up from the government.
While levy-paying employers in England can use all their levy funds the majority do not, which allows these funds from the apprenticeship budget to fund apprenticeship training for small and medium sized businesses, so all companies can benefit from training apprentices.
The table below shows the number of levy-paying employers that have spent all the funds declared in their apprenticeship service accounts, including the 10% top-up from the government, in each financial year from 2018/19 to 2022/23.
Number of employers who spent all levy funds | Percentage of total employers who spent all levy funds | |
2018/19 | 1,620 | 10% |
2019/20 | 2,530 | 15% |
2020/21 | 2,520 | 15% |
2021/22 | 2,620 | 14% |
2022/23 | 2,540 | 13% |
The funds in levy-paying employers’ apprenticeship service accounts do not represent the total spend on apprenticeships for levy paying employers and are not the same as the total annual apprenticeships budget. The ring-fenced apprenticeships budget for England is set by HM Treasury and, although closely linked, is distinct from the total levy income collected. In the last two financial years, on average 98% of the English apprenticeships budget was spent.
Asked by: Baroness Blower (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask His Majesty's Government what is the average training cost of a traineeship.
Answered by Baroness Barran - Shadow Minister (Education)
In the 2022/23 financial year, the average cost of a traineeship was £2,700. This includes the costs of training and outcome payments, but excludes the cost of the £1,000 incentive payments, introduced in response to COVID-19. As of August 2023, the government has integrated the traineeship programme into the 16-19 study programme and adult education provision.
Asked by: Baroness Blower (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask His Majesty's Government what is the average cost of a Higher Technical Qualification at (1) Level 4, and (2) Level 5.
Answered by Baroness Barran - Shadow Minister (Education)
Higher Technical Qualifications (HTQs) started being taught in providers in England in September 2022. At this time, the department does not hold data on the average cost of HTQs across all providers.
The government sets maximum fee limits for providers registering with the Office for Students as Approved (Fee Cap) Providers who can charge up to £9,250 for a full-time course leading to an HTQ and up to £6,935 for a part-time course leading to an HTQ in the 2023/24 academic year.
Eligible students, who are starting designated full-time and part-time courses leading to an HTQ in the 2023/24 academic year, qualify for up-front fee loans to meet the full cost of their tuition and partially means-tested loans for living costs.
Asked by: Baroness Blower (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask His Majesty's Government what is the average training cost of an (1) intermediate, (2) advanced, and (3) higher level, apprenticeship.
Answered by Baroness Barran - Shadow Minister (Education)
The table below shows the average cost of all apprentices who participated in learning across the 2022/23 academic year by level. This includes those who remain on programme, those who withdrew across the year, and those who completed their apprenticeship. Apprenticeships have a minimum 12-month duration and can last for a number of years. These figures cover all costs associated with these apprentices, including costs incurred in previous years and those incurred within the 2022/23 academic year. These figures include payments for apprenticeship training and assessment, as well as additional payments made to employers, providers, and apprentices, including for English and maths.
Level of Apprenticeship | Average Cost* |
2 | £4,600 |
3 | £6,000 |
4 | £5,600 |
5 | £5,000 |
6 | £10,800 |
7 | £9,000 |
*Numbers rounded to the nearest 100
Each apprenticeship standard has its own funding band, which denotes the maximum amount that the government will fund for training and assessment. The total cost of an apprenticeship will therefore vary by standard, duration, and eligibility for additional payments. Existing standards can have their funding bands reviewed, or be withdrawn for new starts, while new standards can be introduced. These figures are therefore a snapshot in time, subject to change in future and cannot be used to extrapolate future costs of apprenticeships.
Asked by: Baroness Blower (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask His Majesty's Government what is the average cost of a National Vocational Qualification at (1) Level 2, and (2) Level 3.
Answered by Baroness Barran - Shadow Minister (Education)
The Adult Education Budget (AEB) fully funds or co-funds skills provision for eligible adults aged 19 and above from pre-entry to Level 3. About 60% of the AEB has been devolved to nine Mayoral Combined Authorities and the Mayor of London and these authorities are now responsible for, and determine, the funding rates for the provision in their areas. The Education and Skills Funding Agency (ESFA) provides the remaining funding for learners who live in non-devolved areas. Within the ESFA AEB, the department funds qualifications on the programme weighting of the qualification and its size. It is up to providers to decide what provision they offer and then claim the funding rate and therefore the department does not hold the information regarding the cost of delivering specific National Vocational Qualifications (NVQs).
For 16 to 19 year olds, the department calculates funding for institutions using national funding rates, which depend on the overall size of students’ programmes, rather than funding based on specific qualifications. Therefore, the department does not hold information regarding the costs of delivering specific NVQs.