Post-16 Education and Skills White Paper

Debate between Baroness Rawlings and Baroness Smith of Malvern

Tuesday 24th February 2026 Lords Chamber

[Baroness Smith of Malvern (Lab)]

My noble friend is absolutely right. I can remember the contribution made by the union learning fund to support trade unions to enable the development of skills in their workplaces. It is a real shame that the last Government removed the funding from it. I can tell my noble friend that this is something that, relatively recently, we have been discussing within one of the two departments that I operate within. We are thinking about how we can get some of those benefits back and ensure that trade unions are able to contribute in a way in which they historically have done, to not only the representation of the workforce but the development of the workforce.

[Baroness Rawlings (Con)]

I declare my interest as a former chairman of King’s College London. What discussions have HMG had with the principals and vice-chancellors of universities on this subject?

[Baroness Smith of Malvern (Lab)]

I chair an advisory group on how we can develop and deliver the lifelong learning entitlement, which is well attended by vice-chancellors. I talk about the opportunities for lifelong learning whenever I get the chance.