Asked by: Lord Taylor of Warwick (Non-affiliated - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to support UK universities and employers in maximising the benefits of the UK's return to the Erasmus+ student exchange programme, particularly in relation to skills and labour mobility.
Answered by Baroness Smith of Malvern - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
A National Agency will be appointed in due course to deliver Erasmus+ for the UK.
A website with further information will be launched by the UK’s National Agency in summer 2026. Guidance on how to apply for Erasmus+ will be available on GOV.UK, and subsequently the National Agency’s website in summer 2026.
The department will work closely with institutions and our young people to maximise take-up, particularly among disadvantaged groups, and provide certainty on complementary UK schemes so providers can plan confidently and deliver at pace.
Asked by: Lord Taylor of Warwick (Non-affiliated - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the impact of permanently linking university tuition fees rises to inflation on access to higher education and student debt levels.
Answered by Baroness Smith of Malvern - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
The department is committed to supporting the aspiration of every person who meets the requirements and wants to attend higher education (HE). That is why the government will introduce targeted means-tested maintenance grants for students from low-income households studying courses aligned with our missions and industrial strategy.
The student finance system removes upfront financial barriers so that everyone with the ability and desire to enter HE can do so. Student loans carry significant protections for borrowers. Monthly repayments are linked to income, not to the amount borrowed, so will not change with fee rises. At the end of the loan term, any outstanding loan balance will be written off.
The HE sector needs a secure financial footing, which is why the department has taken the difficult decision to increase tuition fee caps for the next two years, in line with inflation. In future years, only institutions which meet a quality threshold will be able to continue to raise their fees in line with inflation to ensure a focus on teaching quality and outcomes for students.
Asked by: Lord Taylor of Warwick (Non-affiliated - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to support workers to train in new sectors when facing unemployment due to artificial intelligence.
Answered by Baroness Smith of Malvern - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
At the recent Spending Review, the government announced substantial investment in skills in England with an additional £1.2 billion by 2028/29. This includes supporting targeted skills packages for key sectors such as construction, digital and technology, engineering, and defence.
The government will provide approximately £1.4 billion in funding for the adult skills fund in the 2025/26 academic year. This includes funding the Free Courses for Jobs offer, which gives eligible adults the chance to access high value Level 3 qualifications for free, which can support them to gain higher wages or a better job.
The government will also support adult learners to retrain through our technical education offer, including through a range of apprenticeships and Skills Bootcamps. Our new levy-funded growth and skills offer will introduce greater flexibility to employers and learners in England.
From September 2026, learners will be able to apply for funding from the Lifelong Learning Entitlement (LLE), which will be the new student finance system for courses and modules starting from January 2027 onwards. The LLE will allow people to retrain, upskill and gain new qualifications across their working lives, at a time that is right for them, such as those returning from a career break.
Asked by: Lord Taylor of Warwick (Non-affiliated - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of whether the school curriculum should include education on the use of artificial intelligence.
Answered by Baroness Smith of Malvern - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
The government has established an independent Curriculum and Assessment Review, which seeks to refresh the curriculum to ensure children and young people leave compulsory education ready for life and work, with the knowledge, skills and attributes they need to thrive. This includes embedding digital skills in their learning.
In its interim report, the Review noted the importance of the curriculum keeping pace with the rise of artificial intelligence (AI) and trends in digital information, including a renewed focus on digital and media literacy and critical thinking skills.
In response to this report, the department appointed a task and finish group to advise on digital, AI and technology. We will consider how best to develop and implement any of its recommendations, including those which aim to prepare children and young people to be ready for an AI and tech-enabled world.
The Curriculum Review’s final report and recommendations will be published in the autumn, at which point the government will respond.
Asked by: Lord Taylor of Warwick (Non-affiliated - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the capacity of UK universities to meet increased demand for science and engineering degree programmes, and what steps they are taking to ensure that the availability of university places aligns with demand.
Answered by Baroness Smith of Malvern - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
Universities are autonomous institutions and are therefore responsible for curriculum development and capacity planning. It is primarily for individual institutions to assess and manage their capacity to meet student demand for specific programmes, including those in science and engineering.
The government recognises the critical importance of science and engineering degree programmes in driving the UK's innovation and economic growth. We have recently announced that for the 2025/26 financial year we will be investing £845 million via the Strategic Priorities Grant in high-cost subject funding, which supports universities to deliver courses in various priority subjects, including science and engineering.
Skills England is the new national body for skills and it will play a crucial role in identifying skills needs and meeting those to support economic growth. Skills England will work closely with the higher education sector to identify and address local, regional and national skills priorities, including the science and engineering provision that is strategically important for our country.
Asked by: Lord Taylor of Warwick (Non-affiliated - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask His Majesty's Government what estimate they have made of the cost of updating IT systems to reflect adjustments to the rate of student loan repayments.
Answered by Baroness Smith of Malvern - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
The department is responsible for setting the current interest rates for student loans in the UK. These rates are updated annually each September and are primarily linked to inflation, using the Retail Price Index (RPI) from the previous March.
The Student Loans Company (SLC) is a wholly owned government company which delivers student finance services to students on behalf of the four UK governments. In line with government policy, the SLC manages interest rate adjustments for all existing repayment plan types as part of the business processes at SLC. The estimated cost associated with these changes is approximately £50,000 per annum though it is difficult to separate these adjustments from other business processes. SLC makes changes across multiple external and internal sites to ensure consistent communication is provided with customers, which includes the system updates necessary to make accurate and up-to-date interest calculations.
Asked by: Lord Taylor of Warwick (Non-affiliated - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask His Majesty's Government, what assessment they have made of the rising number of people aged 16 to 24 currently not in education, employment or training; and what steps they are taking to increase the number of young people entering education or employment.
Answered by Baroness Smith of Malvern - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
The government is determined to break down barriers to opportunity for all our young people and transform their life chances.
Almost one in seven 16 to 24 year-olds in England and the UK are not in education, employment or training (NEET). This number is too high, and the department is taking the action needed to tackle this issue.
In the ‘Get Britain Working’ white paper, the government set out its commitment to establish a Youth Guarantee of support to access training, an apprenticeship, or to find work for all 18 to 21 year-olds. £45 million has been allocated to Youth Guarantee Trailblazers to develop the Youth Guarantee. The Department for Education and the Department for Work and Pensions will be working with strategic authorities in initially eight areas, including Cambridgeshire and Peterborough, East Midlands, Liverpool City Region, West of England, West Midlands, Tees Valley and two London areas.
The Youth Guarantee builds on entitlements that young people have to participate in education and training up to age 18. Local authorities have statutory duties to support young people into education and training, including identifying and helping those who are currently NEET. The department has also recently published guidance to help local authorities identify young people at an increased risk of becoming NEET, based on characteristics such as a learning difficulty or disability, or poor school attendance so they can be given extra support.
In addition, new foundation apprenticeships will give more young people a foot in the door at the start of their working lives. They will help bridge the gap between employers with skills shortages and those young people not currently engaging with apprenticeships through the existing routes and offers. The first foundation apprenticeships will be available in the construction sector from August, and to support these opportunities, employers will receive £2,000 for every construction foundation apprentice they take on and retain in the industry.
The Department for Education will also offer two weeks’ worth of work experience for every young person and better careers advice at school, and has also created a new body, Skills England, to deliver national, regional and local skills needs.
Asked by: Lord Taylor of Warwick (Non-affiliated - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the number of children who have left private education and enrolled in state-funded education following the application of VAT on school fees.
Answered by Baroness Smith of Malvern - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
The published tax information and impact note on VAT includes impact on pupil movement, with any movement into the state sector estimated to be equivalent to fewer than 0.1% of pupils this academic year.
All children of compulsory school age are entitled to a state-funded school place. Local authorities are responsible for ensuring sufficient state school places. The department already works with local authorities to identify pressures and take action where necessary.
Asked by: Lord Taylor of Warwick (Non-affiliated - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the use of video games in education; and whether they have plans to incorporate the use of video games as a learning tool into the curriculum.
Answered by Baroness Smith of Malvern - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
Schools and colleges are free to make their own choices about the most suitable use of technology in their settings, as long as they comply with their wider statutory obligations, such as ‘Keeping children safe in education’. The department has not conducted specific research into the use of video games in education.
In July 2024, the government launched an independent Curriculum and Assessment Review, covering ages 5 to 18, chaired by Professor Becky Francis CBE. The Review wants to ensure a rich, broad, inclusive and innovative curriculum that readies young people for life and work. The Terms of Reference of the Review have been published and are accessible at: https://www.gov.uk/government/groups/curriculum-and-assessment-review#terms-of-reference.
The Review published its interim findings recently, and these can be found at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/curriculum-and-assessment-review-interim-report.
Asked by: Lord Taylor of Warwick (Non-affiliated - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of how apprenticeship schemes can stimulate economic growth by attracting more young people into the workforce.
Answered by Baroness Smith of Malvern - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
The government is committed to spreading opportunities and economic growth with the support of a strong skills system, including apprenticeships.
Apprenticeships for young people generate significant economic value. The department estimates that £56,000 and £104,000 of economic value is created per 16 to 18-year-old who start an apprenticeship at level 2 or level 3 respectively. More information can be found in ‘The net present value of further education in England 2021 to 2022’, which is attached and can be found at: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/67adc0ba69d39abb04adce22/The_net_present_value_of_further_education_in_England_2021_to_2022_.pdf.
Too many young people are struggling to access high-quality opportunities and this government wants to ensure that more young people can undertake apprenticeships. We are developing new foundation apprenticeships, which will be a work-based training offer that will provide young people with clear progression pathways into further work-based training and employment. The department is working closely with employers and providers to design foundation apprenticeships that give more young people a foot in the door at the start of their working lives, whilst supporting the pipeline of new talent that employers will need to drive economic growth.
Construction will be one of the key sectors that will benefit from new foundation apprenticeships, which will be launching in August 2025. This will inspire more young people into the construction industry and allow them to progress and specialise in advanced apprenticeships, giving them the tools they need for a sustained and rewarding career. As part of this new offer, employers will be provided with £2,000 for every foundation apprentice they take on and retain in the construction industry, on top of fully funding the training costs through the new growth and skills levy.