Asked by: Alex Burghart (Conservative - Brentwood and Ongar)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, pursuant to the answer of 23 January 2026 to Question 105698 on Erasmus+ Programme, what estimate her Department has made of the number of inbound EU students who will study in the UK.
Answered by Josh MacAlister - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)
The UK has agreed to associate to Erasmus+ in 2027 on terms that represent a fair balance between the UK’s contribution and the benefits the programme offers.
We have agreed a 30% discount compared to the default terms in the Trade and Cooperation Agreement, as well as a review of the UK’s participation in the programme ten months after our association, including data concerning demand for funding in the UK.
In 2018/19, there were approximately 31,000 inbound higher education (HE) student mobilities via the Erasmus+ programme. There were approximately 16,000 outbound HE student mobilities in the same year. The department expects there will be a greater number of HE mobilities on reassociation, given the expansion of the programme.
In real terms, the Erasmus+ budget for 2027 is 50% higher than in 2019. Due to this increased budget, we expect that over 100,000 people could benefit from mobility and partnership opportunities from participation in 2027 across all sectors.
Asked by: Alex Burghart (Conservative - Brentwood and Ongar)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, pursuant to the answer of 23 January 2026 to Question 105701 on Turing: Finance, whether the Turing scheme will continue in 2027-28; and what her target is for the number of outbound UK students using the Turing scheme in 2026-27.
Answered by Josh MacAlister - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)
Guidance on the Turing Scheme for the 2026/27 academic year has been published on GOV.UK, with applications for funding now open and closing at 16:00 on Monday 16 March. Looking ahead, we remain committed to international mobility. That’s why the UK has agreed association with Erasmus+ on better financial terms for the UK. Decisions on the Turing Scheme for future years will be shared in due course.
The Turing Scheme is a demand led, competitive programme, so providers can shape applications to the needs of their students. The department does not set targets for the number of Turing Scheme placements in each year as this is highly dependent on the numbers of students that individual providers intend to send, where they intend to go and how long they intend to go for. Instead, we allocate funding in a way that prioritises the participation of students from disadvantaged backgrounds and those with special educational needs and disabilities.
Asked by: Alex Burghart (Conservative - Brentwood and Ongar)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, if she will publish the most up-to-date figures for the (a) number of applications, (b) number of placements and (c) location of placements for the Turing Scheme.
Answered by Janet Daby
The figures for the number of Turing Scheme applications and placements were recently published on GOV.UK and can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/turing-scheme-funding-and-assessment-outcomes-2024-to-2025.
For the 2024/25 academic year, education providers and other eligible organisations from across the UK have been allocated over £105 million to send more than 43,000 students on study and work placements across the globe. Around 23,000 (53%) of these opportunities will be for participants from disadvantaged backgrounds.
More applications were successful this year than ever before, with significantly higher interest in the scheme from colleges and schools and more competitive, high quality applications overall.
The Turing Scheme received 755 applications, compared with 619 last year. 642 applications were successful, including 118 more schools than last year and 44 more further education providers, with participants expected to travel to over 160 destinations around the world.
With regard to the location of Turing Scheme placements, providers are currently in the process of replanning their placements following the announcement of finalised funding allocations. As such, the department is unable to currently confirm these details. However, it will publish further information on destinations in due course.
Asked by: Alex Burghart (Conservative - Brentwood and Ongar)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how many skills bootcamps have been delivered in each of the last three years, by (a) local authority area and (b) discipline.
Answered by Janet Daby
The department is awaiting finalised data for the 2023/24 financial year from providers so cannot provide data for this year.
The department has published separate reports on the implementation of Skills Bootcamps for the 2022/23 (Wave 3) and 2021/22 (Wave 2) financial years, which can be found here: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/66e9a3f824c4f1826d81bcbd/Skills_Bootcamps_Wave_3_Implementation_Report.pdf and here: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/66d5bdfd701781e1b341db13/Evaluation_of_Skills_Bootcamps_Wave_2_Implementation_Report_updated_2024.pdf.
These reports include breakdown of Skills Bootcamp starts by region and course type (discipline). The department does not include breakdowns by local authority area in these reports and is referring to Skills Bootcamps starts with these figures.
To note:
Asked by: Alex Burghart (Conservative - Brentwood and Ongar)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment she has made of the effectiveness of the Multiply maths initiative.
Answered by Catherine McKinnell
Multiply is the government’s UK wide programme for improving adult numeracy. Multiply provision spans from supporting to build confidence with numbers through to full maths qualifications.
The department provides funding to all local areas in England to deliver adult maths programmes with a focus on improving the functional numeracy of adults, breaking down barriers to participation in adult basic skills, and improving labour market outcomes. The following information therefore relates to the Multiply programme in England.
Local areas have welcomed the programme and the flexibility to deliver innovative approaches to drive learner demand. As of April 2024, over 120,000 learners have participated in a Multiply course in England. There was a 5.8% increase in adult participation in education and training in 2022/23 and an increase of 4.6% in 2023/24. Local areas have informed us that most of this rise is driven by Multiply courses.
The extensive Multiply programme evaluation is ongoing and will conclude in winter 2025/26.
Asked by: Alex Burghart (Conservative - Brentwood and Ongar)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, with reference to her oral statement of 24 July 2024, Official Record, col 697, on Education and Opportunity, what plans her Department has to consult (a) external stakeholders and (b) people who have undertaken T-Levels during its review of post-16 qualification reform at level 3 and below; if she will publish the (i) name of the person leading and (ii) terms of reference for that review.
Answered by Janet Daby
The department is committed to working to break down barriers to opportunity, harnessing talent and driving growth. In July this year, my Right hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Education announced that the department is undertaking an internal review of post-16 qualifications reform and has paused the planned defunding of qualifications that was due to go ahead on 31 July 2024. This was followed by a Written Ministerial Statement on 25 July, which can be read here: https://questions-statements.parliament.uk/written-statements/detail/2024-07-25/hcws22.
The department understands that the sector needs certainty and will publish the outcomes of this review before Christmas.
Stakeholder views from all parts of the system will be important to contribute to the direction of future policy. Later this month departmental officials will begin engaging with providers, including those delivering T levels, awarding organisations and other key stakeholders.
In line with this being an internal review we will not publish the terms of reference. My noble Friend, the Minister for Skills is overseeing the review which is being undertaken by officials who the department does not intend to name.
Asked by: Alex Burghart (Conservative - Brentwood and Ongar)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps she is taking to support colleges and schools to (a) adopt T-levels and (b) expand their T-levels programmes in their settings in the 2025-26 academic year.
Answered by Janet Daby
The government is committed to supporting the continued roll-out of T Levels to ensure young people have a choice of high quality options post-16.
T Level providers have access to a suite of support and resources to help them prepare for and deliver T Levels. This includes workforce support from the Education and Training Foundation, which helps with the teaching skills, subject knowledge and industry skills needed for successful T Level delivery. Further information about the resources available to T Level providers can be found here: https://support.tlevels.gov.uk/hc/en-gb/articles/13561653292818-New-resources-for-schools-and-colleges-added-all-in-one-place.
Providers planning to deliver T Levels for the first time can access a support package from the Association of Colleges, including help with planning, organisation and curriculum design.
The department has made practical tools and resources available to help providers source and deliver high quality industry placements and all providers have £550 allocated for each T Level student as part of their wider 16-19 funding allocation to help with these costs. T Level funding rates have also been uplifted by 10% for the 2024/25 academic year to help providers expand the number of T Levels offered and the number of students enrolled.
The department’s T Level ambassador network continues to champion the T Level programme with members sharing their experiences and passion for technical education. The network now stands at over 700 members including employers, providers, students and other organisations.
The department is introducing new T Level foundation qualifications that are specifically designed to support students’ progression to T Levels. Approved qualifications will be available for teaching from 2026.