Education: Industrial Strategy

Baroness Blackstone Excerpts

Monday 24th June 2019 Lords Chamber

[Lord Agnew of Oulton]

My Lords, we have protected the base rate of 16 to 19 funding to 2020 and we are putting in money in slightly different ways. For example, we are providing some £500 million this year for disadvantage funding—uplifts in addition to the base rate—and we have provided additional funding to support institutions to grow participation in level 3 in maths and additional funding for T-levels, which will come on stream in the next year or so.

[Baroness Blackstone (Ind Lab)]

My Lords, can the Minister explain why the cuts that the Government have already made were instigated in the first place?

[Lord Agnew of Oulton]

I am afraid that I did not hear the noble Baroness because of some interruptions. My apologies.

[Baroness Blackstone]

I am sorry; I shall quickly repeat it. Will the Minister explain why the cuts were instigated in the first place? I do not think that he answered my noble friend’s question about the various changes that will be made from now on. Why did the Government make them in the past?