Adult Education: Part-time Attendance

Baroness Sharp of Guildford Excerpts

Wednesday 9th March 2016 Lords Chamber

[Baroness Rebuck (Lab)]

My Lords—

[Baroness Sharp of Guildford (LD)]

My Lords—

[Baroness Sharples (Con)]

My Lords—

--- Later in debate ---

[Baroness Evans of Bowes Park]

We are encouraging a whole range of ways in which people can access further education. For instance, increasing numbers of people take higher and degree apprenticeships—that is in fact one of the fastest-growing elements of the programme—so we are offering a whole array of ways in which people can retrain and study further.

[Baroness Sharp of Guildford]

Is the Minister aware that one of the main factors that inhibit those applying for part-time retraining in different areas is what is called the ELQ rule—in other words, where they already have a qualification they cannot take another one at the same level? Does the Minister have any proposals for easing that? It has already been done for the STEM subjects but it would be a good idea to ease it up for other areas so that people can retrain, even if at the same level.

[Baroness Evans of Bowes Park]

I am happy to say that we have expanded the number of courses where you can get second degree student support so that now people wanting to take subjects allied to medicine, biological and veterinary sciences, agriculture and related sciences, and physical and mathematical sciences can access that support.