Oral Answers to Questions Debate

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Department: Department for Education

Oral Answers to Questions

Fiona Mactaggart Excerpts
Monday 15th June 2015

(8 years, 10 months ago)

Commons Chamber
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Nick Boles Portrait The Minister for Skills (Nick Boles)
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My hon. Friend asks a very good question. We had to make a difficult decision about whether to continue to fund particularly heavy programmes more generously, which meant making savings elsewhere. The cut in the funding rate for 18-year-olds was the saving on which we decided. I accept her argument that there are some individuals for whom that third year is vital. All of those things will be considered in the spending review, but for this financial year, the funding rates will be as announced.

Fiona Mactaggart Portrait Fiona Mactaggart (Slough) (Lab)
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T10. On 5 June, the Chancellor, rather unusually, announced amendments to the budget for further education. I do not think that we have yet had full details of how that will affect those 14 to 18-year-olds in further education. Perhaps the Minister could update the House on that matter.

Nick Boles Portrait Nick Boles
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If I am right in understanding that the right hon. Lady wants to know whether the 16-to-19 funding rate will remain as was announced in March, I believe that I gave an answer in a reply to an earlier question. I am happy to restate that the funding rate for 16 to 19-year-olds for the 2015-16 academic year will remain as announced in March.