Asked by: Julian Brazier (Conservative - Canterbury)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment she has made of the effectiveness of Roman Catholic schools in contributing to social cohesion.
Answered by Nick Gibb
Catholic schools are popular and ethnically diverse. They make a positive contribution to our society and education system and are amongst the highest performing schools nationally We want more good schools and to more quality providers to establish them. Our consultation, Schools that Work for Everyone, is aimed at creating more good schools and improving social cohesion so that more young people have the chance to go as far as their talents will take them.
Asked by: Julian Brazier (Conservative - Canterbury)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps she is taking to align the goals of the apprenticeship levy with the Government's industrial strategy.
Answered by Robert Halfon
The Industrial Strategy will have a strong focus on education and skills and apprenticeships will be an important part of the strategy. The apprenticeship levy will put funding on a sustainable footing while improving the technical and professional skills of the workforce, an important component of productivity.
We are well-placed to support the emerging Industrial Strategy and have already announced an increase in funding for STEM frameworks of 40% at level 2 and 80% at level 3. From April 2017, the Institute for Apprenticeships will work with employers to develop a better understanding of where apprenticeships can help address skills gaps.