Asked by: Lauren Edwards (Labour - Rochester and Strood)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of functional skills requirements on access to apprenticeships; and what the cost of Functional Skills training for people who already have a degree was in each of the last five years.
Answered by Janet Daby - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)
The government has announced changes to the rules relating to achievement of English and mathematics qualifications as part of an apprenticeship for those aged 19 or over at the start of their programme. Upskilling in English and mathematics will continue to remain a key feature of all apprenticeships, and we have listened to employers and will be offering more flexibility over when a standalone qualification is required in addition to this.
All apprentices will be required to secure and be assessed on the job-specific skills English and mathematics they need, but moving forward employers will have more flexibility over whether adult (19+) apprentices are required to achieve a standalone English and mathematics qualifications.
In future, adult apprentices will be able to complete their apprenticeship if they have demonstrated they have the skills, including relevant English and mathematics skills, to be effective in the role without undertaking a standalone English and mathematics qualification.
All apprentices who are aged 16 to 18 at the start of their apprenticeship will continue to be required and funded to secure up to a level 2 qualification in English and mathematics if they do not hold one, consistent with our expectation that all young people should have a meaningful further opportunity to secure a level 2 qualification in English and mathematics post-16.
This delivers the flexibility that employers have long called for and we expect it to lead to thousands more qualified apprentices in a range of key sectors, including in social care and construction.
The changes were made effective from 11 February 2025.
Asked by: Lauren Edwards (Labour - Rochester and Strood)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what plans she has to review compulsory functional skills requirements for apprentices who do not hold a GCSE or Level 2 equivalent qualification in English and maths.
Answered by Janet Daby - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)
The government has announced changes to the rules relating to achievement of English and mathematics qualifications as part of an apprenticeship for those aged 19 or over at the start of their programme. Upskilling in English and mathematics will continue to remain a key feature of all apprenticeships, and we have listened to employers and will be offering more flexibility over when a standalone qualification is required in addition to this.
All apprentices will be required to secure and be assessed on the job-specific skills English and mathematics they need, but moving forward employers will have more flexibility over whether adult (19+) apprentices are required to achieve a standalone English and mathematics qualifications.
In future, adult apprentices will be able to complete their apprenticeship if they have demonstrated they have the skills, including relevant English and mathematics skills, to be effective in the role without undertaking a standalone English and mathematics qualification.
All apprentices who are aged 16 to 18 at the start of their apprenticeship will continue to be required and funded to secure up to a level 2 qualification in English and mathematics if they do not hold one, consistent with our expectation that all young people should have a meaningful further opportunity to secure a level 2 qualification in English and mathematics post-16.
This delivers the flexibility that employers have long called for and we expect it to lead to thousands more qualified apprentices in a range of key sectors, including in social care and construction.
The changes were made effective from 11 February 2025.
Asked by: Lauren Edwards (Labour - Rochester and Strood)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps her Department is taking to ensure the Growth and Skills Levy enables people to retrain in (a) technology and (b) digital skills.
Answered by Janet Daby - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)
The government is developing a comprehensive strategy for post‐16 education and skills to break down barriers to opportunity and support employers to develop the skilled workforces they need to help drive economic growth.
Skills England has been established to form a coherent national picture of skills gaps and to help shape the technical education system so that it is responsive to skills needs. It will work closely with the Industrial Strategy Council and the Migration Advisory Committee to achieve this.
The government’s new Industrial Strategy will channel support to eight growth-driving sectors. Digital and Technologies has been identified as one of the eight growth-driving sectors and the department is considering how it supports this sector to develop the skills needed now and in the future.
Additionally, the government is reforming the apprenticeship levy into a new growth and skills levy that will deliver greater flexibility for learners and employers in England, aligned with the Industrial Strategy. As a first step, this will include shorter duration and foundation apprenticeships in targeted sectors, helping more people learn new high quality skills at work, fuelling innovation in businesses across the country and providing high quality entry pathways for young people.
Skills England was asked to engage with employers and other key partners regarding early priorities for the new growth and skills offer over the autumn. It has spoken to over 700 stakeholders, including representatives in the digital and technology sector, and has shared its findings with the department. Skills England will publish its findings from this engagement process in early 2025.
Asked by: Lauren Edwards (Labour - Rochester and Strood)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps her Department is taking to ensure the provision of apprenticeships in AI.
Answered by Janet Daby - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)
The government is committed to ensuring both learners and employers have access to crucial digital and artificial intelligence (AI) skills that have the potential to increase productivity and create new high value jobs in the UK economy. To achieve this, the government is reforming the skills system.
The government has established Skills England to form a coherent national picture of skills gaps and to help shape the technical education system so that it is responsive to skills needs.
In addition, the government’s new Industrial Strategy will channel support to eight growth-driving sectors. Digital and Technologies has been identified as one of the eight growth-driving sectors and the department is considering how it supports this sector to develop the skills needed now and in the future.
The government is also reforming the apprenticeships levy into a growth and skills levy which will deliver greater flexibility for learners and employers. As a key first step toward greater flexibility, we are introducing new foundation apprenticeships for young people, as well as shorter duration apprenticeships in targeted sectors. The minimum duration of an apprenticeship will be reduced to eight months, down from the current minimum of 12 months from August 2025. Three trailblazers in the key priority sectors of green energy, healthcare and film/TV production will be among the first to pioneer, and benefit from, the flexibilities that the new shorter duration apprenticeships offer. These will support more people to gain high quality skills at work, fuelling innovation in businesses across the country.
Apprenticeships are a great way for individuals to begin, or progress in, a successful career in the digital sector. Employers have developed more than 30 digital apprenticeships, including Level 3 Digital Support Technician and Level 5 Data Engineer.
The Institute for Apprenticeships and Technical Education’s Digital Skills and Characteristics Framework also supports the inclusion of appropriate digital content such as AI and data driven technologies in new and revised occupational standards at all levels, ensuring that occupational standards keep pace with technological advancements and market trends.
Asked by: Lauren Edwards (Labour - Rochester and Strood)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what plans she has to review the adequacy of apprenticeship Qualification Achievement Rates for accurately capturing learner outcomes.
Answered by Janet Daby - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)
The department recognises there is a wide range of reasons for non-achievement of an apprenticeship, and that is why we hold training providers to account for quality delivery through the Apprenticeship Accountability Framework, which encompasses a wide range of quality indicators. In addition to Qualification Achievement Rates, these also include Ofsted inspection, retention rates, and employer and apprentice feedback.
Qualification Achievement Rates are one of a range of metrics the department holds on apprentice learner outcomes. We also publish a wide range of other information, including apprentice outcomes, earnings and satisfaction data.
As outlined in the department’s further education outcomes publication, 94% of apprentices who achieve their apprenticeships go into work or further training, with 93% remaining in sustained employment. This publication also shows that apprentices benefit from strong wage returns. Median earnings for an apprentice at level 3 were £19,550 one year after achievement, rising 36% to £26,540 five years on. Additionally, the department’s Apprenticeship Evaluation Learner Survey found that 86% of apprentices were satisfied with their apprenticeships and 88% felt their career prospects had improved since starting their apprenticeship.
Asked by: Lauren Edwards (Labour - Rochester and Strood)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what steps his Department is taking to support good mental health among civil servants.
Answered by Georgia Gould - Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)
The Civil Service provides its employees with a comprehensive range of health and wellbeing tools and policies to ensure that employees remain in work or return to work as quickly as possible following absence due to ill health.
The Cabinet Office is fully committed to supporting the mental health and wellbeing of its civil servants, and has introduced a range of initiatives aimed at promoting good mental health.
Managers within the Cabinet Office are provided with training to identify early signs of mental health issues and offer appropriate support. Cabinet Office employees also have access to a confidential employee assistance programme (EAP), which offers mental health support, including counselling services.
Asked by: Lauren Edwards (Labour - Rochester and Strood)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what information her Department holds on the number of referrals made to the Prevent programme in relation to people from (a) Rochester and Strood constituency, (b) Medway and (c) Kent in each of the last five years.
Answered by Dan Jarvis - Minister of State (Home Office)
The Home Office does not publish data on the number of referrals made to the Prevent programme below regional levels because it could enable a threat picture to be built which could be used for terrorist purposes.
The number of referrals made to the Prevent programme in the South-East region, in which the areas the Hon Member has asked about are contained, is provided in the table below.
Number of individuals referred to the Prevent Programme within the South East region each year since the financial year ending 2020
Financial year | Prevent referrals made within the South East region |
2019//20 | 867 |
2020/19 | 774 |
2021/22 | 1,115 |
2022/23 | 1,106 |
2023/24 | 1,200 |
Grand total | 5,062 |
Further information on the individuals referred to Prevent can be found in the published annual statistics on GOV.UK: Individuals referred to Prevent: to March 2024.
Asked by: Lauren Edwards (Labour - Rochester and Strood)
Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:
To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, if he will make an estimate of the total value of investment made in research and development in the (a) public and (b) private sector in each of the last five years.
Answered by Feryal Clark - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
The Office for National Statistics routinely publishes official statistics on Gross Expenditure on Research & Development (GERD), including breakdowns of expenditure by sector. These statistics show the total value of R&D performed, for each of the past five years for which data is available (2018 – 2022), was:
| 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | |
| (a) Public (Government inc. UKRI) | 2,604 | 2,662 | 3,080 | 3,366 | 3,619 |
| (b) Private (Business Enterprise + Private Non-Profit) | 41,775 | 43,007 | 44,893 | 47,902 | 50,802 |
Current prices (£m)
Asked by: Lauren Edwards (Labour - Rochester and Strood)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what discussions she has had with police forces on tackling vandalism of bank branches.
Answered by Diana Johnson - Minister of State (Home Office)
The Anti-Social Behaviour, Crime and Policing Act 2014 provides the police, local authorities and other local agencies with a range of flexible tools and powers that they can use to respond quickly and effectively to anti-social behaviour, including acts of vandalism and criminal damage.
It is for local areas and individual police forces to decide how best to deploy these powers depending on the specific circumstances of each case, but the Government is determined to restore the neighbourhood policing that enables local forces to respond visibly and effectively to incidents of crime in our country’s high streets and town centres, including putting 13,000 more neighbourhood police and community support officers back on the beat in local communities to help lead that fight.
Asked by: Lauren Edwards (Labour - Rochester and Strood)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what steps he is taking with his European counterparts to ensure that (a) cross-border energy projects and (b) the GridLink interconnector in Rochester and Strood constituency are completed to meet clean power targets.
Answered by Michael Shanks - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
The Clean Power 2030 Action Plan outlines our approach to delivering a clean electricity system, including our approach to cross-border energy projects. It expects 12-14GW of electricity interconnection by 2030, up from the 9.8GW currently installed.
Under the UK-EU reset we are working with the EU to identify areas (such as electricity interconnection) where we can strengthen cooperation for mutual benefit.
GridLink’s completion is, like all interconnector projects, contingent on the project receiving approval in both connecting countries. The project has regulatory approval in GB, however the French approval process remains ongoing. The UK Government has no role in this.