Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how much his Department (a) paid in apprenticeship levy fees and (b) spent from its apprenticeship levy funds between September 2021 and August 2023.

Answered by Mark Spencer - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)

The department paid £4,665,652 in apprenticeship levy fees and received £437,478.16 between 1 September 2021 and 31 August 2023. This includes the 10% Government top up.

The department spent £2,644,021.77 of its available apprenticeship levy funds between September 2021 and August 2023.

The data above is for Defra Core, Marine Management Organisation, Natural England, Animal and Plant Health Agency and Joint Nature Conservation Committee, which are collectively included in the Defra Levy Account.

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what recent steps he has taken to support homeowners who are unable to switch to a cheaper mortgage deal.

Answered by Bim Afolami - Economic Secretary (HM Treasury)

The Government understands that being unable to switch your mortgage can be extremely stressful. Alongside the Financial Conduct Authority and industry, we have shown we are willing to act through the introduction of a ‘modified affordability assessment’, which removes the regulatory barriers that prevented some customers, who otherwise may have been able to switch, from accessing new products. We are also regularly in contact with key stakeholders, including recently with the UK Mortgage Prisoners campaign group.

The Government remains committed to this issue and will continue to work with industry and wider stakeholders to determine if there are proposals that will meaningly benefit affected borrowers and be fair to other borrowers in the wider market.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps she is taking to help ensure Education Investment Areas are meeting their targets of (a) helping 90% of pupils meet the expected standard in (i) reading, (ii) writing and (iii) maths combined at key stage 2 and (b) increasing the GCSE average grade at key stage 4 in English language and maths from 4.5 to 5.

Answered by Damian Hinds - Minister of State (Education)

In all 55 Education Investment Areas, the department is taking steps to support underperforming schools to make necessary improvements, build trust capacity and improve digital connectivity, with the purpose of helping 90% of pupils meet the expected standard in reading, writing and mathematics at key stage 2, and increasing the GCSE average grade at key stage 4 in English language and mathematics from 4.5 to 5 by 2030. This includes access to up to £86 million in Trust Capacity Funding to support strong multi-academy trusts to expand into these areas, up to £200 million to upgrade schools that fall below the department’s Wi-Fi connectivity standards, and an extra £3000 after tax per year to mathematics, physics, chemistry and computing teachers working in disadvantaged schools.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how many standards the Institute for Apprenticeships and Technical Education has retired in the last two years; and for what reason those standards were retired.

Answered by Robert Halfon

This is a matter for the Institute for Apprenticeships and Technical Education. I have asked its Chief Executive, Jennifer Coupland, to write to the Honourable Member and a copy of her reply will be placed in the Libraries of both Houses.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what proportion of Institute for Apprenticeships and Technical Education Route Panel members are SMEs.

Answered by Robert Halfon

This is a matter for the Institute for Apprenticeships and Technical Education. I have asked its Chief Executive, Jennifer Coupland, to write to the Honourable Member and a copy of her reply will be placed in the Libraries of both Houses.