Oral Answers to Questions Debate

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Department: Department for Education

Oral Answers to Questions

Stephen Mosley Excerpts
Thursday 26th March 2015

(9 years, 8 months ago)

Commons Chamber
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Nick Boles Portrait Nick Boles
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When it comes to further education funding, we are emphasising the stuff that works. Apprenticeships deliver the most value to the people who do them, much more than any other further education. English and maths are vital—[Interruption.] We are funding them. We are funding them to the tune of more than £300 million a year. That is what we are spending on the provision of English and maths as part of study programmes.

Stephen Mosley Portrait Stephen Mosley (City of Chester) (Con)
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Many businesses recognise that the best way of gaining new skills is to upskill their current work forces. How are the Government supporting companies that want to invest in the skills of their own workers?

Nick Boles Portrait Nick Boles
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We are making an unparalleled investment in apprenticeships, which—notwithstanding the criticism from the Opposition—companies sometimes use to help existing employees to gain new skills and realise their potential. We are also making advanced learning loans available to people who want to invest in their own skills so that they can command higher salaries in the workplace.