Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps he is taking to tackle any disparities in education and skill levels in North East England compared to other regions of the UK.

The department is aware of the specific education, skills and employment challenges faced by some areas in the North East.

We consider this when designing education programmes. For example, we have launched two Maths Hubs in the North East, these school-led centres of excellence in mathematics teaching seek to boost teaching for children from primary school age up to 18-year olds.

Our technical education reforms, along with the work of Skills Advisory Panels, will give local areas the capability and tools to produce high-quality skills needs analysis to evidence their Local Industrial Strategies, and for providers to work closely with local employers to better meet local skills needs. The government announced on 24 July the next wave of Local Industrial Strategies including Tees Valley and North of Tyne.

We are on track to devolve adult education budgets from the 2019/20 academic year to mayoral combined authorities, including the Tees Valley. This will give local areas the opportunity to provide adult education that serves the needs of the local economy and local people. We will also be working with the North of Tyne area as they prepare for devolution from 2020.

We will work closely with combined authorities, Local Enterprise Partnerships and councils on future ways of working which support the successful delivery of both local and national adult education provision.