Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what funding her department has allocated to further education and skills provision for Gillingham and Rainham in the current financial year; and what steps the Department are taking to improve qualification levels and employment outcomes for young people in that area.

For the 2025/26 academic year, a total of £7.1 million has been allocated to five academies within the Gillingham and Rainham constituency, for the education of 16 to 19 students. This figure will increase to £7.9 million for the 2026/27 academic year, and includes funding for an additional academy, with new 16 to 19 provision.

In the 2025/26 academic year, of the funds allocated to further education institutions delivering within the Medway Local Authority area, we have released around £10 million for learners resident within Gillingham and Rainham constituency.

The government is seeking to improve qualification levels and employment outcomes for young people through reforms to post‑16 education and skills.

These include expanding technical and vocational education, strengthening apprenticeships and higher‑level technical training, and creating clearer pathways into skilled employment.