Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps her Department is taking to support adult education in Cornwall.

The department is investing in education and skills training for adults through the Adult Skills Fund (ASF), which is worth £1.34 billion this academic year. The ASF fully or co-funds education and skills training for eligible adults aged 19 and above, from pre-entry to level 3, to help them gain the skills they need for work, an apprenticeship or further learning.

Currently, approximately 60% of the ASF is devolved to nine Mayoral Combined Authorities and the Mayor of London, acting where appropriate through the Greater London Authority. These authorities are responsible for the provision of ASF-funded adult education for their residents and allocation of the ASF to learning providers. The Education and Skills Funding Agency (ESFA) is responsible for the remaining ASF in non-devolved areas.

Cornwall is currently a non-devolved area, meaning the ESFA grant funds the providers who decide the provision offered. The department believes that local areas should have more control over adult education in their areas. As such, the government has agreed a devolution deal with Cornwall which includes the devolution of the ASF from the 2025/26 academic year. This will provide the area with the ability to commission adult education to Cornwall residents.