Question

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what impact assessment his Department has made of the potential effect of reductions in the adult skills budget, due to take effect in 2015-16, on students.

The skills funding agency allocates funding in response to learner demand and in accordance with Government priorities, including the importance of growing apprenticeships.

The majority of the Department’s £450m savings will be delivered through known underspends and releasing unallocated funding. Officials in my Department are working with the appropriate funding bodies to determine how other savings can best be achieved in line with ministers’ priorities. .