Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps her Department is taking to ensure young people in Leicester East have access to education and training opportunities.

The government is increasing funding per student in 16 to 19 education and making funding available as the number of young people increases. As a result, total 16 to 19 funding will increase from £7.6 billion in the 2024/25 academic year to over £9 billion in 2026/27.

In addition, for the 2026/27 academic year, we are committing to fund all exceptional in-year growth in 16 to 19 funded students. This means that institutions can have confidence to offer suitable places in post-16 education for every young person that wants one. Leicester College and Wyggeston and Queen Elizabeth I College have also benefited from funding awards through the recent Post-16 and Construction Skills Capacity funding round.