Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what the timetable is for delivery of the first T-levels.

The Post-16 Skills Plan set out our plan to reform technical education including the introduction of 15 new technical routes to skilled employment, new college-based training programmes (T Levels) based on employer-designed standards, and high quality T Level work placements.

Delivering these reforms will be transformational; and we are determined to ensure they are a success and achieve their overall aims: to transform technical education and create a high quality system that delivers the skills, knowledge and behaviours that employers and the country need.

The only way to deliver this challenge successfully is through genuine partnership between government, business experts/leaders and education professionals.

My officials have now carried out extensive testing of the current delivery plans, including in relation to work placement provision, in discussion with employers, providers and awarding organisations. Following that assessment, we have concluded that we will deliver a small number of T levels from September 2020, with all routes available as planned in September 2022.

Over the summer, we will continue to refine and develop our plans working with business and the providers, and we will provide an update on progress in the autumn.