Question to the Department for Education:

To ask His Majesty's Government what proportion of the adult education budget was, or has been, allocated to Combined Mayoral Authorities in (1) 2023–24, (2) 2024–25, and (3) 2025–26, under devolution agreements.

The adult skills fund (ASF), formerly the adult education budget (AEB), is worth £1.34 billion this year, and funds education and skills training for those aged 19 and above to help them gain the skills they need for work, an apprenticeship or further learning. The AEB transitioned into the ASF as of this academic year 2024/25.

The proportion of the AEB that was allocated to Mayoral Combined Authorities in the 2023/24 academic year was 58.96%. In the 2024/25 academic year this was 62.00%. Decisions about the 2025/26 academic year are subject to the forthcoming Spending Review.