Asked by: Rachael Maskell (Labour (Co-op) - York Central)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps she is taking to ensure that (a) adults and (b) young people have sufficient IT skills for work.
Answered by Robert Halfon
Digital and computing skills are critical to achieving the government’s science and technology superpower ambitions, which the department set out in the UK Science & Technology Framework in March this year.
The department has developed an ambitious skills agenda, backed by an additional £3.8 billion in further education and skills over the lifetime of this parliament. Through the Adult Education Budget (AEB), the department introduced a new legal entitlement in August 2020 to fully fund adults (19+) with low digital skills to undertake an Essential Digital Skills Qualification, up to Level 1. The department has further enhanced the offer by introducing Digital Functional Skills qualifications in August 2023. These qualifications were developed through employer supported National Standards and provide learners with the essential digital skills they need to participate actively in life, work and society.
The department has also taken steps to embed essential digital skills training as part of study programmes for 16 to19 year olds. Where students are identified as having low levels of digital skills, education providers will integrate essential digital skills development, where it is needed, into their learning programme.
The department has also funded community learning and other non-regulated learning, such as building confidence in essential digital skills, through the AEB. Many local authorities and other further education providers are already delivering these courses that help equip adults with the essential digital skills they need for work, life and further learning.
From next year, the Adult Skills Fund (ASF) will continue to support both qualifications and tailored learning, which includes community learning type provision, so adults can retrain and upskill in the most effective way.
Ensuring that all children, regardless of their background, have the world class computing and digital knowledge and skills they need for the future is a key priority of this government. The department introduced computing as a statutory national curriculum subject in 2014, from key stages 1 to 4 inclusive. The new computing curriculum supports pupils to become digitally literate and acquire the knowledge and skills they need to become competent, confident, and creative users of technology. Through computing, pupils are taught how to analyse problems in computational terms and write computer programs, how to use technology safely and responsibly, and how to create digital artefacts.
The department has invested significantly in the National Centre for Computing Education (NCCE) to improve the teaching of computing and drive up participation in computer science at GCSE and A level. To date, over 13,000 teachers have engaged with subject knowledge courses offered by the NCCE, helping to create more confident teachers of computing.
The department has introduced three Digital T Levels: Digital Business Services, Digital Production, Design and Development, and Digital Support Services. These are the gold-standard Level 3 technical qualifications, designed with employers to meet industry standards and with a significant industry placement built in. These will help to give important experience of work within the digital sector. Digital skills are increasingly important across all occupations, which is why every T Level has the digital skills necessary for employment embedded into its curriculum.
Additionally, employers have developed more than 30 high-quality digital apprenticeships to support them develop the skilled workforces they need. Apprenticeships include Level 3 Information Communications Technician, Level 3 IT Solutions Technician and Level 3 Digital Support Technician. In the 2022/23 academic year, the number of starts in the Information and Communication Technology sector subject area grew to 25,100 starts, up 10% from 22,820 from 2021/22. The department is increasing investment in the apprenticeships system in England to £2.7 billion by the 2024/25 financial year to support employers of all sizes and in all sectors offer high-quality apprenticeship opportunities.
Employers can also make use of the department’s Skills Bootcamp offer, which provides free, flexible courses of up to 16 weeks, giving people the opportunity to build up sector-specific skills.
Asked by: Rachael Maskell (Labour (Co-op) - York Central)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what support she provides to employers to help their workforce gain a Level (a) 2 and (b) 3 IT qualification.
Answered by Robert Halfon
Digital and computing skills are critical to achieving the government’s science and technology superpower ambitions, which the department set out in the UK Science & Technology Framework in March this year.
The department has developed an ambitious skills agenda, backed by an additional £3.8 billion in further education and skills over the lifetime of this parliament. Through the Adult Education Budget (AEB), the department introduced a new legal entitlement in August 2020 to fully fund adults (19+) with low digital skills to undertake an Essential Digital Skills Qualification, up to Level 1. The department has further enhanced the offer by introducing Digital Functional Skills qualifications in August 2023. These qualifications were developed through employer supported National Standards and provide learners with the essential digital skills they need to participate actively in life, work and society.
The department has also taken steps to embed essential digital skills training as part of study programmes for 16 to19 year olds. Where students are identified as having low levels of digital skills, education providers will integrate essential digital skills development, where it is needed, into their learning programme.
The department has also funded community learning and other non-regulated learning, such as building confidence in essential digital skills, through the AEB. Many local authorities and other further education providers are already delivering these courses that help equip adults with the essential digital skills they need for work, life and further learning.
From next year, the Adult Skills Fund (ASF) will continue to support both qualifications and tailored learning, which includes community learning type provision, so adults can retrain and upskill in the most effective way.
Ensuring that all children, regardless of their background, have the world class computing and digital knowledge and skills they need for the future is a key priority of this government. The department introduced computing as a statutory national curriculum subject in 2014, from key stages 1 to 4 inclusive. The new computing curriculum supports pupils to become digitally literate and acquire the knowledge and skills they need to become competent, confident, and creative users of technology. Through computing, pupils are taught how to analyse problems in computational terms and write computer programs, how to use technology safely and responsibly, and how to create digital artefacts.
The department has invested significantly in the National Centre for Computing Education (NCCE) to improve the teaching of computing and drive up participation in computer science at GCSE and A level. To date, over 13,000 teachers have engaged with subject knowledge courses offered by the NCCE, helping to create more confident teachers of computing.
The department has introduced three Digital T Levels: Digital Business Services, Digital Production, Design and Development, and Digital Support Services. These are the gold-standard Level 3 technical qualifications, designed with employers to meet industry standards and with a significant industry placement built in. These will help to give important experience of work within the digital sector. Digital skills are increasingly important across all occupations, which is why every T Level has the digital skills necessary for employment embedded into its curriculum.
Additionally, employers have developed more than 30 high-quality digital apprenticeships to support them develop the skilled workforces they need. Apprenticeships include Level 3 Information Communications Technician, Level 3 IT Solutions Technician and Level 3 Digital Support Technician. In the 2022/23 academic year, the number of starts in the Information and Communication Technology sector subject area grew to 25,100 starts, up 10% from 22,820 from 2021/22. The department is increasing investment in the apprenticeships system in England to £2.7 billion by the 2024/25 financial year to support employers of all sizes and in all sectors offer high-quality apprenticeship opportunities.
Employers can also make use of the department’s Skills Bootcamp offer, which provides free, flexible courses of up to 16 weeks, giving people the opportunity to build up sector-specific skills.
Asked by: Rachael Maskell (Labour (Co-op) - York Central)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, if she will take steps to help ensure every (a) young person and (b) adult receives free training to gain a Level (a) 2 and (b) 3 qualification.
Answered by Robert Halfon
After leaving school, young people in England aged 16 to 18 are required to stay in full-time education, for example at a college, by starting an apprenticeship, or spending 20 hours or more a week working or volunteering, while in part-time education or training. Therefore, most young people legally residing in England are eligible for 16 to 19 study programme funding. Additionally, students aged 19 to 24 that have an Education, Health and Care plan are also eligible for funding.
The department is continuing to invest in education and skills training for adults through the Adult Education Budget (AEB). This equated to £1.34 billion in the 2023/24 funding year. In 2023/24, the government devolved approximately 60% of the AEB to 9 Mayoral Combined Authorities (MCAs) and the Greater London Authority (GLA).
These authorities are now responsible for the provision of AEB-funded adult education for their residents and allocation of the AEB to providers. Devolved MCAs and the GLA decide how to make best use of the AEB to meet the needs of their areas and decide which providers to contract with to deliver AEB-funded learning.
The Education and Skills Funding Agency (ESFA) is responsible for the remaining AEB in non-devolved areas. The ESFA AEB fully funds or co-funds skills provision for eligible adults aged 19 and above from pre-entry to Level 3, to support adults to gain the skills they need for work, an apprenticeship or further learning. This includes:
In addition, the Free Courses for Jobs offer, which was launched in April 2021, gives eligible adults the chance to access high value Level 3 qualification for free, which can support them to gain higher wages or a better job. Adults are eligible on the offer if they do not already have a Level 3 qualification or already have a Level 3 qualification but are on low wage or unemployed. Over 400 qualifications are available on the offer, chosen specifically as they offer good wage outcomes and address skills needs in the economy.
Asked by: Lisa Cameron (Conservative - East Kilbride, Strathaven and Lesmahagow)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps her Department is taking to increase the number and proportion of (a) counsellors and (b) adult psychotherapists in the mental health workforce.
Answered by Maria Caulfield - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade) (Minister for Women)
According to the NHS Electronic Staff Record, there was a 51% growth in the psychological professional workforce from April 2019 to March 2023. This compares to a 16% growth in the National Health Service’s workforce as a whole, over the same period. Counsellors and adult Psychotherapists are two specific occupations within the overall psychological professional workforce of approximately 27,800 full time equivalent staff.
In order to grow the workforce with specific qualifications in counselling and adult psychotherapy, NHS England has commissioned a pilot training programme for Psychotherapeutic Counsellors. This provides a three-year salaried and funded postgraduate education pathway for trainee Psychotherapeutic Counsellors to work in the NHS Talking Therapies services for anxiety and depression, to deliver specified NHS Talking Therapies services for adults with depression. This NHS training route adds to other existing routes for Counsellors to enter and work in the NHS Talking Therapies workforce.
Asked by: Baroness Browning (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to address barriers to discharge from mental health inpatient units for autistic people and people with learning disabilities related to the provision of (1) suitable housing, and (2) social care support.
Answered by Lord Markham - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
On 26 January 2024, we published statutory guidance on discharge from mental health inpatient settings. This guidance sets out key principles for how National Health Service bodies and local authorities across adult and children’s services should work together to support people to be discharged from mental health inpatient services, including mental health inpatient services for people with a learning disability and for autistic people. This guidance states that strong links should be made with relevant community services prior to, and during, the person’s stay in hospital, and that this should include links in relation to meeting the person’s needs related to health, social care, education, housing, and any other individual needs.
In 2023/24, we are investing an additional £121 million to improve community support, as part of the NHS Long Term Plan. This includes funding for children and young people’s keyworkers. We continue to support the delivery of new supported housing by providing capital subsidies to providers, through the Care and Support Specialised Housing Fund and the Affordable Homes Programme in England. We have also made available up to £8.6 billion over this and next financial year, to support adult social care and discharge.
Asked by: Rachael Maskell (Labour (Co-op) - York Central)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, if she will make it her policy to provide free access to further education for people with SEND.
Answered by Robert Halfon
Most young people legally residing in England will be eligible for 16 to 19 study programme funding. Additionally, students aged 19 to 24 who have an Education, Health and Care plan are also eligible for young people’s funding from the Education and Skills Funding Agency (ESFA). Full details are set out in the ‘funding guidance for young people 2023 to 2024’, which is available at: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/1178949/16_to_19_funding_guidance_Regulations_2023_to_2024-Version_1.01.pdf.
The department is continuing to invest in education and skills training for adults through the Adult Education Budget (AEB), worth £1.34 billion this academic year. The AEB fully funds or co-funds skills provision for eligible adults aged 19 and above up to level 3, to help them gain the skills they need for work, life or further learning. This supports disadvantaged learners including those with learning difficulties and/or disabilities.
Currently, approximately 60% of the AEB is devolved to 9 Mayoral Combined Authorities and the Mayor of London, acting where appropriate through the Greater London Authority. These authorities are responsible for the provision of AEB funded adult education for their residents and the allocation of AEB to providers. The ESFA remains responsible for AEB in non-devolved areas.
The AEB supports four statutory entitlements to full funding for adult learners, which apply in devolved and non-devolved areas:
The ESFA funded AEB for learners resident in non-devolved areas also supports colleges and providers to help adult learners to overcome barriers which prevent them from taking part in learning. This includes learner support and learning support. Learning support funding helps providers to meet the additional needs of learners with learning difficulties and/or disabilities to meet the costs of reasonable adjustments, as set out in the Equality Act 2010. Support can cover a range of needs, including an assessment for dyslexia, funding to pay for specialist equipment or helpers, and arranging signers or note takers.
Asked by: Stephen Morgan (Labour - Portsmouth South)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps her Department is taking to work with universities to help train (a) doctors, (b) nurses and (c) teachers.
Answered by Robert Halfon
The department is working closely with Higher Education Providers (HEP’s) to ensure that everyone has the opportunity to access a world class education. This remains a top priority and is fundamental to the government’s ambition to level-up skills, growth, and economic opportunity across the country.
Record numbers of doctors, nurses, and other healthcare staff will be trained in England as part of the first ever NHS Long Term Workforce Plan (LTWP), which was published in June 2023. By significantly expanding domestic education, training and recruitment, we will have more healthcare professionals working in the NHS. The LTWP will:
The government is backing the LTWP with over £2.4 billion over the next five years to fund additional education and training places. This is on top of increases to education and training investment, reaching a record £6.1 billion over the next two years. The department is working closely with the Department of Health and Social Care, NHS England, the Office for Students, as well as the General Medical Council to actualise the delivery of the plan.
The department will continue to work with the sector so everyone who wants to pursue a rewarding healthcare career has the support and opportunities to do so.
There are record numbers of teachers in England’s schools, with more than 468,000 working in state-funded schools across the country, which is 27,000 (6%) more than in 2010. The department works closely with schools and universities to recruit the best teachers, in the subjects and areas they are needed most. The department has already put in place a range of measures for trainees in the 2023/24 academic, including bursaries worth up to £27,000 and scholarships worth up to £29,000, to encourage talented trainees to apply to train in key subjects such as chemistry, computing, mathematics, and physics.
The department is also offering a levelling up premium worth up to £3,000 after tax for mathematics, physics, chemistry and computing teachers in the first five years of their careers who choose to work in disadvantaged schools. For 2024/25 and 2025/26, the department is doubling the rates of the levelling up premium to up to £6,000 after tax. This will support recruitment and retention of specialist teachers in these subjects and in the schools and areas that need them most.
The department is also working with the Institute for Apprenticeships and Technical Education (IfATE) and an employer-led trailblazer group to develop the Teacher Degree Apprenticeship (TDA). The TDA will be a new route into the teaching profession, for both primary and secondary teachers, through which successful candidates will ‘earn while they learn’ and attain an undergraduate degree and qualified teacher status while working in a school. Subject to IfATE approvals, the TDA standard will be published in spring 2024, with the candidate recruitment commencing from autumn 2024 and training commencing in autumn 2025.
Asked by: Tanmanjeet Singh Dhesi (Labour - Slough)
Question to the Ministry of Justice:
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what progress his Department has made on implementing digital learning (a) tools and (b) technology in the education services of the (i) youth and (ii) adult secure estate.
Answered by Edward Argar - Minister of State (Ministry of Justice)
A range of starting-point assessments are used to determine needs, including in relation to English and mathematics; neurodiversity; reading; and employment/career goals.
Between 45,000 and 65,000 of these assessments are carried out each year. Duplication is avoided by storing the results digitally, so that they are accessible in every establishment. Each establishment determines, and reviews annually, a curriculum to meet these needs. From 2022, prisoners’ progress has been tracked digitally through individual Personal Learning Plans (PLPs). In 2023-24 to date, approximately 40,000 PLPs have been opened.
The Digital Prisons Service will create a prison-wide, standardised process for capturing and reviewing prisoner’s developmental goals, bringing together information on prisoner’s education, skills and work journey from various systems into one central place. A single platform tracking progress will ensure that prisoners benefit from information and goals being easily accessible, and able to follow them when they transfer to another prison.
HM Prison Service is utilising approximately 2500 Coracle laptops across the prison estate. 85 prisons are able to allocate laptops to support prison learners. The laptops, which are designed for safe off-line use, facilitate greater in-cell education provision and improve access to learning outside of the classroom. In addition, learners who need extra support materials for the main core education courses, or who wish to pursue further study out of class hours, are able to access Open University courses.
We have procured digital learning content specifically to address the needs of prisoners, focusing on improving literacy and expanding the range of subjects available digitally for learners. This content will be coming on-line for testing in prisons in Spring 2024, and will be made available in all prisons across England & Wales.
In the Youth Estate, learners in YOIs have access in classrooms to on-line content via the Virtual Campus system, to enhance their learning by allowing them access to current, relevant information. They are also able to continue their learning when not in class, using laptops on which educational content has been uploaded. This includes text and video-based learning modules.
Asked by: Tanmanjeet Singh Dhesi (Labour - Slough)
Question to the Ministry of Justice:
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, which external (a) educational and (b) vocational training providers work in the secure estate.
Answered by Edward Argar - Minister of State (Ministry of Justice)
There are four main education providers across the adult secure estate in England. Milton Keynes College, Novus, People Plus and Weston College provide the majority of education services, including vocational delivery.
Education in Welsh establishments includes both public and private-sector provision. At HMP Cardiff, HMP Swansea, HMP Usk and HMP Prescoed, education is delivered by HMPPS staff. At HMP Berwyn, education is provided by Novus Cambria, which is a joint venture between Coleg Cambria and LTE Group (Novus). HMP & YOI Parc also has a private education provider, Novus Gower, which is a joint venture between Gower College and LTE Group (Novus).
In addition to this provision, Governors in England have access to 469 organisations that provide education services, including vocational delivery. Wales also has access to a range of other education providers, including the Prison Education Trust, Shannon Trust, the Open University, and vocational training providers such as Safety Counts, Simian Training, GLA Group and Future Skills.
Asked by: Christian Wakeford (Labour - Bury South)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what fiscal steps she is taking to support (a) training programmes, (b) apprenticeships and (c) other efforts to promote (i) job creation and (ii) skills development in Bury South constituency.
Answered by Robert Halfon
The government is committed to creating a world leading skills system which is employer-focused, high quality and fit for the future. The government’s reforms are strengthening higher education (HE) and further education (FE) to help more people get good jobs and upskill and retrain throughout their lives, as well as to improve national productivity and economic growth. The government’s reforms are backed with an additional investment of £3.8 billion over the course of this Parliament to strengthen HE and FE.
This additional funding will help providers such as those in Bury to deliver high quality education and training.
Bury College serves the Bury South constituency and received £25.3 million to deliver learning and skills training programmes in 2022/23 for 16 to18 year olds and apprentices for local employers. Bury College has also received capital investment of over £12 million since 2019.
Bury College offers a wide range of post-16 education and training from pre-entry level qualifications, A levels, T Levels, vocational courses at Levels 1 to 3, and apprenticeships in health and public services, business administration, engineering, retail and commercial enterprise, and education and training. It also has a University Centre and works in partnership with several local universities to deliver a range of HE courses at Higher National Diploma, Foundation Degree and Degree level to the local community. Bury College also receives funding for adult education programmes via Greater Manchester Combined Authority.
Bury College is a partner of the Greater Manchester Institute of Technology, led by The University of Salford, and has received £1.353 million of funding for refurbishments and specialist equipment in Heath Innovation, Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics, Enterprise and Sports provision. Bury College will account for 25% of all learners at the Institute of Technology. This equates to approximately 200 learners in 2023/24.
The area is also served by Holy Cross College, a Catholic sixth form college, which received £12.89 million to deliver learning programmes for 16 to18 year olds in 2022/23. It delivers a largely academic Level 3 programme and a small Level 2 cohort. Holy Cross College has a University Centre delivering HE both through a direct contract with Office for Students and in partnership with Liverpool Hope University.
The department is increasing investment in the apprenticeships system in England to £2.7 billion by 2024/25 to support employers of all sizes and in all areas of the country, including Bury South, to grow their businesses with the skilled apprentices they need. Since 2010, there have been 11,380 apprenticeship starts in Bury South.
The department has introduced the Free Courses for Jobs scheme which enables eligible adults to gain a qualification for free. Residents in Bury can access provision in a range of sector subject areas delivered through colleges and training providers in the area.
In addition, the department has also introduced Skills Bootcamps, which are free, flexible courses of up to 16 weeks, giving people the opportunity to build up sector-specific skills and fast track to an interview with an employer. In each of the 2023/24 and 2024/25 financial years, the department has allocated £7.5 million to Greater Manchester Combined Authority to deliver Skills Bootcamps in the Greater Manchester area, including in Bury South via grant funding.
T Levels will equip more young people with the skills, knowledge and experience to access skilled employment or further study. From September 2023, 18 T Levels will be available and will be delivered through nearly 300 providers across all regions of the country. Bury college is delivering T Levels in business administration, legal, financial, and accounting, education and childcare, and health and engineering in 2023/24. The college intends to introduce further T Levels in catering and hospitality, construction and the built environment, creative and digital, and hair and beauty in 2024/25.