Contributions
3,240 recent contributions in Hansard
HANSARDPerforming Arts: GCSE and A-level QualificationsMy noble friend is right that we absolutely should be working together. I thank all the charities and voluntary organisations, which are so varied and bring so much richness to…26 Apr 2023HANSARDApprenticeship LevyGiven that the creative industries are full of small and medium-sized enterprises, I assume that it is the vast majority. If it is different from that, I will write to the noble…25 Apr 2023HANSARDApprenticeship LevyObviously there are a number of different initiatives, both within schools, particularly in relation to girls and young women to increase their awareness of and aspiration to…25 Apr 2023HANSARDApprenticeship LevyIt is the Government’s view. Again, if we look at the trend in the use of the levy, we have seen an increase in adoption and use of the levy by employers, both levy-paying…25 Apr 2023HANSARDApprenticeship LevyMy Lords, employers are at the heart of our apprenticeship system. They have developed more than 660 standards across a range of occupations, and they choose which apprenticeships…25 Apr 2023HANSARDApprenticeship LevyEngineering and manufacturing technologies account for about 14% of all the apprenticeship starts. Last year that was about 49,000 apprentices.25 Apr 2023HANSARDApprenticeship LevyI think the noble Lord would agree that this country needs to invest more in the skills of the workforce, both those entering the workforce and those currently in it. The last…25 Apr 2023HANSARDApprenticeship LevyI do not completely accept the suggestion that the noble Lord makes; 41% of all apprenticeship starts were in SMEs in 2020-21, up from 38% in 2019-20. We have a lot of…25 Apr 2023HANSARDApprenticeship LevyThe apprenticeship scheme has two important objectives. One, as the noble Lord touched on, is to give young people a choice of opportunities as they enter their career—training,…25 Apr 2023HANSARDApprenticeship LevyI am happy to reassure my noble friend that we have no plans to do away with the levy. Indeed, as I said, based on the OBR forecast we expect it to increase to £2.7 billion in…25 Apr 2023HANSARDSpecial Educational Needs: Employment SupportOur aspiration is to make sure that all those who wish to access lifelong learning, including those with special educational needs, can do so. Obviously, we are in the early…24 Apr 2023HANSARDSpecial Educational Needs: Employment SupportMy Lords, we recently set out plans in the SEND and alternative provision improvement plan to ensure that every young person with special educational needs and disabilities…24 Apr 2023HANSARDSpecial Educational Needs: Employment SupportThe Department for Education is piloting the use of the adjustment passports in a number of settings. We started with higher education, and we are now looking at supported…24 Apr 2023HANSARDSpecial Educational Needs: Employment SupportFirst, I thank the noble Lord for his work in this area. On Access to Work, as the noble Lord knows, this is a demand-led and discretionary grant for disabled people. My…24 Apr 2023HANSARDSpecial Educational Needs: Employment SupportThe noble Baroness makes an important point. The guidance on the support for young people with disabilities in relation to the Gatsby benchmarks, and on the support the National…24 Apr 2023HANSARDSpecial Educational Needs: Employment SupportI know my noble friend feels very strongly about this, and I hope he welcomes the Government’s commitment to introducing a new national professional qualification for SENDCOs that…24 Apr 2023HANSARDSpecial Educational Needs: Employment SupportThe first guidance we will deliver will be on early language support, autism and mental health and well-being. Those practice guides will be available by the end of 2025. I do not…24 Apr 2023HANSARDSpecial Educational Needs: Employment SupportEverybody who meets with a work coach should expect to get quality time, and my understanding is that the vast majority of individuals do. Of course, this is important for young…24 Apr 2023HANSARDSpecial Educational Needs: Employment SupportI can reassure the noble and learned Baroness that it does start at primary school. The work we are doing to help teachers identify dyslexia early on—in particular, the early…24 Apr 2023HANSARDSchools: Financial LiteracyMy noble friend makes a very important point. Risks relating to gambling are part of the RSHE curriculum and there are two main aspects of this. One is supporting pupils to manage…20 Apr 2023