Commons Sense

House of Commons · Ministers' Questions

Apprenticeships

Monday 21 July 2025 · 2 questions

Summarised by AI from the official record, so it can contain mistakes.

Read the full transcript on Parliament.uk

At a glance

Answered 2 Partly answered 0 Not answered 0

Key points

  • Peter Prinsley inquired about the importance of West Suffolk College in Bury St Edmunds as part of the Eastern Education Group.
  • Dr Caroline Johnson congratulated Jack Kellas on achieving a distinction in his degree apprenticeship.
  • The Secretary of State highlighted the importance of level 6 apprenticeships in supporting social mobility and matching skills to the economy.

Topics (select to filter)

Questions & Answers

Q1 Peter Prinsley Lab Bury St Edmunds and Stowmarket
Education Employment
Context

West Suffolk College, with over 10,000 enrolled students, is part of the outstanding Eastern Education Group. The college is considered an excellent candidate to be awarded as a technical excellence college in construction.

Question

I feel sure that the Minister is aware that the outstanding West Suffolk college in Bury St Edmunds, with more than 10,000 enrolled students, is part of the outstanding Eastern Education Group, under the leadership of Nikos Savvas. Does she agree that West Suffolk college is an outstanding candidate to be awarded the status of being the construction technical college of excellence for the east of England? That would boost skills in construction, which are crucial for the new West Suffolk hospital and the Sizewell C construction site, which is the largest construction site in Europe.

Answer from The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Education (Janet Daby)

I thank my hon. Friend for his questions and, indeed, for his lobbying. Labour’s technical excellence colleges will be crucial to our plans to rewire our school system to unlock opportunity for young people and drive growth for our country. My hon. Friend is right: West Suffolk College is an outstanding provider, and I am sure that its remarkable achievements will be considered during the selection of our technical excellence colleges.

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Q2 Caroline Johnson Con Sleaford and North Hykeham
Education Employment
Context

Degree apprenticeships are a focus for social mobility and align skills with the economy. Dr Johnson highlights an example of success in her constituency, mentioning Jack Kellas who achieved distinction and a first-class honours degree through a degree apprenticeship.

Question

Degree apprenticeships are great for social mobility and for matching skills to the economy, and I am such a fan of them that I created one in my parliamentary office. Would the Secretary of State like to take the time for congratulate Jack Kellas, who has achieved not just a distinction in his apprenticeship but a first-class honours degree from the University of Lincoln, and will she do all that she can to ensure that more people have opportunities to take part in degree apprenticeships and achieve the same success as Jack?

Answer from The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Education (Janet Daby)

I thank the hon. Member for sharing Jack Kellas’s wonderful achievement. Level 6 apprenticeships are a core part of our offer, and we continue to fund them.

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