Commons Sense

House of Commons · Westminster Hall

Colleges and Skills: Covid-19

20 October 2020 · 11 other contributors · 9,563 words

Opened by Peter Aldous Con Waveney

Responding minister: Gillian Keegan

EducationEconomyEmployment

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

Read the full transcript on Parliament.uk

At a glance

Peter Aldous raised concerns about colleges and skills: covid-19 in Westminster Hall. A government minister responded.

Key points

  • Colleges in the UK face significant challenges due to the pandemic, including transitioning to online learning and providing community support.
  • The economic impact of the pandemic puts young people and adults with lower qualifications at risk of unemployment, highlighting the need for retraining and reskilling opportunities.
  • The government is investing up to 290 million in capital funding to establish institutes of technology and rolling out T-levels with an investment of 500 million per year.

Key requests to Government

Colleges must be given proper funding and support to play a lead role in the recovery from the pandemic. This includes establishing college business centres that provide expert advice to employers, securing new funding formulae with rates rising towards £5,000 per student, increasing capital spending for IT and specialist provision development, and developing a second stage of the kickstart programme to enable job loss recovery through retraining.

How the debate unfolded

MPs spoke in turn to share their views and ask questions. Here's what each person said.

Opened the debate

Peter Aldous Con Waveney

I am concerned about the undervaluation of colleges in the UK, which are crucial for supporting learners and businesses during the pandemic. Colleges have faced significant challenges due to the pandemic, such as exam confusion, transitioning to online learning, and providing community support like distributing wellbeing packs and raising funds through cycling events. The economic impact of the pandemic is severe, with young people and adults with lower qualifications particularly at risk of unemployment, highlighting the need for retraining and reskilling opportunities.

Other contributors (11)
  • Andy Carter

    Andy Carter discussed the need for FE colleges to address structural shifts in the workforce due to automation and new technology, stressing the importance of lifelong learning entitlements. He praised Priestley College's successful launch of T-level courses despite challenging conditions.

  • Ben Bradley Con Mansfield

    Further education is crucial for economic recovery and levelling up post-covid. The Government's initiatives like T-levels, apprenticeships, and level 3 entitlement are important. West Notts College in Mansfield has received capital funding which will help improve local opportunities.

  • Clive Betts Lab Sheffield South East

    Order. In order to ensure that we have enough time for the winding-up speeches and a response from the hon. Member for Waveney (Peter Aldous), I will begin by giving hon. Members five minutes in which to speak, but I may have to drop that to four minutes at some point.

  • David Simmonds Con Ruislip, Northwood and Pinner

    David Simmonds highlighted the flexibility of colleges in adapting to local economic opportunities, such as tech hubs in west London. He praised efforts to connect young people with businesses for well-paid jobs and emphasised the importance of publicising these opportunities during Colleges Week. Simmonds also noted that despite being a 'Cinderella service', colleges can achieve great things on modest budgets.

  • Gill Furniss Lab Sheffield Brightside and Hillsborough

    Stressed the importance of colleges in combating poverty and deprivation, highlighting cuts to adult education funding since 2013. Raised concerns about FE lecturers' pay gap with schoolteachers and called for urgent action due to the economic impact of Covid-19.

  • Jane Hunt Con Loughborough

    Further education colleges are vital for local communities and businesses, especially in a skills-led recovery following the pandemic. Loughborough College has been leading on the kickstart scheme with 143 job opportunities identified after two weeks of operation.

  • Rachael Maskell Lab Co-op York Central

    York's unemployment rate is predicted to rise sharply, and BioYorkshire can serve as a bridge by creating skills and jobs. The initiative involves multiple institutions and aims to create 4,000 jobs, cut CO2 emissions, and generate significant economic benefits.

  • Richard Holden Con Basildon and Billericay

    Derwentside College in Basildon and Billericay is praised for its work with local employers. The Government's direction towards further education, collaboration between FE and HE, and the need to support people looking to retrain post-covid are highlighted.

  • Robert Halfon Con Southend West

    Called for recognition of the FE sector's importance, referencing Cinderella and urging an end to snobbery, intolerance, and underfunding. Welcomed the increase in funding for further education and highlighted Harlow College's advancements, including a new maths centre. Emphasised the need for long-term planning in college funding, suggesting a 10-year plan and a social justice case for a pupil premium to support disadvantaged students. Raised concerns about the state of some college estates and financial health interventions by the Government. He intervened to ask about plans for schools to promote further education and apprenticeships equally alongside university education.

  • Toby Perkins Lab Chesterfield

    He criticised the Government's record on further education funding, highlighting a 64% reduction in spending since the previous Labour government. He mentioned £2.61 billion invested by the previous government and noted that colleges face a £2 billion shortfall this academic year due to cuts.

  • Wera Hobhouse Lib Dem Bath

    Praised Bath College's initiative, I-START, which aims to reskill and upskill the workforce through a partnership with local businesses and universities. Highlighted the need for colleges to receive better funding and recognition, noting a 7% real-terms decrease in funding per learner aged 16 to 19 since 2013.

Government Response

Gillian Keegan

FE colleges have responded brilliantly during the crisis, providing support to learners and vulnerable students as well as the wider community. The Government is investing up to £290 million of capital funding to establish institutes of technology across England, supporting higher technical qualifications, and rolling out T-levels with an investment of £500 million per year. The lifetime skills guarantee will provide first level 3 funding for adults from April next year, focusing on valuable courses that help in the labour market. Additional careers support is being provided through the National Careers Service and a new national skills fund with an extra £2.5 billion over the course of Parliament.

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