Adult skills and lifelong learning

Education Committee Closed Inquiry
Opened: 26 Mar 2020 Closed: 22 Jun 2021 Parliament page
The Education Committee is relaunching their inquiry into adult skills and lifelong learning (ASALL). The Committee's inquiry will examine the state of adult skills and lifelong learning (ASALL) provision. The inquiry will explore key themes such as participation in ASALL, the balance and range of different forms of provision, and … Read more
33 Recommendations
12 Conclusions
1 Report
2 Oral sessions
1 Letter
2 Events
Activity timeline 5 events
12 Mar
2021
Report published
19 Dec
2020
Report published
3 Nov
2020
Correspondence
29 Sep
2020
Oral evidence
22 Sep
2020
Oral evidence
Oral evidence sessions 2 sessions
29 Sep 2020
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Adult Skills and Lifelong Learning
Gillian Keegan · Department for Education
22 Sep 2020
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Adult Skills and Lifelong Learning
Dr Sue Pember · HOLEX Ian Murray · Trade Union Congress Joe Fizsimons · Institute of Directors Matthew Percival · Confederation of British Industry Professor Josie Fraser · The Open University Simon Parkinson · Workers’ Education Association
Title HC No. Published Items Response
Third report - A plan for an adult skills and lifelong learning … HC 278 19 Dec 2020 45 Responded
Recommendations & Conclusions
7 results
Clear
2 Recommendation Accepted
Third report - A plan for an adult…
The Government must commission analysis to identify where the nation’s immediate and longer-term skills needs...
The Government must commission analysis to identify where the nation’s immediate and longer-term skills needs lie. This should be regularly updated, as real-time labour markets data is essential for ensuring that reforms to adult skills and lifelong learning are properly … Read more
Government Response
The government states it is already undertaking analysis through various means, including the recently announced Skills and Productivity Board which will provide expert analysis, and the ongoing Employer Skills Survey. It also mentions future consultations and reviews of funded qualifications to adapt to changing economic needs.
Department for Education
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3 Conclusion Accepted
Third report - A plan for an adult…
Government policy on adult skills and lifelong learning has tended to be short- term, piecemeal,...
Government policy on adult skills and lifelong learning has tended to be short- term, piecemeal, and initiative-led. The result has been a substantial churn of adult education initiatives which has worked against the implementation of a coherent, long-term strategic vision … Read more
Government Response
The government agrees on the need for adult support and states its "Skills for Jobs White Paper" sets out a long-term strategy to reform adult learning, addressing the committee's concerns about short-term, piecemeal policies.
Department for Education
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7 Conclusion Accepted
Third report - A plan for an adult…
The ability to study bite-size modules rather than commit to full qualifications is a much-needed...
The ability to study bite-size modules rather than commit to full qualifications is a much-needed reform that will make it easier for adults to upskill and retrain. Developing qualifications that can be taken in modules will enable adults with busy … Read more
Government Response
The government recognises the value of flexible and modular learning, highlighting existing flexible provisions and committing to making the Lifelong Loan Entitlement (from 2025) usable for modules at higher technical and degree levels.
Department for Education
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32 Recommendation Accepted
Third report - A plan for an adult…
Employer investment in training is in decline, with low paid, low skilled workers hardest hit...
Employer investment in training is in decline, with low paid, low skilled workers hardest hit by the decline. A skills tax credit to incentivise employers to invest in training for workers with no or low qualifications will help to revitalise … Read more
Government Response
The government states that training expenditure is already tax deductible and highlights existing incentives like the Apprenticeship Levy, which funds employer-led apprenticeships, implicitly addressing the call for a skills tax credit.
Department for Education
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33 Recommendation Accepted
Third report - A plan for an adult…
The Government must support employers to invest in the development of their workforces.
The Government must support employers to invest in the development of their workforces. The Government should introduce a skills tax credit, for employers who invest in training for workers. This should be tapered so that the tax credit is more … Read more
Government Response
The government does not commit to introducing a new skills tax credit, instead highlighting existing tax deductions, the Apprenticeship Levy, and various other government investments and financial support mechanisms already in place or recently announced to encourage employer investment in skills.
Department for Education
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36 Recommendation Accepted
Third report - A plan for an adult…
Part-time higher education student numbers have been decimated, and numbers of part-time learners from the...
Part-time higher education student numbers have been decimated, and numbers of part-time learners from the most disadvantaged backgrounds fell by 42% between 2010 and 2015. Flexible part-time university study is a key route for delivering a highly skilled workforce and … Read more
Government Response
The government agrees on the need for flexible study, outlining past steps taken such as loans for part-time learners. It also commits to introducing the Lifelong Loan Entitlement from 2025, which will make it easier for adults to study flexibly, and will consult on its details later this year.
Department for Education
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42 Recommendation Accepted
Third report - A plan for an adult…
The new UK Shared Prosperity Fund offers an opportunity to improve on the design and...
The new UK Shared Prosperity Fund offers an opportunity to improve on the design and administration of European Structural Investment Funds in relation to the funding of adult skills. Cross-government working will be critical to delivering the cross-cutting agenda this … Read more
Government Response
The government confirms it is working closely with other departments to establish the UK Shared Prosperity Fund and will work in partnership with devolved administrations and local communities, who will have a place within the fund's governance structures. Further details on the investment framework will be published in the spring.
Department for Education
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Government Response AI assessment · 45 of 33 classified
Accepted 7
Accepted in Part 10
Acknowledged 10
Deferred 6
Not Addressed 7
Rejected 5
Total 33 recs + 12 conclusions
Correspondence 1 letter
3 Nov 2020 To committee Letter from the Under Secretary of State for Apprenticeships and Skills, following her appearance before the Committee on 29 September 2020, dated 16 October 2020
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