Third report - A plan for an adult skills and lifelong learning revolution

Select Committee
Education Committee HC 278 19 December 2020
Report Status Government responded
Conclusions & Recommendations 45 items (33 recs)
Source View on Parliament website
Government Response (AI assessment · 45 of 45 classified)
Accepted 7
Accepted in Part 10
Acknowledged 10
Deferred 6
Not Addressed 7
Rejected 5
Government response
Third Special Report - A plan for an adult skills and lifelong learning revolution: Government Response to the Committee’s Third Report · published 12 Mar 2021
Read the government response ↗ Response on the tracker
Clear

Recommendations & Conclusions

5 results
5 Recommendation Rejected
Para 22
Adults need clear and impartial advice and support on learning and funding.
Recommendation
Adults need clear and impartial advice and support on learning and funding. The National Careers Service is limited and overly centralised, particularly given the extent to which ASALL provision is now devolved. A far more proactive approach to promoting and … Read more
Government Response Summary
The government rejects devolving National Careers Service budgets, stating there are no plans. It acknowledges the need for a behaviour change strategy and is exploring a communications strategy for 2021-22 to simplify choices and drive learning uptake.
Department for Education
View Details
6 Recommendation Rejected
Para 23
The Department must devolve National Careers Service funding to enable local and combined authorities and...
Recommendation
The Department must devolve National Careers Service funding to enable local and combined authorities and local enterprise partnerships to co-design and promote locally relevant information, advice and guidance. The National Careers Service should provide more robust data on employment and … Read more
Government Response Summary
The government rejects devolving National Careers Service funding. It indicates the website provides robust data and is exploring a communications strategy for 2021-22 to promote learning and address participation barriers.
Department for Education
View Details
27 Recommendation Rejected
Para 73
We recommend that childcare grants and Parents’ Learning Allowance are made available to part-time learners...
Recommendation
We recommend that childcare grants and Parents’ Learning Allowance are made available to part-time learners studying for a Higher Education qualification. The Government should look at where childcare might be a barrier and extend the 30 hour per week universal … Read more
Government Response Summary
The government rejects extending childcare grants to part-time higher education learners, stating that their flexibility allows them to combine work and study. It also explains that the 30-hour free childcare offer is aimed at working families, and does not commit to extending it to unemployed or low-income adult learners as recommended, instead outlining existing provisions like the 15-hour entitlement and Universal Credit support.
Department for Education
View Details
34 Recommendation Rejected
The Union Learning Fund is a crucial programme for delivering workplace training.
Recommendation
The Union Learning Fund is a crucial programme for delivering workplace training. It has a strong track record of proven effectiveness and should be treated in line with other training providers in both the public and private spheres. It has … Read more
Government Response Summary
The government explicitly rejects reversing its decision to cease funding the Union Learning Fund, citing limitations of the model such as its focus on employed union members and a lack of evidence that its economic return is exceptional compared to other government investments in skills. It states the funding will instead be used for wider skills and retraining accessible to everyone.
Department for Education
View Details
35 Recommendation Rejected
We recommend that the Department reverse its decision to cease funding for the Union Learning...
Recommendation
We recommend that the Department reverse its decision to cease funding for the Union Learning Fund. To ensure public money is spent as equitably as possible, participation targets should be set mandating that Union Learning funds are split 50/50 between … Read more
Government Response Summary
The government explicitly rejects reversing its decision to cease funding the Union Learning Fund, citing limitations of the model such as its focus on employed union members and a lack of evidence that its economic return is exceptional. Consequently, it also rejects setting participation targets, stating the funding will instead be used for wider skills and retraining accessible to everyone.
Department for Education
View Details