Lords motion to consider. Agreed to on question.

Lords motion to consider. Agreed to on question.

My Lords, I thank the Secondary Legislation Scrutiny Committee and the Joint Committee on Statutory Instruments for the scrutiny provided on this draft statutory instrument, which was laid in Parliament on 19 May 2025. If this order is approved, the Department for Education will transfer an additional funding power to...

My Lords, I thank the Secondary Legislation Scrutiny Committee and the Joint Committee on Statutory Instruments for the scrutiny provided on this draft statutory instrument, which was laid in Parliament on 19 May 2025. If this order is approved, the Department for Education will transfer an additional funding power to...

My Lords, I thank the Minister for introducing this order. The adult skills fund plays a vital role in helping adult learners gain the practical skills and qualifications needed for meaningful employment across key sectors. The fund was introduced by the previous Government to support adult learners. Tailored learning helps...

My Lords, I thank the Minister for introducing this order. The adult skills fund plays a vital role in helping adult learners gain the practical skills and qualifications needed for meaningful employment across key sectors. The fund was introduced by the previous Government to support adult learners. Tailored learning helps...

My Lords, I thank the noble Earl, Lord Effingham, for his comments and his overall support of the direction of travel. I will pick up a couple of the points that he raised, in

particular his comments about the reduction in adult skills funding allocations. I have to say that...

My Lords, I thank the noble Earl, Lord Effingham, for his comments and his overall support of the direction of travel. I will pick up a couple of the points that he raised, in

particular his comments about the reduction in adult skills funding allocations. I have to say that...

My Lords, I feel almost as though I should resume from the top for completeness.

I thank the noble Earl, Lord Effingham, for his comments and questions and, underlying those, for his welcome for the provisions through the adult skills fund. The important thing to remember is that devolution is about...

My Lords, I feel almost as though I should resume from the top for completeness.

I thank the noble Earl, Lord Effingham, for his comments and questions and, underlying those, for his welcome for the provisions through the adult skills fund. The important thing to remember is that devolution is about...

Motion to consider. Agreed to on question.

Motion to consider. Agreed to on question.

New clause 2 (Creation of Skills England), discussed with new clause 3 (Framework for Skills England), debated and withdrawn. New clause 4 (Report on the impact on T levels), discussed with new clause 5 (Report on the impact on Higher Education), debated and withdrawn. Bill, as amended, to be reported (Bill 206). Written evidence reported to the House.

New clause 2 (Creation of Skills England), discussed with new clause 3 (Framework for Skills England), debated and withdrawn. New clause 4 (Report on the impact on T levels), discussed with new clause 5 (Report on the impact on Higher Education), debated and withdrawn. Bill, as amended, to be reported...

Clause 11 agreed to. Amendment 1 to clause 12 agreed to on division (11 to 4). Clause 12, as amended, agreed to. Clause 13 agreed to. Clause 14, as amended, agreed to. New clause 1 (Draft proposals for establishing new executive agency) negatived on division (4 to 11).

Clause 11 agreed to. Amendment 1 to clause 12 agreed to on division (11 to 4). Clause 12, as amended, agreed to. Clause 13 agreed to. Clause 14, as amended, agreed to. New clause 1 (Draft proposals for establishing new executive agency) negatived on division (4 to 11).

Amendment 4 to clause 4 negatived on division (4 to 11). Clauses 4 to 6 agreed to. Clause 7 agreed to on division (11 to 3). Clause 8 agreed to. Amendment 7 to clause 9 negatived on division (4 to 11). Clause 9 agreed to. Amendment 9 to clause 10 negatived on division (4 to 11). Clause 10 agreed to. Written evidence reported to the House.

Amendment 4 to clause 4 negatived on division (4 to 11). Clauses 4 to 6 agreed to. Clause 7 agreed to on division (11 to 3). Clause 8 agreed to. Amendment 7 to clause 9 negatived on division (4 to 11). Clause 9 agreed to. Amendment 9 to clause 10...

Programme motion agreed to. Written evidence (Reporting to the House) motion agreed to. Clause 1 agreed to on division (11 to 4). Schedule 1 agreed to. Clause 2 agreed to. Schedule 2 agreed to. Clause 3 agreed to. Schedule 3 agreed to.

Programme motion agreed to. Written evidence (Reporting to the House) motion agreed to. Clause 1 agreed to on division (11 to 4). Schedule 1 agreed to. Clause 2 agreed to. Schedule 2 agreed to. Clause 3 agreed to. Schedule 3 agreed to.

Second reading. Amendment negatived on division (70 to 312). Main question agreed to on division (317 to 55). Programme motion on proceedings in Public Bill Committee, Consideration and Third Reading and other proceedings. Agreed to on question. Money resolution. King's recommendation signified. Agreed to on question.

Second reading. Amendment negatived on division (70 to 312). Main question agreed to on division (317 to 55). Programme motion on proceedings in Public Bill Committee, Consideration and Third Reading and other proceedings. Agreed to on question. Money resolution. King's recommendation signified. Agreed to on question.

I am grateful to the hon. Gentleman, who has been listening attentively to my speech so far.

I am grateful to the hon. Gentleman, who has been listening attentively to my speech so far.

I am worried that I might damn the right hon. Gentleman with faint praise because when he cited the numbers from when he was the Minister, one of the determinants of his success was the involvement of trade unions in the sector skills council and the partnership. While we have...

I am worried that I might damn the right hon. Gentleman with faint praise because when he cited the numbers from when he was the Minister, one of the determinants of his success was the involvement of trade unions in the sector skills council and the partnership. While we have...

I am immensely flattered that the hon. Gentleman has followed my career with such assiduity. He is right: I defended Unionlearn and would continue to do so. Trade unions can play a vital part in ensuring the outcomes that the Government say that they seek and that I certainly believe...

I am immensely flattered that the hon. Gentleman has followed my career with such assiduity. He is right: I defended Unionlearn and would continue to do so. Trade unions can play a vital part in ensuring the outcomes that the Government say that they seek and that I certainly believe...

Conservative Members are making quite the noise about IfATE’s independence, but I remind the House that this is a precedented move. The Conservative Government established the Standards and Testing Agency, which is currently the Executive agency and was formerly a non-departmental body. That is exactly the same status as IfATE,...

Conservative Members are making quite the noise about IfATE’s independence, but I remind the House that this is a precedented move. The Conservative Government established the Standards and Testing Agency, which is currently the Executive agency and was formerly a non-departmental body. That is exactly the same status as IfATE,...

As I say, I am not an unbridled advocate of the Institute for Apprenticeships and Technical Education, which the Bill abolishes. I did not set it up during my stewardship. As I have already described, I would have preferred a different, guild-based model. Guilds would, by their nature, have been...

As I say, I am not an unbridled advocate of the Institute for Apprenticeships and Technical Education, which the Bill abolishes. I did not set it up during my stewardship. As I have already described, I would have preferred a different, guild-based model. Guilds would, by their nature, have been...

In rising to support the Bill, I want to say, without heaping too much praise on the right hon. Member for South Holland and The Deepings (Sir John Hayes), that it is a pleasure to follow him and many of the comments he made. Like him, I have arrived at...

In rising to support the Bill, I want to say, without heaping too much praise on the right hon. Member for South Holland and The Deepings (Sir John Hayes), that it is a pleasure to follow him and many of the comments he made. Like him, I have arrived at...