Further education

This page highlights some of the current parliamentary material available on further education. This includes select committee reports, briefing papers on current legislation and other subjects produced by the parliamentary research services, and the latest Early Day Motions put down by MPs.

Standard Notes

DateDescription
17.01.2013Free school meals for students in post-16 education
28.11.2012Education: Historical statistics
The organisation of every stage of education has undergone significant change over the last century. These changes have fundamentally altered most aspects of education. Historical indicators are therefore particularly interesting, but also problematic. Very few series are consistent over more than a few decades. The definition/size of different stages of education (primary, secondary, further/higher), school leaving ages and examinations have changed markedly as have state organisation and funding. As key concepts in education change so do the types of statistics collected. The increased role of the state in the first half of the 20th century also widened the scope of official education statistics.
19.10.2012Examination results: Social Indicators page
10.10.2012Education expenditure: Social Indicators page
Updated to include spending figures published in Budget 2010
10.10.2012Participation in education and training: 16-18 year olds: Social Indicators page
Now includes estimates to the end of 2008

Research Papers

DateDescription
15.02.2013Children and Families Bill
The Children and Families Bill introduces a wide range of legislation concerning adoption and children in care, aspects of family justice law, special educational needs, the Office of the Children's Commissioner for England, child care, statutory rights to leave and pay for parents and adopters, time off work for ante-natal care, and the right to request flexible working. This paper has been prepared for the Second Reading of the Bill.
05.05.2011Education Bill: Committee Stage Report
This is an account of the House of Commons Committee Stage of the Education Bill. It complements Research Paper 11/14, prepared for the Commons Second Reading debate, which examines the range of matters covered by the Bill. As originally presented, the Bill sought to make provision relating to the National Assembly for Wales' framework powers. However, these clauses were removed from the Bill following the 'yes' vote in the Welsh Devolution Referendum. A Government amendment to clause 13 (reporting restrictions on alleged offences by teachers) was agreed to without a vote. This inserted new schedule 11B into the Education Act 2002, and was introduced to secure compliance with a European Electronic Commerce Directive. Several minor and technical Government amendments were also made to the Bill. The Opposition tabled many amendments, a considerable number of which were pressed to a division, but none was successful.
07.02.2011Education Bill [Bill 137 of 2010-11]
This paper has been written for the House of Commons Second Reading debate on the Education Bill [Bill 137] on 8 February 2011. The Bill seeks to implement the legislative proposals in the Department for Education's schools White Paper, 'The Importance of Teaching', and measures from the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills relating to skills and the reform of higher education funding. It is therefore a very wide-ranging Bill.
22.04.2009Apprenticeships, Skills, Children and Learning Bill: Committee Stage Report
This is a report of the House of Commons Committee Stage of the Apprenticeships, Skills, Children and Learning Bill. It complements Research Papers 09/14 and 09/15 prepared for the Commons Second Reading debate.
18.02.2009Apprenticeships, Skills, Children and Learning Bill: provisions for children, education and learners (Bill 55 of 2008-09)
This paper is one of two which examine the main proposals of the Apprenticeships, Skills, Children and Learning Bill 2008-09. It deals with the provisions relating to the dissolution of the Learning and Skills Council, the transfer to local authorities of responsibility for funding 16 to 18 education and training; the education of offenders; the creation of the Young Person's Learning Agency and the Skills Funding Agency; and the legal identity of sixth-form colleges. The paper also covers the new regulatory body for qualifications (Ofqual); and a new agency to carry out the non-regulatory functions currently performed by the Qualifications and Curriculum Authority. The Bill seeks to strengthen the accountability of children's services; amend intervention powers in respect of schools which are causing concern; provide for a new parental complaints service; change the school inspection arrangements; create a new negotiating body for school support staff pay and conditions; and address issues related to pupil and student behaviour. See also Research Paper 09/14.

Select Committee Reports

DateDescription
18.07.2011Getting value for money from the education of 16 to 18 year olds.
Public Accounts Committee report [Commons]
12.07.201116-19 participation in education and training.
Education Select Committee report [Commons]
30.03.2010Further education funding and the Skills Funding Agency.
Business, Innovation and Skills Select Committee report [Commons]
14.10.2009Spend, spend, spend?
Government response. Department for Business, Innovation and Skills; Science and Technology Select Committee report [Commons]
15.07.2009Renewing the physical infrastructure of English further education colleges.
Public Accounts Committee report [Commons]

Early Day Motions

DateDescription
11.08.2011CUMBRIA COUNTY COUNCIL SCHOOL TRANSPORT POLICY
That this House notes with grave concern the plans put forward by Cumbria County Council to change the transport policy for prospective students planning to attend sixth form or further ...
20.07.2011UNIVERSITY TECHNICAL COLLEGES (No. 2)
That this House endorses the Government's commitment to help establish new university technology colleges across the country; notes the role that university technology colleges can ...
20.06.2011VOCATIONAL QUALIFICATIONS DAY (No. 2)
That this House congratulates the millions of people who gain vocational qualifications every year and celebrates their achievement on the fourth annual Vocational Qualifications (VQ) ...
31.03.2011REPLACEMENT OF EDUCATION MAINTENANCE ALLOWANCE
That this House is concerned that the Government's decision to replace theeducation maintenance allowance (EMA) with a 180 million bursary provides inadequate support for disadvantaged ...
28.03.2011UNIVERSITY TECHNICAL COLLEGES
That this House welcomes the extra funding in the 2011 Budget that will boost the number of university technical colleges from 12 to as many as 24 to open by 2014; believes that this ...

Lords Library Notes

DateDescription
09.06.2011Education Bill (HL Bill 67 of 2010-12)
This Library Note provides information for the second reading of the Education Bill in the House of Lords.

Glossary

  • Research Papers (RP) - briefings produced by the House of Commons Library on Bills, topical issues and regular statistics
  • Standard Notes (SN) - shorter, topical briefings from the Commons Library
  • Early Day Motions (EDMs) - formal motions submitted by MPs in the House of Commons
  • POST Notes - short briefing notes produced by the Parliamentary Office of Science and Technology
  • Lords Library Notes (LLN) - an occasional series of papers compiled by the House of Lords Library