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12 April 2026

Tag: Robert Halfon

Halfon pleads for nursing apprenticeships to be ‘special case’ with levy spending

The education select committee chair has pleaded for nursing apprenticeships to be made a “special case” with flexibility over levy spending. But skills minister Anne Milton told him in a special session this morning – dedicated to investigating what is holding up their roll-out – that this could not be done. It comes after FE Week reported […]

‘Preferred’ Social Mobility Commission chair wants ‘complete overhaul’ of FE

The government’s preferred candidate to chair the Social Mobility Commission has told MPs that the FE sector needs a “complete overhaul”, and reviewing vocational education would be one of her key priorities. Dame Martina Milburn appeared before the education select committee this morning. She made it clear that she is not impressed with the FE […]

Careers and Enterprise Company agrees to publish board minutes

The Careers and Enterprise Company has responded to savage criticism from MPs over secrecy by finally agreeing to publish its board minutes. Its chair Christine Hodgson and chief executive Claudia Harris were grilled in May over the CEC’s lack of transparency, during a bruising appearance before the Commons education select committee, where CEC was called an “over-bloated quango”. The […]

21 new members appointed to IfA apprentice panel

The Institute for Apprenticeships’ apprentice panel will have 21 new members when it next meets on July 4. A week ago, the former skills minister Robert Halfon said the IfA should “get its act together”, following revelations that the panel hadn’t met in nearly 10 months. “The voice of the apprentice is central to the […]

Careers and Enterprise Company slammed for multimillion-pound research spending

The Careers and Enterprise Company has been heavily criticised for spending almost £1 million on research and not on frontline guidance for learners. During a bruising appearance before the Commons education select committee, where CEC was called an “overbloated quango”, its chair Christine Hodgson admitted that £900,000 had been spent on research since it was […]

Government ignoring apprentices in mental health plans

Apprentices have been ignored in the government’s plans to improve support for learners with mental ill-health, according to a critical report from two influential committees of MPs. The education and social care select committees were full of criticism for proposals laid out in December in a green paper on beefing up mental health provision for […]

MPs’ inquiry will look into long-term planning for FE

The Commons education committee will investigate long-term education investment – especially whether colleges and schools are getting the money they need. The influential group of MPs has launched an inquiry into whether a longer-term plan is needed for investment across education, including FE, and what resources are really needed. MPs will look ahead to the […]

Ofsted can’t keep up with the growth in apprentices, MPs hear

Fears that Ofsted can’t keep up with the UK’s massive apprenticeships expansion have been raised before MPs, a day after the chief inspector spoke about her struggles to secure more funding. The House of Commons education select committee held an oral evidence session this morning, part of its inquiry into the quality and monitoring of […]