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12 April 2026

Tag: Robert Halfon

Milton appears to back subcontractor inspections

The skills minister has appeared to agree that Ofsted should inspect subcontractors during an exchange at education questions in the House of Commons today. Anne Milton seemed to echo the beliefs of her predecessor Robert Halfon when he asked her about subcontracting in Parliament. Mr Halfon, now the chair of the influential education select committee, […]

Ofsted boss worried about lack of subcontracting inspections

The head of Ofsted has acknowledged MPs’ concerns about how few subcontractors used by FE providers are inspected. Speaking at a meeting of the education select committee today, Amanda Spielman accepted that she had a “number of concerns” about apprenticeship provision, and wanted to ensure that “cowboys”, “sharks” and “bottom feeders” do not take advantage […]

Halfon questions costly employer perspectives survey

The chair of the influential Commons education select committee has questioned the worth of the employer perspectives survey, which cost the taxpayer almost three quarters of a million pounds in 2016. Even the Confederation for British Industry has refused to defend it, after its price ballooned by around £235,000 in just six years. The survey, […]

Education select committee to investigate subcontracting

The Commons education select committee will investigate subcontracting, and Learndirect is expected to feature prominently. The committee, now chaired by former apprenticeships and skills minister Robert Halfon, met for the first time since the recent general election on September 12. Mr Halfon confirmed that it will place heavy scrutiny on FE. “We have agreed to […]

FE champion Halfon elected chair of education select committee

The former apprenticeships and skills minister and FE champion Robert Halfon has stepped back into the education limelight, by winning an election to become the new chair of the education select committee. He received the largest number of the votes in the final round of voting which took place tonight. Mr Halfon was sensationally sacked […]

Editor Asks: Robert Halfon reflects on time as minister

Most, if not all of the FE sector was left in shock this week after we exclusively revealed that Robert Halfon had been sacked from his job as apprenticeships and skills minister by Theresa May. Mr Halfon, who took the role over from Nick Boles 11 months ago, is well known for his passion for […]

Who is Anne Milton? 11 facts about the new skills minister

FE Week has today exclusively announced that our sector’s new apprenticeships and skills minister will be Anne Milton, a former nurse and MP for Guildford. Here we have pulled together a few key facts about Anne, to help you get to know your next FE and skills representative: Anne Milton was born on November 3, […]

Halfon loses apprenticeships and skills ministerial role in reshuffle

It is a change that will shock the FE sector. Apprenticeships and skills minister Robert Halfon has this evening been told he will not return to his ministerial role, FE Week understands. Mr Halfon, who took up the role of Apprenticeships and Skills Minister from Nick Boles on July 17, 2016, is well known for his […]

Skills Commission demands cross-departmental minister for lifelong learning

A group of key FE figures has called for a cross-departmental minister for a lifelong learning, through a new report by the Skills Commission. It’s one of a number of recommendations made by the commission, co-chaired by former chair of the Learning and Skills Improvement Service Dame Ruth Silver, in its new report ‘Spotlight on…lifelong […]