Written questions, answers and statements

Further Education: Regulation

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Question for Department for Education

UIN 31547, tabled on 18 March 2020

Question

Rosie Duffield
Labour
Canterbury
Commons

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment he has made of the potential merits of creating an independent regulator of further education providers.

This answer is the replacement for a previous holding answer.

Answer

Gillian Keegan
Conservative
Chichester
Commons

Answered on

31 March 2020

The quality of further education (FE) providers is independently regulated by Ofsted. Financial health is regulated by the Education and Skills Funding Agency, which ensures direct accountability to ministers.

In addition, the FE Commissioner provides practitioner experience to help improve leadership and governance. This includes supporting colleges at risk (through diagnostic assessments) and highlighting best practice, supported by the National Leaders of Further Education.

We are currently considering the recommendations of the Independent Review of College Financial Oversight, carried out by Dame Mary Ney, and will publish the report and the government response in due course.

Answered by

Department for Education
Named day
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