§ Mr. Jim CunninghamTo ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what plans she has to encourage more children to continue their education in(a) sixth form and (b) further education colleges. [12404]
58W
§ Mr. Ivan LewisWe have set out our vision for post-16 learning in the recent White Paper, "Schools: Achieving Success". We want all young people to continue after the age of 16 in high quality learning opportunities which best meet their needs and potential. This may be in school, college or in the work-based route. We have established the Learning and Skills Council to 59W drive this forward and have put in place a number of measures which provide the support and incentives young people need to take up and succeed in learning. We are introducing the new Connexions service to provide advice and guidance to young people on the full range of learning options open to them and to help them progress within their chosen learning environment. We are also addressing the financial barriers to participation through piloting the education maintenance allowance scheme; providing discretionary funding targeted at specific learner needs, and the Connexions card, which offered discounts on transport and learning materials.