§ Sandra GidleyTo ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what steps the Government are taking to encourage people over 60 to take part in adult learning. [138163]
§ Mr. Ivan LewisThe White Paper '21st Century Skills: Realising Our Potential', published in July this year, reiterates the Government's commitment to ensuring that adults of all ages have the opportunities to develop the skills they need for employment and personal fulfilment. The White Paper highlights the benefits of learning for older people and sets out our intention to safeguard a wide range of learning opportunities for pensioners, including leisure-based learning which is accessed by many older people.
Older people will also benefit from the new entitlement, announced in the White Paper, to free learning for all those studying for their first full Level 2 qualification [5 GCSEs or a similar vocational qualification] as a skills foundation for employability.