All Party Parliamentary Group on Further Education and Lifelong Learning
AoC provides the secretariat to the All Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) on Further Education and Lifelong Learning. This group aims to promote and develop the interests of the further education, adult learning and skills sectors and to advise government ministers on matters of concern to those sectors.
What is an APPG?
APPGs are informal groups established by backbench MPs and peers which meet to discuss, campaign on and promote a certain issue. They have no statutory or formal role but are able to exert some influence on Government.
News
On Monday 12 June May the APPG on Further Education and Lifelong Learning held a meeting which focussed on how colleges support and address the health and social care workforce challenges. Our recent ‘Mind the Skills Gap’ campaign, which we launched with our partners in the Future Skills Coalition, highlighted the significant skills gaps that exist across the economy and in our health and social care sectors. This meeting was a great opportunity to show Parliamentarians how colleges can be part of the solution to this particular skills problem.
Parliamentarians heard from Sonia Stirling, Deputy Principal at Hugh Baird College, Laurence Frewin, Chief Executive at South Devon College and Lizzie Smith from NHS England. It was good to hear how colleges are playing such key roles in this space and you can read more about this session here.
The APPG for Further Education and Lifelong Learning has been running for over 10 years and meets regularly in Parliament. The group holds meetings and inquiries on particular topics of importance to colleges. Recent meetings have focussed on the role of colleges in meeting the health and social care workforce challenges; FE & HE Collaboration; a joint meeting with the APPG for Students on the cost-of-living crisis impact on FE students; the role of college sport in student health and wellbeing, the role of colleges in supporting unemployed people into work; and lost learning as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic;
The Group's Chair and office bearers are listed below:
Chair:
Vice-Chairs:
Officers:
Members:
- The Rt Hon Gavin Williamson CBE MP (Conservative)
- Lord Austin of Dudley (non-affiliated)
- Jane Hunt MP (Conservative)
- Sarah Champion MP (Labour)
- Lord Aberdare (Crossbench)
Group register:
If you have any questions about the Group or would like to get involved please contact our public affairs team at public_affairs@aoc.co.uk.
Meeting Minutes
-
Minutes of APPG Meeting AGM The role of colleges in addressing health social care workforce challenges Monday 12 June 2023
PDF (81.195 KB)
-
Minutes of APPG Meeting AGM Impact of college sport on health and wellbeing 6 June 2022
PDF (85.4 KB)
-
Meeting Minutes of APPG Meeting with Skills Minster Burghart 11 Jan 2022
DOCX (53.83 KB)
-
Meeting Minutes AGM and Colleges Role in Unemployment APPG on FE and Lifelong Learning 09 06 21
DOCX (55.362 KB)
-
Meeting Minutes Lost Learning APPG for Further Education and Lifelong Learning 20 04 21
DOCX (51.737 KB)
Correspondence
-
June 2022 Letter from Peter Aldous Chair of the APPG on FE Lifelong Learning letter to Minister Nigel Huddleston on college sport and physcial activity
PDF (36.343 KB)
-
Letter to Education Secretary from APPG on FE and Lifelong Learning regarding reccomendations concerning lost learning
PDF (79.302 KB)
Contact
AoC provides the secretarial support for this group. For further information, please contact our Public Affairs team at public_affairs@aoc.co.uk.