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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.

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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.

Membership of the APPG on FE and Lifelong Learning
Peter Aldous MP
Chair, MP for Waveney
Peter Aldous MP photo
Peter Aldous MP photo
The Rt. Hon Baroness Garden of Frognal
Vice Chair, Member of the House of Lords
The Rt. Hon Baroness Garden of Frognal photo
The Rt. Hon Baroness Garden of Frognal photo
Stephen Farry MP
Vice Chair, MP for North Downs
Stephen Farry MP photo
Stephen Farry MP photo
Emma Hardy MP
Officer, Kingston upon Hull West & Hessle
Emma Hardy MP photo
Emma Hardy MP photo
The Rt. Hon Lord David Blunkett
Officer, Member of the House of Lords
The Rt. Hon Lord David Blunkett photo
The Rt. Hon Lord David Blunkett photo
Lord Addington
Officer, Member of the House of Lords
Lord Addington photo
Lord Addington photo

Meeting Minutes

    Correspondence

    Contact

    AoC provides the secretarial support for this group. For further information, please contact our Public Affairs team at public_affairs@aoc.co.uk.