Ministerial role

Minister of State (Minister for Skills)

Responsibilities

The minister’s responsibilities include:

  • Skills England
  • technical qualifications, including T Levels
  • higher technical education (levels 4 and 5)
  • adult education, including basic skills and combined authority devolution
  • careers advice and support for young people not in employment, education or training (NEETs) (including the Careers and Enterprise Company)
  • apprenticeships, including the growth and skills levy
  • Technical Excellence Colleges
  • local skills improvement plans
  • governance, intervention and accountability of further education colleges
  • funding for education and training, provision and outcomes for 16- to 19-year-olds
  • further education funding, financial stability and workforce
  • access to higher education, participation and lifelong learning
  • quality of higher education and the student experience (including the Office for Students)
  • student finance (including the Student Loans Company)
  • international education

Current role holder

The Rt Hon Baroness Smith of Malvern

The Rt Hon the Baroness Smith of Malvern was appointed as a Government spokesperson for Equalities on 8 October 2024, in addition to her current role as a Minister of State (Minister for Skills) in the Department for Education.

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