On the adult education budget, we continue to maintain levels of investment. Grant provider block grant allocations are rolling-forward from 2017 to 2018 and contract for service provider allocations are being increased from 9-month to 12-month values. Where applicable, we are also consolidating run-down funding into contract for service baselines too. In all cases, allocations will include any growth awarded so far this year. To ensure providers can deliver adult education budget provision with confidence, we are committing to fund 3% over-delivery at the end of the 2018 to 2019 funding year for all providers.

For advanced learner loan facilities providers, baselines have been calculated using full-year delivery in 2016 to 2017 and increasing it by 3%. We have then applied rules reflecting decisions made at performance-management points this year.

To ensure advanced learner loan bursary funding is targeted effectively at the providers that need it most, for the first time, we have linked advanced learner loan bursary allocations to full year 2016 to 2017 delivery and applied an increase of 3%.

For 16 to 18 traineeships, we have used 12-months of delivery (6 months from 2016 to 2017 and 6 months from 2017 to 2018) to calculate allocations. We have then applied a 3% increase and applied rules reflecting decisions made at performance-management points this year.

For apprenticeship providers who have apprentices that will still be in learning on 31 July 2018, carry-in allocations will be calculated using R10 data submissions. This allocation will be worked out by using our standard carry-in methodology and will be issued in July 2018. We encourage colleges and providers to submit full and timely data at R10 as this will improve the accuracy of the carry-in allocation we work out for colleges and providers.

Skills and adult education allocations for 2018 to 2019

The Prime Minister met with businesses in Barry today to hear their views on what Brexit meant to them and to outline her determination to secure a deal that would benefit the whole of the UK.

On a day-long tour marking exactly one year from the UK’s historic departure from the European Union, prominent Wales-based business leaders gathered at the Aston Martin factory in St Athan to talk to Theresa May about what they considered to be clear avenues for the country’s economic growth, the potential for new jobs, and striking new trade deals across the world following Brexit.

The factory, which produces Aston Martin’s new luxury car, DBX, has created 750 highly-skilled jobs and is expected to create a further 1,000 jobs with suppliers and local businesses by 2019.

Those attending the round table included Andy Sellars from CS Catapult; Anne Jessop from Royal Mint; Wayne Preece from Hydro Industries; Matthew Crummack from GoCompare; and Andy Palmer from Aston Martin.

The Prime Minister also set out how the action she was taking to benefit the whole UK would benefit Wales, from delivering a modern industrial strategy to deliver jobs and economic growth in every community, to pursuing an international trade policy which will open up new opportunities for goods exports – which have increased in Wales by 12.3% to £16.4 billion.

Prime Minister Theresa May said:

In exactly one year’s time, the UK will leave the EU and begin to chart its new course in the world.

My aim today, as I visit all four nations of the Union, is to hear from people across our country about what Brexit means to them – and to reaffirm my commitment to strengthening the bonds which unite us.

I was privileged to hear the optimism from Wales’ business community today as they discussed the many possibilities Brexit will bring – from growth and job opportunities to the freedom to strike new trade deals – and as we leave the EU, we should be optimistic and ambitious about what we can achieve together.

Wales, with its pioneering technology, construction and creative industries – which will further benefit from our £600 million investment in City Deals for Cardiff and Swansea as well as the abolishing of the Severn Crossing Tolls – is an integral part of our union, and I am committed to ensuring that it continues to prosper.

The Infected Blood Inquiry is a priority for this Government. The infected blood tragedy of the 1970s and 80s should never have happened. We are committed to making sure all those that have suffered so terribly can get the answers they have spent decades waiting for, and lessons can be learned so that a tragedy of this scale can never happen again.

We want to make sure that all those who need to contribute to the Inquiry can do so.

The Inquiry Chair will be able to make awards for legal representation once the Inquiry is formally established and he intends to make early provision for core participant designation and legal expenses awards.

Ministers have also decided that reasonable expenses for legal representation to respond to the consultation of the Terms of Reference of the Inquiry, will be met. Any claims will be handled by the solicitor to the Inquiry.

The Chair of the Inquiry has been actively consulting with those who have been affected about how to ensure the Inquiry delivers the answers they deserve, and the consultation on Terms of Reference has been designed to be as user-friendly as possible.

When a business goes insolvent, employees can submit a claim to the RPS for money they are owed, including:

• redundancy pay
• holiday pay
• arrears of pay
• statutory notice pay

At the moment, the RPS can pay up to £489 a week for each claim. For example, if someone claims for redundancy pay and statutory notice pay they can get up to £489 a week for each one.

As of 06 April 2018, the amount the RPS can pay is increasing to £508 a week for each claim.

This means that if an individual is given notice of their redundancy on or after 06 April 2018, their weekly pay will be capped at £508. If they were given notice before 06 April 2018, their weekly pay may be lower.

Published 29 March 2018

Last updated 19 February 2019
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