• Labour to hold Opposition Day debate tomorrow to highlight flawed plans to reduce Further Education resources as good Further Education and Sixth Form colleges face cliff edge
  
• This follows analysis released last week which shows that the budget for sixth form and further education colleges could fall by at least £1.6 billion under Tory spending plans. This is the equivalent of four in ten sixth form and further education colleges.
  

Lucy Powell MP, Labour’s Shadow Education Secretary, commenting ahead of the Opposition Day debate, said:

“All the evidence shows that investment in education is the best down payment a country can make to secure its economic future. At the last election the Tories’ rhetoric implied they would protect education spending but the reality is very different.

“At a time when we are rightly expecting all young people to stay in education until 18 years old, scaling back resources and opportunities is wrongheaded. With 16-19 education at the sharp end the Government is curbing opportunities for young people.

“If the Government goes ahead with these plans we will see the scaling back of courses on offer including Science and Maths A-Levels - vital to our future success, teaching hours will be reduced and in some cases good Sixth Form and Further Education colleges may close.”