This House of Lords Library Briefing has been prepared in advance of the debate to take place on 6 September 2018 in the House of Lords on the motion moved by Lord Aberdare (Crossbench), “that this House takes note of the case for high-quality careers education and advice to be available to all students".
Careers Education and Advice (366 KB , PDF)
This Lords Library Briefing has been prepared in advance of the debate due to take place on 6 September 2018 in the House of Lords on the motion moved by Lord Aberdare (Crossbench), “that this House takes note of the case for high-quality careers education and advice to be available to all students”.
The provision of high-quality careers education and advice for students has been advocated as a means of promoting greater social mobility. The charity Education and Employers has argued factors such as socio-economic background and gender might limit someone’s expectations of the kinds of employment open to them. However, the Institute for Education has said that careers education has the potential to widen young people’s aspirations. Careers advice has also been promoted as a means of enabling the workforce to better adapt to changes to the jobs market and help people to ensure their skills training better matched the needs of the UK economy.
The quality and consistency of careers education and advice available for students has been questioned. Focusing on careers education and guidance in schools in England, parliamentary committees including the House of Lords Social Mobility Committee, the House of Commons Education Committee and the House of Commons Education, Skills and the Economy Sub-Committee have all argued that careers education and advice was inadequate and needed to be improved.
Various governments have attempted to improve standards in careers education and advice. Most recently, in 2017, the Conservative Government published Careers Strategy: Making the Most of Everyone’s Skills and Talents
Careers Education and Advice (366 KB , PDF)
On 6 March 2025, the House of Lords is scheduled to hold a debate marking International Women’s Day focused on the steps being taken to promote women’s participation and leadership in science and technology. The motion for the debate is sponsored by Baroness Gustafsson, the government minister for investment. This briefing provides an overview of data and research in this area, as well as information on government policy.
The Post Office introduced the Horizon computer system into branches from 1999. The system, used for accounting and stock-taking, inaccurately recorded losses and money missing in branches. The Post Office has identified 700 convictions in cases it prosecuted between 1999 and 2015 in which Horizon evidence may have featured. Compensation schemes have been established by the Post Office and the Department for Business and Trade. However, progress in making payments has been criticised for being too slow.
The Education (Assemblies) Bill [HL] is a private member’s bill introduced by Baroness Burt of Solihull (Liberal Democrat). It would repeal the requirement for schools in England without a designated religious character to provide daily acts of collective religious worship. In its place, the bill would establish a new duty to provide non-religious assemblies which develop the spiritual, moral, social, and cultural education of pupils.
![Education (Assemblies) Bill [HL]:HL Bill 35 of 2024-25](https://lordslibrary.parliament.uk/content/uploads/sites/2/2020/01/Government-VIGS-568x426.jpg)