Institute for Apprenticeships and Technical Education (Transfer of Functions etc) Bill [Lords] Report Stage: Amendment 6

What happened: On 31 March 2025, the House of Commons voted on Amendment 6 to the Institute for Apprenticeships and Technical Education (Transfer of Functions etc) Bill at Report Stage. The amendment was defeated by 305 votes to 166. The Bill itself concerns abolishing the Institute for Apprenticeships and Technical Education (IfATE) and transferring its functions to the Secretary of State and Skills England, a new government body.

Why it matters: The amendment sought to introduce additional safeguards or consultation requirements around the transfer of apprenticeship and technical education oversight from IfATE to Skills England and ministerial control. Those backing it argued the change concentrated too much power in government hands without adequate checks. The vote's defeat means the government's preferred approach to reorganising skills and apprenticeship governance will proceed largely as planned, affecting employers, training providers, and learners across England who rely on the standards and funding frameworks that IfATE currently administers.

The politics: The vote divided sharply along government and opposition lines. All Labour and Labour and Co-operative MPs who voted backed the government against the amendment, while Conservatives (95) and Liberal Democrats (62) voted unanimously in favour of it, joined by smaller numbers from the DUP, Reform UK, the Ulster Unionist Party, and Traditional Unionist Voice. There were no cross-party rebels on either side. This vote was one of several defeats for opposition amendments on the same day, with related votes on New Clause 1 and New Clause 4 producing similar results, before the Bill passed its Third Reading by 304 votes to 62.