Nicholas Soames: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what plans he has to encourage the study of mathematics post-16; and if he will make a statement. [139590]

Elizabeth Truss, Parliamentary Under Secretary of State: We are committed to encouraging the study of mathematics post-16. In June 2011 the Secretary of State for Education, my right hon. Friend the Member for Surrey Heath (Michael Gove), set out a goal, that the vast majority of students would study mathematics to the age of 18 within a decade.

We have already announced that from September 2014 all students without a grade C or above in GCSE mathematics at age 16 will be required to continue to study towards a level 2 mathematics qualification.

We are funding the Further Mathematics Support Programme to improve take-up of Further Mathematics A-level and are funding Cambridge University and Imperial College to strengthen A-level mathematics curricula and teaching. In addition we are supporting Maths in Education and Industry (MEI) to develop a new mathematical problem solving curriculum and working with the Advisory Committee on Mathematics Education on recommendations for new mathematics qualifications.

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