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Asylum Seekers (Training)
Mr. Blunkett: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment if asylum seekers will be eligible for Government training programmes under the new regulations, with particular reference to training for work. [15172]
Mr. Paice:
There is no change in asylum seekers' eligibility for Government training programmes. They are eligible for training for work or the Government's
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programmes for young people if they have been granted permission to work in the UK by the Home Office pending a decision on their application for political asylum. They must fulfil the other eligibility criteria for those programmes which apply to all UK residents.
Mrs. Helen Jackson:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment (1) what was the total budget
15 Feb 1996 : Column: 681
for the access to work scheme in each of the last three years; and if she will give a regional breakdown of each national budget; [15331]
Mr. Forth:
Responsibility for the subject of the questions has been delegated to the Employment Service under its chief executive. I have asked him to arrange for a reply to be given.
Letter from Mike Fogden to Mrs. Helen Jackson, date 15 February 1996:
Mr. Forth:
Responsibility for the subject of the question has been delegated to the Employment Service under its chief executive. I have asked him to arrange for a reply to be given.
Letter from Mike Fogden to Mrs. Helen Jackson, dated 15 February 1996:
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We do not have a regional breakdown for the 2,725 people helped under the special schemes in April and May 1994.
Mr. Forth:
Responsibility for the subject of the questions have been delegated to the Employment Service under its chief executive. I have asked him to arrange for a reply to be given.
Letter from Mike Fogden to Mr. Tony Lloyd, dated 16 February 1996:
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Mr. Paice:
Discussions are being held with the principal organisations concerned with the future operation of the access to work programme, including ones representing the views of private employers. The discussions are wide ranging.
Mr. Spearing:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment, pursuant to her answer of 8 February, Official Report, column 320, relating to the appointment of Capita Manager Services Ltd. as contractors for the management of phase 1 of the voucher scheme for early years education, what was the number of tenders received; and what were the criteria, other than tender price, used in the appointment. [15346]
Mr. Robin Squire:
Three tenders were received. The principal criteria, other than tender price, used to award the contract were: the quality of proposals for issuing and redeeming vouchers; the strength of proposals to ensure security and control; and the ability to comply with the timetable for phase one.
Mr. Spearing:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment, pursuant to the answer given on 8 February Official Report, column 320, concerning the statutory basis for the appointment of Capita Manager Services Ltd., at what dates in the contract the first advances on payments are due; and on what dates thereafter. [15345]
Mr. Squire:
Payments were made on 11 December and 20 December 1995 to meet the initial costs of equipment and materials required for the issuing and redemption of nursery vouchers. The remainder of the contract cost will be paid in monthly instalments. These started in December 1995.
Mr. David Nicholson:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment how many schools have notified her Department of their interest (a) in increasing their number of assisted places and (b) in using the assisted places scheme for the first time; how many extra places have been notified in the last available year; and if she will make a statement on (i) the numbers to be provided and (ii) the expected timetable of provision. [15445]
Mrs. Gillan:
Over 400 schools have bid for over 7,400 new entry places from September 1996 as part of the expansion of the assisted places scheme in England, and more bids have been received for further places in 1997. Over 260 of these schools already participate in the scheme, and over 140 have applied for admission. These bids far exceed the scale of expansion necessary to meet the announced doubling of the total size of the scheme over time. My right hon. Friend hopes shortly to announce the first allocations of new places for September 1996.
Mr. Byers:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment when the Skills Training Agency was first established; how many people it employs; what have been its total running costs to date; and what are the estimated running costs for 1995-96 and 1996-97. [15084]
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Mr. Paice
[holding answer 13 February 1996]: The Skills Training Agency was established as a self-contained agency of the Department of Employment in 1985. It was transferred into the private sector in 1990. At that point, it ceased to be staffed by civil servants. The Department does, however, meet some residual costs relating to former staff and properties arising from the privatisation of the Skills Training Agency: for 1995-96 these are estimated at £1.8 million and for 1996-97 at £1.5 million.
(2) what was the average payment per client of the access to work scheme, in each of the last three years; and if she will give a regional breakdown of the average payment per client. [15332]
Mrs. Jackson:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment how many disabled people have benefited from the access to work scheme in each of the last three years; and if she will give a regional breakdown of national figures. [15330]
The Secretary of State has asked me to reply to your questions about the total budget for Access to work over the past three years and the average payment per client.
Access to work was introduced in June 1994. The total expenditure for 1994/95 was £15.7 million which included some residual payments on behalf of the preceding Special Schemes for people with disabilities. The budget for 1995/96 is £13.4 million but this is likely to be exceeded by some £6 million. The Employment Service regional breakdown for these years is given in the annex.
The average cost in 1994/95 was £1,513 per client. This includes people helped during 1994/95 under the special schemes that preceded Access to Work. Unfortunately the information we have for 1994/95 does not enable us to calculate regional average costs. The average costs for 1995/96 cannot be calculated until the end of the year.
I hope this is helpful.
ES Region 1994-95 expenditure 1995-96 provision
Northern region 0.7 0.9
Yorkshire and Humberside region 1.5 1.3
East Midlands and Eastern region 1.6 0.9
London and South Eastern region 4.4 3.9
South-west region 1.3 1.0
Office for Wales 0.7 0.9
West Midlands region 1.5 1.5
North-west region 1.5 1.7
Office for Scotland 1.1 1.3
Total 15.7 13.4
The Secretary of State has asked me to reply to your question about the number of people benefiting from Access to Work.
Mr. Tony Lloyd:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment (1) what was the original budget of the Government's access to work scheme in 1995-96; [15203]
Access to Work began in June 1994. During 1994-95 10, 394 people were helped, of whom 7,669 people benefitted directly from Access special schemes in April and May 1994, some of whom transferred to Access to Work. During the period April to December 1995, the latest month for which we have figures, 12,267 people benefitted. A regional breakdown of these figures is given in the Annex.
I hope this is helpful.
Region Number
Northern 374
Yorkshire and Humberside 798
East Midlands 758
London and South-east 1,776
South-west 735
Wales 445
West Midlands 919
North-west 1,106
Scotland 758
Total 7,669
Region Number
Northern 722
Yorkshire and Humberside 1,345
East Midlands 1,335
London and South-east 3,243
South-west 1,164
Wales 576
West Midlands 1,267
North-west 1,897
Scotland 718
Total 12,267
(2) what is the estimated final outturn of the Government's access to work scheme in 1995-96; and what is the planned expenditure for the scheme for 1996-97. [15204]
Mr. Lloyd:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what consultations have taken place with private employers about the access to work scheme; and what discussions have taken place in respect of employer's contributions. [15205]
The Secretary of State has asked me to reply to your questions about the Access to Work budget for 1995-96 and 1996-97.
The original budget for Access to Work for 1995-96 was £13,434,000 and the current estimated outturn is around £19 million. The Access to Work budget planned for 1996-97 is £12,900,000.
I hope this is helpful.
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