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Mature Students

Sir Teddy Taylor: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what representations he has received about the problems facing mature students with family obligations who are not eligible for income support or housing benefit; and if he will review the policy of Her Majesty's Government on this issue. [62289]

Mr. Mudie [holding answer 7 December 1998]: My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State has received a number of representations about the circumstances of individual mature students. The main source of support for full-time students is the student support system; mandatory awards, student loans and Access Funds. There are additional allowances as part of the mandatory award for students with dependants. These allowances are increased for single students with dependants and for students who have to maintain a second home whilst studying. They will be retained as supplementary grants when 100 per cent. loans for maintenance costs are introduced in 1999-2000.

Most full-time students are excluded from entitlement to benefits such as Income Support and Housing Benefit. Some benefits continue to be made available to certain students in vulnerable groups, including students who are solely responsible for a child. Partners of students who are not full-time students themselves may claim benefits on behalf of the couple. In assessing entitlement to benefit, the Benefits Agency and/or the relevant local authority will take account of all income available to the student, including the maintenance grant and student loan.

New Deal (East Hampshire)

Mr. Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment how many people have entered the New Deal Gateway in the East Hampshire District Council area since its inception; and how many took up each New Deal option. [63031]

14 Dec 1998 : Column: 379

Mr. Andrew Smith: The latest Government Statistical Service figures for clients in the Mid Hants Unit of Delivery show that to the end of September 1998:

(a) 206 young people had entered the Gateway and 41 have secured unsubsidised employment

(b) 17 had joined one of the four options.

This breaks down to: 2 on the Employment option; 3 on the Voluntary Sector option; and 12 on the Full-Time Education and Training option.

Medical Students

Dr. Gibson: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment if he will make a statement on the Government's plans to monitor the impact of the new student funding system on recruitment to higher education institutions of students studying for professions allied to medicine and pre-clinical medicine. [62640]

Mr. Mudie: Responsibility for the support arrangements for new students on courses in the professions allied to medicine and for students on nursing and midwifery courses transferred to my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Health in September this year. I understand that his Department is monitoring the effectiveness of student support for the professions allied to medicine in safeguarding supply. Also from September 1998, arrangements for supporting new medical and dental students became a shared responsibility with the Department of Health. These students will be supported under the main student support system for the first four years of their course and by the Department of Health from year 5 onwards. Medicine has always been a popular subject which is heavily over-subscribed and the situation will continue to be closely monitored by the Department of Health.

Extensive analysis is underway to assess and monitor the impact of our new higher education funding policies in general, using application and entrant data. A range of ongoing and planned research projects will also examine participation in higher education. A combination of internal and external studies will be undertaken.

New Deal (Southampton)

Mr. Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment how many people have entered the New Deal Gateway in the Southampton City Council area since its inception; and how many took up each New Deal option. [63123]

Mr. Andrew Smith: The latest Government Statistical Service figures for clients in the Southampton and South-West Hampshire Unit of Delivery show that to the end of September 1998:

(a) 751 young people had entered the Gateway and 97 have secured unsubsidised employment

(b) 108 had joined one of the four options.

This breaks down to: 29 on the Employment option; 7 on the Voluntary Sector option; 1 on Environment Task Force; and 71 on the Full-Time Education and Training option.

I am encouraged by the positive start made in the Southampton and SW Hampshire Unit of Delivery, which reflects the encouraging start to the programme overall.

14 Dec 1998 : Column: 380

Single Regeneration Budget

Mr. Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what steps the Government are taking to ensure local co-ordination between the Single Regeneration Budget and the New Deal. [62343]

Mr. Andrew Smith [holding answer 9 December 1998]: The guidelines for Round 5 of the Single Regeneration Budget required bidders to show how their proposals would support national policies and programmes to improve employability. Bidders should also clearly show how the SRB contribution will promote synergy by reinforcing or adding value to other publicly funded programmes.

Government Offices for the Regions have been asked to consider with potential bidders how far their proposals can support and increase the effectiveness of the New Deals and other aspects of the Welfare to Work programme.

Outline bids have now been received and Government Offices will be assessing the links with national programmes including New Deal. The Employment Service will be involved in the assessment of these bids.

NVQs

Mr. Austin: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what was the take up by sector and subject of NVQ Level 4 in England and Wales in the last year for which figures are available; and how many candidates were registered with the awarding bodies for NVQ Level 4. [63680]

Mr. Mudie: The information about take up of NVQ Level 4 by the 11 framework sectors, and by subjects is contained in the following tables.

Candidates are not compelled to register with an awarding body to say they are working towards an NVQ. Their first contact with an awarding body may well be shortly before their assessment.

1997-98 financial year

NVQ framework sectors	Level 4 awards
1 Tending Animals, Plants and Land	61
2 Extracting and Providing Natural Resources	0
3 Constructing	36
4 Engineering	222
5 Manufacturing	2
6 Transporting	9
7 Providing Goods and Services	157
8 Providing Health, Social and Protective Services	429
9 Providing Business Services	7,737
10 Communicating	164
11 Developing and Extending Knowledge and Skills	1,323
Total	10,140

Level 4 awards during financial year 1997-98 sorted in descending order

Framework sector	Title	Level	Total certificates
9	Management	4	3,739
9	Accounting	4	3,445
11	Training and Development (Learning Development)	4	996
9	Administration	4	386
11	Training and Development (Human Resource Development)	4	322
8	Guidance	4	113
10	Newspaper Journalism (Writing)	4	110
8	Managing Landfill Operations (Special Waste)	4	96
9	Business Counselling	4	81
8	Managing Transfer Operations (Special Waste)	4	76
7	Wholesaling, Warehousing and Stores	4	72
4	Engineering Manufacturing	4	66
4	Engineering Manufacture (Designing)	4	57
8	Occupational Health and Safety Practice	4	49
4	Engineering Manufacture (Production Planning)	4	41
1	Agriculture (Livestock Management)	4	34
8	Managing Landfill Operations (Biodegradable Waste)	4	32
3	Building Site Management	4	30
4	Engineering Manufacture (Testing)	4	29
9	Pensions Administration	4	29
1	Agriculture and Commercial Horticulture (Crop Management)	4	21
7	Travel Services (Management)	4	19
8	Care	4	16
10	Newspaper Journalism (Press Photography)	4	16
9	Marketing Products and Services	4	13
10	Radio Production	4	13
7	On-Licensed Premises Management	4	12
8	Managing Treatment Operations (Special Waste)	4	12
10	Periodical Journalism (Writing)	4	12
7	Catering and Hospitality Management (Food Preparation and Cooking)	4	11
7	Travel Services (Leisure and Business Travel)	4	10
9	Procurement	4	10
9	School Administration	4	10
4	Engineering Manufacture	4	8
4	Engineering Manufacture (Designing and Testing)	4	7
7	Field Sales Management	4	7
7	Retail Operations	4	7
10	Newspaper Journalism (Production Journalism)	4	7
3	Building Maintenance and Estates Service	4	6
4	Engineering Manufacture and Production Planning	4	6
6	Fishing Vessel Operations (Limited Area)	4	6
8	Advice	4	6
8	Managing Landfill Operations--Special Waste	4	6
8	Managing Transfer Operations--Clinical or Special Waste	4	6
8	Managing Incineration Operations (Special Waste)	4	5
9	International Trade and Services	4	5
9	Purchasing	4	5
7	Information Systems Development	4	4
7	Spectator Control	4	4
1	Amenity Horticulture (Designing Landscapes and Planning their Management)	4	3
1	Amenity Horticulture (Managing Landscape Construction and Maintenance)	4	3
4	Engineering Manufacture and Designing	4	3
4	Engineering Manufacture and Testing	4	3
8	Investigation	4	3
8	Occupational Health and Safety Regulation	4	3
9	Owner Management--Business Management and Development	4	3
10	Periodical Journalism (Subbing)	4	3
11	Training and Development (Design and Delivery)	4	3
5	Laboratory Operations	4	2
7	Catering and Hospitality Management (Housekeeping)	4	2
7	Distribution and Warehousing Operations	4	2
7	Information Systems Analysis	4	2
7	Playwork Development	4	2
8	Criminal Justice Services	4	2
8	Managing Treatment Operations--Clinical or Special Waste	4	2
9	Customer Implementation Support	4	2
9	Insurance (Intermediaries)	4	2
9	Marketing Research	4	2
9	Public Relations	4	2
4	Engineering Manufacture (Designing and Production Planning)	4	1
4	Merchant Vessel Engineering	4	1
6	Fishing Vessel Operations (Unlimited Area)	4	1
6	Merchant Vessel Operations	4	1
6	Piloting Transport Aircraft	4	1
7	Key Account Management	4	1
7	Kitchen Management	4	1
7	Sport and Recreation (Coaching)	4	1
7	Sport and Recreation Management (Sports Development)	4	1
8	Personnel Management	4	1
8	Special Needs Housing	4	1
9	Computer Network System Selection and Installation Supervision	4	1
9	Network Computer Services Management	4	1
10	Broadcast, Film, and Video Production	4	1
10	Camera Direction	4	1
10	Design	4	1
11	Information and Library Service	4	1
11	Training and Development	4	1
	Total Awards	--	10,140

14 Dec 1998 : Column: 383

14 Dec 1998 : Column: 383

Level 4 NVQs for which there were no awards recorded financial year 1997-98

Framework sector	Title
1	Amenity Horticulture
1	Environmental Conservation (Archaeology)
1	Forestry
3	Building Control
3	Building Services Engineering--Design
3	Building Services Engineering--Service and Maintenance Management
3	Building Services Engineering--Site Management
3	Construction Plant and Equipment Management
3	Highways Maintenance
3	Owner Management, Business Management and Development
3	Property Management
3	Spatial Data Management
3	Traffic Management and Systems Engineering
3	Valuation
4	Engineering Manufacture (Testing and Production Planning)
4	Engineering Surveying of Equipment, Systems and Services
4	Engineering Technology Management
4	Project Control
5	Laboratory Operations (Chemical and Pharmaceutical)
5	Management (Meat Processing)
5	Meat Processing Management (Technical and Production)
6	Controlling Air Terminal Operations
6	Controlling Aircraft Operations
6	Controlling Airport Operations
6	Fishing Vessel Engineering
6	Piloting Rotary Wing Transport Aircraft
7	Accommodation Management
7	Catering and Hospitality Management (Food and Drink Service)
7	Catering and Hospitality Management (Reception)
7	Dairy Retailing
7	Front Office Management
7	Kitchen and Larder Specialist
7	Multi-Skilled Hospitality Management
7	Patisserie and Confectionery Specialist
7	Restaurant Management
7	Retailing
7	Sport and Recreation Management (Facilities)
7	Sports Administration
7	Travel Services (Environmental and Heritage Interpretation)
7	Travel Services (Guiding)
7	Travel Services (Tour Directing)
7	Travel Services (Tour Operations)
8	Community Work
8	Environmental Conservation (Landscape and Ecosystems)
8	Forensic Science
8	Housing
8	Managing Incinerator Operations--Special Waste
8	Managing Landfill Operations--Biodegradable Waste
8	Managing Transfer Operations--Biodegradable Waste
8	Managing Treatment Operations--Biodegradable Waste
8	Providing Fingerprint Services
8	Regulating Waste Management
9	Advertising
9	Banking
9	Building Society Services
9	Building Society Services (Regulated)
9	Central Computer Services Management
9	Developing Union Organisation
9	Direct Marketing
9	Energy Management
9	Information Systems Production Supervision
9	Insurance (General)
9	Insurance (Life Offices)
9	Managing Residential Estate Agency
9	Multi-User Computer System Selection and Installation Supervision
9	Project Management
9	Quality Management
10	Animation Realisation
10	Archive Management
10	Art Direction
10	Book Commissioning
10	Book Contracts
10	Book Design
10	Book Editing
10	Book Editing (Editorial Management)
10	Book Production
10	Book Production and Publicity
10	Book Publishing Publicity and Promotion
10	Book Publishing Rights
10	Book Rights
10	Broadcast Journalism
10	Costume Design and Realisation
10	Delivering Artform Development Programmes
10	Developing and Delivering Cultural Products
10	Editing
10	Graphic Design for the Moving Image
10	Journal Management and Programme Development
10	Lighting Direction
10	Lighting Provision and Co-ordination (Electrical)
10	Make-Up/Hair Design and Realisation
10	Music Performance
10	Newspaper Journalism (Production)
10	Periodical Journalism (Subbing with Layout)
10	Periodical Journalism (Writing Features)
10	Periodical Journalism (Writing News)
10	Periodical Production: Advertisement Production
10	Photography
10	Properties Management
10	Records Management
10	Sound Direction
10	Visual Arts Practice
11	Information and Library Services
11	Museums, Galleries and Heritage (Collection Management and Interpretation)
11	Museums, Galleries and Heritage (Conservation)
11	Training and Development (Flexible and Open Learning)

14 Dec 1998 : Column: 385

Mr. Green: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what percentage increase he expects in employer contributions to staff training for NVQs between December 1997 and December 1998. [63368]

Mr. Mudie: Many employers offer NVQs entirely at their own expense. We do not gather regular information on employers' expenditure on NVQs.

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