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Dyslexia
Jonathan Shaw: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what action she is taking to assist adult students who have ADHD and dyslexia. [70157]
Mr. Ivan Lewis: The Government is committed to encouraging more students, including those with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) and dyslexia, to continue in education and training and to raising attainment levels.
We have introduced a range of legislation designed to ensure that people with learning difficulties and/or disabilities are not discriminated against in respect of their access to education and training. As a result the Learning and Skills Council (LSC) is required, under section 13 of the Learning and Skills Act 2000, to consider the needs of people with learning difficulties and/or disabilities in the discharge of its duties to secure facilities for education, training and work experience.
From September 2002, it will be unlawful for those bodies responsible for the provision of further education, higher education, adult and community learning and youth services to discriminate against disabled students and other disabled people and they will be required to make reasonable adjustments to provision where disabled students or other disabled people might otherwise be substantially disadvantaged.
In addition we have made available a range of learning and learner support funds to enable access to and participation in post-16 learning. These funds recognise the need for additional support that may arise for an individual with a learning difficulty and/or disability and help us to provide equality of opportunity and tackle social exclusion.
The department and the LSC are currently reviewing the arrangements for the funding of additional learning support across the post-16 education and training sector and will consider any necessary changes as part of the review.
Apprenticeships
Mrs. Curtis-Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills if she will make a statement on the (a) past, (b) current and (c) future funding of (i) HNDs and (ii) HNCs within apprenticeship training. [70296]
Mr. Ivan Lewis: Before 1999–2000 the further education funding council provided funding for HNDs and HNCs to colleges and universities; since then funding has come from the higher education funding council for England and is allocated through the council's normal funding method for teaching. HND and HNC courses do not form a compulsory part of apprenticeship training.
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Mr. Sheerman: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many modern apprenticeships there were in each of the past 10 years; what the average cost is of a modern apprenticeship; and what percentage of modern apprenticeships are (a) commenced and (b) completed by (i) men and (ii) women. [71133]
Mr. Ivan Lewis: (a) Advanced Modern Apprenticeships (AMA, formerly known as Modern Apprenticeships) were fully operational from September 1995. Foundation Modern Apprenticeships (FMA, formerly known as National Traineeships) were introduced nationally in September 1997.
The numbers of Modern Apprenticeships (Foundation and Advanced) started are as follows:
| AMA and FMA starts | % men | % women | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1995–96 | 25,800 | 66 | 34 |
| 1996–97 | 70,300 | 54 | 46 |
| 1997–98 | 84,200 | 53 | 47 |
| 1998–99 | 119,100 | 50 | 50 |
| 1999–2000 | 170,700 | 49 | 51 |
| 2000–01 | 188,300 | 49 | 51 |
| 2001–02(18) | 167,800 | 50 | 50 |
(18) Starts after 25 March 2001 exclude transfers between AMA, FMA and Other (work-based) Training.
(b) Information on completion of modern apprenticeship (MA) framework is not available.
An average figure for the cost of a modern apprenticeship is not available because the funding paid to training providers varies according to the length of stay, apprenticeship framework, the occupational sector, the age of the apprentice and from year to year.
In 2001–02 payments by the Learning and Skills Council to learning providers for AMAs and FMAs amounted to approximately £432.5 million but this does not include other costs such as administration, learner expenses or publicity.
The funding rates for those in learning on MAs 2002–03, and completing training, are based on the following:
| Advanced modern apprenticeship | Learners aged 16–18 years | Learners aged 19–24 years |
|---|---|---|
| Occupational Sector | Total Funding (£) | Total Funding (£) |
| Agriculture | 6,081 | 4,061 |
| Construction | 13,783 | 7,685 |
| Engineering | 14,560 | 8,850 |
| Manufacturing | 13,135 | 8,364 |
| Transportation | 11,191 | 7,423 |
| Management and Professional | 6,981 | 4,304 |
| Business Administration | 5,822 | 4,077 |
| Retailing and Customer Service | 4,736 | 3,552 |
| Leisure, Sport and Travel | 5,498 | 3,834 |
| Hospitality | 5,316 | 3,552 |
| Hair and Beauty | 6,657 | 4,061 |
| Health, Care and Public Services | 8,181 | 5,825 |
| Media and Design | 9,107 | 4,993 |
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Individual Learning Accounts
Mr. Steen: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what plans she has to replace individual learning accounts with a successor programme; and if she will make a statement. [70450]
Mr. Ivan Lewis [holding answer 18 July 2002]: The Government is committed to introducing a successor scheme to Individual Learning Accounts. An announcement will be made in the autumn.
Mr. Steen: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many learning providers have been investigated by the Individual Learning Accounts Compliance Unit since 1 November 2001; and how many prosecutions have taken place. [70447]
Mr. Ivan Lewis [holding answer 18 July 2002]: Since 1 November 2001, 698 registered Individual Learning Account (ILA) providers have been referred to the ILA Compliance Unit. Currently 145 providers are being followed up through correspondence; three of these have been referred to the Department's Special Investigation Unit (SIU) and a further 17 providers have been subject to visits by the audit review team. 96 other providers have been referred directly to SIU. 77 of those referred to SIU have been passed to the police. So far no prosecutions have resulted from this action. A further 440 providers are awaiting follow-up.
In total 132 cases have been passed to the SIU; of these, 98 have been referred to the police. To date there have been 45 arrests, which have resulted in 10 people accepting cautions and charges being brought against 13 individuals, 12 of whom are awaiting court appearances. One person has been convicted.
Arts and Humanities Research Funding
Mike Gapes: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what the results were of the review of Arts and Humanities Research Funding announced by the Minister of State for Lifelong Learning and Higher Education in September 2001. [72880]
Margaret Hodge: The review, which was commissioned in conjunction with education Ministers in the devolved Administrations, concluded that the current Arts and Humanities Research Board has done much since its creation in 1998 to establish an effective system for awarding research grants and funding for postgraduate students. It recommended that there should now be a
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further step, the creation of an Arts and Humanities Research Council. It concludes that this body should have UK-wide responsibilities and the same status as the existing Research Councils, with which it should be closely linked. A copy of the review report has been placed in the Library. The Government will respond to the report in due course, when there has been chance fully to consult the devolved Administrations on the way forward.
SMEs
Dr. Cable: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many SMEs have lost their Investors in People Award status as of January; and if she will make a statement. [70195]
Mr. Ivan Lewis [holding answer 22 July 2002]: The numbers of small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs) that have lost their IiP award at January 2002 are as follows:
| Size of enterprise (UK wide) | Total revoked since the first IiP recognitions in October 1991 |
|---|---|
| Less than 10 | 289 |
| 10–49 | 908 |
| 50–249 | 975 |
Investors in People has a very high customer retention
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rate. Over the past decade it has maintained a customer retention rate of over 90 per cent. on organisations that have been recognised.
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