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21 Jan 2003 : Column 250W—continued

Level 2 Qualifications

Mr. Willis: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many 16 to 17-year-olds exercised their right to reasonable time off to achieve a first Level 2 qualification in (a) 1999–2000, (b) 2000–01 and (c) 2001–02. [90921]

Mr. Ivan Lewis: This information is not collected centrally.

Modern Apprenticeships

Dr. Stoate: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what proportion of Modern Apprentices in each profession receive the minimum

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training allowance; and what is the average (a) wage and (b) training allowance received by Modern Apprentices in each profession. [91331]

Mr. Ivan Lewis: In 2001–02, 2 per cent. of starts on Advanced Modern Apprenticeships, and 15 per cent. of starts on Foundation Modern Apprenticeships, were by people who received a training allowance. These trainees receive at least the minimum training allowance of £40 per week, but some will receive more than this. However, we are not able to give the proportion that are on the minimum allowance, or break this down by sector. The majority of Modern Apprentices are employed and are paid a wage by their employer. The rate of pay for a Modern Apprentice is agreed by the employer and the individual apprentice.

National Skills Task Force

Dr. Vincent Cable: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills who the members of the National Skills Task Force have been since its inception; what (a) expenses and (b) salary each received; and if he will make a statement. [91658]

Mr. Ivan Lewis: The Skills Task Force was established as an Executive NDPB by the previous Secretary of State for Education and Skills to advise him on the

21 Jan 2003 : Column 252W

extent and nature of skills shortages and skills gaps and assist him on the development of a national skills agenda.

The Skills Task Force operated from April 1998 to June 2000 under the chairmanship of Chris Humphries, currently Director-General of City and Guilds, and represented the private sector, trade unions, FE and HE, local authorities, and National Training Organisations. A list of members follows.

As an Executive NDPB, Task Force members were not paid a salary, only reimbursed for their travelling costs to attend monthly meetings.

On 27 June 2000, the Task Force's fourth and final report, "Skills for all: proposals for a National Skills Agenda", was published. The report set out their recommendations drawn from their work programme over the last two years.

The Secretary of State for Education and Employment provided a final response to the work of the Skills Task Force in the pamphlet, "Opportunity and Skills in the Knowledge-Driven Economy", launched alongside the "Opportunity for All in a World of Change" White Paper on 13 February 2001.

Following these reports, much work has been taken forward that will be reflected in the Government's Skills Strategy which will be published in June 2003. This will be a major cross government strategy drawing together policies for meeting the skill needs of the economy and showing how this will raise productivity.

Skills Task Force members

Name	Organisation	Position
Chris Humphries CBE	British Chambers of Commerce (BCC), London Tel. [phone]	Director General Chairman of Skill Task Force
Llew Aviss	Llew Aviss Associates Tel. [phone]	Managing Director
Rita Britton	Pollyanna (Barnsley) Ltd. Tel [phone]	Director
Tony Dubbins	Graphical, Paper & Media Union, Bedford Tel. [phone]	General Secretary
Eric Drewery	ABB Ltd., London Tel. [phone]	Chief Executive Officer
John Edmonds	GMB, London Tel. [phone]	General Secretary
Denise Hall	BT plc, London Tel. [phone]	Head of Government Health and Education Services
Sir Ken Jackson	AEEU, Kent Tel. [phone]	General Secretary
Dr. DeAnne Julius	Bank of England, London Tel. [phone]	Member Monetary Policy Committee
Eddie Maclntyre CBE	Birmingham College of Food, Tourism and Creative Studies Tel. [phone] (ext. 234)	Principal
Ashwin Mistry OBE	Brett & Randall Insurance Brokers, Leicester Tel. [phone]	Managing Director Board Member Leicestershire TEC
Terry Morgan	British Aerospace Centre, Hampshire Tel: [phone]	Director of Personnel
John V. Palmer	Works from home Tel. [phone]	Chairman—Steel Industry's NTO Chair of Steel Training Ltd.
Peter Rainbird CBE	Rainbird Group, Essex Tel. [phone]	Chairman/Chief Executive Chairman, Essex TEC
lain Roxburgh	Coventry City Council Tel. [phone]	Chief Executive and Town Clerk
Sharon Studer	3 COM Europe Ltd., Hemel Hempstead Tel. [phone]	Vice President
Julia Tinsley	Pitman Training Centre, Sheffield Tel. [phone]	Director
Adair Turner	Confederation of British Industry, London Tel. [phone]	Director-General
Prof. Leslie Wagner CBE	Leeds Metropolitan University Tel. [phone]	Vice Chancellor
Anne Weinstock CBE	Rathbone CI, Manchester (on secondment to DfEE, Millennium Volunteers Unit, Sheffield) Tel. [phone]	Chief Executive

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On-line Learning

Mr. Streeter: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what plans he has to monitor standards of on-line learning programmes; and if he will make a statement. [91064]

Mr. Charles Clarke: The Department's provision of on-line learning is covered by the same quality assurance and inspection arrangements as conventional provision such as schools, colleges and adult and community provision, The Ofsted and adult learning inspection framework and others, are developing to cover the increasingly wide range of provision and variety of providers. Work is also well advanced in establishing standards for the creation of on-line learning resources, covering both technical and pedagogical aspects.

Thames Gateway

Jon Cruddas: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what assessment he has made of the extra resources required to support the growth and development of new communities in the Thames Gateway area; what discussions he has had with other Government Departments in relation to supporting the growth and development of new communities in the Thames Gateway; and what resources he has allocated to support the growth and development of new communities in the Thames Gateway. [90427]

Mr. Ivan Lewis: My noble Friend Lord Rooker chairs the Thames Gateway Strategic Partnership, whose membership comprises ministers from five Government Departments (ODPM, DfT, DFES, DTI and DoH) three Regional Development Agencies, three Regional Assemblies and three sub-regional partnerships (East London, North Kent and South Essex).

The Partnership is now looking at new means of accelerating the regeneration and development of the Gateway. Thames Gateway development and regeneration is being supported by investment from various Government funding streams (for example housing and transport) and through regional public agencies (for example the RDAs).

We are working with the Partnership to determine the additional demands on primary and secondary education arising through housing and economic growth in the Gateway. The Minister for Lifelong Learning and Higher Education, Margaret Hodge, chairs a Thames Gateway Further and Higher Education working group which is working with

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universities, colleges, the Learning & Skills Councils and Higher Education Funding Council for England to scope the likely pattern of future demand for post-

compulsory education and training.

Training

Mr. Willis: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many 16 to 18-year-olds were in employment and receiving (a) employer funded training and (b) employer funded training for apprenticeships not funded by the Learning and Skills Council in (i) 2000–01 and (ii) 2001–02. [90923]

Mr. Ivan Lewis: The information is as follows:

(a) The number and percentage of 16 to 18-year-olds in Employer Funded Training (EFT) at end 2000 and end 2001 are set out in the table. The figures for end 2001 are provisional. The percentages are taken from the annual statistical first release, "Participation in Education, Training and Employment by 16–18-Year-Olds in England".

	End 2000	End 2001
Number (in thousands)	97	99
16–18 year old population (percentage)	5	5
16–18 year olds in employment (percentage)	9	9

(b) No further breakdown is available for employer funded training.

Mr. Willis: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many 16 to 18-year-olds were in employment but not receiving (a) training provided by their employer and (b) training provided by their employer linked to a qualification in (i) 2000–01 and (ii) 2001–02. [90924]

Mr. Ivan Lewis: The number and percentage of 16 to 18-year-olds in employment (including both full-time and part-time), but not in employer funded training (EFT) at end 2000 and end 2001 are set out in the table. These could be in full-time education, Government supported training (GST) or in other education and training, though not employer funded. A breakdown is shown. It is important to note that many of these young people will be in part-time, rather than full-time, employment.

The figures for end 2001 are provisional. They are taken from the annual statistical first release, "Participation in Education, Training and Employment by 16–18-Year-Olds in England".

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	Number (in thousands)	Percentage of population	Percentage of those in employment
End 2000
In employment and not in EFT	951	52	91
In employment	1,047	58	100
EFT	97	5	9
Full-time education	475	26	45
GST	157	9	15
Other education and training	44	2	4
Not in any education or training	275	15	26
End 2001
In employment and not in EFT	954	51	91
In employment	1,053	57	100
EFT	99	5	9
Full-time education	471	25	45
GST	145	8	14
Other education and training	57	3	5
Not in any education or training	282	15	27

Detailed information on employer funded training, such as whether the training is linked to a qualification is not available on a consistent basis.

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