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Vocational Training

Mr. Simmonds: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what schemes other than the Modern Apprenticeship scheme are in place for the provision of skills and vocational training. [154970]

Mr. Ivan Lewis: The aim of the national Skills for Life strategy is to improve adult literacy, language and numeracy skills. The target is to improve the basic skills of 1.5 million adults by 2007. From September this year, we will be phasing in an entitlement to free provision for level 2 learning for adults who do not already have a qualification at this level. For those already in the workforce, there are 12 Employer Training Pilots testing ways of encouraging employers to train low-skilled workers to a first level 2 or basic skills qualification. A further six pilots will begin in September this year.

Entry to Employment (E2E) is a new work-based programme for young people aged 16–18. It will enable those with few or no qualifications to make a successful transition into a Modern Apprenticeship, sustained employment or further vocational learning opportunities. The Increased Flexibility for 14–16 year olds programme is providing vocational courses for around 90,000 pupils at Key Stage 4.

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Mr. Simmonds: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how much funding per capita will be provided for vocational education training schemes other than the Modern Apprenticeship in each year from 2003 to 2006. [154971]

Mr. Ivan Lewis: This is a matter for the Learning and Skills Council. Mark Haysom, the council's chief executive, will write to the hon. Gentleman with this information and a copy of his reply will be placed in the Library.

Mr. Simmonds: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how much funding will be provided for Modern Apprenticeship schemes in each year from 2003 to 2006. [154972]

Mr. Ivan Lewis: This is a matter for the Learning and Skills Council. Mark Haysom, the Council's Chief Executive, will write to the hon. Gentleman with this information and a copy of his reply will be placed in the Library.

Mr. Simmonds: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how much funding per capita will be provided for (a) skills-based learning, (b) vocational education, (c) evening classes run by colleges, (d) skills and vocational training and (e) skills training run by colleges for employers in each year from 2003 to 2006. [154973]

Alan Johnson: The Department allocates funds for education and training in the post-16 learning and skills sector to the Learning and Skills Council (LSC). Neither the Department nor the LSC allocate separate funding to the specific areas identified at (a) to (e) above. Funding for these specific areas will be drawn from funds allocated to the LSC for either Work Based Learning or Further Education.

The Average in Learning cost for Work Based Learning in 2003–04 is £2,687 for those in the 16–18 age range, and £2,361 for those aged 19 and above. Based upon indicative budgets these figures are expected to rise to £2,896 and £2,552 respectively in 2004–05; and to £2,967 and £2,608 respectively in 2005–06.

Assumed total funding per full time equivalent student in further education allocated to the LSC is £4,240 in 2003–04; £4,460 in 2004–05; and £4,650 in 2005–06.

CONSTITUTIONAL AFFAIRS

1911 Census

Mr. Alan Duncan: To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Department for Constitutional Affairs if his Department will agree to the early release of the 1911 Census data. [155844]

Mr. Leslie: I refer the hon. Member to the answers I have given to the hon. Member for Orkney and Shetland (Mr. Carmichael) on 10 December 2003, Official Report, column 457W, and on 18 December 2003, Official Report, column 1112W.

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Independent Advocacy

Mr. Jim Cunningham: To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Department for Constitutional Affairs how his Department is ensuring that people with sensory, physical, communication and profound and multiple impairments are able to access appropriate independent advocacy provision. [155033]

Mr. Lammy: The legal professional bodies with advocacy provision are the Law Society; the General Council of the Bar; and the Institute of Legal Executives. Each of these bodies have made provisions under the Disability Discrimination Act 1995 to ensure that people with sensory, physical, communication and profound multiple impairments have access to the appropriate independent advocacy provisions. In addition, the Government established the Partnership Initiative Budget, as part of the Community Legal Service, which funds innovative projects designed to improve services for vulnerable groups, including the disabled.

Damages Claims

Mr. Todd: To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Department for Constitutional Affairs what representations he has received concerning the regulation of those businesses which collect damages claims for processing by solicitors. [155574]

Mr. Lammy: The Department received representations on regulating claims intermediaries in response to the consultation paper 'Simplifying CFAs' published in June 2003. A summary of the responses will be published in the spring.

The Government have commissioned Sir David Clementi to review the regulatory framework of the legal services industry. Sir David announced in October 2003 that he will consider unregulated providers and regulatory gaps as part of his review. Sir David is expected to issue a consultation paper shortly and is due to report by December 2004.

Data Sharing

Mr. Todd: To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Department for Constitutional Affairs what steps he is taking to ensure local authorities are fully acquainted with his Department's guidance, Public Sector Data Sharing: Guidance on the Law; and if he will make a statement. [155228]

Mr. Leslie: The legal guidance, Public Sector Data sharing: Guidance on the Law was published in November 2003. On publication, a press notice was issued and two copies were sent to all local authority Chief Executives in England and Wales. The guidance is also available on the Department's website at http://www.dca.gov.uk/foi/sharing/toolkit/lawguide.htm. An electronic alert containing this link has been issued to local authority legal services, clerks to police, and joint fire and transport authorities by the Local Government Association. It has also been referred to at a number of conferences for local authority staff where DCA officials have spoken on data sharing issues. The guidance was widely anticipated by local authorities and I am confident that it has been made accessible to them.

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Hutton Inquiry

Mr. Sanders: To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Department for Constitutional Affairs what the cost of the Hutton Inquiry was. [154704]

Mr. Leslie: The full cost to Government is still being determined, and we will publish the figure once it is available.

Immigration Adjudicators

Mr. Hawkins: To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Department for Constitutional Affairs (1) what plans he has to change the basis upon which immigration adjudicators are employed; and if he will make a statement; [154885]

(2) if he will make a statement on his plans to terminate the current judicial appointment contracts for immigration adjudicators and issue new terms of contract equivalent to Civil Service terms and conditions. [154886]

Mr. Lammy: The Asylum and Immigration (Treatment of Claimants, etc.) Bill provides for the existing judicial members of the Immigration Appellate Authority (IAA) to form the judicial complement in the proposed single tier Asylum and Immigration Tribunal (AIT).

The terms of appointment to the AIT will continue to safeguard the independence of judicial office holders and will not be amended to reflect equivalent terms and conditions of employment in the Civil Service.

Land Registry

Mr. Wilson: To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Department for Constitutional Affairs if he will make a statement on progress on the Land Registry Quinquennial Review proposals regarding beneficial ownership of land. [155084]

Mr. Lammy: The report on the Land Registry's Quinquennial Review, published in June 2001, recommended that consideration be given to including details of the beneficial or true ownership of land on the land register for England and Wales. In response to a question from the hon. Member for Truro and St. Austell (Matthew Taylor) on 24 June 2002, Official Report, column 709W, it was announced that the Land Registry and the then Lord Chancellor's Department would jointly consider and consult other Government departments on the recommendation by autumn 2003. Depending on the outcome of that consultation and ministerial agreement consultation with stakeholders and the public on the principles and details would follow.

This work has been deferred pending a review of the consultations to be carried out by the Land Registry, including those jointly with the Department for Constitutional Affairs, in the light of the difficulties of multiple simultaneous consultations. I have asked my officials to complete this review and to report to me by summer 2004 with their recommendations as to when the several consultations, including that relating to beneficial or true ownership, should be carried out.

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