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22 Mar 2005 : Column 684W—continued

Dudley College

Ross Cranston: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what assessment she has made of the financial implications for Dudley college of the funding gap with school sixth forms; and if she will make a statement on when she expects the funding gap to be narrowed. [222731]

Dr. Howells: The Department allocates funds for education and training in the post-16 learning and skillssector to the Learning and Skills Council. The Department does not collect or hold information at the level requested.

Government recognise that there are differences in the funding allocated to school sixth forms and further education colleges and have taken action to address this. We have brought up funding levels for further education colleges as we said we would without penalising schools. Our policy has been to continue to bring up the level of funding for colleges, as and when we are able to secure the resources to do so.

Ross Cranston: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills (1) whether her Department will fully fund courses for adults at Level 3 at Dudley College in 2005/06; [222732]

(2) whether she expects fees for courses above Level 2 for adults to rise at Dudley College in 2005/06. [222734]

Dr. Howells: It is our policy to ensure that those groups of people benefiting from fully funded further education provision will continue to do so. There will be no change in the fee concessions arrangements that help unemployed people, those on income based benefits, and retired people and working families on low incomes, to access further education. We will continue to make substantial levels of public funding available to all which covers the largest part of the cost of courses but we also expect adult learners, who can afford to do so, to make a contribution to the costs of their learning. Those people already qualified at level 2, or not in one of our priority groups, will on average pay a higher fee contribution in 2005/06 unless they qualify for fee concessions.

Ross Cranston: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills if she will take steps to ensure that fee concessions remain in place for those aged 60 years who wish to attend Dudley College. [222733]

Dr. Howells: Older people will continue to be eligible for concessions funded by my Department through the Learning and Skills Council if they are receiving an income based benefit such as housing benefit or council tax benefit, and they may be eligible for fee concessions if they are receiving the pension credit. Learners of any age will also continue to have access to literacy, numeracy and English language courses free of charge. Colleges such as Dudley will continue to have considerable discretion in setting fees, and although we want colleges to raise more of the income they voluntarily forgo, we have no plans to stop colleges offering additional concessions if appropriate.
 
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Education Funding

Mr. Willis: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills (1) what discussions she has had with the Learning and Skills Council on its recent decision on changing the way in which GNVQs are funded; [222159]

(2) if she will ask the Learning and Skills Council to fund GNVQs at the same rate in schools and colleges in 2005/06; and if she will make a statement. [222160]

Dr. Howells: My Department has not discussed with the Learning and Skills Council (LSC) its decision to change GNVQ funding rates for further education providers for 2005/06. I have no plans to ask the LSC to change the way it funds GNVQs. Decisions about funding rates in schools and colleges are a matter for the LSC. I understand that changes similar to those made for colleges will apply to school sixth-forms in 2006/07.

Mr. Best: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what assessment her Department has made of the funding gap between school sixth forms and further education colleges in Leeds; what the timetable is for taking steps to close the gap; and if she will make a statement. [222881]

Dr. Howells: The Department allocates funds for education and training in the post-16 learning and skillssector to the Learning and Skills Council. The Department does not collect or hold information at the level requested.

Government recognise that there are differences in the funding allocated to school sixth forms and further education colleges and has taken action to address this. We have brought up funding levels for further education colleges as we said we would without penalising schools. Our policy has been to continue to bring up the level of funding for colleges, as and when we are able to secure the resources to do so.

Education Maintenance Allowance

Mr. Hepburn: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many people in (a) Jarrow constituency, (b) South Tyneside, (c) the North East and (d) England have received education maintenance allowance. [222779]

Mr. Ivan Lewis: By the end of February 2005 1,605 young people resident in the South Tyneside local authority area had received one or more EMA payments. 18,803 young people in the North East of England and 284,002 young people across the whole of England had received one or more EMA payments. We do not analyse data at constituency level.

English Examinations (Key Stage 3)

Mr. Randall: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many and what percentage of the total number of scripts for Key Stage 3 examinations in English for 2004 were sent abroad to be marked. [223198]

Mr. Stephen Twigg [holding answer 21 March 2005]: No Key Stage 3 English tests were sent abroad to be marked in 2004.
 
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Further Education (Blyth Valley)

Mr. Ronnie Campbell: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills (1) whether she expects fees for courses above level 2 for adults to rise in Blyth Valley in 2005/06; [223123]

(2) if her Department will fully fund courses for adults at level 3 in Blyth Valley in 2005/06. [223124]

Dr. Howells: It is our policy to ensure that those groups of people benefiting from fully funded further education provision will continue to do so. There will be no change in the fee concessions arrangements that help unemployed people, those on income based benefits, and retired people and working families on low incomes, to access further education. We will continue to make substantial levels of public funding available to all which covers the largest part of the cost of courses but we also expect adult learners, who can afford to do so, to make a contribution to the costs of their learning. Those people already qualified at level 2, or not in one of our priority groups, will on average pay a higher fee contribution in 2005/06 unless they qualify for fee concessions.

Mr. Ronnie Campbell: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what steps she will take to ensure that fee concessions remain in place for those aged over 60 years who wish to study in further education colleges in Blyth Valley. [223125]

Dr. Howells: Older people will continue to be eligible for concessions funded by my Department through the Learning and Skills Council if they are receiving an income based benefit such as housing benefit or council tax benefit, and they may be eligible for fee concessions if they are receiving the pension credit. Learners of any age will also continue to have access to literacy, numeracy and English language courses free of charge. Colleges such as those in the Blyth Valley will continue to have considerable discretion in setting fees, and although we want colleges to raise more of the income they voluntarily forgo, we have no plans to stop colleges offering additional concessions if appropriate.

Geography Teaching

Mr. Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what response she has made to the Ofsted report on geography teaching. [223415]

Derek Twigg: In April 2004 Ministers set up a Development Fund to support the teaching and learning of geography in schools. A joint contract has been awarded to the Royal Geographical Society and the Geographical Association to develop resources and support for schools and teachers. We have also set up a high-level focus group with schools, further and higher education, professions, media, heritage, international and business interests represented. The group aims to identify pragmatic and realistic ways to support the subject and raise its profile.


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