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EDUCATION AND SKILLS

0870 Numbers

Dr. Cable: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills pursuant to the answer of 8 November 2005, Official Report, column 443W, on 0870 numbers, what contractual arrangements her Department has for the provision of the non-profit making 0870 lines. [37640]

Bill Rammell: The Department for Education and Skills normally obtains non profit making 0870 lines from its current telephone service provider as a published service offering within that contract. The exception to that policy is where advanced notification has been provided of an impending Machinery of Government change and, in these cases, non profit making 0870 numbers are obtained outside of the normal contractual arrangements in order to ease transition to the new Department.

Ability Grouping

Mr. Gibb: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many schools found to be inadequate by Ofsted in 2004–05 were found not to be making appropriate use of ability grouping. [39514]

Jacqui Smith: This information is not available.

Access Arrangements

Miss McIntosh: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what account is taken by the Children and Family Court Advisory and Support Service of Child Support Agency decisions on payment when advising the courts on access arrangements to the non-resident parent in any particular case. [38886]

Maria Eagle: This is a matter for the Children and Family Court Advisory and Support Service (CAFCASS). Anthony Douglas, the CAFCASS chief executive, will write to the hon. Member with this information and a copy of his reply will be placed in the House Library.

Letter from Anthony Douglas, dated 21 December 2005:

I am writing to you in response to the above Parliamentary Question that you put to the Secretary of State and Education and Skills on 20 December 2005.

It is my responsibility, as CAFCASS Chief Executive, to reply to this particular Parliamentary Question.

Recommendations to the courts are based entirely on the best interests of the child and promoting good quality, and ensuring contact with the non-resident parent where it is safe to do so. Decisions made relating to financial payments would only be considered if they had a direct bearing on the welfare of the child.

I would like to add that CAFCASS is committed to providing a quality service to all its users. CAFCASS believes that the welfare of the child is paramount and any decisions made about a child's future must reflect this principle.

Adult Education (Kent)

Mr. Holloway: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what funds have been made available in 2005–06 for adult education courses in Kent; and what percentage change this represents over the previous year. [28594]

 
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Bill Rammell: The Government's Skills Strategy, reaffirmed in the White Paper published on the 22 March 2005, sets clear priorities for public funding to support the drive to ensure that employers have the skills they need to be successful, and individuals have the skills they need to be employable and personally fulfilled. Funding for further education (FE) increased by 4.4 per cent. in 2005/06. Funding for non-vocational learning opportunities for adults, delivered mainly through local authority adult education services, has also increased. In 2004/05 we provided over £207 million to the Learning and Skills Council (LSC) in support of this learning. This has risen to £210 million in 2005/06.

This funding will enable colleges and other providers to deliver a wide range of learning opportunities to meet the needs of adults in local communities but those who are able to do so will need to pay higher fees in the future. I set out the Government's priorities for the learning and skills sector and the impact on funding in 2006–07 and 2007–08 on the 21 October 2005 and full details can be found in 'Priorities for Success' on the LSC's website.

Total further education funding allocated by the LSC to colleges and other providers in Kent is £107.67 million in 2005/06-up 5 per cent. on 2004/05. Allocations for individual colleges and providers are available on the LSC's website: www.lsc.gov.uk The 2005/06 funding allocations for Personal & Community Development Learning (formerly Adult & Community Learning) have been made to providers but have not yet been published by the LSC.

My Department does not hold funding figures for college and other providers in Kent. As the level of funding allocations in local areas relates to the LSC's operational responsibilities, Mark Haysom, the LSC's chief executive, has written to the hon. Member with further details about Kent's 2005/06 funding. A copy of his reply has been placed in the House Library.

Letter from Mark Haysom, dated 20 December 2005:

I am writing in response to your Parliamentary Question that asked how many young people in Gravesham have been granted an Education Maintenance Allowance (EMA)?"

Information on the number of young people who have applied, enrolled and received EMA is available at Local Authority level, but not at constituency level. The information relates to academic years.

By the end of October 2005, 7,872 young people in the Kent Local Education Authority area had received one or more EMA payments in the academic year 2005/06 so far During the academic year 2004/05, 5,317 young people in the Kent Local Education Authority received one or more EMA payments

I hope this information is helpful and addresses your question. If you would like further details please contact Chris Bradley at the LSC National Office on 0114 207 4512 or Christopher. [e-mail]

Adult Guidance Provision

Mr. Stephen O'Brien: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many adult guidance providers are running at a loss. [25086]

Phil Hope: Information, advice and guidance services on learning and work for adults are delivered by the Learning and Skills Council through an integrated
 
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information and advice service comprising the national learn direct telephone and on-line advice service, and 47 local next step information and advice providers.

Operational matters relating to the performance of these providers are a matter for the Learning and Skills Council (LSC). Mark Haysom the LSC's chief executive has written to the hon. Member and a copy of his reply has been placed in the House Library.

Letter from Mark Haysom, dated 16 November 2005:

I write in response to your recent Parliamentary Question to the Secretary of State for Education and Skills in which you asked how many adult guidance providers are running at a loss. Mr Phil Hope referred your question to the Learning and Skills Council (LSC) for a response to be sent to you directly.

Adult guidance providers in England are funded through a variety of public and private income streams. It is therefore impossible to ascertain how many operate at a loss.

However, as part of the LSC procurement process for the provision of adult information, advice and guidance services—delivered under the brand name 'nextstep'—we undertake a financial risk assessment of potential contractors to ensure financial viability.

The settlement from the 2004 Spending Review in 2004–05 enabled the LSC to invest 34,000,000 in the delivery of information and advice services. There are currently 35 'nextstep'—contractors who subcontract information and advice services to a further 600 organisations (predominantly from the voluntary and community sector).

The majority of these providers also access other public funds such as Jobcentre Plus subcontracted provision and European Social funds in addition to private contracts from employers and individuals.

Adult Learning Inspectorate

Mr. Hayes: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what representations she received from business groups on the decision to merge the adult learning inspectorate with Ofsted. [40431]

Jacqui Smith: A number of business organisations, including the Confederation of British Industry, the Institute of Directors and the British Chambers of Commerce, responded to the consultation A Single Inspectorate for Children and Learners". As part of the consultation Tri-Energy Consulting facilitated for the Department [five] focus group discussions on the consultation questions relating to the adult learning inspectorate. They concluded that

"ultimately, respondents were not attached to ALI per se, but to what they felt ALI offered. If this could be offered in a different way-improved upon, even-they would generally be happy."

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