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7 Mar 2006 : Column 1445W—continued
Learning and Skills Council
Mr. Jenkins: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what discussions she has had on the future of the Learning and Skills Council in Tamworth; and if she will make a statement; [43468]
Mr. Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what discussions she has had on the future of the Learning and Skills Council in Coventry; and if she will make a statement. [42781]
Bill Rammell: The LSC is embarking upon a major transformation programme that will make it a smaller, more dynamic and more customer-focused organisation. This will build upon its existing strengths; further develop its relationships with providers and with its partners, and help push the highest proportion of its funding out through colleges and providers into front line delivery. At local level, the LSC will develop small teams of professional staff who will support the delivery of its priority objectives through strategic relationships with colleges, providers and other key stakeholders and so ensure that the needs of local employers and learners are met. I fully support the changes the LSC is making as I believe it will help bring about an organisation that is fit for purpose.
The LSC continues to consult widely on the detail of the restructuring proposals. The effects on organisation and staffing are matters for the LSC. Mark Haysom, the LSC's chief executive, has written to my hon. Friends with further information. And a copy of his reply has been placed in the House Library.
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Letter from Mark Haysom dated 14 February 2006:
I write in response to your Parliamentary Question on the future of the Learning and Skills Council in Coventry.
As we have previously discussed the LSC has embarked on our agenda for change this is a radical and transformational programme of six themes to change the further education sector to better meet the needs of employers, to continue to raise quality of provision, simplify funding, share data collection, build business excellence within the sector, and to build the sector's reputation.
If we are to do this, the LSC must change too. We have introduced a seventh theme of transformation of the LSC itself, strengthening our ability to work locally, while sharing a number of common functions at the regional level. I believe that we can achieve this at a cost saving of approximately £40m and with around 1,300 fewer posts.
Across the country there will be some 183 local partnership and economic development teams. These teams of highly skilled and experienced education and training professionals will be responsible for developing strategic relationships with colleges, schools and training providers and with our key local stakeholders.
To support them, we will provide more efficient and effective services at regional level. Building on our experience of regional working to date, we want to create centres in each region from which operational services will be delivered. We will also strengthen the regional level in order that we can respond to regional skills priorities.
With a stronger regional tier, we have the opportunity to reduce the size of out National Office, We will only do nationally that which must be done nationally-for example, building relationships with national stakeholders and providing clear frameworks to ensure consistency across the LSC.
These changes will mean that for the Coventry and Warwickshire LSC area we will have approximately 27 people working in two local partnership teams-one for Coventry and one for Warwickshire-and a single economic development team. The new arrangements will provide a closer working relationship between the employers, the LSC, colleges and providers, and other local stakeholders, making the system more responsive to local needs and better able to work for the local community.
Mr. Denham: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what the (a) allocated and (b) actual Learning and Skills Council funding distributed to each relevant educational institution in (i) Hampshire, (ii) Southampton, (iii) Portsmouth and (iv) the Isle of Wight has been in each of the last four years, broken down by (a) 16 to 18 and (b) 19 plus age groups. [56029]
Bill Rammell: My Department allocates funds for the post-16 education and training sector to the Learning and Skills Council (LSC) working through 47 local offices. The LSC was established in 2001 bringing the planning and funding of post-16 education together under one body within a framework set by Government.
On 21 October the Government set out its priorities for post-16 education and training. I set out the Government's priorities for the learning and skills sector and the impact on funding in 2006–07 and 2007–08. Full details can be found in Priorities for Success' on the LSC's website. In 2004–05 the LSC spent £9.2 billion in total on delivering post-16 education and training.
The Department does not hold figures for post-16 education funding at local level. Some of the information my right hon. Friend requires is available on the LSC's website. I am therefore copying this letter to Mark Haysom, the Council's Chief Executive so that he can respond with the detailed information my right hon. Friend has requested. A copy of his reply will be placed in the Library.
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Jon Cruddas: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what assessment she has made of the performance against targets of London's learning and skills councils in each year since 2001. [46430]
Bill Rammell: My hon. Friend and I receive regular performance reports and have regular meetings with the LSC to discuss performance. The LSC leads on delivering four PSA targets: skills for life, apprenticeships, level 2 at 19 and adult level 2. Since its inception in 2001, the LSC has had a strong record of success. It has delivered two key PSAs: the 2004 skills for life target and the 2005 apprenticeship target. It is leading on delivery of the level 2 at 19 target set for 2006 and 2008—current indications are that the 2006 target is likely to be met. The LSC also lead on the adult level 2 target for 2010 and current estimates show that the 2007 milestone will be met.
As well as reporting to Ministers, the LSC has its own internal performance management system. This includes performance reporting and review by its council and management group on a regular basis and a six monthly scrutiny by the chief executive of each of the nine regions, including London, through a formal performance review with the regional directors. In addition, the LSC's annual report includes details of the performance against targets of each of the local LSCs.
In line with overall performance the LSC is performing well in London. Mark Haysom, the LSC's chief executive, has written to my hon. Friend with an assessment of the LSC's performance in London and a copy of his reply has been placed in the House Libraries.
Letter from Mark Haysom, dated 14 February 2006:
I write in response to your recent Parliamentary Questions where you asked the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, a) what assessment she has made of the performance of London's Learning and Skills Council against targets in each year since 2001 and b) what the total budget of London's learning and skills councils was in each year since 2001, broken down by spending on (a) school sixth forms, (b) the further education sector, (c) work-based training for young people, (d) workforce development, (e) adult and community learning, (f) information and advice for adults, (g) education- business links and (h) administrative costs. I can provide the following information.
The table below shows the total expenditure of the Learning and Skills Council relating to the Greater London region during the financial years* 2001–02 to 2004–05.
The LSC is a national unitary organisation and performance is monitored and assessed at a national level, through formal quarterly performance reviews between Ministers and the LSC's Chair and Chief Executive. The quarterly reviews give an opportunity to give feedback, advice and guidance in a timely manner ensuring performance targets continue to be achieved.
To corroborate the effectiveness of this process, the following is recent evidence of improving performance, actively supported by the LSC:
Participation for 16 and 17 year olds is now much higher than the national average and is the highest when compared to other regions. 78% of 16 year olds are in full time education
- (compared to 72% nationally) and 67% of 17 year olds (compared to 59% nationally). Young people in school sixth forms have increased by 6% in 2003/04 against a national increase of 3%.
Success rates in Further Education have risen to 68% in London during 2003/04; an improvement of 7% compared to an increase of 6% nationally.
All 13 General FE and sixth form colleges inspected in 2004–05 were found to be at least satisfactory—six of which were graded as outstanding.
Over 161,000 young people aged 16–19 were able to benefit from education and training last year (RSP)
The regional apprenticeship target was exceeded by over 8 percent with 10,932 new entrants starting Apprenticeships by Dec 2005
The number of young people succeeding at further education colleges has increased from 53.5% in 2000/01 to 65.8% in 2003/04, a 12.5 percentage point increase
To date this year 05/06 over 45,000 people achieved a basic skills qualification that counted towards the LSC target
Exceeded their target for Skills for Life, with more than 200,000 learners achieving transferable qualifications by the end of 2004/05
£16 million has been invested in Level 3 qualifications at COVEs across the region, the equivalent of 121,000 qualifications.
The LSC has two new Regional Directors in post, one focussing on pan-London regeneration/skills issues such as the Olympics and Paralympics Games, Terminal 5, Stratford City and the Thames Gateway, the other focusing on overall regional performance, excellence, partnerships and capability. The remit of the Regional Skills Partnership is being recommended for review to strategically focus on major London issues making certain the influence of its members are used more effectively.
I hope this information is satisfactory, please do not hesitate to contact me should you require further clarification.
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