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13 Sep 2006 : Column 2380W—continued
Statutory guidance for care and related proceedings and for adoption cases is followed by CAFCASS. The retention schedules for records held by CAFCASS are as follows:
CAFCASS is currently developing new guidance, to ensure that a comprehensive national schedule is in place, which also takes account of recent policy developments in the field.
Funding
Helen Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how much funding (a) in total and (b) per pupil has been allocated to Warrington Education Authority in each year since 1997. [91053]
Phil Hope: The following table sets out the total funding received by Warrington local education authority for its pupils for the years 1997-98 to 2005-06:
The following figures are taken from the new dedicated schools grant. They are not comparable with those for the earlier years:
| Total DSG (£ million) | Guaranteed unit of funding (£) | |
| Notes: 1. The figures from 1997-98 to 2005-06 are based on education formula spending (EPS) which formed the education part of the local government finance settlement, plus various grants. This was an assessment of what local authorities needed to fund education rather than what they spent. In 2006-07 funding for schools changed with the introduction of the dedicated schools grant (DSG) which is based largely on an authority's previous spending. 2. The DSG has a different coverage to EFS. EFS comprised a schools block and an LEA block (to cover LEA central functions) whereas DSG only covers the schools block. LEA block items are still funded through DCLG's local government finance settlement but education items cannot be separately identified. This means there is a break from 2006-07 onwards in the funding series and the two sets of figures are not comparable. A new funding series is currently being developed by the Department. 3. There are other grants that support the schools budget. These are not included in the provided DSG figures as some of these grant figures are not yet available. 4. Figures are in cash terms and include the pensions transfer. | ||
Helen Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills (1) which schools in Warrington North have received funding for capital projects in each year since 1997; and how much was allocated and for what purpose in each case; [91054]
(2) how much capital funding has been allocated to Warrington Education Authority in each year since 1997. [91055]
Phil Hope:
School capital allocations are made by the Department on a local authority basis. These, together with any other local resources, are prioritised
between schools in accordance with local authority asset management plans. The Department does not keep records of allocations to individual schools.
Capital funding allocated to Warrington borough council and schools in its area in each year since 1998, the first year in which central records are available, is set out in the following table, in £ million.
| £ million | |
Further Education
Mr. Truswell: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what assessment he has made of the impact of the targeting of further education funding according to Priorities for Success on the level of provision of courses in (a) Leeds and (b) England for (i) people with learning disabilities and (ii) other priority groups; and if he will make statement. [90924]
Phil Hope: Funding for provision for people with learning difficulties and/or disabilities has increased significantly over recent years, and in 2004/05 the Learning and Skills Council (LSC) supported more than 641,000 learners with learning difficulties and/or disabilities which accounted for nearly £1.5 billion. Continued investment in this provision remains a priority. This was stated in the Department's Grant Letter to the LSC for 2006-07, and was built upon by the LSC in their Annual Statement of Priorities for 2006/07.
The LSC's funding strategy set out in Priorities for Success, realigns funding to support the Government targets, apprenticeships, Train to Gain, and free first full level 2 while protecting support for disadvantaged adult learning and securing more resource for those with learning difficulties and disabilities. Priorities for Success makes clear that support for disadvantaged adults who lack basic and level 2 skills for employability and progression to Level 3 is a priority, with free tuition for learners studying basic skills, a first level 2, and for all those on income-related benefits
Mr. Marsden: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills (1) what proportion of the total budget for further education was spent on adult students with learning disabilities in each (a) institution and (b) region in each of the last five years; [90985]
(2) how much funding was provided for further education for adult students with learning disabilities in each (a) institution and (b) region in each of the last five years. [90986]
Phil Hope: The Learning and Skills Council allocates specific budgets to institutions or regions for adult learners with learning difficulties and/or disabilities, therefore we do not hold the detail of institutional funding. Funding for provision for people with learning difficulties and/or disabilities has increased significantly over recent years, and in 2004/05 the Learning and Skills Council (LSC) supported more than 641,000 learners with learning difficulties and/or disabilities, which accounted for nearly £1.5 billion.
Continuing investment in this provision remains a priority, which was confirmed in our 2006-07 Grant Letter to the LSC, and the LSC has in turn made clear in its strategic planning guidance the priority it attaches to this provision. Information on individual institutions can be found at the institution's website and performance information on Ofsted's website (www.ofsted.gov.uk)
Law Students
Mr. Marsden: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what publicly-funded assistance is available to mature students to study law and subsequently train as lawyers. [90610]
Phil Hope: Mature students are generally able to receive support to study law degrees on the same basis as younger students and on the same basis as for other degree courses. For full-time students, new rates of student support in 2006/07 offer above—inflation increases in the amount of maintenance loan available to students (up to £6,170 in London). These maintenance loans are available to students under the age of 60. New fee loans of up to £3,000 ensure that no eligible student pays upfront fees. Student loans for maintenance and tuition fees incur no real rate of interest, are repaid only when graduate earnings are £15,000 or more and are written off after 25 years.
A means tested HE maintenance grant of up to £2,700 has been introduced for new students, who will also receive institutional bursaries of at least £300 if they pay fees of £3,000 at a publicly-funded institution. Students with dependants can claim additional grants including adult dependants grant (worth up to £2,455), parents learning allowance (worth up to £1,400) and a child care grant (worth up to £8,840). In addition, student parents are eligible to receive child tax credit from the Inland Revenue. Some students are also eligible for university access to learning funds and disabled students allowances. Mature law students who do not qualify for undergraduate support may be eligible for a career development loan which has an element of subsidy from public funds.
Part-time mature students receive the same support as other part-time students. In 2006/07 a fee grant of up to £1,125 is available, depending how intensive the course is, together with a course grant of up to £250.
Mature students can apply for the training contract grant scheme (TCGS) which is administered by the Legal Services Commission. The TCGS provides financial support to law students wishing to work in the legal aid sector.
The information given is in relation to England.
London Olympics (Building Skills)
Derek Wyatt: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what courses are available for citizens in east London to upgrade their skills so that they can apply for employment on the London Olympics site. [90722]
Phil Hope [holding answer 11 September]: In preparation for the Olympics, Construction Skills—the Sector Skills Council, have set up a team “Constructing London 2012” to identify the skills needed to deliver the Games. They are working closely with the Learning and Skills Council to identify training requirements for the site and Mark Haysom, the LSC Chief Executive, will write to you with further details. In addition, we are completing the national roll-out of the Train to Gain to service to help equip employees to upgrade their skills.
I write in response to your recent Parliamentary Question in which you asked what courses are available for citizens in East London to upgrade their skills so that they can apply for employment on the London Olympics site. I am happy to provide the following information.
In preparation for the Olympics a range of actions are already being undertaken:
The London region LSC and LDA have published research that analyses previous Olympics and Paralympic Games helping to forecast the skills and employment opportunities that the Games will create.
Construction Skills—the Sector Skills Council, have set up a team “Constructing London 2012” to identify the specific skills needed to deliver the Games.
The London Employment and Skills Taskforce, as requested by Misc 26, have an action plan in the consultation phase which identifies specific projects and actions designed to help Londoners access the employment and learning opportunities driven by the Games.
A £15 Million European Social Fund has already been contracted to deliver underpinning activity to support learners and build capacity across 3 regions, East of England, South East of England and the London, managed in partnership by the regional LSCs and RDAs.
In addition, we are expanding Train to Gain in line with the recommendations of the Women and Work Commission to focus on training at level 3 for occupational areas where women are under-represented.
The London Region LSC will invest in excess of £1 billion per year in post-16 education throughout London in the years preceding the Games. East London already has in place a wide variety of learning available to it's citizens throughout all 6 boroughs including e-learning, Apprenticeships, Skills for Life, ESOL and National Vocational Qualifications delivered through a comprehensive provider base including Further Education Colleges, Work Based Learning Providers, Sixth Form Colleges and the Voluntary and Community sector.
As an example of current planning and investment, East London already has in place 4 major Further Education Centres of Vocational Excellence surrounding the Olympic site, specialising in Construction Skills at all levels, and working together as a One Stop Shop for construction learning and employment in conjunction with the local authorities and JobCentre Plus.
I trust this is helpful.
Post-graduate Debt
Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what steps are being taken to reduce the level of post-graduate debt. [88805]
Bill Rammell: Higher education is the best investment most people will make, with a substantial graduate premium compared with what a similar individual would have earned if they just had A-levels. There is now more money available to students from the student finance system and, where this is in the form of student loans, the debt incurred is quite unlike commercial debt. Students repay student loans after they have left university or college and only in real terms the same amount that they originally borrowed. Graduates do not pay back until they are in work and earning more than £15,000. Someone on the average graduate starting salary of £18,000 could be paying only £5.19 per week. If at any time their income drops below £15,000 the repayments will stop until they are earning more again. We have also provided that, if after 25 years students starting in 2006/07 or later have still not paid back all their student loan, the Government will pay it off for them.
There are also new grants which should benefit up to half of new entrants to full time courses. From 2006/07 lower income students are eligible for maintenance grants of up to £2,700 and minimum university bursaries of £300, typically £1,000, which gives them the option to reduce potential loan debt substantially.
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