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13 May 2008 : Column 1481W—continued
Zimbabwe: African Union
Mr. Keith Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what plans there are to send an African Union (a) envoy and (b) observer mission to Zimbabwe; and if he will make a statement. [204845]
Meg Munn [holding answer 12 May 2008]: The Chairperson of the African Union (AU) Commission undertook a mission to the Southern African region, including Zimbabwe, from 3-5 May 2008. The mission was part of a wider effort, by the AU, to engage with the situation in Zimbabwe. No plans have emerged for a further specific envoy to be sent. The AU sent an observer mission to monitor elections in Zimbabwe and have indicated that a farther mission would be deployed to observe any second round.
Zimbabwe: Elections
Mr. Keith Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions he has had with leaders of African Union states on steps to resolve the electoral crisis in Zimbabwe; and if he will make a statement. [204843]
Meg Munn [holding answer 12 May 2008]: My right hon. Friends the Prime Minister, the Foreign Secretary and my noble Friend the Minister for Africa, Asia and the UN, the right hon. Lord Malloch-Brown, have been in regular contact with a large number of Heads of State and Foreign Ministers in Africa and elsewhere. We continue to encourage their engagement and press them to use their influence to bring a speedy and peaceful resolution to the electoral crisis and an end to human rights abuses.
Innovation, Universities and Skills
Apprentices
Mr. Hayes: To ask the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills if he will list the 10 largest employers in the country that have declined to participate in apprenticeship schemes. [205322]
Mr. Lammy: We do not hold information to answer this question. The Learning and Skills Council (LSC) works with many of the largest employers in England to resolve skills issues and implement workforce development solutions. The LSC through its National Employer Service has a current programme to engage with 300 of the largest companies by 2011.
Apprentices: Disabled
Mr. Hayes: To ask the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills if he will make a statement on the impact of Government policy changes in respect of Remploy Ltd. on the number of disabled people on apprenticeships. [205320]
Mr. Lammy: Remploy's new learning business is currently looking at how the organisation could support the Learning and Skills Council in increasing the number of disabled apprentices within its overall business strategy of supporting 20,000 disabled people into work every year by 2012. We are introducing an entitlement to an apprenticeship for all suitably qualified young people and together with Remploy's modernisation programme I expect this will have a positive impact on the number of people with a disability accessing an apprenticeship.
Apprentices: Employment
Mr. Hayes: To ask the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills what assessment he has made of apprenticeships that are statistically (a) most and (b) least likely to end in employment within 12 months of close of training. [205318]
Mr. Lammy: Data are not available for the 12 months following an apprentice completing their framework. The information provided in the following table shows apprentice destinations immediately following the completion of their apprenticeship.
| Immediate destination of 2005/06 apprenticeships framework completions by sector | |||||
| P ercentage | |||||
| Sector | Employed( 1) | Unemployed | Training | Other( 2) | Total completions( 3) |
| (1 )Proportions are calculated as a proportion of the framework completions where a destination is known. (2 )Other destination includes death, pregnancy and awaiting confirmation of achievement. (3 )Total does not include those framework achievements for which the destination is unknown. (4 )Indicates a sector that is not a Sector Skills Council. (5) Others sectors includes minor bodies and where records are incomplete. (6 )Indicates fewer than 10 completions. Source: LSC Work Based Learning Individualised Learner record. | |||||
Campusalam
Mr. Paul Goodman: To ask the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills what funds have been allocated to the Campusalam website by his Department and its predecessor in each year for which figures are available. [205417]
Mr. Lammy: The Department has not allocated any funds to the Campusalam website.
Higher Education
Mr. Boswell: To ask the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills what mechanisms exist for co-ordination of higher education policy between the Government and the devolved administrations. [204589]
Bill Rammell: Each administration determines its own higher education policies and all HE institutions are autonomous. Ministers and officials meet from time to time to discuss each others' policies and issues of common interest, such as information given to students about the support available if they study outside their home country.
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