| Previous Section | Index | Home Page |
2 July 2008 : Column 998W—continued
Skilled Workers: Recreation Spaces
Stephen Williams: To ask the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills (1) what information his Department holds on the skills base of grounds professionals; [209785]
(2) what assessment he has made of the future skills base of grounds professionals. [209786]
Bill Rammell: An assessment of the current and future skills base of grounds professionals has been undertaken by the Sector Skills Council Lantra (SSC for environmental and land-based industries), as part of their work to produce a Sector Skills Agreement for their sector as a whole. The chief executive of Lantra has written to the hon. Member about this matter and a copy of his response has been placed in the Library.
Letter from Peter Martin, dated 2 July 2008:
I have been asked by the Department for Innovation, Universities and Skills to write to provide you with further information regarding the recruitment, training and development of people involved in the maintenance and management of sports grounds. Lantra is the Sector Skills Council with responsibility for determining of the skills needs of all those people working in the land-based and environmental sector - which of course includes these occupations.
Based on the most recent research that Lantra has undertaken, we estimate that over 85,000 people are involved in the management and maintenance of sports turf and green space facilities within the UK. The majority are employed as grounds staff, gardeners and greenkeepers in both the private and public sectors. Especially within local authorities, there are instances though where these people will have an extended skills base and be involved in other aspects of park and green space management. The above statistics do not include those mainly or wholly involved in the management and maintenance of botanic and historic gardens.
It is estimated that today there are around 122,500 acres in England put over to various types of sports use. The majority of sports grounds are under local authority control; for instance, 80% of football pitches, - some 40,000 in England - are maintained by local authorities.
A large percentage of groundsmen and golf greenkeepers are trained to a minimum of a Level 2 qualification in the main N/SVQ in Sports Turf Maintenance or equivalent within the suite of qualifications for amenity horticulture. The percentage of qualified staff is highest with golf greenkeeping due to the financial support provided for training by the sport. Regretfully, lower levels of qualified staff are found in other major sports such as tennis, rugby, cricket, football, horseracing and hockey.
There are a number of potential reasons for this lower investment:
the lack of priority by some sports governing bodies to ensure training of grounds staff. Too frequently, there are no set minimum standards for individuals maintaining facilities
the lack of money in clubs (especially at amateur level) to ensure high levels of grounds maintenance
the dependence on volunteers in many clubs to maintain facilities
the deleterious impact on training resulting from the previous policy within local authorities of Compulsory Competitive Tendering, and the challenge to restore a training culture within local authority parks, gardens and amenity horticulture departments
limited access to funded training provision for those entering the profession as a second career
the challenge also of aligning the funding criteria of Train to Gain with the needs of small amenity horticulture businesses in the private sector thus restricting ongoing skills development.
Sports turf and green space facilities do, however, align with many of the government's agendas such as for health, reduction in obesity, participation in sport, active leisure and community involvement. Lantra therefore actively promotes the need for trained staff to maintain safe and sustainable surfaces as a high priority.
In doing this, Lantra works closely with the employers and trade associations involved in the area of sports turf and green space employment, notably the Institute of Groundsmanship (IOG) and the British and International Golf Greenkeepers Association (BIGGA). Both Institutes are particularly active in promoting higher investment in skills development as well as raising the profile of the sector as a whole. It is hoped that the 2012 Olympics and the theme of 'Greening the Games' will still further raise awareness of the sector. The Olympics sports legacy can only be sustained as long as there are sufficient people to maintain the grounds and ensure the safety of participants.
Lantra is presently carrying out the following work to support skills development of grounds maintenance staff;
a review and updating of the relevant apprenticeships is now underway
green space management has been incorporated into the new 14-19 Diploma in environmental and land-based studies which is due to be launched in September 2009. Over 3,500 learner places have been created
the development of 'bite-sized' learning within the new Qualification Credit Framework (QCF) should in future facilitate workforce development against industry determined standards
with the Institutes and others, Lantra is promoting careers in this industry and particularly seeking to interest entrants from those parts of the community who have previously not been attracted to the industry.
I trust that this provides the information that you were seeking.
Student Wastage
Mr. Willetts: To ask the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills how many students in each socio-economic group have left university without completing their course in each of the last 10 years, broken down by (a) age, (b) sex and (c) institution. [214027]
Bill Rammell: The Higher Education Statistics Agency (HESA) publishes non-continuation indicators, which show the proportion of entrants to full-time first degree courses not continuing in higher education after their first year. It is possible to break these down by National Statistics Socio-Economic Classification (NS-SEC), age, gender and institution. However, it is not possible to provide breakdowns which combine NS-SEC with any of the other variables.
Although published non-continuation figures for 2005/06 are currently available, breakdowns by gender and NS-SEC are only currently available up to the 2004/05 academic year. Figures for years earlier than 2002/03 are not available. Information on the actual number not continuing in HE has not been published.
The proportion of young entrants to full-time first degree courses not continuing in HE after their first year by NS-SEC is shown in table 1.
| Table 1: Proportion of UK-domiciled young( 1) entrants to full-time first degree courses not continuing in higher education after their first year by NS-SEC. UK higher education institutions. Academic years 2002/03 to 2004/05 | |||
| 2002/03 | 2003/04 | 2004/05 | |
| (1 )Young refers to entrants who are under 21 years of age. Notes: 1. Non-continuation rates provide the percentage of students who enter a higher education institution in one academic year, who are no longer in a HEI in the following academic year and have not qualified. 2. Figures for years earlier than 2002/03 are not available. Source: Higher Education Funding Council for England (HEFCE). | |||
The proportion of young and mature entrants to full-time first degree courses not continuing in HE after their first year by gender is shown in table 2.
| Table 2: Proportion of UK-domiciled young and mature( 1) entrants to full-time first degree courses not continuing in higher education after their first year by gender. UK higher education institutions. Academic years 2002/03 to 2004/05 | ||||||
| 2002/03 | 2003/04 | 2004/05 | ||||
| Young | Mature | Young | Mature | Young | Mature | |
| (1 )Young refers to entrants who are under 21 years of age, mature to entrants aged 21 years and over. Notes: 1. Non-continuation rates provide the percentage of students who enter a higher education institution in one academic year, who are no longer in a HEI in the following academic year and have not qualified. 2. Figures for years earlier than 2002/03 are not currently available. Source: Higher Education Funding Council for England {HEFCE). | ||||||
The proportion of young and mature entrants to full-time first degree courses not continuing in HE after their first year by institution is shown in table 3 which will be placed in the Library.
Student retention rates in this country compare very well internationally. The UK rank 5th in the OECD for first degree completion rates, out of 23 countries who report data in this area. A university education is now open to more students than ever before and the Government are totally committed to providing opportunities for all people to achieve their potential and to maximise their talent.
Students: Debts
Dr. Kumar: To ask the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills what estimate he has made of the average debt per capita of students leaving university in each year since 1997. [205711]
Bill Rammell: The 2004/05 Student Income and Expenditure Survey (SIES) estimated the average personal debt per student—student loan and commercial borrowing less savings—to be £7,918 at graduation for English full-time undergraduates. A consistent time series of this estimate is not available.
Estimates for samples with differing characteristics are available from earlier surveys. These showed the average personal debt on graduation was: £3,462 in 1998/99 for UK full-time undergraduates; and £8,666 in 2002/03 for English and Welsh full-time undergraduates aged under 25.
Student loans are very different from commercial loans. Repayment of income-contingent loans is linked to income after leaving university and borrowers are not required to repay if their income is below £15,000 per year. Interest is linked to the rate of inflation, so in real terms borrowers repay no more than they borrowed. Graduates who take out their first student loan in or after 2008/09, and enter into repayment in or after April 2012, will also be able to take a repayment holiday of up to five years.
From the 2008/09 academic year, increased income thresholds for the maintenance grant, will help a wider range of students and their families. I expect that one third of students will be eligible for a full grant of £2,835 in 2008/09, and a further third will be eligible for a partial grant.
Students: Finance
Jeff Ennis: To ask the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills what estimate he has made of the annual cost of extending the entitlement to study for a first level 3 qualification to the whole population. [214972]
Mr. Lammy: The Government provide significant support for learning at Level 3 for individuals of all ages. We are channelling substantial sums for skills through FE colleges and providers, as well as through Train to Gain, where employers will control the spending of over £1 billion on skills training by 2010-11.
A key focus for Level 3 is on helping young adults to finish their education and to be able to take up opportunities in higher education or establish successful careers. In
“Work Skills (Cm 7415)”, published on 12 June, the Secretary of State announced the extension of the current entitlement for 19 to 25-year-olds studying a Level 3 in a college, to include those being trained at work. We expect this will benefit around 100,000 19 to 25-year-olds over the next three years. This will ensure that those young people who choose not to go to university are guaranteed support to continue their education and training.
The Secretary of State also announced a pilot, as part of the Skills Account trials, to fund and support training for older adults, up to Level 3, who want to return to, or move on in work. It will be based in two regions—the South East and East Midlands, backed by £15 million over the next three years, and expected to benefit around 20,000 adults.
Wood
Mr. Peter Ainsworth: To ask the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills how much timber and timber products were procured by his Department since its establishment; and at what cost. [213740]
Mr. Lammy: Details of exactly how much timber and timber products were procured, and precise amounts of expenditure thereon could only be isolated from wider expenditure on office fixture, furniture and other items at disproportionate cost. However, I can confirm that all timber, including that in all of the timber based products procured for DIUS, originated from legal and sustainable sources.
Duchy of Lancaster
Departmental Expert Groups
Angus Robertson: To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what expert groups the Cabinet Office has set up in each year since 1999. [213274]
Mr. Watson: Details of formal, standing bodies set up by Government to provide independent, expert advice to Departments and Ministers are published annually by the Cabinet Office. These bodies, known as advisory non-departmental public bodies (NDPBs), are listed in the annual “Public Bodies” publication. “Public Bodies” also contains some details on short term advisory groups and task forces. Copies of “Public Bodies” dating back to 1999 can be downloaded from:
and copies are also available in the Library for the reference of Members.
Departmental Press Subscriptions
Mr. Hoban: To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster (1) how much was spent by his Department on subscriptions for magazines, newspapers and other publications in each of the last 24 months; [215215]
(2) how much was spent by the Prime Minister’s Office on subscriptions for magazines, newspapers and other publications in each of the last 24 months. [215218]
Robert Neill: To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster how many copies of PR Week are purchased for the Prime Minister’s Office each week; and at what cost. [211642]
Phil Hope: The Prime Minister’s Office forms an integral part of the Cabinet Office. The Information requested can be provided only at disproportionate cost.
Departmental Written Questions
David Simpson: To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster how long on average his Department took to answer (a) ordinary written and (b) named day questions in each of the last three years. [215452]
Edward Miliband: I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave to the hon. Member for Monmouth (David T.C. Davies) on 15 May 2008, Official Report, column 1718W.
Tony Blair
Mr. Hoban: To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster if he will place in the Library the minutes of each of the meetings of the Advisory Committee on Business Appointments since August 2007 at which matters relating to appointments of the right hon. Tony Blair were discussed. [215150]
Edward Miliband: This is a matter for the Advisory Committee on Business Appointments. I have asked the Acting Chairman of the Committee, Sir John Blelloch, to write to the hon. Member. A copy of his letter will be placed in the Libraries of the House for the reference of Members.
| Next Section | Index | Home Page |