Supplementary memorandum submitted by
the Department for Work and Pensions
Question 28 (Mr Richard Bacon): Language training—how
many courses are there, how many students and how much is spent
INTRODUCTION
The majority of publicly-funded English for
Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) provision is procured by the
Learning and Skills Council (LSC) in England, and the equivalent
bodies in the Devolved Administrations. As skills policy is a
devolved area, this note only considers ESOL provision in England.
Most Jobcentre Plus customers attending ESOL
training go to provision procured by the agencies as outlined
above. However, New Deal prime contractors may arrange to deliver
their own ESOL provision if there is a customer need. At a local
level, Jobcentre Plus has the ability to provide some additional
ESOL provision through funding such as the European Social Fund.
The voluntary and community sector also plays
a valuable role in providing ESOL training, but due to the local
nature of such provision it is not possible to quantify the extent
of this.
As the provision of ESOL training in England
falls within the remit of the Learning and Skills Council, the
remainder of this note focuses on figures provided by them.
THE NUMBER
OF ESOL COURSES
The LSC does not collect information on the
number of ESOL courses. The measure used is the number of enrolments
(given below). However, data from local needs analysis together
with historic levels of learner demand is used to inform funding
allocations and ensure appropriate capacity is in place.
Most providers offer courses leading to Skills
for Life ESOL qualifications. Skills for Life qualifications are
designed to help people develop the skills needed for everyday
life, such as reading, writing and numeracy. A new suite of ESOL
for Work qualifications was introduced in September 2007. These
are shorter and more work-focused and are particularly suitable
for those people studying English language for work purposes.
Whilst there are alternative international English language qualifications,
these are ineligible for public funding so providers are expected
to charge participants the full cost. This means they are more
likely to be accessed by people seeking private language tuition.
Many Jobcentre Plus customers access mainstream
LSC Skills for Life ESOL provision as outlined above. However,
in England customers can also be referred to the Employability
Skills Programme, which was launched in August 2007. This is a
voluntary programme designed jointly by DIUS, DWP, Jobcentre Plus
and the LSC. It comprises of a mix of Basic Skills, ESOL and Employability
training developed specifically for Jobcentre Plus customers.
THE NUMBER
OF STUDENTS
The number of learners who enrolled on full
ESOL qualifications in 2005/06 (which is the last year of full
data) was 490,000.
In addition to those Jobcentre Plus customers
who access the Employability Skills Programme, anecdotal evidence
suggests that many also access ESOL training through mainstream
provision. However, we do not know how many of the 490,000 learners
mentioned above were Jobcentre Plus customers, as learning providers
are not required to collect that information. Whilst Jobseekers
are obliged to tell their adviser of any activity that they are
undertaking to ensure that they are still available for and actively
seeking work, Jobcentre Plus does not keep management information
on those customers who inform their adviser that they are undertaking
provision on a part-time basis. Jobcentre Plus collects management
information on customers who are undertaking provision for which
they are paid a training allowance, but these figures are not
broken down by literacy, numeracy and ESOL.
THE AMOUNT
OF MONEY
SPENT ON
ESOL
The Government is committed to providing substantial
support for ESOL learning, and investment has increased significantly
over the past few years, responding to the increased demand for
ESOL places. We expect that the overall ESOL spend administered
via the LSC will remain similar to the existing figure of £300
million per year over the next CSR period.
The value of any additional ESOL provision delivered
by New Deal prime contractors is not available due to the way
in which data is recorded: ESOL help is not separated from other
provision.
Question 31 (Mr Richard Bacon): Table showing
breakdown by age of Pakistani and Bangladeshi women in work
Employment rates by ethnic group and age group
| Men |
| Female | | All
| |
| Ethnic group | 16-29
| 30-retirement | 16-29
| 30-retirement | 16-29
| 30-retirement |
| White | 71.9% | 83.3%
| 66.4% | 75.8% | 69.1%
| 79.8% |
| Mixed | 55.3% | 78.7%
| 56.4% | 66.0% | 55.8%
| 71.5% |
| Indian | 61.6% | 87.3%
| 50.2% | 65.3% | 56.2%
| 76.7% |
| Pakistani | 53.2% | 76.9%
| 30.8% | 26.3% | 41.5%
| 52.7% |
| Bangladeshi | 50.1% | 64.2%
| 36.3% | * | 42.9%
| 41.0% |
| Other Asian | 55.9% | 84.5%
| 44.8% | 62.3% | 50.3%
| 73.2% |
| Black Caribbean | 50.2% | 77.7%
| 41.2% | 74.9% | 45.2%
| 76.2% |
| Black African | 37.5% | 79.6%
| 42.1% | 63.6% | 39.9%
| 71.5% |
| Other Black | * | 73.5%
| * | * | * |
75.0% |
| Chinese | 42.4% | 88.4%
| 39.7% | 65.6% | 41.0%
| 75.3% |
| Other | 58.0% | 74.0%
| 38.8% | 54.1% | 48.6%
| 64.3% |
| All | 69.2% |
83.0% | 62.9% | 73.9%
| 66.0% | 78.7% |
Source:Labourforce Survey, Quarter 4, 2007
*sample size too small for reliable estimates
N.B: The Bangladeshi ethnic group has a relatively small population
so splitting it by gender and age group reduces the numbers and
in some cases the numbers are not adequate for reliable estimates.
Question 37 (Mr Richard Bacon): Ethnic minority composition
of SCS across Whitehall, using NAO ethnic minority breakdown
3.4% of the SCS across Whitehall is from an ethnic minority
background—October 2007 figures. The breakdown by ethnic
group is set out below—also October 2007 figures.
(Please note: 0% does not necessarily mean that there are
no people in this group but the small figures result in 0%)
| Ethnic Group | % at October 2007
|
| White | 96.6% |
| Asian—Bangladeshi | 0.2%
|
| Asian—Indian | 1.1% |
| Asian—Pakistani | 0.1%
|
| Black | 0.0% |
| Black—African | 0.1% |
| Black Caribbean | 0.3% |
| Chinese | 0.1% |
| Mixed Asian and White | 0.1%
|
| Mixed Black African and White | 0.1%
|
| Mixed Black Caribbean and White | 0.2%
|
| Other Asian Background | 0.3%
|
| Other Black Background | 0.0%
|
| Other Ethnic Background | 0.3%
|
| Other Mixed Ethnic Background | 0.4%
|
Source: SCS database October 2007 (from Cabinet Office)
| 
