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5 Feb 2009 : Column 1442W—continued
(4) what estimate he has made of the value of projects affected by the moratorium on decisions on capital spending under the Building Colleges for the Future programme. [254193]
Mr. Simon: In 1997, the total capital expenditure in further education colleges in England was nil. Since 1997, this Government have invested £2.4 billion in redeveloping and modernising further education colleges. In addition, we have plans to invest a further £2.3 billion in the next three years. Currently more than 250 projects are under way and funded by the Learning and Skills Council (LSC)—helped by the recent decision to accelerate £110 million in 2008-09 from future budgets to help beat the downturn.
In total, since the programme began, nearly 700 projects, at 330 colleges have been agreed.
The pace of demand for capital funding has increased. In addition, there are signs that the ability of colleges to raise their own funds for proposed projects is being affected by the downturn.
It is for this reason that over the next few weeks the Learning and Skills Council is working closely with colleges that have submitted or are working on bids, to look at the individual current positions before making further funding decisions. As a result of this, the consideration of a small number of applications that were due for decision—both in principle and in detail—has been deferred from December to March.
As your question relates to an operational matter for the LSC, Mark Haysom, the LSC chief executive, will write to the hon. Member with the further information requested. A copy of his letter will be placed in both Libraries.
Departmental Advertising
Mr. Rob Wilson: To ask the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills how many advertisements to attract students into higher education were placed by his Department and its predecessors in each year since 1997; how many were placed (a) in print newspapers and magazines, (b) on a website and (c) on television and radio; and what the cost was in each case. [249384]
Mr. Lammy: The information requested of the Department is as follows. The Department for Innovation, Universities and Skills was formed in June 2007, following the machinery of Government changes, since this date/and as a result we are only able to provide information from June 2007. In 2007/08 DIUS spent £2,859,791 and in 2008/09 is budgeted to spend £2,255,791 on all advertising to attract students into higher education.
| 2007/08 (actual spend) | |
| £ | |
| 2008/09 (budgeted) | |
| £ | |
Departmental Recruitment
Dr. Gibson: To ask the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills what plans he has to recruit scientifically-trained civil servants; and what timetable he has set for the recruitment process. [253513]
Mr. Simon: The Department recruits staff through the civil service recruitment code that allows Departments to ask for specific skills and backgrounds to be key features in recruitment advertisements if they are required. A number of previous posts have lead to the recruitment of scientifically-trained employees.
We will continue to ask for such in some of our future recruitment campaigns where relevant. In addition we also take advantage of the science and engineering fast stream (Fast Track graduate recruitment) where each year we take some graduates from a Government-wide scheme.
Further Education: Finance
Mr. Gordon Prentice: To ask the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills what estimate he has made of the interest payments made by further education colleges to finance their capital programmes in the latest year for which figures are available. [254014]
Mr. Simon: Since 1997, this Government have invested £2.4 billion in redeveloping and modernising further education colleges. In addition we have plans to invest a further £2.3 billion in the next three years. In total, since the programme began, nearly 700 projects, at 330 colleges have been agreed.
The Learning and Skills Council is responsible for the administration of the further education capital budget. However, as independent providers, colleges themselves are responsible for the management and financing of their capital projects. As a result, the Department does not collect information relating to the level of interest payments made by colleges regarding the financing of their capital programmes.
However, the Department is aware of the important role finance can play for colleges and is being kept informed by the LSC and sector representatives about the cost and availability of finance for the sector.
Higher Education: March, Cambridgeshire
Mr. Moss: To ask the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills what progress has been made on plans for the new campus of the College of West Anglia proposal for the town of March. [253159]
Mr. Lammy: Since 1997, this Government have invested £2.4 billion in redeveloping and modernising further education colleges. In addition we have plans to invest a further £2.3 billion in the next three years.
In total, since the programme began, nearly 700 projects, at 330 colleges have been agreed—including support for the College of West Anglia.
But the pace of demand for capital funding has increased. Projects and the scale of Government funding they require are becoming increasingly ambitious. In addition there are signs that the ability of colleges to raise their own funds for proposed projects is being affected by the downturn.
It is for this reason that over the next few weeks the Learning and Skills Council (LSC) is working closely with colleges that have submitted or are working on bids, to look at the individual current positions before making further funding decisions. As a result of this the consideration of a small number of applications that were due for decision—both in principle and in detail—has been deferred from December to March.
As the hon. Member’s question relates to an operational matter for the LSC, Mark Haysom, the LSC chief executive, will write to the hon. Member with the further information requested. A copy of his letter will be placed in both Libraries.
Higher Education: Overseas Students
Mr. Hayes: To ask the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills (1) how many EU-domiciled undergraduate students began courses at higher education institutions in 2008; [254168]
(2) how many EU-domiciled undergraduate students are expected to begin courses at higher education institutions in 2009. [254187]
Mr. Lammy [holding answer 3 February 2009]: The latest available figures for the number of EU domiciled full-time undergraduate entrants to UK higher education institutions are shown in the table. Figures for the 2008/09 academic year will be available in January 2010.
EU domiciles make up 4.4 per cent. of all undergraduate entrants, compared to 89.2 per cent. for UK domiciles and 6.4 per cent. for non-EU domiciles.
Figures from the Universities and Colleges Admissions Service (UCAS) show that 21,255 EU domiciled applicants were accepted for entry to full-time undergraduate courses at UK higher education institutions in 2008. This is compared to 20,661 in 2007, a rise of 2.9 per cent. Not all EU domiciled applicants apply through UCAS, some will apply to the institutions directly. Final figures for applicants accepted for entry in 2009 will be available in January 2010.
The admission of students, whatever their nationality, is a matter for individual higher education institutions.
Higher Education: South East
Mr. Evennett: To ask the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills which colleges in (a) London and (b) Kent are affected by the Learning and Skills Council's decision to postpone capital projects by three months. [253917]
Mr. Simon: Since 1997, this Government have invested £2.4 billion in redeveloping and modernising further education colleges. In addition we have plans to invest a further £2.3 billion in the next three years.
In total, since the programme began, nearly 700 projects, at 330 colleges have been agreed.
But the pace of demand for capital funding has increased. In addition there are signs that the ability of colleges to raise their own funds for proposed projects is being affected by the downturn.
It is for this reason that over the next few weeks the Learning and Skills Council (LSC) is working closely with colleges that have submitted or are working on bids, to look at the individual current positions before making further funding decisions. As a result of this the consideration of a small number of applications that were due for decision—both in principle and in detail—has been deferred from December to March.
As the hon. Member’s question relates to an operational matter for the LSC, I have asked Mark Haysom, the LSC chief executive, to write to the hon. Member with the further information requested. A copy of his letter will be placed in both Libraries.
London Metropolitan University
Bob Spink: To ask the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills what the student completion rate was at the London Metropolitan University in the last year for which figures are available. [252619]
Mr. Lammy: Figures from table T5 of the Performance Indicators in Higher Education show the proportion of full-time first degree starters expected to neither obtain an award nor transfer, at London Metropolitan University in the 2005/06 academic year, was 21.2 per cent. Figures for the 2006/07 academic year will be available in June 2009.
Mass Media
Grant Shapps: To ask the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills what the cost of his Department's contracts with press monitoring services was in each of the last five years. [251221]
Mr. Simon: The Department for Innovation, Universities and Skills' (DIUS) media monitoring is supplied by Energy Data Service Limited (EDS) and the Media Monitoring Unit (MMU).
DIUS was formed on 28 June 2007 as a result of the machinery of Government changes. Information on the costs of contracts for the provision of media monitoring services to DIUS is therefore only available for the current financial year.
Available figures for the annual costs of each contract are as follows:
2008/09: £39,943 (to date)
2008/09: £42,125 (annual subscription).
Students: Finance
Mr. Willis: To ask the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills how much funding is allocated per student for (a) full-time undergraduates, (b) part-time undergraduates, (c) full-time foundation degree students, (d) part-time foundation degree students, (e) advanced adult apprentices, (f) full-time level 3 students in further education colleges and (g) part-time students in further education colleges; and if he will make a statement. [252850]
Mr. Lammy: The total expenditure provided by the Department (provisional 2006-07 figures) per full-time equivalent higher education student is £5,179 in cash terms. This is based on student support, teaching and research expenditure. Further information on the figure can be found in the DIUS 2008 departmental report (table 16, annex 2). It is not possible to produce like-for-like figures for the precise data requested in the question and the precise level of funding for each student is determined by a wide range of factors including choice of subject, location and intensity of study, previous qualifications and personal and family circumstances.
The funding provided by the Department and the Department for Children Schools and Families (2006-07 figures) per full-time equivalent further education student is £5,240. Further information on the figure can be found in the DIUS 2008 departmental report (table 15, annex 2). Funding at course level will vary depending on factors such as subject area, the location and learner success rates of the provider and other factors.
Relevant LSC guidance on funding for 2008/09 can be found at
Westminster University
Sarah Teather: To ask the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills what discussions (a) he and (b) his officials have had with the University of Westminster on the closure of the Harrow Ceramics School; and if he will make a statement. [254197]
Mr. Lammy: Ministers and officials have had no discussions on this issue. The Higher Education Funding Council for England (HEFCE) allocates grant to institutions independently of Government according to its statutory duties. It is for individual institutions to make decisions on the funding of particular courses and Ministers have no powers to intervene in those decisions. In this case I understand the future of the BA Ceramics course is currently under review, but no final decision has been taken.
Duchy of Lancaster
Cabinet Office Leadership Conference
Mr. Soames: To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster who attended the Cabinet Office Leadership Conference on 17 March 2008; who the speakers were; and what the agenda was. [253503]
Mr. Watson: The event on 17 March was for the senior civil servants working in the Cabinet Office. The speakers were drawn from the Cabinet Office Board. Delegates were informed of the outcome of the Cabinet Office’s People Survey 2007. The agenda covered the key challenges for the Cabinet Office.
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