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24 Apr 2009 : Column 950W—continued
Apprentices: Staffordshire
Mr. Jenkins: To ask the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills how many people resident in (a) Tamworth constituency and (b) Staffordshire were on (i) apprenticeships and (ii) advanced apprenticeships in each of the last five years. [270086]
Mr. Simon: Table 1 shows apprenticeship and advanced apprenticeship starts in Tamworth parliamentary constituency and Staffordshire local authority in each of the last five years.
The Government are committed to rebuilding apprenticeships. Since 1997 we have witnessed a renaissance in apprenticeships from a low point of 65,000 to a record 225,000 apprenticeship starts in 2007-08. Completion rates are also at a record high with 64 per cent. successfully completing an apprenticeship—up from 37 per cent. in 2004-05.
Apprenticeships, Skills, Children and Learning Bill
Mr. Gibb: To ask the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills what estimate he has made of the costs to his Department incurred as a result of the Public Bill Committee on the Apprenticeship, Skills, Children and Learning Bill sitting beyond 6.30 pm on 26 March 2009. [270391]
Mr. Simon: The total estimated cost to the Department was £203.15 which was required to cover additional travel expenses.
Building Colleges for the Future Programme
Mr. Graham Stuart: To ask the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills what assessment he has made of the likely effects on educational provision of the freezing of the further education capital programme; and if he will make a statement. [269958]
Mr. Simon: Sir Andrew Foster published his review of the capital programme in further education on 1 April and we have accepted all of his recommendations in full, one of which is the necessity to move to a needs-based approach. The Learning and Skills Council (LSC) is currently consulting with the sector on a needs-based criterion which will be used in prioritising future schemes. Announcements will be made once this work is completed.
Geoffrey Russell, the acting LSC chief executive, has appointed an external team of property advisers to ensure that the information held by the LSC on individual projects is accurate, comprehensive and a sound basis for taking future decisions.
Building Colleges for the Future Programme: Birmingham
Mr. Godsiff: To ask the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills which building projects in the Birmingham area have been affected by the funding difficulties which have arisen under the Building Colleges for the Future programme; and how much funding has been committed to such projects which have been halted. [270220]
Mr. Simon: Capital funding for Further Education colleges is administered by the Learning and Skills Council (LSC). As the information requested pertains to records held by the council, I have asked Geoffrey Russell, the acting LSC chief executive, to write to the hon. Member with the further information requested. A copy of his letter will be placed in the House Libraries.
Further Education
Mr. Graham Stuart: To ask the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills when he expects the panel of college principals, as recommended by the Foster Review of the role of further education colleges, to be established; and if he will make a statement. [269962]
Mr. Simon: The panel of college principals is being established with the support of the Association of Colleges and they will convene for the first time on 29 April.
The panel will consider the criteria to be used for the prioritisation of projects, as well as the process for applying these criteria.
Higher Education: Birmingham
Mr. Godsiff: To ask the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills how many and what proportion of (a) males and (b) females of between 18 and 21 years were in (i) education, (ii) employment and (iii) training in the Birmingham area in each of the last three years. [270035]
Mr. Simon: The following table shows the number of people in Birmingham in education, employment and training from 2005 to 2007 for 16 to 24-year(1)-olds. These estimates are taken from the Annual Population Survey, for which 2008 data are not yet available. We are unable to break down these estimates into a smaller age band, or by gender as the sample sizes for such are too small to give reliable estimates.
(1) Age used is academic age, the respondent’s age at the preceding 31 August.
There is an overlap between these groups, as some people will for example be in employment and training. The following table gives further categories which have no overlap.
| 16 to 24-year-olds in education, employment and training (no overlaps) | ||||||
| Number | Percentage | |||||
| 2005 | 2006 | 2007 | 2005 | 2006 | 2007 | |
| (1) Please note numbers may not sum to totals exactly due to rounding. | ||||||
Learning and Skills Council
Mr. Graham Stuart: To ask the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills who attended the Learning and Skills Council’s management board meetings of (a) 13 May 2008 and (b) 12 June 2008; and if he will make a statement. [269955]
Mr. Simon: The LSC Management Board is part of the LSC’s own internal management structure. I have therefore asked Geoff Russell, the acting chief executive of the LSC, to write to the hon. Member with the information he has requested and a copy will be placed in the House Libraries.
Mr. Graham Stuart: To ask the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills what financial provision the Learning and Skills Council will make for Mark Haysom upon his leaving the post of chief executive of the council; and if he will make a statement. [269959]
Mr. Simon: On 23 March 2009, the date that Mr. Haysom tendered his resignation, a statement was available on the DIUS website on this and it also announced the appointment of Geoffrey Russell as acting chief executive of the Learning and Skills Council.
The terms of Mr. Haysom's resignation are a matter for the Learning and Skills Council, and I have asked Geoff Russell to write to the hon. Member with the appropriate information.
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