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8 May 2009 : Column 474W—continued
Apprentices
Mr. Stephen O'Brien: To ask the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills how many people began apprenticeships under the apprenticeship programme for 16 to 18-year-olds in (a) Cheshire and (b) England in 2008. [272680]
Mr. Simon: 1,400 16 to 18-year-olds started an apprenticeship in Cheshire in the 2007/08 academic year, the latest academic year for which we have full-year information. 107,000 16 to 18-year-olds started an apprenticeship in England in the 2007/08 academic year.
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.
Mr. Stephen O'Brien: To ask the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills how many young people aged between 16 and 18 years old have (a) started and (b) completed an apprenticeship under the apprenticeship programme since its inception; and what estimate he has made of the proportion of young people who have completed apprenticeships under the scheme who are in full-time work. [272681]
Mr. Simon: Table 1 shows the number of apprenticeship starts and completions for 16 to 18-year-olds from 2007/08 back to 2003/04, the earliest year for which we have consistent data.
| Table 1: Apprenticeship starts and completions for 16 to 18-year-olds | |||
| Level | |||
| Apprenticeships | Advanced apprenticeships | All apprenticeships | |
| Notes: 1. Figures are rounded to the nearest 100. 2. Advanced apprenticeships starts include a small number of higher level apprenticeships from 2006/07 onwards. 3. Programme-led apprenticeships recorded in WBL ILR returns are included in the above figures. 4. Age is based on age at start of course. Source: WBL ILR | |||
Information on the destination of apprentices upon completion of their apprenticeship is not readily available. This type of information will in future be collected using the Framework for Excellence learner destination survey with the first results for all Further Education Colleges and work based learning providers available later in 2009.
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.
Apprentices: East Midlands
Mr. Hayes: To ask the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills how many people commenced level 2 apprenticeships in (a) Lincolnshire and (b) the East Midlands in (i) 2005-06, (ii) 2006-07 and (iii) 2007-08. [274041]
Mr. Simon: The table shows the number of apprenticeship (Level 2) starts in Lincolnshire and the East Midlands, from 2005/06 to 2007/08.
| Number of apprenticeship starts in Lincolnshire, and the East Midlands, from 2005/06 to 2007/08 | ||
| Area | Academic year | Apprenticeship starts |
| Notes: 1. Data are rounded to the nearest hundred. 2. Area is based upon the home postcode of the learner. Source: Work Based Learning Individualised Learner Record (WBL ILR). | ||
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.
Mr. Hayes: To ask the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills how many people commenced level 3 apprenticeships in (a) Lincolnshire and (b) the East Midlands in (i) 2005-06, (ii) 2006-07 and (iii) 2007-08. [274042]
Mr. Simon: The table shows the number of advanced apprenticeship (level 3) starts in Lincolnshire and the East Midlands, from 2005/06 to 2007/08.
| Number of advanced apprenticeship starts in Lincolnshire, and the East Midlands, from 2005/06 to 2007/08 | ||
| Area | Academic year | Advanced apprenticeship starts |
| Notes: 1. Data are rounded to the nearest hundred. 2. Advanced apprenticeship starts include a small number of higher level apprenticeships from 2006/07 onwards. 3. Area is based upon the home postcode of the learner. Source: Work Based Learning Individualised Learner Record (WBL ILR) | ||
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.
Basic Skills
Mr. Hayes: To ask the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills which 10 skills courses cost the (a) most and (b) least per trainee. [274064]
Mr. Simon: The majority of the public investment in adult skills continues to be directed towards the priority areas that will lead to sustainable employment. Courses in these areas receive a higher level of public subsidy—some courses, such as all programmes for learners aged under 19 and first full level 2 qualifications (other than apprenticeships) for adults are fully-funded, whereas for others the funding is reduced as the individual learner or employer is expected to make a contribution.
Courses vary considerably, ranging from Apprenticeship programmes which are delivered over several years and incorporate a bundle of qualifications (usually a technical certificate, NVQ, key skills, employment rights and responsibilities and any other mandatory requirements set by the relevant sector body) to individual units of qualifications which can be delivered in a single day.
The most costly courses are advanced apprenticeships which are fully funded for learners aged under 19 and which range in cost from £15,700 to £17,300. The 10 advanced apprenticeships requiring the greatest outlay are:
Farriery
Process Technology
Transport Engineering and Maintenance
Water Industry
Engineering
Engineering Construction
Electricity Industry
Building Services Engineering Technicians
Metals Industry
Polymer Processing and Signmaking.
The least costly courses relate to 15 individual units of qualifications funded through Train to Gain and are:
Building the Team
Business Help and Support
Business Markets and customers
Business Opportunities and Risks
Introduction to Leadership
Leading a Team Effectively
Manage Finance in a Business
Managing Creativity and Innovation in the Workplace
Negotiation in Business
Planning in Business
Resources and infrastructure within a business
Solving Problems and Making Decisions
The skills needed to run a business
What is Enterprise?
Working with costs and budgets
The costs of these courses are around £80.
Birmingham City University: Finance
Mr. Hayes: To ask the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills how much funding Birmingham City university was allocated from the Widening Participation fund in (a) 2005-06, (b) 2006-07 and (c) 2007-08; and for what purpose such funds were allocated in each such year. [274043]
Mr. Lammy: The Higher Education Funding Council for England (HEFCE) allocated to Birmingham City university £4,534,752 in 2005/06, £5,722,098 in 2006/07 and £5,122,524 in 2007/08 for widening participation. This element of HEFCE's institutional grant is intended to recognise the additional costs of recruiting and supporting students from disadvantaged and non-traditional backgrounds and disabled students. Allocations are based on the profile of the university's student population.
Building Colleges for the Future Programme
Stephen Williams: To ask the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills what estimate he has made of the number of Building Colleges for the Future funding applications which (a) involve land sales and (b) are part of local regeneration programmes. [273068]
Mr. Simon: Capital funding for further education colleges is administered by the Learning and Skills Council (LSC). As the information requested is with regard to an operational matter for 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.
Mr. Hayes: To ask the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills how many projects that had been approved in principle under the Building Colleges for the Future programme will receive funds from the £300 million allocated to the programme in the 2009 Budget. [274040]
Mr. Simon: Budget 2009 announced that an additional £300 million of capital funding will be made available in the current spending round and will allow a limited number of projects to start within this spending review period. Capital investment between 2007-08 and 2010-11 will total £2.6 billion on top of the £2 billion invested between 1997-98 and 2007-08.
It is not possible to say the exact number of, or the names of the specific projects, that will be funded as the selection of projects will be based on objective criteria that the LSC is developing in consultation with the sector. The LSC plan to confirm which projects will be taken forward during this spending review period at the beginning of the summer.
Departmental Training
Mr. Hurd: To ask the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills what his Department’s policy is on the practice of holding departmental away days outside the Department’s buildings. [268533]
Mr. Simon: The Department believes that away days can be beneficial and necessary for staff development, team building and planning to help deliver the Department’s plans and objectives.
The organisation of away days outside the Department’s buildings will be based on sound planning and, where accommodation costs and other charges are involved, our policies on appropriateness and value for money.
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