| Previous Section | Index | Home Page |
14 July 2009 : Column 373W—continued
Students: Loans
Stephen Williams: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Innovation and Skills what progress has been made in selling parts of the student loan book following the enactment of the Sale of Student Loans Act 2008. [283171]
Mr. Lammy:
The Government still intend to make sales from the student loan book, but it is clear that this
should only be done at a time when we can get a good return for the taxpayer. For the time being, the market conditions do not allow this. However, we will actively look to identify opportunities for a sale that represents value for money as market conditions improve.
Train to Gain Programme
Mr. Sanders: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Innovation and Skills what mechanisms his Department uses to assess the progress of the Train to Gain programme towards its objectives; and what his most recent assessment is of such progress. [284628]
Kevin Brennan: The progress of Train to Gain is assessed both through evaluations commissioned by the Learning and Skills Council and through the use of Management Information on Train to Gain starts and outcomes, reported in the Statistical First Release, published by the Data Service.
The most recent, fourth wave of Train to Gain evaluation comprised a survey of Train to Gain employers and a survey with learners who accessed training via Train to Gain. Reports on these employer and learner evaluations were published on 25 June 2009, alongside the most recent Statistical First Release.
The latest employer evaluation tells us that employers are satisfied, and Train to Gain is having a real impact on business:
more than nine in 10 of employers were satisfied with the quality of provision;
80 per cent. of employers who had taken up training would recommend it to others;
around half of employers sampled reported a positive impact on staff productivity;
66 per cent. reported improved long-term competitiveness.
Additionally, the latest Train to Gain learner evaluation shows that improving skills provides benefits to individuals in terms of improved employment prospects, labour market progression and social mobility:
83 per cent. of new learners said their training gave them skills that would help them do a better job in the future.
34 per cent. of learners completing a Train to Gain course reported getting a promotion, and 34 per cent. of new learners reported receiving a pay rise.
The Statistical First Release shows that since April 2006, there have been a total just over 1.25 million Train to Gain starts with around 600,000 qualifications achieved.
Train to Gain Programme: Tamworth
Mr. Jenkins: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Innovation and Skills how many people resident in Tamworth constituency have successfully completed a Train to Gain course in the latest period for which figures are available. [285365]
Kevin Brennan: In 2007/08 academic year, 470 courses were achieved through Train to Gain by learners resident in Tamworth constituency, an increase from 170 in 2006/07.
This information was published in a statistical first release on 25 June 2009:
Tyne Metropolitan College
Mr. Byers: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Innovation and Skills if he will provide additional funding to Tyne Metropolitan College for the purposes of (a) avoiding redundancies and (b) maintaining numbers of available courses. [286296]
Kevin Brennan [holding answer 13 July 2009]: The Learning and Skills Council (LSC) has responsibility for the funding of post-16 further education (FE) and skills delivered through FE colleges and providers. In line with Government priorities, funding is prioritised towards courses that provide adults with the skills to enter and progress into employment or further learning.
As independent organisations, FE colleges are responsible for managing their own budgets and setting the conditions of service of their staff. The Government therefore have no involvement in contractual arrangements for college staff.
Vocational Training
Mr. Evennett: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Innovation and Skills what recent representations he has received from training providers on the availability of (a) apprenticeships and (b) Train to Gain contracts in the 2009-10 academic year. [273202]
Kevin Brennan:
As a part of its normal tendering process, in January 2009 the Learning and Skills Council undertook a tendering exercise for Employer Responsive provision in 2009-10. 2,059 organisations accessed the pre-qualification questionnaire for this exercise, 1,553 responded to the questionnaire, 1,142 were invited to
tender for Train to Gain and Apprenticeship provision, and 47 responded to the Train to Gain invitation to tender and 14 to the Apprenticeships invitation to tender.
Mr. Sanders: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Innovation and Skills what methodology his Department uses to assess the demand for skills training in each region. [284620]
Kevin Brennan: The Department utilises data and advice from the United Kingdom Commission for Employment and Skills (UKCES) and the National Employer Skills Survey (NESS) to provide a national level picture of skills needs. The most recent wave of NESS (2007) interviewed around 79,000 employers. The National Employer Skills Survey 2007 report includes a breakdown of the regional pattern of skills gaps (i.e. where employers consider that employees are not fully proficient at their job), including a distribution of skills gaps by occupation in each region (p.85) and the skills lacking by region (p.88). Each regional development agency also assesses the need to improve skills levels at regional level as part of the Regional Economic Strategy (separate arrangements apply in London).
Written Questions: Government Responses
Mr. Weir: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Innovation and Skills when he plans to answer question (a) 265951 and (b) 265952, tabled on 18 March 2009, on the Enterprise Finance Guarantee Scheme. [281348]
Ms Rosie Winterton: I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave on 13 July 2009, Official Report, column 186W.
| Index | Home Page |