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8 Dec 2009 : Column 344W—continued
Royal Mail: Public Relations
Mr. Hurd: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Innovation and Skills what payments Royal Mail has made to (a) Grayling Political Strategy and (b) Positif Politics Ltd in each of the last three years; for what purposes; and if he will place in the Library a copy of the contract under which such payments have been made. [302306]
Mr. McFadden: The use of consultants by Royal Mail is a matter for the company. I have, therefore, asked the chief executive of Royal Mail to provide you with a reply to your question.
I will place a copy of his reply in the Library.
Saif al-Islam Gaddafi
Mr. Carswell: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Innovation and Skills on what dates the Secretary of State has met Saif al-Islam Gaddafi since his appointment; who attended each such meeting; what the location was of each such meeting; and what matters were discussed at each such meeting. [303369]
Mr. McFadden: I refer the hon. Member for Harwich to the answer I gave to the right hon. Member for Richmond (Yorkshire) (Mr. Hague) on 9 September 2009, Official Report, column 2077W.
Train to Gain Programme
Mr. Willetts: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Innovation and Skills which Train to Gain providers have had discussions with Ministers on the funding and contract arrangements for Train to Gain for 2009-10. [302503]
Kevin Brennan: I meet regularly with the representative bodies of both further education (FE) colleges and private training institutions; including the Association of Colleges and the Association of Learning Providers. I am the chair of a regular Further Education and Skills standing group. I also visit FE colleges and training institutions, which provides further opportunities for discussion.
Funding and contract arrangements for learners aged 19 or over on FE and skills provision, including Train to Gain, are administered by the Learning and Skills Council (LSC). The LSC has established and maintains a close and collaborative working relationship with individual FE colleges and training institutions and will be in regular direct contact with them on a variety of issues.
Mr. Willetts: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Innovation and Skills how many complaints have been received by (a) his Department and (b) the Learning and Skills Council from Train to Gain providers about the funding and contract arrangements for Train to Gain for 2009-10. [302504]
Kevin Brennan: I receive a wide range of correspondence in relation to my departmental responsibilities. This includes correspondence from further education colleges and training institutions sent via their Member of Parliament and from key stakeholders and representative bodies such as the Association of Colleges or the Association of Learning Providers. Due to the large volume of correspondence received, it is not possible to separately identify where a specific complaint has been made about a particular funding arrangement from a particular class of correspondent.
The Learning and Skills Council (LSC) is responsible for the operation of funding and contract arrangements for adult learning including Train to Gain. They receive
a similarly diverse range of correspondence. Any formal complaints they receive are handled through a defined complaints procedure detailed on their website and are targeted for resolution within three months. The LSC is not aware of having received any complaints through this route about Train to Gain funding and contract arrangements for 2009-10.
Unemployment: Young People
Mr. Willetts: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Innovation and Skills how many and what percentage of people aged between 16 and 24 years old were not in education, employment or training in the third quarter of each of the last 10 years. [302573]
Kevin Brennan: The table gives the number and percentage of people aged(1) 16 to 24 not in education, employment or training (NEET) in the third quarter of each year from 2000 to 2009.
These estimates are from the Labour Force Survey and will include pregnant mothers, those caring for children or relatives, people with a disability or suffering from ill health, and those waiting for a course or job to start, including those on a gap year.
| People aged( 1) 16 to 24 not in education, employment or training in England | ||
| Number | Percentage of all 16 to 24-year-olds | |
| (1) Age is based on academic age, which is defined as the age of the respondent at the preceding 31 August Source: Quarter 3 Labour Force Survey | ||
It must be noted that a direct comparison between consecutive quarters cannot be made as quarterly NEET estimates from the LFS display a strong seasonal pattern. Estimates for quarter 3 are always considerably higher than in quarter 4 because of the number of young people who are either between courses or who have recently left education.
Estimates for every quarter since 2005 have been produced by the Department for Children Schools and Families and are available here:
Union Learning Fund: Finance
Mr. Hayes: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Innovation and Skills how much funding his Department allocated in respect of union learning representatives in the last 12 months; and how many such posts in his Department were full-time. [304548]
Mr. McFadden: BIS have two union learning representatives who are allocated up to 4.5 days per year for this activity alongside their other duties.
Union Modernisation Fund
Mr. Hurd: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Innovation and Skills with reference to the answer of 21 July 2009, Official Report, column 1756W, on the Union Modernisation Fund, if he will publish in full the rules on conflicts of interest. [302290]
Mr. McFadden: The Members of the Union Modernisation Fund Supervisory Board are selected by open competition in accordance with the Office of the Commissioner for Public Appointments' Code of Practice for Ministerial Appointments to Public Bodies (OCPA). As part of that appointments process, applicants must give details of potential conflicts of interest.
All appointment letters set out the Nolan Principles of Public Life. Board Members must declare any personal or business interests which may, or may be perceived to, influence their judgements in performing their functions.
Copies of the OCPA code and Nolan Principles are available in the Libraries of the House.
Mr. Hurd: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Innovation and Skills with reference to the answer of 21 July 2009, Official Report, column 1756W, on the Union Modernisation Fund, when he expects the final evaluation report of the Modernisation Fund to be published. [302291]
Mr. McFadden: A copy of the final evaluation report of the first round of the Union Modernisation Fund produced by the Department in conjunction with Leeds University Business School was published in October on the Department's website. Copies were placed in the Libraries of both Houses.
Mr. Hurd: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Innovation and Skills with reference to the answer of 21 July 2009, Official Report, column 1756W, on the Union Modernisation Fund, if he will publish the declarations of past and present political activity made by each of the members of the supervisory board to date. [302293]
Mr. McFadden: At the time of their appointment, the members of the Union Modernisation Fund Supervisory Board declared the following interests:
Sir Bill Connor (Chair) declared that he had spoken on behalf of a party or candidate and canvassed on behalf of a party or helped at election (for the Labour party);
Adrian Askew declared that he had held office such as Chair, Treasurer or Secretary of a local branch of a party and canvassed on behalf of a party or helped at election (for the Labour party);
William Brown declared no political activity;
Danny Carrigan declared that he had canvassed on behalf of a party or helped at election and a member of the National Executive Committee (for the Labour party);
Jeannie Drake declared that she had canvassed on behalf of a party or helped at election and a member of the Labour Party National Policy Forum (for the Labour party);
Bruce Warman declared no political activity;
Professor David Gordon declared
"I am a member of the Cooperative Party which aims to foster the agenda and activities of the Cooperative movement in the UK. The Cooperative Party is affiliated to the Labour Party and also supports the Woodcraft Folk which is a youth movement/club which my daughter attends;"
David Lebrecht declared no political activity.
Vocational Training
Mr. Hayes: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Innovation and Skills what his policy is on support for traditional skill sets in remote island economies in the UK. [302571]
Kevin Brennan: Skills policy in England focuses on equipping the workforce with the skills needed to compete in a global marketplace and enable people and their families to live happier, healthier, more successful lives.
Government recognise the importance of traditional skills sets. Securing the right skills provision and attracting a new generation into these industries is key to preserving our heritage. Working across Government Departments and through English Heritage and the Heritage Lottery Fund, we want to ensure that our heritage is cared for, protected and enhanced for current and future generations to enjoy.
Many of the UK's remote islands are not part of England. Skills policy in the UK is devolved and as such policy for those islands are a matter for the Scottish Executive, Welsh Assembly and Northern Ireland Assembly.
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