§ Baroness Blatchasked Her Majesty's Government:
Whether they will supply a breakdown of the budget for learndirect to include annual and total amounts since its inception and a forecast for the next three years; and [HL1746]
What has been the expenditure of learndirect to date, including the costs of setting-up the organisation, the annual running costs, and the marketing and public relations costs; and [HL1747]
Table I: Total Departmental Funding for Ufi Budget 1998–99 1999–2000 2001–01 2001–02 2002–03 Total General fund £10 million £32 million £67 million £50 million £48 million £207 million Information and advice service £3.23 million £5 million £10 million £11 million £11 million £40.23 million Total £13.23 million £37 million £77 million £61 million £59 million £247.23 million The department covers the difference between Ufi's commercial income and expenditure by making available a grant up to the levels shown above. To date Ufi has not drawn down the maximum grant because of higher than expected levels of income and savings across expenditure headings.
For 2003–04, the department has secured £44 million for general funding and £12.25 million for the information and advice service. The LSC is making available £159.5 million in 2003–04 for funding learning delivered through learndirect centres.
We are currently undertaking a review of the DfES/ Ufi/LSC relationship to establish a long-term sustainable relationship. This may suggest different organisational and funding implications from those at present. Because of this it will be difficult to forecast expenditure with any certainty beyond 2003–04.
Ufi also provides the learndirect information and advice service. This is an impartial, comprehensive, national telephone and web-based service available to
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Table 2: LSC Funding Budget 1998–99 1999–2000 2000–01 2001–02 2002–03 LSC funding for learndirect provision n/a £5 million pilot funding for 99/00 academic year £28 million for 00/01 academic year £90–110 million for academic year £145.5 million for financial year How many course inquiries have been received by learndirect (a) via the telephone and (b) via the website; how many course bookings have been made; and how many applicants have completed courses. [HL1748]
§ Baroness Ashton of UphollandWe fund Ufi to carry out two functions key to our agenda; to deliver innovative learning through the network of learndirect centres, and to provide the national learndirect information and advice service.
Ufi receives public funding through two channels. My department makes available an annual grant which funds Ufi's infrastructure and operating costs such as product development. Additional departmental funding provides for the learndirect information and advice service.
Secondly the Learning and Skills Council funds learning delivered through the network of learndirect centres. In line with government policy Ufi also generates commercial income, for example through the sale and supply of services and products outside of public policy areas. Details of the public funding that Ufi receives area set out in table 1.
adults across the country. By using the UK-wide learning opportunities database, advisers are able to direct inquirers to a range of appropriate local learning opportunities. The service does not book potential learners on to learndirect courses. Departmental funding for this is detailed at table 1. To date the learndirect information and advice service has responded to nearly 5,000,000 enquiries via the telephone service. The learndirect website has to date received 9,579,388 hits.
The Learning and Skills Council, as the national post-16 funding body, funds learning delivered through the learndirect network. The estimated LSC funding used to date is shown in table 2. Ufi has exceeded expectations in terms of course delivery. For example between 1 April 2000 and 31 January 2003, 707,279 individuals registered for 1,566,370 learndirect courses.
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Table 3: Ufi Expenditure Expenditure 1999–2000 2000–01 2001–02 2002–03 Total since inception Budget 2003–04 Marketing and public relations costs £7 million £16 million £15 million £13 million £51 million £15 million Other setting up (and other) costs £25 million £49 million £59 million £60 million £193 million £72 million Information and advice service costs inc. marketing (estimated) £5 million £16 million £ 17 million £18 million £56 million £19 million Total £37 million £81 million £91 million £91 million £300 million £106 million Table 4 below provides a breakdown of Cfi's performance. Ufi was set up to encourage learners, particularly non-traditional learners. Learning provision is therefore provided in easily accessable
Table 4: learndirect learners and courses 1999–2000 2000–01 2001–02 2002–03 forecast Total since Inception New learners in each year n/a 87,474 246,959 400,000 734,433 Courses sold n/a 196,533 570,882 915,000 1,682,415 Enquiries to the helpline 1,165,256 1,364,822 1,332,873 1,000,000 4,862,951 Raw Web Sessions 362,158 1,799,381 4,305,828 3,700,000 10,167,367 Eligible advice sessions n/a n/a 3,485,787 4,700,000 n/a