HC Deb 06 July 2000 vol 353 cc406-7
3. Mr. Paul Goggins (Wythenshawe and Sale, East)

If he will make a statement on access funds in further education. [127922]

The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Education and Employment (Mr. Malcolm Wicks)

Access funds provide help with transport, course and living costs. They are available to students of 16 and over in schools and colleges. Access funds have been increased from £9 million in 1997–98 to £63 million this year.

Mr. Goggins

I thank my hon. Friend for his answer. At City college, Manchester, where I am a member of the governing body, access funds increased from £96,000 two years ago to more than £700,000 in the current year. I warmly welcome the Government's strong commitment to extending student support and widening participation; but what action is my hon. Friend taking to ensure that further education colleges are held firmly to account for the way in which they distribute the new funds?

Mr. Wicks

That is an important point. As the fund increases, we need to be rigorous about its allocation. The National Audit Office has considered arrangements centrally and has found them to be acceptable. Our departmental auditors are working with the Further Education Funding Council to ensure that arrangements for managing and allocating funds at college level—considerable funds, now—are robust. As with any social security system, if I may put it that way, we must ensure that those in need get these funds and not those who know how to work the system.

Miss Anne McIntosh (Vale of York)

Does the Minister share my concern at the cut in Government spending on further and higher education by removing student grants? Will he apologise to those students who are now not able to go into further and higher education? Will he apologise also for failing to meet the Government's pledge of increasing expenditure on education as a proportion of GDP?

Mr. Wicks

I would share the hon. Lady's concern if for one moment what she suggests were true. We are proud that we have introduced record funding for further education and extra funding for university education. It is important in both sectors that we enable more of our young people, and older citizens, too, to benefit from further and higher education, and that we do not sacrifice quality when we go for quantity. That is what we are doing, and that is our policy.