TECs (Hansard, 17 May 1990)

§ Mr. Eastham
To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what mechanisms he intends to introduce to monitor the spending of public money by training and enterprise councils.

§ Mr. Eggar
Training and enterprise councils (TECs) will operate under a performance-based contract with my Department. They will be required to submit regular management and financial information on their performance. Additionally TECs will publish audited annual accounts and will be subject to independent audits by my Department and the National Audit Office.

§ Mrs. Dunwoody
To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what directions he has given to the training and enterprise councils about the provision of child care facilities for women returning to training courses.

§ Mr. Eggar
Under the terms of their operating agreements with the Training Agency, training and enterprise councils are required to ensure that lone parents training on ET receive the cost of caring for children under 16.

§ Mrs. Dunwoody
To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will arrange for a special needs representative to be included in each of the training and enterprise councils.

§ Mr. Eggar
It is for each training and enterprise council to determine the membership of its board within the broad parameters set by my Department.

§ Mr. Ashley
To ask the Secretary of State for Employment (1) what steps he is taking to ensure that TECs are taking sufficient measures to meet the training needs of disabled people; and if he will make a statement;
(2) what steps he is taking to ensure that minimum national standards for the training of disabled people are introduced when TECs are fully operational;
(3) what plans he has to monitor and evaluate the provision of training for disabled people and those with mental handicap in TECs.

§ Mr. Eggar
Each TEC will set out how it intends to provide for he needs of people with disabilities, including those with mental handicaps, in its corporate and business plans. These plans will be subject to my approval.
Specific contractual requirements common to all operating TECs include providing appropriate training to people with disabilities, and special access and communication arrangements where necessary.
TECs' performance against their plans will be regularly monitored by Training Agency operational offices. In addition, the training standards advisory service will be appraising the quality of training offered by TECs to people with disabilities.

§ Mr. Ashley
To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will take steps to ensure that TECs submit an annual report to Parliament on how they are meeting the training needs of disabled people.

§ Mr. Eggar
Training and enterprise councils (TECs) will produce and publish an annual report within three months of the end of the financial year describing all the activities the TEC has undertaken during the year.