§ Sir David SteelTo ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what representations he has received from women on income support about adult careers guidance; and what action on careers advice for adults he plans.
§ Mr. LangI am not aware of having received specific representations from women on income support about adult guidance matters. Guidance on vocational and informal education opportunities is available to adults from a variety of sources, including colleges of further education and the community education service of local authorities. Guidance specifically on employment and training opportunities is available through the Employment Service and the enterprise networks respectively, while the skillchoice initiative now being piloted by Scottish Enterprise and Highlands and Islands Enterprise is designed to bring vocational assessment and guidance to people at work. Guidance is also available, particularly to the unemployed and those on low incomes, through a number of projects funded under the urban programme. I have funded the adult education guidance initiative in Scotland, which, in its second year of operation, will be reporting on best practice and possible future developments for adult guidance principally in the informal education setting.