HC Deb 19 February 1998 vol 306 cc799-800W
Mr. Dafis

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will make a statement on(a) the (i) recurrent and (ii) capital funding and (b) target student numbers for further education in Wales set out in (1) December 1996 and (2) December 1997; and if he will make a statement on the efficiency gains per student in real terms over this period. [30269]

Mr. Hain

In December 1996, the further education recurrent provision for the financial year 1997–98 was £162.547 million; capital provision was £14.477 million; and the target full-time equivalent student number was 58,500. In December 1997, recurrent and capital provision for further education was combined giving a total sum available of £172.541 million for the financial year 1998–99, against target full-time equivalent student numbers of 63,000.

The forecast outtum for 1997–98 is £179.475 million, funding 62,400 full-time equivalent students. Against the resources to be made available in 1998–99 and the student target for that year, the projected efficiency gain per student, in real terms, over this period is 7.3 per cent.

Mr. Dafis

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what plans he has to alter the level of funding for further education in(a) 1998–99 and (b) 1999–2000. [30250]

Mr. Hain

I have already announced an increase in funding for further education of £5.4 million over the plans set out by the previous administration. Decisions on the funding to be made available for the sector in 1999–2000 will be taken in the light of the outcome of the Comprehensive Spending Review.

Mr. Dafis

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many colleges of further education in Wales are categorised as(a) financially unsatisfactory, (b) marginal and (c) satisfactory; and what were the equivalent figures in February 1997. [30249]

Mr. Hain

Currently within the further education sector in Wales, eight colleges are categorised by the FEFCW as financially unsatisfactory, eight as marginal and 13 as satisfactory. The corresponding figures in February 1997 were four, seven and 18 respectively.