§ Mr. BoswellTo ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what studies she has conducted into the implications of phasing out GNVQ Foundation on intermediate qualifications in favour of vocational GCSEs for participation in education post-16, with particular reference to young people with a predominantly vocational aptitude. [5677]
§ Mr. Ivan LewisMinisters considered very carefully the advice from the Qualifications and Curriculum Authority on the introduction of vocational GCSEs. The advice was informed by an extensive public consultation exercise. It was agreed to delay the withdrawal of the Foundation and Intermediate GNVQs for two years, to secure learning opportunities particularly for post-16 students, while other work goes ahead on the development of coherence and breadth in publicly funded programmes of vocational study.
§ Mr. BoswellTo ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what studies he has conducted into the comparative burden of administration and regulatory compliance by(a) further and (b) higher education; and what action he is taking to alleviate these burdens. [5680]
§ Margaret HodgeThe Department has conducted no studies of this kind; neither has the Learning and Skills Council (LSC) nor its predecessor the Further Education 771W Funding Council. The creation of the LSC has reduced the number of public bodies further education colleges need apply to for funding and the number of audits they need to undergo. The LSC has already reduced the audit burden in further education by appointing the auditors of student numbers and by developing a common audit approach for all colleges. The LSC is also reviewing the funding processes for further education colleges and is working with other public sector funding bodies to reduce further the audit burdens on the sector.
The Higher Education Funding Council for England (HEFCE) commissioned, last year, a review from PA Consulting on the accountability burden in the HE sector. The review, published in August 2000, identified four areas of burden—assessments carried out by the Quality Assurance Agency in HE Institutions (HEIs), the bidding process for HEIs, the Research Assessment Exercise and the provision of information. A HE forum, chaired by the HEFCE and composed of the major HE stakeholders, has undertaken five projects to look at these issues.
The HEFCE have already taken the following actions:
to lower transaction costs for the Science Research Investment Fund (SRIF) to 0.5 per cent. compared to 5 per cent. under Joint Infrastructure Fund (JIF);
Student numbers in further education sector colleges in England from 1994–95 to 1999–2000 by mode of attendance Thousand Mode of attendance 1994–95 1995–96 1996–97 1997–98 1998–991 1999–20002 Full-time 750.6 777.9 799.3 746.3 738.1 745.5 Part-time 2,282.9 2,741.4 3,130.1 3,149.3 3,044.8 2,975.5 Total 3,033.6 3,519.3 3,929.5 3,895.6 3,782.9 3,720.9 Notes: 1 1998–99 figures are affected by three mergers between FE colleges and higher education institutions. 2 1999–2000 figures are affected by the merger of one college with a higher education institution. The table counts all students who attended FE sector colleges at some time in the year in question. It does not therefore include funded students in external institutions, specialist designated institutions and higher education institutions. Data are not available on a consistent basis for the year 1993–94, when a count was made on a given date. Data for 2000–01 are not yet available on a consistent basis either.
§ Diana OrganTo ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills (1) what the average level of funding was per full-time equivalent student in the further education sector in England in(a) 2001, (b) 2000, (c) 1997 and (d) 1993; [2402]
(2) what has been the percentage increase in the amount of funding per full-time equivalent student in the further education sector since (a) the incorporation of further education colleges and (b) 1997 in (i) England and (ii) Gloucestershire; [2404]
(3) what has been the real term percentage increase in the amount of funding per full-time equivalent further education student since (a)incorporation of further education colleges, (b)1997 and (c)2001. [2406]
§ John HealeyFunding per full-time equivalent student in the further education sector for Gloucestershire could be obtained only at disproportionate cost. Funding to
772W
to reduce the number of days for carrying out transparency audits, from 15–20 to 2–10;to drop an element of the research activity survey.
§ Mr. BoswellTo ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what studies she has conducted into fringe imports between(a) areas piloting educational maintenance allowances and (b)those outside into providers of post-16 education. [5683]
§ Mr. Ivan LewisIn the Education Maintenance Allowance (EMA) pilot, eligibility for an EMA is determined on the basis of where a student lives, rather than according to the school or college attended. Students who live in an area where EMA is available qualify for an award whichever school or college they attend—even if it is in a different LEA area. There is a very extensive evaluation under way looking at all aspects of EMA. It has not identified fringe imports as a significant feature.
§ Diana OrganTo ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many(a)full-time and (b) part-time students there were in the further education sector in (i) 1993, (ii) 1997, (iii) 2000 and (iv) 2001. [2407]
§ John HealeyFull and part-time student numbers in the FE sector from 1994–95 to 1999–2000 were as follows:
individual colleges is not allocated on a uniform full-time equivalent basis but through a formula taking detailed account of the types of courses and students involved.
The unit of funding for further education based on total funding for the sector is as follows:
Year Unit of funding (£) Real-terms index 1993–941 3,210 110 1994–951 3,170 107 1995–961 3,040 100 1996–971 3,050 97 1997–981 3,070 95 1998–991 3,130 94 1999–20002 3,400 100 2000–013 3,420 99 1Actual 2Provisional 3Plans Note:
Unit of funding is rounded to nearest £10. Figures include assumed additional employer contributions and exclude FEFC administration and student support.
Source:
Further Education Funding Council's individualised student record and DfES estimates and projections.
773WThe incorporation of further education colleges was at I April 1993.
The percentage decrease in unit funding between 1993–94 and 1997–98 is 4.1 per cent.; the real terms decrease is 13.4 per cent.
The percentage decrease in unit funding between 1993–94 and 2000–01 is 6.7 per cent.; the real terms decrease is 10 per cent.
The percentage increase in unit funding between 1997–98 and 2000–01 is 11.3 per cent.; the real terms increase is 3.9 per cent.
§ Mr. BoswellTo ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what the unit of funding for full-time equivalent students in further education is in 2001–02; and what it was in the two previous years and is forecast to be in the next two years. [31881 John Healey[holding answer 11 July 2001]: The unit of funding for the further education based on total funding for the sector is as follows:
£ Unit of funding 1999–20001 3,400 2000–012 3,420 2001–022 3,660 2002–032 3,760 2003–042 3,910 1Provisional 2Plans Note:
Unit of funding is rounded to nearest £10. Figures include assumed additional employer contributions and exclude FEFC administration and student support.
Source:
Further Education Funding Council's individualised student record and DfES estimates and projections.
§ Mr. SelousTo ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what plans she has to reduce the number of sources from which(a)further education colleges and (b)schools have to bid for funds. [4709]
§ John HealeyThe Learning and Skills Council (LSC) took over responsibility for the funding of further education, work based learning for young people and adult and community learning. This has reduced the number of public bodies colleges need apply to for funding. The LSC is reviewing the funding processes for further education colleges and is working with other public sector funding bodies to reduce audit burdens. The reforms introduced from April 2001 to the Schools Standards Fund have done away with almost all forms of bidding for funds, so that nearly all recurrent funding is allocated to schools via transparent formulae.
§ Mr. SelousTo ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what has been the percentage increase in the amount of funding per full-time equivalent student in the further education sector since(a) the incorporation of further education colleges and (b) 1997 in (i) England and (ii) Bedfordshire. [4710]
§ John HealeyFunding per full-time equivalent student in the further education sector for Bedfordshire is not collected centrally and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost. Funding to individual colleges is not allocated on a uniform full-time equivalent basis but through a formula taking detailed account of the types of courses and students involved.
774WThe unit of funding for further education based on total funding for the sector is as follows:
Unit of funding (£) Real-terms index 1993–941 3,210 110 1994–951 3,170 107 1995–961 3,040 100 1996–971 3,050 97 1997–981 3,070 95 1998–991 3,130 94 1999–20002 3,400 100 2000–013 3,420 99 1Actual 2Provisional 3Plans Note:
Unit of funding is rounded to nearest £10. Figures include assumed additional employer contributions and exclude FEFC administration and student support.
Source:
Further Education Funding Council's individualised student record and DfES estimates and projections.
The incorporation of further education colleges was at 1 April 1993.
The percentage decrease in unit funding between 1993–94 and 1997–98 is 4.1 per cent.; the real terms decrease is 13.4 per cent.
The percentage increase in unit funding between 1993–94 and 2000–01 is 6.7 per cent.; the real terms decrease is 10.0 per cent.
The percentage increase in unit funding between 1997–98 and 2000–01 is 11.3 per cent.; real terms increase is 3.9 per cent.
§ Mr. BoswellTo ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what plans she has to encourage improvements in the pay and status of non-lecturer staff in the further education sector. [5686]
§ Margaret HodgeI will write to the hon. Member and place a copy of my letter in the Library.
§ Mr. BoswellTo ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many further education colleges to date have(a) cleared arrangements for incentive payments under the teaching pay initiative and (b) made such payments to their lecturers. [5685]
§ Margaret HodgeI understand that 56 colleges had submitted 'Declarations of Intent' forms to their local Learning and Skills Councils by 18 July 2001. The Learning and Skills Council will make first payments to colleges by the end of July. Detailed arrangements for making payments to individual teachers will be implemented locally by each college.