HC Deb 21 November 2001 vol 375 cc349-50W
Mr. Willis

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills which company was awarded the contract to run the Fast-Track Teacher Recruitment Scheme; what the cost and duration of the contract is; what the agreed recruitment targets for each year of the contract were; how the company was chosen; and what the criteria are for success and best value. [16698]

Mr. Timms

Following a competitive tender exercise the contract for assessing Fast-Track applicants was let to a consortium headed by Interactive Skills on 2 October 2000. The cost of the contract in Financial Year 2000–01 was £2,375,081. The contract covers a three-year period, with an option for a two-year extension. Selection is done against standards and not to quota. Main criteria for success are delivery to time and within budget of: (i) a high quality multi-stage selection process which will successfully identify those applicants who meet the competencies and values laid down in the Education (School Teachers' Pay and Conditions) (No.7) Order 2001; (ii) relevant application brochures, website, forms and guidance to a high professional standard; (iii) a cycle of continuous review and improvement in efficiency and effectiveness of the activities of the consortium.

Mr. Willis

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what the total cost was for each existing fast-track student of recruiting them to the Fast-Track Teacher Recruitment scheme; and what the total cost was for students recruited through the programme. [16697]

Mr. Timms

The Department for Education and Skills spent £4.6 million on the Fast-Track Programme in the last financial year 2000–01, the first year of its existence. This long-term investment supported (i) a national recruitment campaign which raised public awareness of the programme, established a credible presence at the upper end of the highly competitive graduate recruitment market, and attracted 1,574 applications; (ii) the design, development and implementation of a very high quality assessment and selection process which resulted in the offer of 135 places in the first round to potential future leaders of the profession; and (iii) the initial cost of setting-up enhanced Fast-Track Initial Teacher Training.