§ Mr. HealdTo ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what alternative arrangements have been made by his Department in respect of those persons on the New Deal who would previously have received assistance via the individual learning account scheme; and if he will make a statement. [85992]
§ Mr. Nicholas Brown[holding answer 9 December 2002]: The individual learning account (ILA) programme was open to everyone aged 19 or over in England. The overall aim was to widen participation in learning and to help individuals overcome the financial barriers to learning they may have faced. ILA support could be used for non job specific career learning.
The New Deals offer people looking for work job-focused learning and training opportunities, specifically tailored to meet their individual needs. We are providing 1014W New Deal clients with the knowledge and skills they need to compete effectively in the labour market and move into work.
The New Deal 50 plus offers clients help with training through a training grant. In January 2002 we doubled the grant to £1,500. Of this, the amount that can be used for non job specific career training was also doubled to £300.