§ Alistair BurtTo ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills if she will make a statement in respect of the progress of her investigations into alleged fraud and abuse concerned with the individual learning account scheme; and whether her Department has the information necessary about individual learning account holders from the Capita database. [36946]
§ John HealeyThe Department's Special Investigations Unit is investigating 97 registered learning providers. Of these, police are investigating 16 and the Department's Special Investigation Unit is discussing a further 52 with the police. 44 arrests have been made in relation to allegations of fraud with the operation of the individual learning account programme and 13 people have been charged, one of whom has been convicted.
As at 31 December, the Department had received some 5,900 complaints from individuals claiming that money had been drawn from their individual learning account (ILA) without their knowledge or consent. Complaints received will be followed up with providers, and where we have evidence of fraud we will make referrals to the police.
The Department's Special Investigation Unit has had access to information from the ILA Centre system about ILA holders necessary to carry out its investigations.
§ Mr. Andrew TurnerTo ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills on what date the new registration scheme for ILAs was(a) commissioned of and (b) delivered by Capita; when the new scheme was announced and by what means. [37535]
§ John HealeyThe Department signed a letter of intent in April 2000 with Capita Business Services Ltd., but Capita began working on an action plan in March 2000. The Department signed the contract with Capita to act as the customer service provider for individual learning234W accounts on 2 June 2000. Registration for ILA holders and ILA learning providers was open from 12 June 2000 before the ILA national framework was launched on 4 September 2000.