§ Mr. HopkinsTo ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills pursuant to the Answer given on 14 June 2004,Official Report, column 771W, on Building Schools for the Future, what specific action his Department has taken to encourage local authorities and local learning and skills councils to consult each other in formulating their proposals and plans for priority capital funding. [187037]
§ Mr. MilibandThe Department encourages local authorities and local Learning and Skills Councils to consult each other in formulating their plans for capital investment. Specific action includes: guidance to local Learning and Skills Councils and further education providers requires them to discuss their plans with the relevant local authority; guidance to local authorities on asset management planning requires consultation with the relevant local Learning and Skills Council; guidance on the Building Schools for the Future (BSF) programme requires proposals for BSF projects to include the local Learning and Skills Councils, among others, as active partners; guidance for local Learning and Skills Councils on taking forward Strategic Area Reviews of post-16 provision requires that local authorities must be represented on their stakeholder1370W groups and actively involved in carrying out the reviews. In addition, the Department and the Learning and Skills Council are looking at ways to forge closer links between the Council and the new Partnerships for Schools (PfS) body, set up to assist the delivery of the new Building Schools for the Future programme.
§ Mr. HopkinsTo ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills pursuant to the Answer given on 14 June 2004,Official Report, column 771W, on Building Schools for the Future, what specific action his Department has taken in conjunction with the Learning and Skills Council to join up capital investment for schools, sixth-form colleges and further education. [187038]
§ Mr. MilibandWhere proposals brought forward under the Building Schools for the Future programme include a local vision for the delivery of 14–19 education in association with a further education institution requiring capital investment, the Learning and Skills Council will take this factor into account in determining its priorities for capital support. This is subject to overall pressures and funding constraints. In addition, the Department and the Learning and Skills Council are in discussion concerning a proposed new joint 16–19 capital budget for schools and further education establishments.