§ Mr. Thurnhamasked the Paymaster General what arrangements have been made for the financing of the National Council for Vocational Qualifications; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. Kenneth ClarkeMy right lion, and noble Friend and my right hon. Friends the Secretaries of State for Education and Science, for Northern Ireland and for Wales announced the setting up of the National Council for Vocational Qualifications in the White Paper "Working Together: Education and Training" presented to this House and in another place on 2 July. The council will be established initially as a controlled non-departmental public body in receipt of a grant-in-aid from the Department of Employment with contributions from the Department of Education and Science and the Northern Ireland and Welsh Offices. From the beginning of financial year 1990–91 we shall expect the council to be self-supporting.
Legislative authority for this Government expenditure is provided by sections 2 and 3 of the Employment and Training Act 1973. Financial provision will be sought in a Supplementary Supply Estimate for the labour market services vote (class VII, vote 1). Pending Parliament's approval, urgent expenditure estimated at £300,000 will be met by repayable advances from the Contingencies Fund.