HC Deb 24 April 1990 vol 171 cc168-9W
26. Mr. Fearn

To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what concessions he plans for companies prepared to fund more training through the training and enterprise council structure.

Mr. Howard

The Chancellor of the Exchequer announced in his Budget speech on 20 March that any individuals or companies who donate funds to training and enterprise councils to support their activities will be able to claim tax relief on these contributions.

This concession is a significant step forward in encouraging contributions to training and enterprise councils from local businesses.

27. Mr. Carttiss

To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many training and enterprise councils have received contracts enabling them to become operational.

Mr. Howard

Operational contracts have now been signed with 12 training and enterprise councils.

31. Mr. Jack Thompson

To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how his Department intends to monitor the quality of training provided by TECs.

Mr. Eggar

Training and enterprise councils (TECs) will be required to set out their strategy for ensuring the quality of training in their corporate and business plans. These plans will form part of a TEC's contract with my Department and will be subject to regular performance monitoring. In addition the training standards advisory service will be appraising the quality of training provision offered by TECs.

40. Mr. McAllion

To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what mechanisms are in place to enable regular financial monitoring of training and enterprise councils.

Mr. Eggar

Training and enterprise councils (TECs), under their contract with the Secretary of State for Employment, will be required to produce regular management and financial information on their performance and activities. Details of these requirements are set out in the TEC's operating agreement, a copy of which is available in the Library.

The TECs will also publish annual reports and will be subject to independent audit by my Department and the National Audit Office.

51. Mr. Allen McKay

To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what representations he has had from TEC board members on the funding of TECs.

Mr. Eggar

I have received a number of representations from training and enterprise council (TEC) board members on general funding issues. The TECs will receive agreed resources to carry out their plans and my officials are currently negotiating with a number of TECs as they prepare their corporate and business plans about the resources that will be made available.

53. Mr. Wallace

To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what original level of overall funding to the TEC network was outlined by his Department; and what is the latest figure.

Mr. Eggar

The prospectus for training and enterprise councils, "Training and Enterprise Councils: A Prospectus for the 1990s", indicated that TECs would have executive responsibility for almost £3 billion of public expenditure. The level of provision for training and enterprise programmes in 1990–91, including an estimate of spending through the TEC network is given in the supply estimate 1990–91, class VI Department of Employment (242-VI).

57. Mr. Barry Field

To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what is the latest figure he has for the number of training and enterprise councils now in the development phase.

71. Mr. Kirkhope

To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many training and enterprise councils have received development funding.

Mr. Eggar

Sixty-seven training and enterprise councils (TECs) have been awarded development funding to date. Of these, operational contracts have now been signed with the first 12 training and enterprise councils.

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