§ Mr. Chris SmithTo ask the Secretary of State for Education how he envisages provision being made within the London borough of Islington after 1 April 1993, for adult students with learning difficulties, for basic literacy and English, and for basic mathematics.
§ Mr. FormanUnder the Further and Higher Education Act 1992, the duty to secure provision of all kinds of further education for adults, including those with learning difficulties, will from 1 April 1993 be divided between the new further education funding councils and local education authorities. Responsibility for securing adequate provision of literacy and numeracy teaching for adults will pass to the further education funding councils. Both the councils and local education authorities will have a duty to have regard to the requirements of adults with learning difficulties in respect of the types of education for which they will be responsible.
Section 6(5) of the Act provides that colleges and centres which do not transfer to the new further education sector should be able to apply through FE colleges within the new sector for funds to support that part of their work which falls within the funding councils' remit. The FE college will forward the application to the funding council if facilities for the kind of courses in question are not adequate in the locality. If the FE college does not forward the application, its decision will be subject to review by the Secretary of State.
My right hon. Friend will be making clear in guidance to the councils that he does not expect to see precipitate changes in the pattern of educational provision for adults. Such provision should make the best use of whatever facilities and expertise are available and should be readily accessible to local communities.