§ Mr. Alfred MorrisTo ask the Secretary of State for Employment what means are used to monitor TECs' performance against the business plan in meeting their contractual obligation for people with disabilities and learning difficulties; what is done with the monitoring reports undertaken by her Department; and what publicity she gives to the outcomes of these monitoring visits.
§ Mr. McLoughlinTraining and enterprise councils' business plans are examined before approval to ensure that they have included objectives and targets for helping people with disabilities. TECs arc required by their contract to provide regular performance statistics relating to the training and placing of people with disabilities. The Department's regional contract managers review TEC's achievements against objectives at regular intervals.
Performance reports produced as part of this monitoring process are used to ensure that appropriate action is being taken and that TECs are delivering the agreed plan within the terms of their contract.
§ Mr. Alfred MorrisTo ask the Secretary of State for Employment what means of support TECs provide for young people leaving special schools who wish to enter youth training and gain vocational qualifications; and what steps are taken to ensure that funding is available to meet the higher cost of training people with disabilities.
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§ Mr. McLoughlinSupport for young people with disabilities is provided as an integral part of the Department's training and enterprise programmes.
All young people under 18 wishing to enter youth training and who are not in full-time education or employment are guaranteed a YT place. All young people with disabilities remain eligible for a place on YT beyond 18 under the extended guarantee, if their availability for YT has been delayed by the effects of their disability or health problems.
TECs contract that every eligible person who is resident in a TEC's operational area and who is a member of the YT guarantee group or the YT extended guarantee group shall be assessed and offered a training opportunity with at least one approved qualification at or above level 2 national vocational qualification. For those young people with special needs for whom this would not be a realistic target, and provided that the individual is endorsed by the Careers Service as category A or B special training needs and continues to be a member of the YT guarantee or extended guarantee groups, the TEC has to ensure that training is individually designed to give them the support and help they need to make progress towards attainable general and vocational competences.
TECs' training budgets are negotiated annually with the regional directors of the Employment Department. These negotiations take into account the anticipated additional costs of providing youth training for trainees who have special training needs.
All young people including those leaving special schools come within these arrangements.
§ Mr. Alfred MorrisTo ask the Secretary of State for Employment if she will make the system of payment for TECs for training those with disabilities or learning difficulties independent of the length of time to achieve qualifications.
§ Mr. McLoughlinThe system of payment for TECs already allows the duration of training to be tailored to the needs of the individual, including those with disabilities or learning difficulties.