§ Mr. Don FosterTo ask the Secretary of State for Education if he will outline the conditions for the release of holdback grant to further education colleges.
§ Mr. BoswellColleges within the further education sector will be required to give the FEFC an assurance that their governing body is satisfied that all contracts of employment entered into with newly employed staff on or after 1 April 1994 provide adequate flexibility for the college to make proper use of its resources, both human and material, throughout the week and year in accordance with the institution's and its customers' needs. In the case of colleges which, immediately prior to entering the further education sector, were maintained or assisted by a local education authority, this assurance will need to include confirmation that all contracts of employment entered into with newly appointed teachers or lecturers on or after 1 April 1994 are significantly different from those used by the maintaining or assisting LEA immediately before the college entered the further education sector. In both cases, the FEFC will ask colleges to sign a declaration that they have met the condition.