§ Dame Angela RumboldTo ask the Secretary of State for Education what steps he has taken to ensure that his Department is fully committed to the national education and training targets; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. BoswellAs my right hon. Friend made clear in the House on 26 November 1993,Official Report, columns 692–759, the national education and training targets have the full commitment of the Department. The Department's 82W action plan on the targets published in March 1993 sets out a four-fold strategy towards the achievement of the targets, which is being actively pursued: publicising and promoting the targets among education institutions at all levels; co-operating with others in developing necessary data sources for monitoring purposes; monitoring policies and, as appropriate, developing new ones to facilitate progress towards the targets; and developing human resources, in particular aiming to gain maximum benefit from the Investors in People standard. In addition, it is a requirement in the Department that every new policy proposal must demonstrate its contribution to the achievement of the targets.
§ Dame Angela RumboldTo ask the Secretary of State for Education what plans he has to ensure that the Further Education Funding Council favours those colleges which plan vocational and part-time courses in relation to national education and training targets.
§ Mr. BoswellThe new funding methodology being developed by the Further Education Funding Council will provide incentives to colleges to assist more students, including students taking vocational and part-time courses, to achieve qualifications contributing to the national education and training targets.