§ Mr. RedmondTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what decisions his Department has taken in respect of TECs over the last 12 months; and if he will make a statement on his Department's involvement with TECs over the same period.
§ Mr. Howard[holding answer 30 June 1994]: Officials from the Home Office and United Kingdom Passport Agency have had a number of meetings with representatives of the Central London TEC and Investors In People (UK) Ltd. Passport agency officials have also met the TECs for the areas in which the agency's regional offices are located. There have also been meetings between officials of the Immigration and Nationality Department and the South London TEC; the Fire Service college and Gloucestershire TEC; and the Forensic Science Service with Birmingham TEC. All those meetings have been in connection with the Home Office commitment to the Investors in People—IIP—initiative; none of them has involved particular decisions. In addition, there have been meetings between representatives of a number of Prison Service establishments and their local TECs concerning the development of both staff and prisoner non-vocational qualifications, and steps towards IIP accreditation. In the context of developing local policies to help offenders and ex-offenders to find employment, the Home Office has advised chief probation officers to seek agreements with TECs.