HC Deb 07 March 1994 vol 239 cc25-6W
Mr. Gareth Wardell

To ask the Secretary of State for Education (1) what guidance he provides to the Further Education Funding Council on the measures to be taken following the refusal of any lecturer employed by an incorporated further education college to sign a new contract;

(2) what statutory powers exist for the Further Education Funding Council to penalise lecturers in incorporated colleges of further education who refuse to sign new contracts;

(3) what statutory powers exist for the Further Education Funding Council to require lecturers employed in incorporated colleges of further education to sign new contracts and render existing contracts invalid.

Mr. Boswell

The Further Education Funding Council is taking no such action. Neither my right hon. Friend nor the FEFC has any statutory powers, either to require lecturers to sign new contracts, or to penalise those who do not. The conditions for the release of grant withheld from the FEFC relate only to contracts of employment for new staff. It is for individual colleges to deal with their staff about contracts of employment.