Teacher Training Agency

HC Deb 17 May 1994 vol 243 c412W

Mr. Ian Taylor

To ask the Secretary of State for Education what arrangements he has made for setting up the new teacher training agency.

Mr. Patten

The Government intend, subject to the passage of the Education Bill currently before Parliament, to establish a new funding agency in England to administer all central funds for initial teacher training. Parliamentary approval for expenditure associated with this new service in 1994–95 will be sought in a revised estimate for the higher and further education vote (class X, vote 2). Pending that approval, urgent and essential preparatory expenditure estimated at £74,000 will be met by a repayable advance from the Contingencies Fund.