§ Mr. KirkwoodTo ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will list each training and tuition course with a total cost exceeding £5,000 paid for by(a) her Department and (b) her agencies during the last 12 months, showing the title and objectives of each course, the name of the organisations engaged, the total cost of each course, a summary of the responsibilities of staff members taking part and the process for course evaluation by the Department or agency.
§ Mr. SackvilleDecisions on training have been largely devolved to line management. The information the hon. member seeks is therefore not available centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost. I understand, however, that courses with per capita costs exceeding £5,000 would be very rare.
One agency sponsored a member of staff for a course where fees exceeded £5,000. The details requested are:
Title: Master of Business AdministrationCost: £6,000Organisations: Henley Management CollegeSummary of responsibilities of staff member taking part: Project manager for health facilities engineering team, including strategic management and provision of professional advice. Objectives: To enhance business management skills to enable the officer to take a more proactive and growing role in the success of the agency. To develop consultancy skills to work effectively in support of health service clients. To develop own major projects.Course evaluation: An evaluation form is completed by the individual. This is used in a formal evaluation process to access the contribution of the course to overall business objectives and individual development needs. A subsequent review assesses long-term impact on individual and business performance.