§ Mr. HinchliffeTo ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what plans she has to review outcome-related funding structures in the training for work scheme. [38520]
§ Mr. PaiceAny changes to the current funding arrangements for training for work will be considered in the light of performances of the programme, but we have no plans to cease making output-related payments, which are an effective incentive to produce results for participants.
§ Mr. HinchliffeTo ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what priority will be given to the long-term unemployed and persons with special needs, including illiteracy and innumeracy, within the training for work programme; and if she will make a statement. [38521]
§ Mr. PaicePeople aged 18 to 24 who have been unemployed for two years or more and people with special needs—people with disabilities, those needing help with literacy and numeracy, and those needing help with English for speakers of other languages—have priority for places on the programme, and TECs have been set specific targets for starts in these groups. People with special needs also have accelerated entry to the programme. Priority entry is also given to those referred from specific Employment Service programmes designed to help the one year or two year unemployed.
In addition, the Government pay TECs considerably higher prices for starts and outcomes for those who have been unemployed for over a year and for those with special needs.
716W
§ Mr. HinchliffeTo ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment if she will make a statement on the findings of the Coopers and Lybrand report "Evaluation of the Training for Work (TFW) Funding Pilots: Final Report". [38522]
§ Mr. PaiceThe Coopers and Lybrand report made some useful suggestions for the funding of the programme.
All the recommendations in the report regarding funding policy were implemented, bar one. The move to a funding system based on 25 per cent. payment for starts and 75 per cent. for outcomes, rather than to one partly based on a payment for weeks of training delivered as suggested in the report, will sharpen the focus on achieving a successful outcome for trainees.
The Department's response to the report is set out, in full, in a note which accompanies the report. This is available in the Library.
§ Mr. HinchliffeTo ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what steps she will take to improve recruitment rates on the training for work scheme. [38523]
§ Mr. PaiceRecruitment this year to training for work has been below anticipated levels. I am determined that performance should improve. Officials and TEC representatives have worked together to ensure that the changes necessary to improve recruitment are made as quickly as possible.
I have written personally to all TEC chairmen stressing the importance that I place upon recruitment to the programme.
Mr. HinchcliffeTo ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment how she monitors the effectiveness of the training for work scheme in providing placements for the long-term unemployed. [38524]
§ Mr. PaiceThe provision of placements is the responsibility of TECs in meeting their contracted starts and outputs targets. TECs are monitored against these targets.