§ Mr. ByersTo ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment when the Skills Training Agency was first established; how many people it employs; what have been its total running costs to date; and what are the estimated running costs for 1995–96 and 1996–97. [15084]
684W
§ Mr. Paice[holding answer 13 February 1996]: The Skills Training Agency was established as a self-contained agency of the Department of Employment in 1985. It was transferred into the private sector in 1990. At that point, it ceased to be staffed by civil servants. The Department does, however, meet some residual costs relating to former staff and properties arising from the privatisation of the Skills Training Agency: for 1995–96 these are estimated at £1.8 million and for 1996–97 at £1.5 million.