§ Mr. Don FosterTo ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment (1) how much was spent on administration, separately identifying staff costs in cash and real terms(a) by the Teacher Training Agency in the current year and (b) by the Higher Education Funding Council for England in discharging its teacher training functions in the final year before the transfer of those responsibilities to the Teacher Training Agency; [38334]
(2) how many (a) full-time equivalent staff have been employed by the Teacher Training Agency in the current year and (b) full-time equivalent staff were employed by the Higher Education Funding Council for England involved in discharging its teacher training functions in the final year before the transfer of those responsibilities to the Teacher Training Agency. [38336]
§ Mr. Robin SquireIn 1995–96, the latest year for which accounts are available, the Teacher Training Agency, TTA, spent £2.414 million on administration costs, of which £1.303 million was spent on staff costs. The average number of full-time equivalent—FTE—staff employed by the agency in 1995–96 was 42.
The academic year 1993–94 was the last complete year in which the HEFCE had responsibility for the administration of teacher training allocations and quality assessment. The HEFCE estimates its administration costs for the allocation intake targets and funding in respect of teacher training were some £80,000, of which £66,000 relates to staff costs. The FTE of staff involved in work on teacher training in 1993–94 was 2.5.
In addition to developing the functions transferred from the HEFCE, the TTA has taken on tasks which were previously the responsibility of the teaching as a career unit, the Council for the accreditation of Teacher Education and the then Department for Education, as well as a number of new functions under the Education Act 1994.
§ Mr. FosterTo ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what assessment she has made of the efficiency of the Teacher Training Agency in discharging its duties under the Education Act 1994. [38333]
§ Mr. SquireThe Teacher Training Agency's objectives and targets are published annually in its corporate plan and progress on them is recorded in its annual report. The Department will carry out a financial management survey during the current financial year, in accordance with Cabinet Office guidelines, to consider the agency's system of financial management and control. This will include an examination of performance measures, targets and other indicators of efficiency in accordance with standard practice. The results will be published.