Departmental Policies (Bournemouth) (Hansard, 25 February 1997)

§ Mr. Paice

The Department's policies have been aimed at supporting economic growth and improving the nation's competitiveness and quality of life by raising standards of educational achievement and skill and by promoting an efficient, effective and flexible labour market.

We are creating new opportunities and acting to raise standards for every child in Bournemouth; extending 149W choice and diversity throughout the education system; and ensuring that more power is in the hands of governors and parents.

Total funding for schools will increase by £833 million in 1997–98; 4.4 per cent. higher than 1996–97 levels.

The new unitary authority of Bournemouth will receive £49,533 million in 1996–97, an increase of 3.4 per cent. over last year.

Sound macro-economic policies have led to a continuous fall in unemployment over the last four years by over a million in the United Kingdom, and by 4,481 within the Bournemouth travel-to-work area.

The Department has provided funding to the Dorset training and enterprise council which has enabled them to offer a full range of training programmes and business services for the people living in Dorset. For 1996–97, the level of funding was £16 million. Dorset TEC has been successful in the modern apprenticeship programme and there are 650 young people in the county currently training to NVQ level 3 or above.

There are a number of single regeneration budget projects under way in Dorset, including a community focus scheme to develop the areas of Turlin moor in Poole and Boscombe in Bournemouth. This four-year project costing nearly £800,000 aims to raise and sustain the levels of persona, social and economic achievement of those living in these areas and to also reintegrate the two communities into the main urban economy.