HC Deb 24 June 1997 vol 296 cc444-5W
Mr. Hancock

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment how much each training and enterprise council has spent on special needs training in each of the last three years.[4168]

Dr. Howells

The information requested is not available. Separate accounts for TEC expenditure on those with special needs are not maintained. The Department's contract with TECs does however specify a number of targets which ensures that special needs are given prominence.

Mr. Hinchliffe

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what assessment he has made of the comparative performance of individual TECs; and if he will make a statement. [4620]

Dr. Howells

The performance of individual TECs varies across the range of activities in which they are involved. The Department intends to work with the TEC National Council and the wider TEC network to improve the performance of all TECs through, for example, benchmarking and the sharing of best practice more effectively.

Mr. Baker

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what external audits have been carried out since 1 January 1995 into the use of public money by Sussex Enterprise. [5195]

Dr. Howells

Sussex Enterprise, like other Training and Enterprise Councils, is subject to audit by the FAM (Financial Management) team of the relevant Government Office, at least annually.

Mr. Baker

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what balances were held by Sussex Enterprise and its predecessor Sussex TEC at the end of each of the last five financial years; what this figure represents as a percentage of turnover for each year; and if he will make a statement. [5194]

Dr. Howells

These figures are available from the published annual reports, copies of which are available in the Library.

Mr. Baker

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what safeguards exist to ensure the proper and effective use of public money by Sussex Enterprise. [5193]

Dr. Howells

Sussex Enterprise, like all other TECs, is under a general/contractual obligation from the Secretary of State to have sound financial controls and to provide value for money on all expenditure on government programmes.

Mr. Baker

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment if he will make it his policy to require representation at member level for local authorities on the boards of TECs; and if he will make a statement. [5192]

Dr. Howells

The contract the Department has with TECs requires that at least two-thirds of the Directors hold the office of chairman, or chief executive, or top level operational manager at local level of a company, or senior partner of a professional partnership in the private sector. The remaining Directors must be senior figures within the local community, which includes members of local authorities. I will be reviewing the arrangements with the TEC National Council over the coming months to decide whether any changes are appropriate.