HC Deb 03 November 1997 vol 300 cc32-3W
Miss Widdecombe

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment (1) how many schools were notified of new deal for school opportunities after the deadline for submitting bids was passed; [13742]

(2) what remedies he proposes to offer schools which were notified of new deal for schools opportunities after the deadline had passed; and if he will make a statement; [13743]

(3) if he will make special arrangements for those schools who received notification of New Deal for Schools money after the deadline for submitting bids had passed. [14096]

Mr. Byers

I understand that most schools received the Department's letter of 18 July about the New Deal for Schools (NDS) before the deadline. Schools were not being invited to bid, but were being informed that Local Education Authorities and the Funding Agency for Schools (FAS) would be bidding on their behalf.

The £83 million already distributed is only the first instalment of a larger programme announced by the Chancellor of the Exchequer in his Budget. We expect a further £2 billion will be available over the lifetime of this Parliament for schools in England. We will be issuing bidding guidance shortly on the arrangements for the second tranche of NDS funding. All schools, including those that did not receive funding in the first round, will be able to submit bids to their LEAs, or the FAS in the case of Grant Maintained schools.

Mr. Salter

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what plans he has for the private sector to lead partnerships for the organisation and delivery of the New Deal for 18 to 24-year-olds. [14449]

Mr. Andrew Smith

I am pleased to announce the outcome of the competition to identify private sector organisation to lead partnerships for the organisations and delivery of the New Deal in both of the pathfinder districts of Hackney and City and South Humber. The successful organisation in Hackney and City is Reed Personnel Services and in South Humber, Action for Employment Ltd.

Because of the high quality responses within this competition, it has been decided that private sector organisations should be invited to lead the organisation and delivery of the New Deal in a total of ten locations—the two pathfinder districts and in eight new localities:

  • Colchester
  • Solihull
  • Leicestershire
  • Tyneside, North
  • Exeter and East Devon
  • Bridgend and the Glamorgan Valleys
  • West Lancashire

My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Scotland will make an announcement on the remaining District in due course.

Expressions of interest will be invited shortly, with a view to announcing the remaining lead private sector organisations to work with the Employment Service by the end of February.