§ Mr. KidneyTo ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what guidance he will give to further education colleges on the use of hardship funds. [63472]
§ Mr. MudieCollege hardship funds are provided by colleges themselves and their use is not subject to guidance by my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State. In many cases hardship funds are paid alongside Further476W Education Access Funds. My right hon. Friend's guidance on the use of these Funds is that they should address financial barriers to the access and completion of training and encourage participation.
§ Mr. KidneyTo ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment if he will review the range of assistance available to further education students out of access funds. [63471]
§ Mr. MudieMy right hon. the Secretary of State has recently reviewed the assistance available to further education students from Access Funds and last month announced significant improvements in funding and an extension of scope to students aged 16 to 18 years old.
§ Mr. KidneyTo ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment when he intends to publish his response to the representations received by his Department in respect of his consultation paper regarding accountability in the governance of further education colleges. [63469]
§ Mr. MudieMy right hon. Friend published the Department's response to this consultation on 27 November. Copies have been placed in the Library.
§ Mr. WillisTo ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what plans he has to increase the average level of funding per unit at FE colleges in(a) 1999–2000 and (b) 2000–01; and if he will list the average level of funding unit values for each of the previous five years. [62090]
§ Mr. MudieLatest information for the financial years 1994–95 to 1998–99 gives the following cash figures for public funding per full-time equivalent student in further education:
£000 Financial years 1994–95 3,040 1995–96 2,930 1996–97 2,920 1997–98 estimated 2,950 1998–99 planned 2,900 My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State has announced additional funding of £725 million for the Further Education sector over the next two years. In the first of these years, 1999–2000, the average level of funding per full-time equivalent student, including additional employer contributions but excluding the allocations for capital and the Further Education Standards Fund, will be subject to a 1 per cent. efficiency gain. This compares with an estimated average annual efficiency gain of over 3.5 per cent. for the period 1994–95 to 1998–99. An announcement on the position for 2000–2001 will be made next year.