§ Mrs. FyfeTo ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what factors underlay the requirements that(a) further education institutions should make efficiency savings of five per cent. and (b) higher education institutions should make efficiency savings of one per cent. [46138]
§ Mr. WilsonTargets for efficiency savings have not been set centrally for the further education institutions separately or for the sector as a whole.
§ Mrs. FyfeTo ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will conduct an investigation of the successes and failures of the Private Finance Initiative in further education; and what plans he has for the capital funding of further education over the next three years. [46137]
§ Mr. WilsonA national review of the Private Finance Initiative was conducted a year ago and was followed by the introduction of a range of improvements in its operation. The progress of the Private Finance Initiative continues to be kept under general review, but my right hon. Friend has no plans at this stage to initiate another investigation, either of the Private Finance Initiative per se or focused specifically on Further Education, where experience of the Private Finance Initiative so far is limited.
Capital funding of Further Education in future years is being considered as part of the Comprehensive Spending Review.
§ Mr. GorrieTo ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what net change the introduction of fees will make in the funding of Scottish higher and further education institutions in total and individually in(a) 1998–99, (b) 1999–2000, (c) 2000–1, and (d) 2001–2. [46244]
§ Mr. WilsonOverall funding for higher education institutions, including tuition fees and grant allocations from the Scottish Higher Education Funding Council, is the same in 1998–99 as it was in 1997–98. Tuition fees received by higher and further education institutions in 1998–99 are not directly comparable with previous years because of the abolition of banded fees for full-time education undergraduate courses. The level of funding allocated to higher education institutions in 1998–99, individually and in total, is contained in the Scottish Higher Education Funding Council's grant letters, copies of which I have placed in the House of Commons Library. The estimated net change in respect of further education colleges for 1998–99 is a £5 million increase in available funds, falling to individual colleges according to their share of full-time higher education courses.
Funding for higher and further education institutions for years 1999–2000 and beyond has not yet been determined and is a matter for the Comprehensive Spending Review.