§ Mr. HarveyTo ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment if he will list the Teacher Training Agency-funded higher education providers that deal with special education needs in the south west; and if he will make a statement. [42173]
§ Ms Estelle MorrisThe Teacher Training Agency does not hold information about the higher education institutions that currently deal with special educational needs in the south west. The following are the providers in the south-west which submitted bids to the Teacher Training Agency for in-service training provision which included elements of provision relating to SEN and who will receive funding for 1998–99:
- The University of Bath;
- Bath College of Higher Education;
- Cheltenham and Gloucester College of Higher Education;
- University College of St. Mark and St. John;
- The University of Plymouth;
- The University of the West of England.
I understand that the Teacher Training Agency reached its decisions on the allocation of the relevant funding on the basis of competitive bids from providers to deliver in-service training for teachers judged according to their quality in meeting identified national priorities. The Agency has issued contracts for the academic year 1998–99. It will be considering shortly the basis of the interim bidding rounds in respect of 1999–2000 and 2000–01.