HC Deb 14 July 1999 vol 335 cc195-6W
Lorna Fitzsimons

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what assessment he has made of the implications of his paper, "Learning to Succeed", Cm 4392, for community organisations that currently use the money they generate from training contracts via TECs to cross-subsidise community-based activities; and what steps he will take to ensure the use of community activities to increase access to education and training for Asian women and Asian Elders. [90357]

Mr. Mudie

"Learning to Succeed" makes clear that adult and community learning is a vital part of the Government's aim to create access to high quality, relevant learning opportunities for everyone. The new Learning and Skills Council will provide an opportunity to integrate adult and community learning provision more effectively with other learning opportunities. To this end, the Government propose to give the Council a national duty to arrange adequate and sufficient adult and community learning provision and to give to local authorities the changed duty to contribute to arrangements for provision at local level. The Council will develop a new funding system that caters for the needs of all post–16 learners, including those in adult and community education. Local Learning Councils will arrange provision in the light of plans drawn up by local Learning Partnerships. These new coherent arrangements should make it easier for individuals from all groups in the community to access a wide range of learning opportunities. We shall consult further on the detailed arrangements.

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