§ Mr. ChaytorTo ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment (1) what assessment he has made of the impact on the budgets of those further education colleges which are major providers of English as a foreign language courses of the current proposal by the Further Education Funding Council to withdraw Schedule 2 funding; and if he will make a statement; [88888]
(2) what discussions he has had with the Further Education Funding Council concerning its proposal to withdraw Schedule 2 funding for English as a foreign language courses; [88890]
(3) what representations he has received concerning the proposal by the Further Education Funding Council to withdraw Schedule 2 funding for English as a foreign language courses. [88892]
§ Mr. MudieThe Further Education Funding Council (FEFC) is reviewing the position of English as a Foreign Language (EFL) qualifications with representatives of further education colleges which are major providers of EFL qualifications. But there is no current proposal from the FEFC to withdraw Schedule 2 funding from EFL courses. The FEFC continues to fund EFL qualifications under Schedule 2(f), such courses having previously been funded under Schedule 2(a).