HC Deb 17 April 2000 vol 348 cc350-1W
Mrs. May

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment how many staff will be employed by his Department, additional to the current establishment, as a result of the introduction of ConneXions. [119497]

Mr. Wicks

The ConneXions service will largely be staffed by existing civil servants, but will draw as necessary on secondees from other Government Departments, the voluntary, youth and private sectors where appropriate. We do not anticipate any significant increase in the current establishment.

Mrs. May

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment if he will make a statement on the funding of the ConneXions service and its impact on local education authority budgets. [119496]

Mr. Wicks

The funding for the ConneXions service will come from the bringing together of existing resources devoted to youth support and guidance. We are also considering what additional resources will be needed and can be made available as part of the Government's Year 2000 Spending Review.

Mrs. May

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment how much time on average he estimates that a personal adviser will spend with each young person under the ConneXions service. [119500]

Mr. Wicks

This will depend on the needs of each individual young person.

Mr. Boswell

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment how he plans to screen mentors in the ConneXions Service for their suitability to work with young people. [119144]

Mr. Wicks

The ConneXions service is responsible for the physical and emotional safety of all young people coming into contact with mentors. ConneXions partnerships will have responsibility for ensuring that personal checks have been completed on mentors working with young people.

Mrs. May

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment how many personal advisers will be employed in the ConneXions service. [119499]

Mr. Wicks

The ConneXions service will ensure that every young person, whatever their needs, has local access to appropriate high quality guidance and support during their teenage years. A key factor in achieving this will be to ensure that all young people have access to a personal adviser. It is too early at this stage to give precise information on the numbers of personal advisers to be employed by the ConneXions service. The service will be phased in from April 2001 and the ConneXions partnerships will be responsible for deciding how best to deliver the service in their area, in the light of local circumstances.

Piloting of the service which is due to start shortly will provide helpful information on the number of personal advisers needed.