HC Deb 06 March 2000 vol 345 cc473-5W
Mr. Boswell

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment if he will make a statement on the(a) adequacy and (b) sufficiency of further education funding in the East Midlands. [112116]

Scottish Units of delivery with a smaller percentage than the Scotland average
Sustained unsubsidised jobs As a percentage of New Deal starts
Ayrshire 1,147 27
Dumfries and Galloway 323 27
Glasgow 1,922 23
Caithness and Sutherland 71 27
Orkney 18 26
Shetland 14 23

Dr. Godman

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment how many(a) males aged under 25 years, (b) females aged under 25 years, (c) males aged over 25 and, (d) females aged over 25, in (i) Inverclyde, (ii) Renfrewshire and (iii) Scotland as a whole have participated in the New Deal; of these how many entered full-time employment afterwards; and if he will make a statement. [111501]

Ms Jowell

[holding answer 28 February 2000]: The figures shown in the table relate to the period ending December 1999.

Mr. Wicks

[holding answer 28 February 2000]: Analysis undertaken by the FEFC as part of its monitoring of potential risks to adequacy and sufficiency of provision indicates that there are seven, out of a total of 33 colleges funded by the FEFC within the East Midlands, assessed as category C. That classification implies that a college is financially weak or may become dependent on the goodwill of others. The Council has instigated strategies in regard to these institutions. Where there is any risk to adequacy and sufficiency the Council will be taking a proactive role in working with those colleges needing support.

Mr. St. Aubyn

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment if he will make a statement on the change in the number of full-time equivalent students in further education sector colleges funded by the Further Education Funding Council since 1997. [112360]

Mr. Wicks

The Further Education Funding Council estimate that full-time equivalent student numbers were 1 per cent. lower in 1998–99 than in 1997–98, reflecting the clampdown on the unacceptable aspects of franchising which grew up under the previous Administration. The FEFC will be consulting on measures to support recruitment in line with our plans, which provide for an increase of 700,000 students in FE by 2001–02.