HC Deb 21 November 2000 vol 357 cc134-5W
Mr. Sanders

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment if he will publish the timetable for the creation of co-financing organisations; and if he will make a statement. [139124]

Ms Jowell

Our consultation document "The European Social Fund: proposals for co-financing in England" proposes that Government Offices should be able to start channelling ESF money through co-financing organisations (CFOs) from 1 September 2001 onwards, once the latter are ready to start operating as CFOs. We shall consider carefully partners' views on that proposal before publishing a firm timetable.

Mr. Sanders

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what estimate he has made of the effects of co-financing organisations on the distribution of ESGF Objective 3 grants to small specialist training providers. [139128]

Ms Jowell

The Objective 3 operational programme for 2000–06 sets out the planned spending by policy field and the indicative financial allocations for each measure. The introduction of co-financing will not affect those spending plans or indicative allocations. We expect that voluntary and community-sector providers will often be well placed to secure ESF money, because they are close to local communities and able to deliver innovative programmes. We expect co-financing to be of great benefit to all providers, and especially those in the voluntary and community sectors.

Mr. Sanders

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment if he will publish the terms of reference and remits for the proposed co-financing organisations that will take over the administration of the UK ESF Objective 3 programme. [139129]

Ms Jowell

We do not envisage that co-financing organisations (CFOs) will take over all that administration. Rather, our consultation document "The European Social Fund: proposals for co-financing in England" proposes that prospective CFOs would apply to the Government Office and regional Programme Monitoring Committee for ESF funding. Such applications would be assessed in line with criteria that the Government Office would set out. CFOs would channel both ESF money and the required match funding to providers in a single funding stream. We are seeking the views of partner organisations on how CFOs might best carry out that role.

Mr. Sanders

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what his policy is on recognising non statutory, not for profit organisations as co-financing organisations for the distribution of ESF Objective 3. [139130]

Ms Jowell

The consultation document "The European Social Fund: proposals for co-financing in England" proposes criteria that Government Offices and regional Programme Monitoring Committees would use to decide whether a body should become a co-financing organisation (CFO). The criteria will need to be fair and clear, to remain appropriate over time, and to promote consistency in decision-making within and between regions. We shall consider partners' views on the proposed criteria carefully.