§ Helen JonesTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many prison education departments have obtained a Basic Skills Agency Quality Mark. [13958]
§ Beverley HughesForty-eight prison education departments have obtained the Basic Skills Agency Quality Mark to date.
§ Helen JonesTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) how many prisoners have achieved(a) Entry Level Wordpower and Numberpower and (b) Level One Wordpower and Numberpower since December 1996; [13959]
(2) how many prisoners have successfully completed the (a) Basic Skills Test in Life Skills, (b) Social and Life Skills Programme and (c) Oxford and Cambridge Board Diploma in Achievement. [13956]
779W
§ Beverley HughesThe table shows the number of individual qualifications achieved in various categories since April 2000. Statistical returns allow some desegregation but do not contain separate figures for the Oxford and Cambridge Diploma. We do not recognise Basic Skills Test in Life Skills as a "qualification".
Subject type and the number of qualifications achieved Subject type and level Qualifications achieved
Entry level—WordPower 621 Level 1—WordPower 1,007 Entry level—NumberPower 359 Level 1—NumberPower 653 Basic skills test in life skills — Social and life skills programme 2,644 Oxford and Cambridge board diploma in achievement
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§ Helen JonesTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) if he will state the names of contractors(a) providing prison education and (b) who
Education providers/contractors and prison establishments Company Establishments Amersham and Wycombe College Aylesbury, Belmarsh, Brixton, Cookham Wood, Elmley Grendon/Spring Hill, Holloway, Pentonville, Rochester, Standford Hill, Swaleside, Wandsworth,
Wormwood Scrubs
Beverley College Full Sutton, Wakefield Blackpool and The Fylde College Kirkham, Preston City College, Manchester Ashwell, Askham Grange, Hatfield, Haverigg, Leeds, Lindholme, Liverpool, Manchester, Moorland, New Hall, Risley, Stocken, Stoke Heath, Styal, Wealstun,
Werrington, Wetherby
CfBT Education Services Huntercombe, Reading Derby Tertiary College (Wilmorton) Foston Hall, Sudbury Dudley College Birmingham, Brinsford, Brockhill, Featherstone, Hewell Grange, Nottingham, Ranby, Shrewsbury, Whatton
Evesham College Long Lartin Filton College Eastwood Park, Gloucester Gwent Tertiary College Cardiff, Swansea, Usk/Prescoed Highbury College Haslar, Kingston, Winchester Isle of Wight College Albany, Camp Hill, Parkhurst Kent Adult Education Service Aldington, Blantyre House, Canterbury, Dover, East Sutton Park, Maidstone Kingston Upon Hull Community Education Services Everthorpe, Hull Lancaster and Morecambe College Lancaster, Lancaster Farms Lewes Tertiary College Lewes Matthew Boulton College Bedford, Gartree, Glen Parva, Leicester, Lincoln, Littlehey, Morton Hall, North Sea Camp, Onley, Wellingborough
Milton Keynes College Bullingdon, The Mount, Woodhill North East Surrey College of Training (NESCOT) Coldingley, Downview, Feltham, Highdown, Send New College, Durham Acklington, Castington, Deerbolt, Durham, Frankland, Holme House, Low Newton, Northallerton
Northbrook College Ford Norwich City Centre Blundeston, Bullwood Hall, Chelmsford, Highpoint, Hollesley Bay, Norwich, Wayland, Whitemoor
Richmond Upon Thames College Latchmere House Runshaw College Garth, Wymott Strode College Bristol, Channings Wood, Dartmoor, Dorchester, Exeter, Portland, Shepton Mallet, The Verne, Weare
Tamworth and Lichfield College Drake Hall, Stafford, Swinfen Hall Trowbridge College Erlestoke, Guys Marsh Wigan and Leigh College Hindley, Thorn Cross, Thorn Cross HIT
§ Helen JonesTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what proportion of prisoners assessed as having literacy and numeracy skills below level two on entry to prison have achieved nationally accredited qualifications up to level two, since April 2000. [13957]
780Whave failed to reach the minimum standard required by the quality monitoring and assessment procedure; and what the grades obtained by each of them were; [13961]
(2) how many contracts for providing prison education have been withdrawn because contractors failed to reach the standards required for consideration in the re-tendering process since 1997. [13955]
§ Beverley HughesDecember 1988 marked the end of the first five-year tendering period. In April 1997, there were 45 prison education providers. Following completion of the re-tendering exercise the number was reduced to 28 in 1999. The existing contractors are set out in the table. No contracts have been withdrawn since the re-tendering exercise.
The newly founded Prisoners' Learning and Skills Unit located in Department for Education and Skills will be reviewing the funding, procurement and delivery of prison education. The review will draw up a comprehensive improvement strategy which will include the dissemination of existing good practice. It will also challenge and support establishments where education provision gives cause for concern. The unit is leading a review of the present contracting arrangements for that provision.
§ Beverley HughesThe information requested is not available in the form requested. Data on prison education do not enable the tracking of individual prisoners. Figures do show that 21,319 prisoners have achieved nationally accredited basic skills qualifications up to level two, since 781W April 2000. The Prisoners' Learning and Skills unit located in the Department for Education and Skills is looking into ways of improving the collection of data on prison assessments, participation and achievement.