§ Dr. GibsonTo ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how the decision on the cut-out point for incentive payments to PGCE students was arrived at. [34044]
§ Mr. TimmsTeacher training bursaries were designed to encourage more graduates to apply for and enter courses of initial teacher training from 2000–01 onwards. Consequently, it was decided in March 2000 that those graduates who had commenced training before 1 September 2000, or before 1 September 1999 in the case of those following two-year full-time Postgraduate Certificate in Education courses, would not be eligible for these payments. Following representations from hon. Members and others, my right hon. Friend subsequently announced that, for reasons of equity, eligibility for the training bursaries would be extended to those whose courses had begun before 1 September 2000 and who remained in attendance on 20 April 2001.
980WI have placed in the Library a paper showing the allocation of funds to individual projects. I have also written to hon. Members in England and Wales who have projects in their constituencies.