§ Mr. ChopeTo ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills (1) how much Capita Services has been paid by her Department in respect of its work on individual learning accounts; and what payments remain outstanding under the terms of the contract; [23110]
(2) pursuant to her answer of 11 December 2001, Official Report, column 814W, on the individual learning accounts centre, if she will set out the key operational indicators which give rise to fees being paid to Capita Business Services Ltd. [23588]
§ John Healey[holding answer 17 December 2002]: Payment to Capita Business Services together with the key operational indicators giving rise to these payments are confidential commercial matters for Capita Business Services Ltd. However, Capita announced to the London Stock Exchange on 25 July 2000, a contract value of £50 million in respect of work relating to individual learning accounts.
§ Mr. ChopeTo ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, pursuant to her answer of 11 December 2001,Official Report, column 814W, on the Individual Learning Account centre, (1) how many shifts were worked on 23 November; and how many people worked on each shift; [23589]
(2) how many people were employed by Capita Business Services at the Individual Learning Account centre on 23 November; and how many of these were employed (a) full time and (b) part time. [23590]
§ John Healey[holding answer 17 December 2001]: On 23 November, the ILA centre operated a four-shift period with coverage from 8 am to 9 pm Monday to Friday 443W and 8 am to 12 noon Saturday. The number of full and part-time staff employed at the ILA Centre is a confidential commercial matter for Capita Business Services Ltd.
§ Alistair BurtTo ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills if she will accept students for registration under the individual learning accounts scheme who could not register by the deadline of 7 December 2001 because of a subsequent decision to close the scheme on 23 November 2001; what representations have been made to her about such closures; and if she will make a statement. [26476]
§ John Healey[holding answer 11 January 2002]: The Department has received representations from hon. Members, learners and learning providers about the inability to register learning onto the ILA system between 23 November and 7 December.
The ILA programme was closed down on Friday 23 November following evidence of serious potential fraud and theft and it is the Department's first duty to safeguard both public funds and the interests of individual learners. I do recognise the impact the decision to withdraw the programme will have on learners; however, because the programme is now closed, learning that was not booked onto the ILA system before 23 November will not be eligible for a discount. We cannot therefore accept account holders for registration who could not register by the deadline of 7 December because of the decision to close down the programme on 23 November.
§ Alistair BurtTo ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what meetings she has had with those representing providers of training under the Individual Learning Accounts scheme since 23 October 2001; what representations they made to her; and if she will make a statement. [26479]
§ John Healey[holding answer 11 January 2002]: Officials and 1 have met with a number of leading providers and provider representative organisations. They have offered us some helpful views on the previous ILA scheme as well as constructive ideas on what a new ILA-style programme might look like. We are now seeking the views of a wider group of providers and a range of other stakeholders.
§ Alistair BurtTo ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, pursuant to her answer of 13 December 2001,Official Report, column 959W, on Individual Learning Accounts, whether further arrests have been made in relation to alleged fraud in the operation of the Individual Learning Accounts scheme; what further charges have been made; and if she will make a statement. [26501]
§ John Healey[holding answer 11 January 2002]: No further arrests or charges have been made.
§ Mr. ChopeTo ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills (1) how many people were employed by her Department on 23 November on the supervision of the contract between his Department and Capita Business Services Ltd.; [23578]
(2) what assessment she has made of whether Capita Business Services Ltd. has operated in compliance with the contract with her Department in their provision of services at the individual learning account centre. [23579]
444W
§ John HealeyThe Department employed a team of four who were responsible for day-to-day performance monitoring, issue resolution, contract finance and budget management. These people, supported by specialists employed within the Department were also engaged in matters relating to the 7 December planned closure of the individual learning account programme.
An assessment of the compliance of Capita Business Services in their provision of services at the individual learning account centre is integral to standard contract management arrangements.