HC Deb 03 July 2002 vol 388 cc420-1W
Mr. Bercow

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how much the Department has spent on staff training and development in each of the last five years. [61069]

Mr. McCartney

Data on expenditure on staff training and development are available only for the last three years. The Department was created in June 2001. The figures for the two earlier years have been collated from data sources in the former Employment Service and Department of Social Security.

Expenditure (£ million) Percentage of running costs
1999–2000 81.145 3.19
2000–01 90.034 3.68
2001–02 97.319 3.76

The figures include trainee and trainer costs, management and administration overheads, and spend on external training provided through Departmental contracts. Costs for accommodation where Departmental estate has been used are not included. (In addition to formal training, staff are developed by a variety of other means.)

The Department is committed to the principles of Investors in People. It considers that effective investment in training and development is essential in equipping staff with the skills and knowledge necessary to meet Government goals and deliver modern services.