§ Mr. SteenTo ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what percentage of ILA learning provider claims have been met since the closure of the Individual Learning Account programme. [70446]
§ Mr. Ivan LewisAt the end of June 95 per cent. of Individual Learning Account learning provider claims had been paid since the closure on 23 November 2001.
§ Mr. SteenTo ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what loss of public funds has been identified, and what frauds have been uncovered, in the work of learning providers using individual learning accounts. [70444]
§ Mr. Ivan LewisThe loss to public funds will not be identified until investigations are complete. From the start of the programme to date £16.8 million has been withheld from 267 learning providers, subject to validation checking.
453WThe potential frauds under investigation are: funding removed from individual learning accounts (ILAs) without the account holder's consent; no, or incorrect, learning delivered; fictitious account holders created; and accessing account holders' details on the ILA Centre database—using information to claim funds or selling information to providers. In addition other abuses identified are: personal contribution not sought from the account holder; cash or other incentives offered to enrol on course; and ILA discounts claimed for ineligible learning.
§ Mr. SteenTo ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what estimate she has made of how many ILA learners have had to leave their courses because of the closure of individual learning accounts. [70448]
§ Mr. Ivan LewisWe do not have information on the number of individual learning account holders who were in training at the point of closure of the ILA programme on 23 November 2001 and who subsequently may have been required to leave their courses.