§ Mr. Andrew TurnerTo ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills if she will conduct a new tendering process for(a) advice on the shape of a new ILA scheme and (b) delivery of a new ILA scheme. [40317]
§ John Healey[holding answer 4 March 2002]: I confirmed to the House on 6 November 2002 that there will be a replacement for the ILA programme. We are currently using Segal Quince Wickstead to conduct a stakeholder consultation exercise seeking views on the shape and delivery mechanism of the new scheme. The 498W new scheme will build on the strengths of the ILA and take into account the findings of the current consultation exercise which are due in early April. In relation to the delivery of the new scheme we are currently considering a number of options. We will announce our plans in due course.
§ Mr. Andrew TurnerTo ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills who her Department's advisers were on the establishment of the ILA; and what advice they gave on the need for validation on accreditation of learning providers. [37536]
§ John HealeyThe Department appointed KPMG Consulting to assist in the design and development of the national framework of individual learning accounts. KPMG sought a range of views from stakeholders, including learning providers, to help inform the policy-making process of the Department.
§ Mr. Andrew TurnerTo ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many complaints about ILA money being illicitly drawn down were passed by Capita to her Department for investigation in each month since January 2000; how many of those investigations have been completed in each month; and how many of her staff worked on the investigation of complaints. [37538]
§ John HealeyThe individual learning account national framework was launched in September 2000. Prior to the national framework launch, each Training and Enterprise Council had responsibility for the operational nature of the programme in their area. The Department does not hold complaint information during this period.
Between 4 September 2000 and 31 January 2002, the Individual Learning Account Centre received some 18,000 complaints, many stemming from issues relating to the operational policy of the programme. Of this number, some 8,000 complaints involved potential abuse of the programme and were referred by Capita to the Department for investigation. Included in the 8,000 are some 5,900 complaints received relating to money taken from an ILA account without the individual's knowledge or consent.
No monthly breakdown relating to complaints requiring investigation is available from commencement of the programme. All allegations about money being illicitly drawn down are followed up by the Department and where evidence of potential fraud is found the complaint is passed to the Department's Special Investigation Unit for further investigation and referral to the police if appropriate. One investigation has been completed. Currently, there are 37 staff involved in work relating to investigations.
§ Mr. Andrew TurnerTo ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many complaints involving potential fraud in the ILA scheme were received by her Department in each month since January 2000; and how many investigations of those complaints were(a) undertaken and (b) completed in each month. [37540]
§ John HealeyOn the number of complaints received involving potential fraud in the ILA scheme, I refer to my answer given to Parliamentary Question 37538. All serious complaints are subject to follow-up and where evidence of potential fraud is found the complaint is passed to the Department's Special Investigation Unit 499W (SIU). The SIU are currently dealing with 105 registered learning providers against whom 3804 complaints have been received. One further case was completed in February 2002. The table gives the information requested on investigations.
Cases logged November 2000 1 July 2001 5 August 2001 9 October 2001 2 November 2001 30 December 2001 6 January 2002 31 February 2002 19 March 2002 3 Total 106
§ Mr. Andrew TurnerTo ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many complaints about the quality of ILA learning providers were received by her Department in each month since January 2000; and how many investigations of those complaints were(a) undertaken and (b) completed in each month. [37539]
§ John HealeyInformation specific to the quality of learning is not collected separately. As at 31 January 2002, 517 complaints had been recorded, expressing dissatisfaction with learning providers and a further 47 relating to general learning provider issues. During the early months of the programme complaints were few and as such, no complaint categorisation system was put in place. The figures quoted are as a result of a system introduced in March 2001.
Complaints received about the quality of learning in themselves do not result in an investigation. Investigations are put in place to deal with potential abuses of the programme.