Individual Learning Accounts (Hansard, 14 May 2002)

§ Alistair Burt
To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills when a replacement scheme for individual learning accounts will be launched. [55056]

§ John Healey
There will be a replacement ILA-type scheme building on the strengths of the ILA and taking in to account findings from the recently published stakeholder consultation and Select Committee reports. We will announce our plans in due course.

§ Alistair Burt
To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills if the new individual learning account scheme will allow individuals to top-up the Government's financial contribution to their education and training. [55055]

§ John Healey
We are currently considering a wide range of recommendations from a number of different sources for a new ILA- style scheme. The issue of the individual's own contribution to the costs of learning is among those being considered in the work under way to develop a successor programme.

§ Alistair Burt
To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills whether it is her policy that small learning providers should continue to supply training under the new individual learning account scheme; and if she will make a statement. [55980]

§ John Healey
We are currently considering a wide range of recommendations for a new ILA-style scheme from a number of different sources, including the Education and Skills Select Committee report and the findings from our stakeholder consultation exercise. Among those consulted were small learning providers participating in the ILA scheme and the Federation of Small Businesses. We will announce our plans for a successor scheme, including delivery arrangements, in due course.

§ Alistair Burt
To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills if it is her policy that Capita should be the provider of the support infrastructure for the new individual learning account scheme. [55979]

§ John Healey
We are now moving closer to settling the design for a successor programme which will incorporate the lessons which we have learned following the closure of ILAs last November. We continue to work closely with Capita to wind down the current scheme and to ensure we learn the lessons for its successor scheme. We will announce our plans for a successor scheme, including delivery arrangements, in due course.