HC Deb 17 June 2003 vol 407 cc130-1W
Mr. Drew

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what growth in student numbers further education is expected to assimilate in order to meet the requirements in Success for All. [117676]

Alan Johnson

Success for All is a programme of reforms, which will raise standards across all post-16 further education and training providers, and will contribute to increases in both participation and achievement. We expect growth in participation in further education to play a major part in delivering our target that by 2010, 90 per cent. of young people by age 22 will have participated in a full-time programme fitting them for entry into higher education or skilled employment.

Mr. Drew

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what proposals he has to reduce the administration in relation to FE. [117678]

Alan Johnson

The DfES and the LSC are determined to cut the burden of administration across the whole of the learning and skills sector. We will shortly announce the composition of an independent gatekeeper group to reduce bureaucracy. This group will vigorously challenge the Department and the LSC to justify new and existing administrative practices. It was one of the main recommendations of the Task Force chaired by Sir George Sweeney which reported in November 2002. We fully accept the Task Force's recommendations on cutting bureaucracy and want to see them implemented quickly.

Andy Burnham

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what percentage of 16-year-olds remained in full-time education after finishing secondary school in each of the last three years in each local education authority in England. [117935]

Mr. Ivan Lewis

Participation rates by LEA for 16 and 17-year-olds are published in an annual National Statistics Bulletin, "Participation in Education and Training by 16 and 17 Year Olds in Each Local Area in England". This latest bulletin is published solely on the DfES website: http://www.dfes.gov.uk/statistics/DB/SBU/b0369

Table 3 gives participation rates for 16-year-olds in full-time education by local education authority, 1998 to 2000, the latest year for which figures are available.

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