§ Mr. AllenTo ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many university students his Department and associated agencies have supported or sponsored with a work placement in the last year; what his policy is on work placements; what plans he has to develop such schemes; and what his policy is on paying their university fees. [98535]
§ Mr. JamiesonIn 2002, my Department organised centrally five summer work placements.
Placements arranged are available to individuals through formal schemes:
the Cabinet Office Fast Stream Summer Development programme—aimed at ethnic minority graduates and undergraduates;Workable—an organisation which arranges work placements for disabled graduates and undergraduates; andthe Windsor Fellowship—aimed at ethnic minority undergraduates.My Department is keen to offer placement opportunities through these schemes and will continue to work in partnership with the organisations to encourage able individuals to consider the civil service as a career.
For students on work placements, my Department's policy is not to pay university fees. However, whether the organisations with whom we work pay them, is a matter for them.