§ Mr. BestTo ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills if he will make a statement on the operation of the adult learning grant pilots. [127964]
§ Alan JohnsonAnnounced as part of the Government's Skills Strategy (CM 5810), the new Adult Learning Grant will offer an allowance of up to £30 per week to adults on low incomes studying full-time for a first full level 2 qualification (equivalent to 5 GCSEs or a National Vocational Qualification at level 2) and young adults on low incomes studying full-time for a first full level 3 qualification (equivalent to two A levels or a National Vocational Qualification at level 3). Piloting of the grant starts this month in further education providers in the following local Learning and Skills Council areas:
We will evaluate the impact of the pilot programme to establish, in the light of the conclusions of the next spending review, the best operational design with the intention of implementing a national roll out of adult learning grants.
- Bedfordshire and Luton
- County Durham
- Devon and Cornwall
- Humberside
- Lancashire
- Leicestershire
- London West
- Shropshire
- South Yorkshire
- The Black Country.