§ Sandra GidleyTo ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what assessment the Government has made of the benefits of non-academic adult education; and if he will make a statement. [177277]
§ Mr. Ivan LewisThe Department has completed a number of studies that look at the benefits of non-academic or leisure based adult education courses. These include work by the DfES-funded Centre for Research on the Wider Benefits of Learning, published on their website at www.learningbenefits.net and the results from the first sweep of a DfES commissioned tracking survey of 1,900 learners who have participated in Adult and Community Learning to be published by the DfES on 24 June.
The results from both areas of work confirm the positive impact of adult learning e.g. on health and civic participation and on the individual's confidence and motivation to undertake further learning. That is why we remain committed to safeguarding a varied range of learning opportunities for personal fulfilment, community development and active citizenship.
§ Sandra GidleyTo ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how much funding has been allocated to each local council in 2004–05 for the purposes of adult education. [177278]
§ Alan JohnsonThe Department allocates funds for education and training in the post-16 learning and skills sector to the Learning and Skills Council (LSC). The LSC decides the funding allocated to local education authorities and other providers. Information about these allocations is not collected by the Department. This is an operational matter and the responsibility of the LSC. Mark Haysom, the LSC's Chief Executive, will write to the hon. Member with this information and a copy of his reply will be placed in the Library.
§ Mr. McNamaraTo ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills (1) how many investigators are employed by the Adult Learning Inspectorate; [176339]
(2) how many deaths have been investigated by the Adult Learning Inspectorate since its creation; [176341]
(3) how many bullying incidents have been investigated by the Adult Learning Inspectorate since its creation; [176342]
292W(4) what training in military procedures and weapons handling is planned in order to prepare the Adult Learning Inspectorate for its role in inspecting military bases. [176343]
§ Mr. Ivan LewisThese are matters for the Adult Learning Inspectorate. David Sherlock, the Chief Inspector, will write to my hon. Friend with this information and a copy of his reply will be placed in the Library.
§ Mr. McNamaraTo ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what the budget is of the Adult Learning Inspectorate in 2004–05; and what funds have been set aside to inspect military establishments. [176340]
§ Mr. Ivan LewisThe annual budget of the Adult Learning Inspectorate (ALI) was set out in the Secretary of State's Grant Letter issued on 16 December 2003. This Grant Letter provides the Inspectorate with up to £24.2 million from the Department for Education and Skills, and a further £5.75 million from the Department for Work and Pensions/Jobcentre Plus, for 2004–05. There is no funding specifically set aside for the inspection agreement between the ALI and Ministry of Defence (MoD) because this is commissioned work, which will be funded on a full cost recovery basis by the MoD.