§ Mr. SimmondsTo ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what the(a) set up and (b) estimated running costs in the first year of operation are of each sector skills council. [177379]
§ Mr. Ivan LewisSector Skills Councils (SSCs) are private sector organisations. With one exception they are companies limited by guarantee. Their structures and costs are determined by the specific sectors they serve and vary significantly.
We do not have detailed information about individual SSC costs. The Government, through the Sector Skills Development Agency (SSDA), will provides up to £400,000 towards the start up of each SSC and once licensed £4,000,000 towards their running costs for the first three years. These funds are not intended to cover all the costs of an SSC and each is expected to generate significant additional funding from their sector and elsewhere.