§ Mr. WillisTo ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what funding will be made available in each year up to 2007–08 to provide those over the age of 40 years with a first Level 2 qualification; and if he will make a statement. [176420]
§ Alan JohnsonThe Department allocates funds for education and training in the post-16 learning and skills sector to the Learning and Skills Council (LSC). The584W Department has allocated a total of £6.3 billion to the LSC for learning participation in 2004–05. It is for the LSC to use these funds for adult and youth programmes to meet the Government's funding priorities. The Department has no plans to allocate specific funding to the LSC for the provision of a first Level 2 qualification to those over the age of 40 years. The Chancellor of the Exchequer has announced the Spending Review 2004 settlement for the Department for the years 2005–06 to 2007–08, highlighting the importance this Government attach to education and skills. It is too early to say what this settlement will mean for the funding of learning participation up to 2007–08.