HC Deb 05 May 2004 vol 420 cc1574-5W
Mr. Collins

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how much funding has been allocated for(a) marketing, (b) consultants, (c) advertising, (d) administration and (e) buildings for (i) the University for Industry, (ii) the learning and skills councils and (iii) the Connexions service, broken down by (A) centrally and (B) locally-allocated funds, in each year since 1997. [167575]

Mr. Charles Clarke

The information is as follows: (i)Ufi

Ufi, launched in 2000, receives an annual grant from my Department which funds their infrastructure and operating costs such as product development. My Department does not specify the exact amount of money which should be allocated by Ufi on individual items. Figures halve however, been provided in Table (a) following which show the funds expended by Ufi for marketing, consultants, advertising, administration and buildings provided on a central basis in each of the financial years since 1999. Much of the marketing developed centrally is also used locally by Ufi/learndirect centres and hubs. Marketing and advertising at local level does however remain the responsibility of Ufi/learndirect hubs and centres, many of which are private organisations who set their budgets accordingly. No central information is held on this local expenditure. Also, Ufi uses consultants to support the development of the national Ufi/learndirect network and does not allocate consultancy budgets at local level.

for centrally-managed marketing and advertising activity in support of the Connexions Service.

(b) Consultants

No funding is allocated specifically for spending on consultants either nationally or regionally. However, consultants are engaged where this is judged to be the most cost-effective method of achieving objectives.

(d) Administration

Table (b) following shows the amounts allocated in each year since the launch of Connexions in April 2001 for the salaries and associated administrative costs of staff managing Connexions and a range of associated initiatives. In addition, the table also shows those amounts allocated to regional Government Offices for the salary and associated administration costs of their staff managing Connexions.

Table (b) Connexions service
Funding allocated—centrally (£000)
Financial year
1990–2000 2000–01 2001–02 2002–03 2003–04 2004–05
(a) Marketing — — 1,000 1,900 850 1—
(b) Consultants — — 2n/a 2n/a 2n/a 2n/a
(c) Advertising — — 4 1,678 2,861 tbc
(d) Administration

Head Office3

 — — 5,637 5,784 6,098 tbc
Government Office — — 2,500 2,750 2,625 2,500
(e) buildings — — 4n/a 4n/a 4n/a 4n/a
1No allocation.
2No element of funding is earmarked specifically for this purpose.
3Head Office (HO) administration figure; cover the costs of all staff working on Connexions and a range of associated policies and programmes. It is not possible to disaggregate the costs of staff working specifically in support of Connexions.
4It is not possible to disaggregate costs of HO/GO staff working on Connexions.

(B) Local

Local Connexions Partnerships have the flexibility to use their funding in a way which best meets local needs; no part of the funding that is allocated to them is ring-fenced for specific activities or purposes such as administration, buildings, marketing, advertising or consultants.