HC Deb 26 May 2004 vol 421 cc1686-8W
Martin Linton

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many(a) full-time and (b) part-time places there were for 16 to 19-year-olds in London further education colleges in each of the past five years. [175208]

Alan Johnson

Information on the number of available places in Greater London further education colleges is not held centrally. Information on learners is held centrally however, though only for 16 and 17year-olds.

The numbers of 16 and 17-year-old learners in further education colleges, living in London, from end 1997 to end 2001 (the latest available year) are given in Table 1. The numbers shown in the table are snapshot information as at the end of the calendar years.

Table 1
Greater London End 1997 End 1998 End 1999 End 2000 End 2001
Full-time education
Sixth form colleges 12,400 12,500 13,200 13,300 13,600
Other further education colleges1 41,200 40,600 40,100 40,700 41,800
Part-time education
Sixth form colleges 200 200 200 200 300
Other further education colleges 8,000 7,600 7,900 7,800 7,500
1 These figures include those participating in government supported work-based learning (WBL).

Mr. Flook

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many people in(a) Taunton and (b) Somerset he expects to stay on in education as a result of the introduction of the Education Maintenance Allowance. [175621]

Mr. Ivan Lewis

We estimate there will be about 2,800 extra 16-year-olds in the South West Region in further education this September who would not be participating without EMA. We are unable to provide forecasts of the number of EMA students down to constituency level.

Mr. Greenway

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what estimate he has made of the number of people in Ryedale that he expects to remain in full-time education as a result of the introduction of the Education Maintenance Allowance. [175817]

Mr. Ivan Lewis

We estimate there will be about 2,800 extra 16-year-olds in the Yorkshire and Humberside Region in further education this September who would not be participating without EMA. We are unable to provide forecasts of the number of EMA students down to constituency level.

Mr. Greenway

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills if he will bring levels of funding for 16 to 19-year-old students at further education colleges in North Yorkshire up to the level of funding for such students at schools in the county. [175815]

Alan Johnson

The Government have set out their investment plans for 2003–04 to 2005–06 to support their Success for All strategy to reform further education and training. These plans enable the Learning and Skills Council to increase funding for further education significantly. For the academic year 2003/04, core funding rates per qualification increased by 3 per cent. for school sixth forms and 4.5 per cent. for further education colleges (setting aside the impact on rates of changes to targeted funds for pay and staff training and teachers' pension funding). Our expenditure plans to 2005–06 should see that trend continue.

Mr. Greenway

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills if he will provide extra funding to further education colleges in North Yorkshire to support increases in student numbers resulting from the introduction of the Education Maintenance Allowance. [175816]

Alan Johnson

The 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 on allocations at individual college and regional level. Information about these allocations is not collected by the Department. This is a matter for the LSC. Mark Haysom, the Council's Chief Executive, will write to the hon. Gentleman with this information and a copy of his reply will be placed in the House Library.

Mr. Greenway

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what plans he has to provide funding to further education colleges in North Yorkshire to help them to refurbish and rebuild college buildings. [175818]

Alan Johnson

All of the Department's post-16 learning and skills sector capital investment is allocated to the Learning and Skills Council (LSC). The Department does not provide a specific budget to the LSC for rebuilding and refurbishing property in further education colleges at either the local or regional levels. It is for the LSC to determine for itself the right level of capital investment in further education colleges. Mr. Haysom, the Council's Chief Executive, will write to the hon. Member on this matter. A copy of his reply will be placed in the House Library.