To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how much funding has been made available for the provision of further education in (a) absolute terms and (b) per head of population in (i) Lincolnshire, (ii) Nottinghamshire, (iii) Derbyshire, (iv) Leicestershire, (v) Rutland and (vi) Northamptonshire in each year since 1997. (109635)

Between 1997 and 2005 we increased funding for further education by £2.5 billion—an increase of 48 per cent. in real terms. We are continuing to increase investment in further education with our overall investment in post-16 skills through the Learning and Skills Council (LSC) increasing from £9.9 billion in 2005-06 to £11.2 billion in 2007-08. Mark Haysom, the LSC’s chief executive will write to the hon. Gentleman with further details regarding the local information that he has requested and a copy of his reply will be placed in the Libraries.