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Prisoners

Volume 459: debated on Monday 16 April 2007

To ask the Minister of State, Department for Constitutional Affairs how many and what percentage of prisoners (a) began and (b) completed a course resulting in a (i) educational and (ii) professional qualification whilst in prison in each of the last five years. (129913)

I have been asked to reply.

Data were not previously collected in a format that would enable the information requested to be provided. However, since the introduction of the Offender Learning and Skills Service (OLASS) across England with effect from 31 July 2006, the Learning and Skills Council (LSC) is collecting information about offender learners and their achievements. The following data relate to full qualifications, or units towards full qualifications, achieved by offenders in custody over the age of 16 since that date.

Month

Total number of learners at start of month

New learners (included in column 1)

Full/part qualifications achieved

Full/part qualifications achieved as a percentage of total learners1

August 2006

21,175

9,915

14,036

66.3

September 2006

22,326

10,115

12,338

55.2

October 2006

23,795

10,954

11,970

50.3

November 2006

22,514

10,088

11,496

51.0

December 2006

24,466

7,401

10,730

43.8

January 2007

23,503

10,348

12,566

53.4

Total

137,779

58,821

73,136

53.0

1 Individual learners may achieve more than one full/part qualification