To ask the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills what the budget for adult education provision, excluding basic literacy and numeracy, has been in each of the last five years. (178558)

Investment in adult participation funding through the Learning and Skills Council (LSC) will increase to around £3.6 billion in 2010-11, an increase of over 17 per cent. compared with 2007-08. This will support on average over 3 million adult learners (aged 19 plus) per year over the next three years.

The Skills for Life (SfL) strategy was launched in 2001 to meet the basic numeracy and literacy skills needs of all post-16 learners. Between 2002-03 and 2005-06 total SfL funding through further education increased from £421 million to £736 million. This investment has helped support 1.75 million post-16 learners to achieve their first basic literacy/numeracy qualifications since 2001.

SfL figures for adults (aged 19 plus) are available from 2006-07 and are provided in the following table alongside total adult participation investment.