To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families what the total value is of the fund set aside to support grants given under the Train to Gain skills development programme. (184496)

I have been asked to reply.

The Train to Gain service is designed to meet employers’ specific skill needs and thus is flexible in what it can fund, but there is no ‘Train to Gain skills development programme’ and thus no funds set aside for support grants given under it.

In 2006/07 we invested £270 million in Train to Gain supporting directly delivered learning. The expansion of Train to Gain means the budget is £524 million in 2007/08 and is projected to rise to over £1 billion in 2010/11.

We have set out our ambitions to reach more employers and to drive up levels of investment in skills in Train to Gain: A Plan for Growth, copies of which are in the Library of the House.