To ask the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills for what reasons his Department's funding for Adult Learning Support at Chelmsford college fell by 6.4 per cent. in 2008-09; and if he will make a statement. (224494)

[holding answer 6 October 2008]: Overall investment in the post-16 further education sector has increased significantly—by 53 per cent. in real terms between 1997 and 2008. Chelmsford college’s overall LSC funding has increased by 3.7 per cent. compared with the previous year.

Following a consultation in January 2007 and subsequent work through LSC advisory groups, changes were made to the way additional learning support was calculated for 2008/09. These changes were introduced to ensure that the funding was better focused on need rather than purely on an historical basis.

ALS now has a funding formula that has two levels, low cost and high cost. For learners aged 16-18, low cost claims—that is, those under £5,500—will be allocated using the learners' GCSE English and Maths points profile from the college’s previous year’s cohort.

For learners over the age of 19, low level claims are based on the level of qualification being studied.

To allow for transitional arrangements for ALS, and to minimise the impact on colleges’ budgets, 60 per cent. of the low cost ALS has been distributed using the formula approach in 2008/09. The remaining 40 per cent. has been allocated on the basis of the historical proportion of the budget. The intention is to move to 75 per cent. (formula)/ 25 per cent. (allocation) in 2009/10.

To ask the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills how much the Learning and Skills Council allocated to Adult Learning Support at (a) higher education colleges in Essex and (b) at Chelmsford college in (i) 2007-08 and (ii) 2008-09. (224521)

[holding answer 6 October 2008]: Until the academic year 2007-08, Additional Learning Support (ALS) was allocated as a lump sum to Further Education (FE) Colleges based on historical spend. From 2008-09 ALS allocations have, for the first time, been differentiated by age group and have used a formula based approach to more accurately reflect need.

The LSC has responsibility for the funding of post-16 further education and training (other than higher education). As a result, table 1 below shows the ALS allocated for FE colleges in the Essex area with information on Chelmsford college in the table that follows.