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Train to Gain Programme: Finance

Volume 489: debated on Tuesday 10 March 2009

To ask the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills with reference to the Pre-Budget Report 2008, whether the extension of the Train to Gain scheme will be funded from an existing spending programme. (261654)

The 2009-10 grant letter to the Learning and Skills Council (LSC) sets out the budget for Train to Gain. Train to Gain is a growing programme. This will result in a planned budget increase for Train to Gain programme from £657 million in 2008-09 to £925 million in 2009-10, which will support around 949,000 learners. The Government Investment Strategy 2009-10, published last November, set out the planned aggregate growth in the LSC's budget and also the priorities set within that.

The £350 million pre-Budget report announcement is the growth over the next two years and will be focussed on small and medium-sized enterprises to help them get the training that they need.

Train to Gain is the key service for supporting employers to invest in the future productivity and profitability of their businesses by investing in the skills of their employees. Train to Gain offers quality-assured, impartial advice from skills brokers, to help identify the business's skills needs at all levels and make the right, informed choices.