(2) what the reasons are for the reductions in 2009-10 sixth form funding allocations made by the Learning and Skills Council; and if he will make a statement.
We are not cutting funding for further education (FE) colleges or sixth forms in 2009/10.
We are planning record investment of over £6.7 billion in education for 16 to 18-year-olds from September this year. That means there is funding for over 1.5 million young people to study, the most 16 to 18-year-olds that have ever been in education in this country.
As part of the Department’s wider discussions in the National Economic Council on what more we can do to support the economy, we are working across Government on the extra financial support we need to provide for the new learners that are coming forward.
The Learning and Skills Council’s (LSC) letter 31 of March confirmed that we continue to consider options for further funding, including meeting emerging pressures from the impact of the recession and recruitment during the year. The LSC will be writing again to schools and colleges by the end of April.