17. To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Innovation and Skills what criteria apply to allocation of funding from the further education capital budget; and if he will make a statement. (279019)

In line with Sir Andrew Foster’s recommendations, the Learning and Skills Council has been consulting on the best approach to prioritise projects.

It has been confirmed that this will involve two processes—the first to ensure urgent projects can go ahead in the summer, the second to enable needs-based projects to go ahead as further funding is made available.

The criteria for projects to proceed in the first process include:

whether the project is ready to start;

its education and skills impact;

its contribution to local economic and regeneration priorities;

co-dependency with third parties;

the condition of the estate; and

value for money.