To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Innovation and Skills how much has been paid out in Train to Gain funding in North East Lincolnshire since the inception of that scheme. (309767)

Between its inception in April 2006 and the end of the academic year 2008/09, over 1.4 million qualifications were started under the Train to Gain programme. Investment in this programme will continue to increase; for 2010-11 financial year, we plan to invest a total of £983 million.

Funding for the Train to Gain programme is not allocated through Local authorities (LAs) but distributed directly from the Learning and Skills Council (LSC) to further education (FE) colleges and training providers on the basis of the volume of learning they deliver. It is therefore not possible to provide a total figure for money paid out to North East Lincolnshire as an LA.

However, up until the end of the academic year 2008/09, 4,600 people with the home postcodes lying within North East Lincolnshire have started Train to Gain courses. Funding will have been provided to support this number of learners as they develop their skills.