Vocational Training: Finance

To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Innovation and Skills how much his Department expects to spend on adult skills other than through the Skills Funding Agency in 2010-11; and on what projects such expenditure will be incurred. (309506)

In financial year 2010-11 the Department’s planned DEL expenditure on adult skills, other than through the Skills Funding Agency, is £422 million.

Detailed plans for the use of the £422 million resource have not been confirmed yet. However it will support a range of activity to support learners and employers identify and access the skills they need and to support the Government’s priorities and reforms set out in the Skills Investment Strategy. For example, through support for the UK Commission for Employment and Skills to strengthen the employer voice in the skills system, the development of National Skills Academies and supporting implementation of the new Adult Advancement and Careers Service.

To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Innovation and Skills what (a) departmental spending and (b) annually managed expenditure will be incurred on (i) the Skills Funding Agency (SFA) and (ii) adults skills expenditure not routed through the SFA in (A) 2009-10 and 2010-11. (309508)

The following table sets out the planned level of skills expenditure requested. As detailed in the Skills Investment Strategy in November 2009, the 2010-11 allocations will allow for a 3 per cent. increase in funding for training places compared to 2009-10.

*£ million*
	Financial year
	2009-10	2010-11
Skills Funding Agency¹	4,934	4,501
Of which:
DEL	4,934	4,501
AME	0	0

Other BIS skills expenditure	646	616
Of which:
DEL	461	422
AME²	186	194
¹ As noted in the Skills Investment Strategy, these figures include anticipated end year flexibility and allocations expected from the Department’s Unallocated Provision. The figures for 2010-11 are reduced by an estimate of the administration cost currently within the Learning and Skills Council which will transfer to the Young People’s Learning Agency when established at the beginning of the 2010-11 financial year. ² This expenditure relates to the Construction Industry Training Board and the Engineering Construction Industry Training Board. Expenditure is matched by levy receipts from employers in the relevant sector.

Volume 504: debated on Monday 18 January 2010