To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what the cost to the public purse has been of the establishment of the National Skills Academy for Nuclear to date; and what the Academy’s annual operating budget is. [325162]

The cost of running and setting up the National Skills Academy for Nuclear for three years to 31 December 2010 is £6.6 million. Of this, £3.75 million came from the public sector—the Learning and Skills Council.

The annual running cost of the academy in 2010 will be around £1.5 million. Of this, £311,000 will come from the Learning and Skills Council and the rest from employer/provider contributions and other revenue sources.

In line with the Government policy, Skills Academies are required to move to a wholly industry funded model within three years. The National Skills Academy for Nuclear should be self financing by the three year deadline in December 2010.