Adult Education: Finance

Mr. Mark Field
To ask the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills what criteria will be used by the Learning and Skills Council for the allocation of funding of adult education colleges to be announced on 3 June 2009.

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

The first stage of prioritisation will be ‘readiness’. Projects which pass through the readiness gateway will then be assessed against the other following proposed prioritisation criteria:

Education and skills impact—this criterion assesses the extent to which the project addresses current and future education and skills need and supports industrial activism.

Contribution to local economic and regeneration priorities—this criterion considers the wider economic and regeneration impact of the project.

Co-dependency with third parties—this criterion looks at the practical implications of not proceeding with the project and the leverage ratios involved.

Condition of estate—this criterion evaluates the condition of the existing estate and the impact on learners and the extent to which they are addressed by the project.

Value for money—this criterion assesses the extent to which the project demonstrates that it has gone through a process to maximise value for money.

We expect to announce which projects will be taken forward during this spending review period in the summer.