Centres Of Vocational Excellence

Mr. Boswell
To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills if he will make a statement on the development of centres of vocational excellence. [126782]

Mr. Charles Clarke
The Government has established more than 250 Centres of Vocational Excellence (CoVEs) to date. We have met the manifesto commitment 8 months early and we are well on our way to meet our target of 400 CoVEs by March 2006.Chapter 6 of the skills strategy, "Realising our Potential" published by my Department on 9 July includes our plans for further development of the CoVE network.