Strategic Area Reviews

Mr. Boswell
To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills if he will make a statement on the timetable and progress of Strategic Area Reviews by local Learning and Skills Councils. [110884]

Margaret Hodge
All local Learning and Skills Councils are conducting Strategic Area Reviews of post-16 LSC-funded provision. These started in April 2003 and will be completed by March 2005. Nine local LSCs have been identified as pathfinders: one in each region plus a pathfinder involving all five local LSCs in the London region. The process will undergo early evaluation and lessons learnt will be shared with local LSCs across the country.