Rob Marris (Wolverhampton, South-West) (Lab): The National Union of Students’ report, “Meet the Parents: The Experience of Students with Children in Further and Higher Education”, is being launched in the Terrace Pavilion at lunchtime.
The report shows that students with children need more flexibility and support from institutions and support providers to access education and improve their prospects, but that no one knows how many higher education students have children. Will the Minister assure me that such statistics will be collected and collated nationally so that we have those figures?
The Minister of State, Department for Innovation, Universities and Skills (Mr. David Lammy): I am grateful to my hon. Friend for drawing attention to that important work by the National Union of Students, and I look forward to attending the reception in a few hours’ time. Although I know that there are complications with the questions that we ask of students at the application stage, the matter is important.
We want a system that is flexible and supports part-time studies, in particular, and the Department is looking closely at those issues in relation to the higher education framework that we will publish in the summer.
Mr Lee Scott (Ilford North): What arrangements his Department has made for adult and community learning provision in 2009-10; and if he will make a statement.
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Innovation, Universities and Skills Minister David Lammy asserted that £240 million would be invested and that there was a new white paper out as well. Mr Scott asserted that this was simply a replacement for earlier cuts . Responding, Mr Lammy stressed that the funding was all-inclusive and included a range of services such as book clubs.
Labour MP Robert Marris stressed the Government must not follow the Conservative party who, at the local level, had already cut budgets for adult education. Innovation, Universities and Skills Minister David Lammy agreed this was a disgrace, as were proposals by the opposition that cuts would be made with no indication of where they would fall.
Conservative Henry Bellingham lamented the cessation of a further education college building project in South Kings Lynn, in particular in the light of increasing unemployment in the area. Responding, Innovation, Universities and Skills Minister David Lammy referred the member to answers given to earlier questions earlier in the session.
Mr Desmond Swayne (New Forest West): What recent progress has been made in implementing the Government's Building Colleges for the Future programme; and if he will make a statement.
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Innovation, Universities and Skills Minister Siôn Simon detailed that £547 million in funding for 2008/9 had been made available. Only 42 colleges had not benefited from capital support and over half had received substantial funding, he added, stating that £300 million would be made available in the next spending review.
Mr Swayne argued that the £300 million figure was just one twentieth of the figure needed. He asked how much of this would go to Brockenhurt college in his constituency. Colleges with the most need would receive funding before the summer, the Minister replied.
Mr David Crausby ( Bolton North East): What steps his Department is taking to increase the number of apprenticeships.
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Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills John Denham outlined that there were now 225,000 apprenticeships and that £7 million had been outlined for new apprenticeship agencies as well as £145 million fore even more places.
Mr Crausby asked for there to be an increased skills base on the emergence from the current recession as opposed to the last one. Responding, Universities and Skills John Denham stressed that all possible would be done and he condemned the ‘do nothing’ approach of the Conservatives.
Labour MP Meg Munn proposed getting more women in more non-traditional areas of employment and apprenticeships. Secretary of State for Innovation,
Universities and Skills John Denham explained that through the Apprenticeships Bill, female students would be introduced to non-traditional apprenticeships at an early stage.