Westminster Weekly: 2 May - 9 May 2008

1. Gordon Brown grilled on This Morning over graduate debt

Prime Minister Gordon Brown appeared on This Morning, where he was questioned by presenter Fern Britton on the level of graduate debt in light of top up fees. Click here to watch the interview:

http://www.itv.com/Lifestyle/ThisMorning/features/GordonBrown123/default.html

2. NUS welcomes TUC Commission report on vulnerable employment

Responding to the publication of a report by the TUC’s commission on vulnerable employment, NUS Vice President (Welfare) Ama Uzowuru, said: "This is an extremely valuable report. NUS firmly agrees with the commission that agency workers should be entitled to the same employment rights as directly employed staff. With nearly two-thirds of all full-time students now having to work to support their studies, NUS has long argued for an end to the exploitation of agency workers. We also need to make sure that all workers are aware of their rights - unfortunately, many agency workers may even be unaware that they are being exploited.”

To read the report, click here:

http://www.vulnerableworkers.org.uk/2008/05/full-report-of-the-commission-released/

3. Three new National Skills Academies announced

Skills Minister David Lammy announced on Wednesday the expansion of the National Skills Academy network with the approval of three new National Skills Academies: Sport and Active Leisure, Creative and Cultural and Hospitality. The new Skills Academies will provide for more than 20,000 learners in their first year alone, with the aim of reaching over 400,000 learners over five years.

4. FE colleges given powers to award foundation degrees

Further education institutions in England can now apply for powers to award their own Foundation degrees under new regulations that came into force on 1 May. The Government is committed to increasing the proportion of workers with high -evel skills, from the 31 per cent level already achieved to over 40 per cent by 2020. This will include more flexible courses designed and co-funded by employers.

5. Parliamentary Questions

Willis - Further education (finance)

Tuesday, 06 May 2008

Mr. Willis: To ask the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills whether he plans to make intervention funding available to the Learning and Skills Council to support (a) further education colleges and (b) proposed mergers of further education colleges between 2008-09 and 2010-11; and if he will make a statement. [202977]

Mr. Lammy: As the statutory planning and funding body for further education, it is for the Learning and Skills Council (LSC) to consider how it uses the funds it receives in line with stated priorities. The Department does not propose to make an additional budget available specifically for intervention at this point. Where it has been identified that a college may be underperforming, LSC will normally issue a notice to improve and support is provided to address the areas of weakness. This may be an improvement advisor appointed by the new FE improvement body or another support package drawn from other improvement services, depending on the circumstances. Strategic options, which may include formal collaboration with another institution, may also be explored. Intervention powers will apply only in the most serious cases of underperformance where a college has not made the required progress against the notice to improve, and the LSC and the governing body cannot agree a way forward.

While there is no specific fund to support merger proposals, the LSC may decide to support the development of proposals in a number of ways e.g. support for feasibility studies.

Willis - Learning and Skills Council for England (finance)

Tuesday, 06 May 2008

Mr. Willis: To ask the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills how much intervention funding he plans to make available to each regional and sub-regional learning and skills council to support further education college mergers and other exceptional circumstances in each of the years of the current comprehensive spending review period. [203390]

Mr. Lammy: I refer the hon. Member to his question 202977. As stated in that answer, the Department does not propose to make an additional budget available specifically for intervention at this point and there is no specific fund to support merger proposals.

Williams - Students: Loans

Wednesday, 07 May 2008

Stephen Williams: To ask the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills (1) if he will estimate the cost of raising the student loan repayment income threshold to £20,000 and introducing thresholds and rates of student loan repayments of (a) five per cent. on incomes of £20,000 to £29,999 and (b) 7.5 per cent. on incomes over £30,000; and if he will make a statement; [203154]

(2) if he will estimate the cost of raising the student loan repayment income threshold to £25,000 and introducing thresholds and rates of student loan repayments of (a) five per cent. on incomes of £25,000 to £29,999 and (b) 7.5 per cent. on incomes over £30,000; and if he will make a statement. [203155]

Bill Rammell: Introducing repayment thresholds of £20,000 and £30,000 with corresponding repayment rates of 5 per cent. and 7.5 per cent. would have an estimated one-off resource cost of £2 billion (for existing loans) and an ongoing resource cost of £700 million per year (for new loans).

Introducing repayment thresholds of £25,000 and £30,000 with corresponding repayment rates of 5 per cent. and 7.5 per cent. would have an estimated one-off resource cost of £3.2 billion (for existing loans) and an ongoing resource cost of £1.1 billion per year (for new loans).

The income threshold is one of the main features of the income contingent loan scheme. This protects borrowers when they need it as they only pay their loan back once they earn over the threshold. Borrowers currently repay nothing until they earn over £15,000. This strikes the right balance, making payments affordable to the individual and student loans affordable to the public purse. We are committed to maintaining the repayment threshold at £15,000 until 2010 when we will review it.

Walley - Employment and skills

Wednesday, 07 May 2008

Joan Walley: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what the performance has been of the City Strategy pilot programmes in improving employment and skills outcomes. [203349]

Mr. Timms: The evaluation of the City Strategy will consider the performance of the Pathfinders in improving employment and skills outcomes. The report is due in the autumn of 2009.