Written question asked by Nick Gibb (Conservative) on Wednesday, 9 November 2005, in the House of Commons. It was due for an answer on Friday, 11 November 2005. It was answered by Phil Hope (Labour) on Monday, 21 November 2005 on behalf of the Department for Education and Skills.

Basic Skills Agency

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what assessment she has made of the performance of the Basic Skills Agency; what funding it has received since 1997; and if she will make a statement.

Answer: The Basic Skills Agency (BSA) has received a total of £52 million in core grant funding since the 1996–97 financial year. The agency has also received additional funding for fixed term initiatives and contracts.The BSA as a ‘near to Government body', was subject to a quinquennial review in 2001. The review reported positively that BSA was making"““a valuable contribution across the breadth of its activities””"and that there was"““a very strong case for retention of the Agency as an independent body at arms length to the Department, with a remit which continues to cover basic skills both for pupils and adults””."The Department for Education and Skills regularly reviews the Agency's performance and is responsible for approving the BSA's strategic plan and annual delivery plan. DfES continues to work closely with the BSA on the delivery of its current three-year strategic plan and annual delivery plan, which is supported by DfES core funding. BSA's performance is reviewed each month against their delivery plan and their core grant is paid on the basis of this assessment.

Secondary information