Oral question asked in the House of Commons, by Michael John Foster (Labour). It was answered on Thursday, 16 March 2006 on behalf of the Department for Education and Skills.

FE Colleges (Dorset)

Question: I remind my hon. Friend that FE salaries in Dorset and elsewhere suffered a pay freeze and therefore a real-terms cut during the 1990s. When the funding gap is closed, as he has promised in this House, the issue of staff salary differentials, which the hon. Member for Bournemouth, East (Mr. Ellwood) has described, should be dealt with, too.

Answer: I thank my hon. Friend for his question and know that he takes these issues very seriously. When my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State announced the way in which we are reducing the funding gap between further education colleges and school sixth forms at the Association of Colleges conference back in October, the announcement was widely welcomed by the FE sector. We have made it clear that the gap will be reduced by 5 per cent. in the coming financial year, and it will be reduced by a further 3 per cent. in the following year. [Hon. Members: ““Not enough””] I can hear Conservative Members, but if they are committed to cutting public spending, they need to say where they would find the funds.

Secondary information