Written question asked by Mike Hancock (Liberal Democrat) on Thursday, 26 February 2009, in the House of Commons. It was due for an answer on Monday, 2 March 2009. It was answered by Lord Brennan of Canton (Labour) on Tuesday, 21 July 2009 on behalf of the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills.

Training: Disabled

Question: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Innovation and Skills what proportion of the budget of the Learning and Skills Council for 2009-10 will be used in the training of people with a learning disability.

Answer: As announced in the LSC grant letter, Government investment strategy and LSC statement of priorities (published 18 November 2008), investment in participation for learners aged 16 and over is planned to increase to over £10 billion in 2009-10.As set out in the same publication, the LSC are committed to continuing development of the provision and support available to learners with learning difficulties and/or disabilities. This will help us realise the vision set out in learning for living and work strategy that people with learning difficulties and/or disabilities have access to, and experience of, post-16 learning that is equal to that experienced by their peers without learning difficulties and/or disabilities.When accessing mainstream LSC-funded further education courses, learners have the option to self-declare as having a learning difficulty and/or disability. It is therefore possible to provide historical, but not projected, spend.Total spend on self-declared learners was £874 million in 2006-07, and £923 million in 2007-08. This relates to funding for the programme costs of provision delivered through further education colleges. It does not include funding for provision delivered in the workplace, as data are not reported in this way.In addition, there is a separate budget for specialist LLDD provision. This funds learners with LDD learning in independent, specialist providers. For 2009-10, the budget for this provision will be £236 million.

Secondary information

Type: Written question
Reference: 496 c1751-2W; 260532
Session: 2008-09
Related items: Written Questions: Government Responses
Wednesday, 9 September 2009
Written questions
House of Commons
Subjects: Disability Training
Link: View this Written question on www.publications.parliament.uk