Oral question asked in the House of Lords, by Baroness Walmsley (Liberal Democrat). It was answered on Wednesday, 13 January 2010.

Further Education: Capital Investment

Question: Why does it take so long for the LSC to process capital funding applications? It took nearly 12 months for the NSA Creative & Cultural Skills application to be processed. It then required the money to be spent within just over a year. Then, apart from two directors, the majority of the staff of the LSC got bonuses.

Answer: Right. Perhaps I should deal with the second issue first before we get carried away in imagining that LSC staff are receiving bankers’ bonuses, of which I am sure some noble Lords on the other side are so fond. LSC staff improved on the number of people who were successfully in learning, so they met a number of their targets. In relation to the noble Baroness’s first point on the National Skills Academy for Creative & Cultural Skills, we are supportive of that project. There was some delay, but we always made it clear to Creative & Cultural Skills that the money was budgeted for and had to be spent by the end of March 2011. We should not forget that the Government are providing a £5 million investment. We regret the delay in the first instance and we make it clear that we urge the National Skills Academy for Creative & Cultural Skills to work with the LSC to discuss how these issues can be resolved to mutual benefit.

Secondary information

Type: Oral question
Reference: 716 c504
Session: 2009-10
Oral question type: Supplementary
Chamber / Committee: House of Lords chamber
Subjects: Capital investment Further education Learning and Skills Council for England
Link: View this Oral question on www.publications.parliament.uk