Written question asked by Tom Blenkinsop (Labour) on Wednesday, 20 October 2010, in the House of Commons. It was due for an answer on Monday, 25 October 2010. It was answered by Mark Prisk (Conservative) on Tuesday, 26 October 2010 on behalf of the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills.

Teesside Cast Products: Government Assistance

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what plans he has for the distribution of the remainder of the grant allocated by his Department to Corus TCP in December 2009.

Answer: [holding answer 25 October 2010]: The previous Government announced the provision of £5 million of training support to Tata Steel (then Corus) in June 2009. £2.5 million of that funding was delivered by the Regional Development Agencies (Yorkshire Forward and One North East) in December 2009. A further £2.5 million was also earmarked to be provided to the company in those regions through Train to Gain. The offer of assistance was intended to contribute to training the workforce, retain capacity in the UK and to help the company through the downturn and to recover more strongly as economic conditions improved.Almost 100 learners at Corus TCP undertook training in Business Improvement Techniques, using Train to Gain funding, with learning delivered by Gateshead College in 09/10. The Skills Funding Agency continues to work constructively with Tata Steel across a number of its sites in different regions to identify training opportunities that are eligible within the current Train to Gain rules and within future funding arrangements, and which are consistent with state aid requirements.

Secondary information