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Dept for Education and Skills

Answer

Mr. Oaten: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills who has responsibility for providing the (a) funding and (b) management of diplomas and higher education courses for prisoners. [198041] Mr. Ivan Lewis: The information requested is as follows: (a) Policy responsibility for the learning of offenders in prisons rests with the Department for Education and Skills, working closely with Prison and Probation Services. My Department provides funding to the Prison Service in support of the range of learning needs. Since 2002, we have provided £728,000, working with the Prisoners' Education Trust to support undergraduate students on Open University courses and to support the introduction of new "Openings" courses, which provide access to HE courses for those without suitable prior qualifications. Other charitable bodies such as the Franklin Trust, also support some distance learning and higher education. (b) The management of particular programmes within prison is the responsibility of establishments themselves. Almost all prisons now have a Head of Learning and Skills to lead and manage the service. Provision is provided according to a needs analysis which takes into account factors such as the individual's needs, the priorities of the prison and labour market needs.

Secondary information

Type

Written question

Reference

426 c2151-2W;426 c2157-8W; 198041

Session

2003-04

Subjects

Finance Education Higher education Qualifications Prisons Management

Contains statistics

Yes

Link

View this Written question on www.publications.parliament.uk