To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what assessment she has made of the impact in Leeds of moving Learning and Skills Council funding to (a) Basic Skills and (b) the National Employer Training Programme on (i) the funding of courses for adults at Level 3, (ii) fee concessions for students aged over 60 years wishing to study at further education colleges and (iii) the level of fees for courses above Level 2.

The Government's Skills Strategy, reaffirmed in the White Paper published on 22 March, sets clear priorities for public funding to support the drive to ensure that employers have the skills they need to be successful, and individuals have the skills they need to be employable and personally fulfilled. These priorities include tackling the nation's legacy of low skills, with a drive to ensure that adults have the basic skills of literacy, numeracy and English language; and focussing the investment of public funds on helping individuals reach their first full Level 2 qualification. But the White Paper also recognises the importance of higher level skills, and sets out measures to strengthen support for provision at Level 3 and above. However, given that higher levels of qualifications have higher rates of return for employers and individuals, it is also important that this should be reflected in the relative contributions employers and individuals make to the costs of such training. The Learning and Skills Council has announced that its fee assumption will rise from 25 per cent. to 27.5 per cent. in 2005/06 with public funds continuing to meet at least 72.5 per cent. of learning costs. Young people, those studying basic skills or for a first Level 2 qualification will receive free tuition as will those people on income based benefits. We shall continue to offer fee concessions to older learners on income based benefits or who receive the pension (guarantee) credit.