To ask the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills what estimate he has made of the sum to be allocated by his Department to new college buildings in each of the next six financial years.

Budget 2009 announced additional capital funding of £300 million for this spending review period (2009-10 and 10-11), which will allow the Learning and Skills Council to give approval to a limited number of projects starting in 2009-10.

Recognising the long-term nature of capital projects, the Government are planning a continuing FE capital investment programme in future years, with a planning assumption of £300 million a year from 2011-12 to 2013-14 to be confirmed at the next spending review.

This provides a provisional £1.2 billion in total to 2013-14 which should allow us to develop around £750 million of new schemes.