Vol. 537 No. 5
543 Ms Shortall asked the Minister for Education and Science the total additional funding provided for the full implementation of the White Paper on Adult Education; the funding provided in 2001 to date; the plans he has for funding this sector in the coming years; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16676/01]
The additional funding provided in 2001 for the implementation of measures in the White Paper reflects an increase of £23.7 million over the 2000 outturn. This includes continuing increases in adult literacy funds as part of a national adult literacy strategy, allied with improved funding in community education services, from £12.092 million to £15.416 million; phase 2 of the development of an adult educational guidance service; increases to provide for the establishment of the National Qualifications Authority, and the further and higher education and training awards councils; improvements in the structures in schools for self funded adult education programmes in second level schools and colleges; a review of the organisational, administrative and management structures for PLC courses; implementation of the Back to Edu cation initiative, providing for a major expansion of part-time options across Youthreach, VTOS, Traveller and PLC programmes in the further education sector; and development of a management information system for further education.
The national development plan provides funding for a range of measures set out in the White Paper over the period 2000-06, including over £1 billion in the period 2000-06 for the Back to Education initiative, £35 million for further education support and an adult guidance service, £3.68 million for computerisation and development of a management system, £73.8 million for adult literacy, and £3.5 million for the educational disadvantage measure.
Funds will be provided for the remaining measures in the White Paper on a phased basis in the light of resources made available through the annual Public Service Estimates.
