New Clause 7
Further Education and Training Bill [Lords]
1:00 pm
John Hayes (Shadow Minister (Vocational Education), Education; South Holland and The Deepings, Conservative)
The Minister speaks of dance and drama awards. I have the LSC’s annual report here and he is absolutely right that serious money is spent on them—some £13.8 million. That contrasts with the £20 million spent by the LSC between 2003 and 2006 on management consultants. If we are to have a debate about bureaucracy and administration, let us have a straightforward one.
The Minister is right that not all the £1.8 billion spent is unnecessary—all organisations have administration costs—but the idea that the LSC is as lean and as fit as it might be would not resonate much up and down the country in the further education colleges, which desperately seek more funds to continue their excellent work.