To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what representations he has received from the further education review group regarding current funding for further education in Northern Ireland; and if he will make a statement.

The report of the review group on further education made a total of 48 recommendations about future arrangements for the planning and funding of further education in Northern Ireland, a number of which called for additional resources to be made available. In my response to the report, I indicated that I could maintain spending at its current level, which in recent years has received increased funding, but that there were many competing claims for additional expenditure. However, I gave an assurance at the time that obtaining even more resources for further education would remain one of my top priorities.

Is it not the truth that the report recommended a strengthening of further education provision in Northern Ireland, but also recommended some mergers and closures? The Minister has accepted the mergers and the closures but found no new money. He is using the report as an excuse for cuts rather than for a strengthening of the service.

I am sorry to disagree with the hon. Lady in one respect. The mergers and closures are not to seek cuts in the number of students who go to these colleges or in the number of teachers, who provide an excellent and ever-growing service in Northern Ireland. The purpose is to allow even more teachers to be hired to teach even more students, to benefit the situation in Northern Ireland with the money that is available. It is therefore not in any way a financial cut.

Has my hon. Friend any intention of centralising the administration of further education in Northern Ireland, as has been done in England?

My hon. Friend is perhaps referring to one of the recommendations of the Stewart committee. At this moment a review of the administration of education in Northern Ireland is out for consultation. Whether the further education colleges are brought together under one funding body with one regional control is part of the whole consultation exercise. Therefore, I can tell my hon. Friend that we are looking at that at this very moment.

As this country faces a deficit of £35 billion this year and £50 billion next year is it not amazing that we are still spending some £10 million educating students from the Irish Republic without any reciprocal arrangement on that side of the frontier? Is that not a scandalous situation, and will the Minister try to do something about it regardless of the European Community?

I am proud that the United Kingdom adheres to its responsibilities within the European Community.