What steps he is taking to increase the provision of adult and continuing education. [109144]

Adult and community learning is a vital part of the Government's plans to drive up achievement, widen participation and—most significantly—strengthen communities. With the establishment of learning and skills councils in 47 communities, we will aim at bringing about a step change in the scale and range of attractive and accessible opportunities available locally. We already plan to double our standards fund support for local authorities' adult and continuing learning, with £18 million from this coming April. That is just a small part of the money available from central and local government for adult education.

I thank my hon. Friend for that reply. Does he agree that family learning initiatives can have a major impact on the educational achievements of children and parents? Will he commit himself to a major expansion of family learning initiatives in Edmonton and across the country?

My hon. Friend has a long-standing interest in family learning. Next year, we shall spend £7 million on family literacy and numeracy schemes. We also include family learning in a wide range of educational programmes. I agree with my hon. Friend's emphasis on family learning. We must establish the idea that, when a child receives his or her first chance at education—in nursery or primary school—it can provide a second chance for the mother or father, not least in terms of basic skills. Educationally, what happens in the home may be at least as important as what happens in the school.