Topical Questions

Part of Oral Answers to Questions — Innovation, Universities and Skills – in the House of Commons at 10:30 am on 30 April 2009.

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Photo of John Denham John Denham Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills 10:30, 30 April 2009

As my hon. Friend the Under-Secretary made clear, he has already made substantial provision in his diary to meet colleges, so I am sure that he can add another one to the list. It is important to do so. We are working as hard as we can, with the additional investment that we have from the Budget, to bring as much certainty and clarity to colleges as we possibly can. That is what the LSC has been charged with doing, and it will be the LSC rather than Ministers that ultimately decides the priority programme.

I make the point that 10 years ago there was no FE capital budget. Mr. Willetts told the Association of Colleges that it could not rely on the Conservatives even to commit to the current level of spending on capital. Although the current situation is very difficult, let us not forget that more than 330 colleges have already benefited from capital investment under this Government, and the programme already included 253 active projects. Just yesterday I was able to go to Northampton college with my hon. Friend Ms Keeble and cut the first sod on the £80 million project that is taking place there. A great deal of very valuable investment is taking place in the FE estate thanks to this Government.