To ask the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills how many sign language courses are funded by the Learning and Skills Council; and what the average annual cost is of providing a sign language course place.

There are 25 sign language related courses recorded on the Learning and Skills Council's (LSG) learning aims database.

Based on the LSG individual learner records the following table shows the most popular sign language qualifications with LSG funded learners in 2006-07. Of the nearly 16,000 learners on funded places, the vast majority enrolled on the certificate in British Sign Language.

The fee charged for a sign language course will vary between colleges and providers, and information on individual courses offered by providers is not held centrally. The fees charged to a learner for a sign language course will be based on the level of funding the college or provider receives from the LSC for that learner, for example whether they are a priority learner. It is therefore not possible to provide an average cost of a sign language course,

The Government continue to provide full fee remission to learners that fall within the national entitlement categories, i.e. where the learner is in receipt of an income-related benefit and studying on an LSC funded course. Learners with learning difficulties and/or disabilities are also a priority for Government funding. The national fee assumption for adult learners who are required to contribute to their learning is 32.5 per cent. for 2006-07 with the public purse meeting the remainder of the costs of the course.