ADULT EDUCATION AND VOCATIONAL LIFELONG LEARNING

That this House expresses its profound concern that, in light of the Department for Education and Skills' decision about targets and priorities for the allocation of the Learning and Skills Council's spending, the indicative budgets put forward by the Department for Education and Skills and the Learning and Skills Council will result in the loss of at least 200,000 adult education places at further education colleges, according to the Association of Colleges' estimates, including courses in basic skills which lead to higher level literacy and numeracy courses; notes that poor adult literacy and numeracy cost the economy as much as £10 billion a year; further notes the economic, social and community benefits of adult education; condemns the detrimental effect that Government targets and the establishment of the Learning and Skills Council have had on the further education sector; further notes with concern the £330 million administration costs of the Learning and Skills Council; and calls on the Government to follow with genuine action its Manifesto statement that adult education is vital to vocational lifelong learning.