Adult Education And The Learning And Skills Council

EDM number 597 in 2005-06, proposed by Bob Russell on 14/07/2005.

That this House recognises the role of a broadly-based provision of Adult Education in the past 60 years in helping to create a peaceful, prosperous and democratic Europe; deprecates the fact that, in England, the Learning and Skills Council is failing to meet either the letter or the spirit of part of its original remit to help to `strengthen families, build stronger neighbourhoods, help older people to stay healthy and active, and encourage independence for all by opening up new opportunities - including the chance to explore art, music and literature' as set out in the Secretary of State's first Remit Letter of November 2000; regrets that this has resulted in profound damage to all types of local educational centres in the heart of communities, which will at best lead to an elite provision only the better-off can afford; and calls on the Government to mandate this non-departmental public body to allocate its £2 billion budget having regard to the age profile of the population, which is now 50 per cent. over the age of 35 years, structural issues in the labour market, the extent of resultant mid-life career change, a longer working life and evidence concerning the contribution of adult learning to health and well-being in later years, which can reduce the burden on health services.

This motion has been signed by a total of 31 MPs.