Cable quizzes Rammell

12.13.42pm BST (GMT +0100) Fri 16th May 2008

[May 15] Vincent Cable (Deputy Party Leader; Twickenham, Liberal Democrat): Can the Minister explain the finding in the latest report from the Learning and Skills Council on further education that safeguarded provision, far from being safeguarded, has collapsed by 42 %, affecting 185,000 adults over the past three years?

Bill Rammell (Minister of State (Lifelong Learning, Further and Higher Education), Department for Innovation, Universities and Skills; Harlow, Labour): I do not recognise the figure that the hon. Gentleman has mentioned. We are certainly committed to maintaining the level of funding to informal adult education, for example. We have also maintained as a priority learning for learners with learning difficulties and disabilities. We need to ensure that this central direction is implemented on the ground, and I am happy to meet the hon. Gentleman to discuss the matter.