£1 MILLION SLASH IN DERBYSHIRE ADULT EDUCATION FUNDING

Paul Holmes MP has today accused the Government of stealing educational opportunity from Derbyshire's adults, in response to the Learning and Skills Council's indication that funding for Derbyshire's Adult Community Education Service will be slashed by more than £1 million in 2006/07.

Paul said: "This excessive cut in Adult Education funding will severely destabilise the essential community education service that is relied upon by people in Chesterfield and across Derbyshire.

"The impact of this drastic cut will be far-reaching: child care provision will be reduced; provision in community venues will be cut back resulting in the closure of 50-70 venues and the loss of 500-600 courses; successful initiatives to widen participation could be lost; and up to 40 full-time jobs could be cut."

"Learners with disabilities, parents with young children and those living in Derbyshire's most deprived wards, where the majority of the Adult Education Service's current activity takes place, will be most severely effected by these cuts."

"I have written to the Minister for Life Long Learning urging him to restore the Government's commitment to Adult Education to ensure that the opportunity to continue learning in adulthood is not stolen from my constituents."