The Individual Learning Accounts Wales Regulations 2003

Explanatory Note

(This note is not part of the Regulations)

These Regulations, which revoke the Individual Learning Accounts (Wales) Regulations 2000, define the qualifying arrangements referred to in section 105 of the Learning and Skills Act 2000 and provide for payment of grants to or in respect of persons who are individual learning account holders.

Regulations 3 to 5 deal with qualifying arrangements (which are to be known as “Individual Learning Accounts Wales”). They must take the form of registration by an eligible person with the learning account administrator which is a body approved by the National Assembly for Wales. The body currently approved is the National Council for Education and Training for Wales. Regulation 4 sets out conditions of eligibility which include residence in Wales (or temporary residence outside Wales at the time of registration but ordinary residence in Wales).

Regulations 6 to 9 provide for the payment of grants in respect of individual learning account holders. Regulation 6 provides for the power to pay grants. Regulation 7 provides that grants may be paid in respect of education or training specified by the National Assembly for Wales other than secondary education or any other category of education excluded by the National Assembly. Regulation 8 provides for the amount of grant to be decided by the National Assembly for Wales and regulation 9 contains various supplementary provisions including provision for the payment of grant to the person providing the education or training and for the possibility of recoupment, from the person providing the education or training or the individual learning account holder, of grant paid in certain circumstances.

Regulation 10 contains provisions for determining the residence of members of the armed forces and of prisoners serving a custodial sentence.