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Military Complaints

Mr. Maginnis : To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland when he intends to lay before Parliament Mr. David Hewitt's annual report as independent assessor of military complaints procedures.

Sir Patrick Mayhew : I have today arranged for David Hewitt's first annual report as independent assessor of military complaints procedures to be laid before each House of Parliament. I welcome this thorough report, which represents a comprehensive examination of the complaints procedures which the Army now have in place in Northern Ireland.

I particularly welcome Mr. Hewitt's comment that

"I would be fairly certain that no other armed force in the world has quite as detailed complaints procedures as those devised for military personnel in Northern Ireland".

This illustrates the importance which the Army attaches to its relations with the community in Northern Ireland.

There may, of course, be scope for yet further improvement to the procedures and I look forward to hearing the views of the General Officer Commanding Northern Ireland on Mr. Hewitt's comments, questions and recommendations.

The Government fully recognise that the emergency legislation provides the armed forces with additional powers, vital in countering the terrorist campaign, although it gives them no privileges. These powers must be exercised with sensitivity and due regard to the rights of individuals, as the Army's authorities have satisfied Mr. Hewitt that they themselves recognise. The independent assessor provides valuable assistance in ensuring that, where the highest standards are not met, appropriate and effective procedures are in place to enable and help the individual in seeking redress. I am most grateful to Mr. Hewitt for his work throughout the past year. His report will receive careful and detailed consideration.


Column 576

Social Security Agency

Mr. William Ross : To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what performance targets have been set for the Social Security Agency for the current financial year.

Mr. Ancram : The targets are included in the agency's 1994-95 business plan, which was published today. A copy of the plan will be placed in the Library. The targets are in line with the Government's policy of improving the service provided to customers and fully support the standards established in the Northern Ireland citizens charter. I am satisfied that the targets present a demanding challenge for the agency. They are as follows :

1. Benefit Clearance Times

Social Fund Crisis Loans

on the day need arises

Social Fund Community Grants

65 per cent. in 7 days

95 per cent. in 20 days

Income Support

71 per cent. in 5 days

90 per cent. in 13 days

Sickness/Invalidity Benefit

65 per cent. in 10 days

95 per cent. in 30 days

Child Benefit

73 per cent. in 10 days

95 per cent. in 30 days

Family Credit

60 per cent. in 13 days

95 per cent. in 42 days

Disability Living Allowance

68 per cent. in 30 days

85 per cent. in 53 days

Retirement Pension

65 per cent. in 20 days

95 per cent. in 60 days

Unemployment Benefit

6.5 days

2. Benefit Accuracy

Income Support

to pay the correct amount in at least 92 per cent. of cases Sickness/Invalidity Benefit

to pay the correct amount in at least 97 per cent. of cases Child Benefit

to pay the correct amount in at least 98 per cent. of cases Family Credit

to pay the correct amount in at least 93 per cent. of cases Disability Living allowance

to pay the correct amount in at least 98 per cent. of cases Retirement Pension

to pay the correct amount in at least 99 per cent. of cases Unemployment Benefit

to pay the correct amount in at least 96.5 per cent. of cases 3. Customer Satisfaction

90 per cent. of customers to regard the Agency' service as satisfactory or better

4. Financial Recovery

recovery of Social Fund loans--£17.24 million

recovery of Income Support overpayments--£1.40 million

recovery of centralised benefits overpayments--£0.40 million benefit savings from detection and prevention of fraud-- £11.50 million

to carry out 5,100 National Insurance contributions surveys (including 1,020 employer educational visits)

identify £1.10 million Class 1 arrears as a result of compliance work

5. Resource Management

to live within a gross allocation of £29.80 million for Social Fund loans and community care grants

to live within the Agency's gross administration budget of £130.0 million, of which £126.5 million relates to running costs to achieve cash efficiency savings of the order of £3.0 million


Column 577

Notes :

1. In all cases, clearance time is measured from the date of receipt of a claim or application in the office to the date on which the claim or application is decided. The measure, therefore, excludes the time taken to issue notification of the decision and any payment.

2. Monitored against 95 per cent. in 1 day'.

Security Firms

Mr. George : To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many private security firms have been employed by his Department for each of the last 10 years ; what has been the annual value of the contracts ; and if he will estimate how many guards have been employed for each of those years.

Sir John Wheeler : Details of private security firms employed by the Northern Ireland Office and Northern Ireland Departments over the period 1991-92 to 1993-94 are as follows :


             |Number of   |Annual value|Number of                

             |firms                    |guards                   

                          |£000s                                 

-----------------------------------------------------------------

1991-92      |15          |1,796.7     |183                      

1992-93      |18          |2,050.6     |163                      

1993-94      |18          |1,946.8     |173                      

For the details of all contracts for each financial year from 1984-85 to 1990-91, I refer the hon. Member to the reply he was given on 22 October 1991, Official Report, column 552.

EDUCATION

Grant-maintained Schools

Mrs. Ann Taylor : To ask the Secretary of State for Education what was the total number of (a) parents eligible to vote, (b) parents who have voted in favour of seeking grant-maintained status and (c) parents who have voted against seeking grant-maintained status in all the ballots so far held on grant-maintained status.

Mr. Robin Squire : In ballots on grant-maintained status held so far, 1,324,995 parents were eligible to vote : 544,170 parents voted in favour, and 306,296 parents voted against.

Mrs. Ann Taylor : To ask the Secretary of State for Education what percentage of (a) primary and (b) secondary pupils within each local education authority area are being educated in grant-maintained schools.

Mr. Robin Squire : The following table shows the estimated percentages of pupils at maintained primary and secondary schools who are currently being educated in grant-maintained schools within each local education authority area in England.


Estimated percentages of pupils educated in          

grant-maintained schools in                          

each LEA area                                        

LEA                    |Primary  |Secondary          

                       |Per cent.|Per cent.          

-----------------------------------------------------

Avon                   |0.0      |2.9                

Barking                |0.0      |0.0                

Barnet                 |3.3      |53.4               

Barnsley               |0.0      |0.0                

Bedfordshire           |1.5      |19.6               

Berkshire              |3.7      |16.0               

Bexley                 |3.5      |24.9               

Birmingham             |1.6      |23.0               

Bolton                 |1.3      |16.6               

Bradford               |1.3      |11.1               

Brent                  |4.5      |75.7               

Bromley                |5.6      |68.0               

Buckinghamshire        |3.5      |27.3               

Bury                   |1.3      |0.0                

Calderdale             |3.3      |48.3               

Cambridgeshire         |3.3      |37.5               

Camden                 |0.0      |22.3               

Cheshire               |0.5      |3.8                

Cleveland              |0.0      |0.0                

Cornwall               |0.0      |0.0                

Corporation of London  |0.0      |0.0                

Coventry               |0.0      |0.0                

Croydon                |3.2      |40.5               

Cumbria                |5.5      |34.6               

Derbyshire             |2.0      |26.8               

Devon                  |0.4      |8.0                

Doncaster              |0.0      |0.0                

Dorset                 |0.9      |23.6               

Dudley                 |1.4      |25.4               

Durham                 |0.0      |0.0                

Ealing                 |4.4      |44.6               

East Sussex            |0.0      |0.0                

Enfield                |0.6      |32.1               

Essex                  |15.4     |69.7               

Gateshead              |0.0      |0.0                

Gloucestershire        |6.6      |66.2               

Greenwich              |1.1      |0.0                

Hackney                |0.5      |0.0                

Hammersmith            |0.0      |20.6               

Hampshire              |3.0      |20.7               

Haringey               |0.0      |0.0                

Harrow                 |0.0      |6.1                

Havering               |0.0      |25.7               

Hereford and Worcester |0.0      |7.6                

Hertfordshire          |1.9      |30.7               

Hillingdon             |13.3     |83.6               

Hounslow               |0.0      |15.0               

Humberside             |0.3      |0.0                

Isle of Wight          |0.0      |0.0                

Isles of Scilly        |0.0      |0.0                

Islington              |0.0      |0.0                

Kensington and Chelsea |8.4      |19.6               

Kent                   |3.9      |50.8               

Kingston upon Thames   |1.8      |37.6               

Kirklees               |0.0      |5.1                

Knowsley               |0.0      |8.0                

Lambeth                |6.6      |53.0               

Lancashire             |0.4      |8.0                

Leeds                  |0.1      |2.6                

Leicestershire         |0.0      |5.5                

Lewisham               |1.8      |0.0                

Lincolnshire           |12.7     |44.2               

Liverpool              |0.0      |7.6                

Manchester             |0.0      |0.0                

Merton                 |0.0      |0.0                

Newcastle upon Tyne    |0.0      |0.0                

Newham                 |0.0      |4.1                

Norfolk                |4.2      |21.4               

North Tyneside         |0.0      |1.5                

North Yorkshire        |0.0      |0.0                

Northamptonshire       |6.1      |20.7               

Northumberland         |0.0      |2.2                

Nottinghamshire        |0.0      |2.9                

Oldham                 |0.0      |0.0                

Oxfordshire            |0.2      |0.0                

Redbridge              |0.0      |7.4                

Richmond upon Thames   |0.0      |0.0                

Rochdale               |5.2      |8.3                

Rotherham              |0.0      |0.0                

Salford                |0.0      |3.6                

Sandwell               |0.0      |3.7                

Sefton                 |0.0      |0.0                

Sheffield              |2.2      |7.1                

Shropshire             |0.9      |14.3               

Solihull               |2.3      |0.0                

Somerset               |1.1      |1.4                

South Tyneside         |0.0      |0.0                

Southwark              |6.0      |30.3               

St. Helens             |0.0      |0.0                

Staffordshire          |0.1      |6.3                

Stockport              |0.0      |0.0                

Suffolk                |0.0      |0.0                

Sunderland             |0.0      |0.0                

Surrey                 |4.2      |25.5               

Sutton                 |6.2      |59.6               

Tameside               |0.0      |18.1               

Tower Hamlets          |0.0      |7.8                

Trafford               |0.0      |25.4               

Wakefield              |0.0      |0.0                

Walsall                |2.0      |29.0               

Waltham Forest         |0.0      |17.3               

Wandsworth             |3.0      |72.8               

Warwickshire           |0.0      |18.9               

West Sussex            |0.0      |0.0                

Westminster            |0.0      |0.0                

Wigan                  |0.0      |0.0                

Wiltshire              |6.2      |39.2               

Wirral                 |0.0      |9.8                

Wolverhampton          |0.0      |14.9               

Note                                                 

Percentages based on DFE January 1993 Schools Census,

 including all pupils in maintained primary and      

secondary schools, except part-time pupils in        

grant-maintained schools.                            

Mrs. Ann Taylor : To ask the Secretary of State for Education what was the closing date of the ballot for each of the schools which became grant-maintained on 1 April ; on what date the proposals were published ; and on what date his approval was notified to (a) the school and (b) the local education authority.

Mr. Robin Squire : The information requested is set out in the table :


Column 579


Schools incorporated as grant-maintained on 1 April 1994                                                                        

School                                          |Ballot closed      |Proposals published|<1>Approval                            

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

All Saints' CE Primary School                   |28 June 1993       |30 August 1993     |11 January 1994                        

Askam Primary School                            |14 May 1993        |18 June 1993       | 7 December 1993                       

Bishop Wordsworth's Grammar School              |21 September 1993  |21 October 1993    | 2 March 1994                          

Brighouse High School                           |20 December 1993   |30 December 1993   |25 March 1994                          

Burstow Primary School (GM)                     |14 July 1993       |14 September 1993  |20 December 1993                       

Caldew School                                   |24 December 1993   |30 December 1993   |30 March 1994                          

Charlton Kings GM Infants' School               |12 July 1993       | 6 October 1993    |17 January 1994                        

Charlton Kings Grant-Maintained Junior School   |17 May 1993        |22 June 1993       |10 November 1993                       

Chase Lane Primary Grant-Maintained School      |30 June 1993       |23 July 1993       |14 January 1994                        

Collingwood Primary School                      |19 July 1993       | 1 October 1993    |31 January 1994                        

Colmers Farm Grant-Maintained School            |14 July 1993       |18 November 1993   | 1 March 1994                          

Coloma Convent Girls' School                    |14 May 1993        |23 June 1993       |10 December 1993                       

Coulsdon High School (formerly Taunton Manor)   |10 June 1993       |30 July 1993       |10 November 1993                       

Cuffley Primary School                          | 7 July 1993       | 6 August 1993     |10 December 1993                       

Dane Court Grammar School                       | 8 November 1993   |26 November 1993   |18 March 1994                          

Dearham Grant-Maintained Primary School         |26 May 1993        |22 September 1993  |14 December 1993                       

Dover Grammar School for Boys                   |23 June 1993       | 8 November 1993   | 9 March 1994                          

Flookburgh (CE GM) Primary School               | 9 June 1993       |30 June 1993       |27 September 1993                      

Foxhill First School                            |18 August 1993     |11 October 1993    |25 January 1994                        

Frogwell Primary School (GM)                    | 9 June 1993       |16 September 1993  |15 December 1993                       

Gilsland CE Primary School (GM)                 | 5 July 1993       |15 December 1993   |30 March 1994                          

Great Marlow School (GM)                        | 7 June 1993       | 1 November 1993   | 1 February 1994                       

Grimoldby Grant-Maintained Primary School       | 9 June 1993       |21 July 1993       |29 November 1993                       

Hallbankgate (Grant-Maintained Primary School)  |24 November 1993   |30 November 1993   |30 March 1994                          

Hardenhuish School                              |25 June 1993       | 1 December 1993   |17 March 1994                          

Hartsholme Primary Grant-Maintained School      |20 March 1993      | 1 July 1993       |26 November 1993                       

Hasmonean High School                           | 7 July 1993       |31 August 1993     |22 March 1994                          

Hawksmoor Primary School                        |18 March 1993      | 4 May 1993        |28 March 1994                          

Heversham CE Primary School                     |28 June 1993       |22 October 1993    |23 February 1994                       

Heybridge Primary School (GM)                   |25 June 1993       | 1 October 1993    |14 December 1993                       

Heywood School (GM)                             | 1 December 1993   | 2 December 1993   | 3 March 1994                          

Hipperholme and Lightcliffe High School         |14 June 1993       |16 August 1993     |15 December 1993                       

Hockley Primary School (GM)                     | 4 June 1993       |15 July 1993       |23 December 1993                       

Holy Rood Junior School                         |17 December 1993   |21 December 1993   |17 March 1993                          

Horton Kirby CE Primary School                  |30 June 1993       |13 September 1993  |23 December 1993                       

Hurstmere School                                | 8 December 1993   |14 December 1993   |21 March 1994                          

Ireleth St. Peter's CE GM Primary School        |28 June 1993       |27 September 1993  |31 January 1994                        

John Kelly Boys' Community School (GM)          |12 November 1993   |17 December 1993   |17 March 1994                          

John Kelly Girls' School                        |12 November 1993   |13 December 1993   |17 March 1994                          

Kemnal Technology College                       |27 October 1993    | 1 November 1993   |17 February 1994                       

Kenningtons Grant-Maintained Primary School     |25 February 1993   |23 July 1993       | 9 February 1994                       

Lawford CE Primary School (GM)                  |14 June 1993       |31 July 1993       |20 December 1993                       

Little Heath Primary School                     |21 October 1993    |19 November 1993   | 7 March 1994                          

Maidenhill School                               |10 May 1993        | 5 November 193    |23 February 1994                       

Malorees Junior School                          | 3 December 1993   |23 December 1993   |30 March 1994                          

Manor Park (Grant-Maintained) Primary School    |28 October 1993    |18 November 1993   |15 February 1994                       

Matravers School (GM)                           |28 June 1993       |20 September 1993  |28 March 1994                          

Mersea Island School                            | 3 December 1993   |17 December 1993   |29 March 1994                          

Nettleham Infants Grant-Maintained School       |29 November 1993   |15 December 1993   |24 March 1994                          

Norbury Manor High School for Girls             |15 December 1993   |20 December 1993   |14 March 1994                          

North West London Jewish Day School             |22 November 1993   |24 November 1993   |23 March 1994                          

Northaw CE Primary School                       |19 July 1993       |18 October 1993    |17 March 1994                          

Northmead School, Guildford (GM Junior)         |25 June 1993       | 8 October 1993    |18 March 1994                          

Our Lady of Hartley RC Primary School           |25 October 1993    |16 November 1993   |22 March 1994                          

Our Lady of Victories Grant-Maintained School   | 7 July 1993       | 4 October 1993    | 3 February 1994                       

Park Mead Grant Maintained Junior School        |22 November 1993   |24 November 1993   | 8 March 1994                          

Paxcroft Primary School                         |11 June 1993       |14 September 1993  |14 March 1994                          

Pent Valley School                              |26 March 1993      |28 September 1993  | 1 March 1994                          

Poole Grammar School                            |22 October 1993    |26 October 1993    |1 March 1994                           

Primrose Hill CE GM Primary School              |22 December 1993   |23 December 1993   |17 March 1994                          

Prince Avenue Primary School (GM)               |25 October 1993    |17 November 1993   |14 February 1994                       

Queen Elizabeth School                          |31 May 1993        |13 October 1993    |10 February 1994                       

R. A. Butler Infant School (Grant-Maintained)   |18 October 1993    |12 November 1993   |27 January 1994                        

R. A. Butler Junior School (Grant-Maintained)   |18 October 1993    |12 November 1993   |27 January 1994                        

Rollesby First School (Grant-Maintained)        |28 May 1993        |25 June 1993       | 9 December 1993                       

Russell Hall First School                       |21 July 1993       | 1 October 1993    |25 January 1994                        

Shenfield High School                           | 1 November 1993   |22 November 1993   |18 February 1994                       

St. Anne's Convent School                       |20 December 1993   |22 December 1993   |25 March 1994                          

St. Benedict's College                          | 9 July 1993       | 4 November 1993   |10 February 1994                       

St. Bernard's High School                       |29 March 1993      |23 July 1993       |25 January 1994                        

St. Clement Danes Grant-Maintained School       | 7 June 1993       | 1 September 1993  |24 March 1994                          

St. Francis CE Junior and Infant School         |17 May 1993        |16 November 1993   |18 February 1994                       

St. George's RC GM Primary School               |28 June 1993       | 6 October 1993    | 2 February 1994                       

St. Helen's RC Infant School (Grant-Maintained) |25 May 1993        |19 July 1993       |11 February 1994                       

St. Helen's RC Junior School (Grant-Maintained) |26 May 1993        |19 July 1993       | 6 December 1993                       

St. John Fisher RC GM Primary School            |28 June 1993       |30 September 1993  |22 March 1994                          

St. John's CE Primary School, Clifton (GM)      |15 November 1993   |10 December 1993   |18 March 1994                          

St. John's RC GM Comprehensive School           |25 October 1993    | 6 December 1993   |18 March 1994                          

St. John's CE Primary School                    |21 April 1993      |30 June 1993       |21 October 1993                        

St. Mary's Catholic Grant-Maintained School     |29 November 1993   |11 January 1994    |22 March 1994                          

St. Mary's RC Primary School                    | 7 June 1993       | 4 October 1993    |24 January 1994                        

St. Mary's RC Primary School (Grant-Maintained) |23 June 1993       | 1 December 1993   |23 March 1994                          

St. Michael and All Angels CE GM Primary School | 5 April 1993      |30 September 1993  |29 March 1994                          

St. Michael's CE Primary School                 |22 September 1993  |30 November 1993   |18 March 1994                          

St. Mildred's GM CE Primary School, Whiston     |25 September 1992  |24 February 1993   |11 January 1994                        

St. Patrick's RC Primary School                 |30 June 1993       |27 September 1993  |28 March 1994                          

St. Peter's CE Grant Maintained School          |28 May 1993        |22 July 1993       | 8 March 1994                          

St. Theresa's RC Primary School                 |25 May 1993        |27 October 1993    |28 March 1994                          

St. Thomas's of Canterbury RC Primary School    |10 March 1993      | 6 August 1993     |10 December 1993                       

St. Thomas's CE Primary School                  |27 October 1992    | 8 October 1993    |24 March 1994                          

Stella Maris RC Primary School                  |22 June 1993       | 5 October 1993    |20 January 1994                        

The Alderman Blaxill School                     |29 January 1993    |23 July 1993       |18 January 1994                        

The Billericay School                           | 8 November 1993   |25 November 1993   | 7 March 1994                          

The British Grant-Maintained Primary School     |28 June 1993       |22 November 1993   | 2 March 1994                          

The Hertfordshire and Essex High School         |21 September 1993  | 4 October 1993    |21 March 1994                          

The Howard School (Grant-Maintained)            | 9 April 1993      | 8 October 1993    |18 February 1994                       

The Sandon School                               |16 June 1993       |26 August 1993     |10 January 1994                        

The Thomas Willingale Grant-Maintained School   |12 July 1993       |21 October 1993    |14 February 1994                       

The Walmley Grant Maintained Junior School      |10 May 1993        |18 June 1993       | 6 September 1993                      

The Wroxham School (G.M.)                       | 2 July 1993       | 9 September 1993  | 9 February 1994                       

Thorpedene Grant-Maintained Junior School       |12 April 1993      |17 June 1993       |13 September 1993                      

Tirlebrook Primary School                       | 7 July 1993       |27 September 1993  |26 January 1994                        

Upshire Grant-Maintained Primary School         |13 October 1993    |10 December 1993   |18 March 1994                          

Walmley Infant Grant-Maintained School          |10 May 1993        |18 June 1993       | 6 September 1993                      

Walton Grant-Maintained Primary School          |11 June 1993       | 1 October 1993    |11 January 1994                        

Warden Hill Grant-Maintained Primary School     |23 November 1993   | 1 December 1993   |22 March 1994                          

Wellfield Middle School (Grant-Maintained)      |19 March 1993      |30 June 1993       |31 March 1994                          

Whitecross School (Grant-Maintained)            |29 November 1993   |17 December 1993   |25 March 1994                          

William Howard School                           |24 November 1993   | 3 December 1993   |22 March 1994                          

Wingfield CE Primary School                     |21 July 1993       |19 November 1993   |15 March 1994                          

Winterton First School (Grant-Maintained)       |11 June 1993       |25 June 1993       |18 November 1993                       

Wyburns Primary School (Grant-Maintained)       | 2 July 1993       |18 October 1993    |26 January 1994                        

<1>The approval date shown is the date at which the school was notified. In most cases the local education authority would have 

been informed on the same day. In some cases schools were given earlier notification that the Secretary of State was minded to  

approve the proposals subject to certain modifications.                                                                         

Mr. Jamieson : To ask the Secretary of State for Education if he will list the grant-maintained schools that have a policy of admitting the children of their teachers irrespective of those children meeting the other admission criteria.

Mr. Robin Squire : This information is not collected centrally. Circular 6/93--"Admissions to Maintained Schools"--notes that the admission arrangements of a


Column 582

school may provide that, if it is over- subscribed, priority will be given to children whose parents work at the school. This applies to schools maintained by LEAs, including voluntary aided schools, as well as to grant-maintained schools.

Mrs. Ann Taylor : To ask the Secretary of State for Education (1) which grant-maintained schools received details of their final annual maintenance grants for 1994-95


Column 583

and on what date ; and, for each, what is the level of (a) direct AMG, (b) central AMG and (c) the value of (b) as a percentage of (a) ;

(2) which grant-maintained schools have not received notification of their final annual maintenance grants.

Mr. Robin Squire : The calculation and notification of annual maintenance grant to grant-maintained schools are now the responsibility of the Funding Agency for Schools. I have asked the chairman of the Funding Agency to reply to the hon. Member.

Technology Colleges

Mrs. Ann Taylor : To ask the Secretary of State for Education what bids were submitted for initial capital grant for each of the 13 schools listed in his announcement of 26 April ; what allocations have been made ; and what level and nature of additional annual funding has been agreed.

Mr. Robin Squire : The schools listed in the announcement have been invited to submit a bid for a capital project which involves a capital grant of up to £100,000. Accordingly, no allocations have yet been made. Additional annual funding for each of the schools in financial year 1994-95 will be at the rate of £60 per pupil, for the purposes of support, equipment and training for the teaching of technology, science and mathematics.

Mrs. Ann Taylor : To ask the Secretary of State for Education how much of each sponsor's contribution for each of the 13 schools listed in his announcement of 26 April, is in the form of (a) cash, (b) goods and (c) services ; and whether the value of each of (b) and (c) is based on the retail or normal commercial value or the cost to the sponsor.

Mr. Robin Squire : The value and nature of sponsorship pledged by the main sponsors for each of the 13 technology colleges is listed in the table. Information on the retail or normal commercial value of goods and services and the cost to the sponsor is commercially confidential.


[TITRE[                                                                                       

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Applemore Technology School                                                                   

The Garfield Weston Foundation       |50                |cash                                 

2GL                                  |10                |goods                                

Clifton Red Consultants              |20                |goods                                

International Speciality Chemicals   |10                |cash                                 

Vosper Thornycroft (UK)              |10                |cash                                 

                                                                                              

Bacup and Rawtenstall Grammar School                                                          

The Stanley Kalms Foundation         |50                |cash                                 

Systems Integrated Research          |15                |cash and goods                       

Testometric                          |10                |goods                                

Greenwood Coope Ltd                  |10                |cash                                 

Unilab                               |5                 |cash                                 

                                                                                              

Denefield School                                                                              

DHL Worldwide Express                |65                |cash and goods                       

Database and Apricot Computers       |20                |cash and goods                       

Thames Water PLC                     |13                |cash and goods                       

                                                                                              

John Kelly Boys Community School                                                              

The Bestway Group                    |60                |cash                                 

Unisys                               |40                |goods and services                   

                                                                                              

John Kelly Girls Community School                                                             

The Bestway Group                    |60                |cash                                 

Unisys                               |40                |goods and services                   

                                                                                              

Lancaster Royal Grammar School                                                                

Fairfield Catering Company Ltd       |15                |cash                                 

Clifton Reed Consultants             |5                 |cash                                 

LRGS Endowment Trustees              |100               |cash                                 

                                                                                              

Mill Hill County High School                                                                  

The Garfield Weston Foundation       |50                |cash                                 

Database and Apricot Computers       |20                |cash and goods                       

Chartwells                           |25                |cash                                 

Thorpe Furniture                     |5                 |cash                                 

                                                                                              

The Philip Morant School                                                                      

The Garfield Weston Foundation       |50                |cash                                 

Research Machines                    |24                |cash and goods                       

Architects Joint Partnership         |5                 |cash                                 

Woods of Colchester                  | 1.5              |cash                                 

Midland Bank                         | 1.5              |cash                                 

                                                                                              

Rastrick High School                                                                          

The Stanley Kalms Foundation         |50                |cash                                 

Denford Machine Tools                |40                |goods                                

Clifton Reed Consultants             |5                 |cash                                 

Fine Arts Productions                | 2.5              |cash                                 

Concept Merchandising                |1                 |cash                                 

                                                                                              

Ravens Wood School for Boys                                                                   

ICL                                  |33                |cash and goods                       

NYNEX Cablecomms                     | 2.5              |cash                                 

SIR (software)                       | 6.5              |goods                                

Diamik                               | 6.5              |goods                                

The Wellcome Foundation Ltd          | 2.5              |cash                                 

Parent/Teacher Association           |24                |cash                                 

                                                                                              

Sale Moor School                                                                              

The Alliance Family Foundation       |100               |cash                                 

                                                                                              

Senacre Technology School                                                                     

Research Machines                    | 26.5             |goods                                

Mikrodaisy International             |13                |goods                                

Active Images                        |20                |goods                                

RICOH                                |12                |goods                                

Russell and Brand                    |4                 |cash                                 

Charles Walter Ltd                   | 6.5              |cash                                 

Architects Joint Partnership         | 6.5              |cash                                 

                                                                                              

Small Heath School                                                                            

Garfield Weston Foundation           |50                |cash                                 

W. Canning Charitable Trust          |6                 |cash                                 

GTI Educational Systems              | 16.5             |cash                                 

Rialtech Ltd                         | 12.5             |cash                                 

Mrs. Ann Taylor : To ask the Secretary of State for Education what is his estimate of the number of surplus places in each city technology college.

Mr. Robin Squire : I refer the hon. Member to the reply that I gave to the hon. Member on 14 March 1994, Official Report, column 530 . Recruitment at age 11 is over-subscribed for all city technology colleges, and we expect them all to be full to capacity once the build-up phase is complete. It makes no sense to describe the position therefore as involving surplus places.

Nursery Education

Mr. Spearing : To ask the Secretary of State for Education, pursuant to his written answer of 18 April, Official Report, column 379, concerning the number of children attending pre-school activities, if he will (a) estimate the numbers attending more than one category of


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provision and (b) those attending pre-school playgroups with members of the Pre-school Playgroups Association, in (i) 1993 and (ii) 1994.

Mr. Robin Squire : The Department does not collect information on how many children attend more than one form of pre-school provision in the course of a year, but the proportion is thought to be relatively small. I am informed by the Pre-School Playgroups Association that as at Janaury 1993 there were 771,397 children attending playgroups in membership of the Association. Data are not yet available for 1994, but the Association estimates that the total number of children attending member playgroups will be very close to the 1993 total.

Mr. Spearing : To ask the Secretary of State for Education what steps he has taken to establish, or estimate, the level of parental demand for nursery education in all or part of (a) England and (b) Wales.


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Mr. Robin Squire : Evidence from a variety of sources suggests that most parents want some form of provision before age five, and that many wish to have a choice of provision besides state nursery education. Nursery education in Wales is a matter for my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Wales.

Privatisation (Consultants)

Mr. Milburn : To ask the Secretary of State for Education if he will estimate the cost of employing consultants in connection with privatisation programmes in which his Department has been engaged since 1980.

Mr. Boswell : The value of consultancy contracts awarded by the Department in relation to privatisation programmes since 1980 is £627,000.


 

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