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Government Contracts
Mr. Corbett: To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what arrangements he now plans to introduce to replace the priority suppliers scheme in relation to tendering for Government contracts.
Miss Widdecombe: I refer the hon. Member to the rely that I gave to my hon. Friend the Member for Bolton,
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North-East (Mr. Thurnham) on 29 November 1994, Official Report, columns 637 39.Training and Enterprise Councils
Mr. Morgan: To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will give the aggregate management running costs of the English training and enterprise councils for the financial years 1992 93 and 1993 94, the first half of 1994 95 and the latest estimated outturn for 1994 95 as a whole.
Mr. Paice: The English training and enterprise council statutory annual accounts for 1992 93 show administration costs to be £140.7 million in aggregate. I am unable to give the figures requested for 1993 94 and 1994 95 as this information is not yet available in the public domain. However, as TEC accounts for 1993 94 become available to the Department, copies will be placed in the Library.
Appropriation Accounts
Mr. Morgan: To ask the Secretary of State for Employment when he expects to publish the 1993 94 appropriation accounts.
Miss Widdecombe: Volume 5 of the 1993 94 appropriation accounts will be laid before the House of Commons and published once the Comptroller and Auditor General has completed his audit work. At present, this is expected to be in December 1994.
NATIONAL HERITAGE
Crown Jewels
Mr. Cohen: To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage to what extent the crown jewels are royal property; and what is the extent of public ownership and interest in them.
Mr. Sproat: I am advised that the crown jewels kept in the tower of London are, like the historic royal palaces themselves, the property of the Queen in right of the Crown. They are, therefore, held in trust by the sovereign for successive generations. My Department, through the Historic Royal Palaces agency, is responsible for the security, conservation and presentation of the crown jewels in the tower of London.
Disabled People
Mr. McNamara: To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage what is the number and percentage of disabled people employed by his Department and associated agencies in each year since their establishment; and what are the projected figures for the next five years.
Mr. Dorrell: The numbers of registered disabled people employed by the Department of National Heritage and its agencies in each year since its establishment in April 1992 are as follows:
1992 1993 1994
|Number |Per cent.|Number |Per cent.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Totals |N/A |7 |1.7 |5 |1.1
Projected figures for the next five years are not available.
Mr. McNamara: To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage what is the budget allocated by his Department and associated agencies for each of the next five years for, and how many staff or staff hours equivalent have been allocated to achieve the objectives of, the programme for action to achieve equality of opportunity in the civil service for disabled people.
Mr. Dorrell: The Department fully supports the aims of the programme for action to achieve equality of opportunity in the civil service for disabled people. There is no discrete budget for action associated with the programme, as expenditure includes cost elements associated with, for example, staff numbers, training, alterations to buildings and accommodation, which cannot be disaggregated. It is not possible to estimate the number of staff or staff hours equivalent necessary to achieve the objectives of the programme for action as the implementation of the programme will require the involvement not just of equal opportunities- disabled persons officers but of other human resource specialists, recruitment and training officers and individual line managers throughout the Department.
Mr. Chris Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage what discussions he has had with the trustees of the Tate gallery about measures to ensure better access for disabled people to the gallery.
Mr. Dorrell: The policies adopted by the Tate gallery for access for people with disabilities are a matter for the trustees of the gallery.
Under the statutory fire and safety regulations, only six people in wheelchairs can visit the main floor of the gallery at Millbank at any one time. However, the trustees welcome visitors with disabilities and are committed to improving access to the gallery, which their planned building programme due to start in 1995 will help to achieve.
Labour Statistics
Mr. McNamara: To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage what estimates he has made of the reduction in the number of persons by grade and gender employed by his Department and associated offices and agencies, nationally and regionally over the next three years, as a result of the Chancellor of the Exchequer's Budget statement of 29 November, indicating which branch, agency and region will be affected and stating his estimate of the number of job losses in each year which will be by (a) natural wastage, (b) voluntary redundancy and (c) compulsory redundancy; and what estimate he has made of the yearly total of savings in wages and associated costs as a result of these reductions in each department, branch and agency.
Mr. Dorrell: The information requested is not yet available. The Department's staffing plans for 1995 96, 1996 97 and 1997 98 will be set out in the 1995 departmental report, to be published in late February-early March 1995.
The Government's aim has been, and will continue to be, that reductions in the size of the civil service should as far as possible be achieved without redundancies.
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Ministerial Speeches
Mr. Campbell-Savours: To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage on what occasions since 1979 civil servants in his Department have been asked to draft speeches of a constituency nature for use in a Minister's own constituency.
Mr. Dorrell: None. Civil servants may provide briefing of a factual nature for Ministers on matters relating to their own Departments. In addition, Ministers in preparing for a constituency speech can draw on material produced by their Departments during the normal course of business.
Independent Radio Stations
Mr. Allen: To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage what his Department is doing to ensure adequate news coverage on independent radio stations.
Mr. Dorrell: The BBC provides news coverage on its radio services as part of its public service functions. The Broadcasting Act 1990 does not require applicants for independent radio licences to offer a news service, but provides that any news that is broadcast by a licensed station must be presented with due accuracy and impartiality.
Special Advisers
Mr. Milburn: To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage if he will list the special advisers employed by his Department in each of the last three years indicating when they (a) joined and (b) left his Department and the annual salary they received.
Mr. Dorrell [holding answer 1 December 1994]: The special advisers employed by the Department of National Heritage over the last three years are:
Name |Date joined |Date left ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Viscountess Cobham DL -two days a week |12 July 1992 |24 September 1992 Mr. Chris Hopson |22 April 1992 |24 September 1992 Mr. Dominic Loehnis |7 November 1992 |20 July 1994
Salaries for special advisers are negotiated individually in relation to their previous earnings, and are confidential. They are, however, normally paid on a special advisers' salary spine of 34 points, ranging from £19,503 to £67,609. Appointments are non-pensionable, and the salary spine reflects this.
NORTHERN IRELAND
Roads
Mr. Maginnis: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how much money has been expended to date in (a) reopening and (b) refurbishing cross-frontier roads between (i) County Tyrone, (ii) County Fermanagh, (iii) County Armagh, (iv) County Londonderry and (v) County Down and the Irish Republic.
Sir John Wheeler: The value of work completed to date to reopen and refurbish border crossings is as follows:
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|£
-------------------------------------
County Armagh |30,000
County Fermanagh |325,000
County Tyrone |175,000
County Londonderry |70,000
|--------
Total |600,000
Mr. Maginnis: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland from which budget the money has been provided in order to (a) reopen and (b) refurbish cross-frontier roads between Northern Ireland and the Irish Republic.
Sir John Wheeler: The cost of reopening and refurbishing the cross- border roads previously subject to closure order will be met entirely by the Northern Ireland Office.
Health Service Spending
Mr. Campbell-Savours: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what is the level of spending per head of population on national health service provisions in Northern Ireland.
Mr. Moss: Based on the latest available figures for 1992 93, hospital and community health services and family health services expenditure is £439 and £160 respectively per head of population in Northern Ireland.
As the HCHs, FHSs, and personal social services constitute the integrated health care service for the Province, the HCHs figure is an estimated apportionment.
Council for Voluntary Action
Mr. Maginnis: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what are the current employment statistics for the Northern Ireland Council for Voluntary Action; to what extent they fall within the fair Employment Commission's criteria for employment; and if he will give details.
Mr. Ancram: Under the terms of section 23 of the Fair Employment (Northern Ireland) Act 1989, all private sector organisations with more than 10 employees are required to register with the Fair Employment Commission. The Northern Ireland Council for Voluntary Action falls into this category. Registered employers are also required by the 1989 Act to monitor their work force annually and to carry out a review of their working practices at least once every three years.
The Fair Employment Commission's latest summary of monitoring returns which describes the position at the end of 1993 was published in March 1994. It shows that the Northern Ireland Council for Voluntary Action had a total of 36 employees, of whom 19 were Protestant, 12 were Catholic and five were "non-determined".
Terrorism
Mr. Maginnis: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what steps are taken to ensure that those with terrorist motivation are not placed in sensitive positions within public or voluntary organisations which receive public funding.
Sir John Wheeler: The Secretary of State is not responsible for staffing matters within public bodies and voluntary organisations. However, the criteria to be
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applied to those appointed to serve on public bodies are determined by the Department concerned which takes account of the expertise and experience required to serve on the body, and seeks evidence of a person's suitability for appointment as it determines to be necessary.Disabled People
Mr. McNamara: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what is the number and percentage of disabled people employed by his Department and associated agencies over the past five years; and what are the projected figures for the next five years.
Sir John Wheeler: The number and proportion of staff in the Northern Ireland civil service who self-declared a disability in the years 1991 to 1994 are as set out in the table. The figures in brackets refer to the number and proportion of staff declaring a disability who were, or who had previously been, registered as disabled.
|Number |Percentage of
|service
--------------------------------------------------------
1991 |1,290 (361) |4.4 (1.2)
1992 |1,262 (431) |4.3 (1.5)
1993 |1,282 (463) |4.3 (1.5)
1994 |1,300 (476) |4.2 (1.6)
Figures for 1990 are not available and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost. Projected figures are also not available. The number of registered disabled people working in the Northern Ireland civil service under the sheltered placement scheme has risen from 15 in 1991 to 80 in 1994.
One registered disabled person--0.5 per cent. of the work force--joined the small civil service cadre of Northern Ireland in 1994. There have been no other registered disabled employees in the period from 1990 to 1994.
Mr. McNamara: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what is the budget allocated by his Department and associated agencies for each of the next five years for, and how many staff or staff hours equivalent have been allocated to achieve the objectives of, the programme for action to achieve equality of opportunity in the civil service for disabled people.
Sir John Wheeler: In the Northern Ireland civil service expenditure aimed at advancing equality of opportunity for people with disabilities includes costs arising from staff time, monitoring, training, special aids and equipment, modification of buildings and accommodation etcetera which cannot be disaggregated. The number of staff or staff hours equivalent allocated to achieve the objectives of the code of practice on the employment of people with disabilities in the Northern Ireland civil service cannot be estimated as the successful implementation of the code requires the commitment not only of dedicated equal opportunities specialists but of other human resource specialists, trainers and individual line managers throughout the service.
Similarly, dedicated expenditure by the home civil service cadre of the Northern Ireland Office on the programme for action to achieve equality of opportunity in the civil service for disabled people cannot be disaggregated.
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Mounty Mellary Abbey
Mr. McKinlay: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what contact the RUC or the Director of Public Prosecutions has directly or indirectly with the Abbott of Mounty Mellary abbey in County Wexford, or his representative, about a priest reportedly residing at the abbey.
Sir John Wheeler: There has been no contact of any kind.
Mr. Mackinlay: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what difficulties have been encountered by the RUC in investigating allegations of child sex abuse in respect of a priest formerly living in Derry and reported to be currently residing at Mount Mellary abbey in County Wexford; and if he will make a statement.
Sir John Wheeler: To date, no complaint of an offence has been made to the RUC, and therefore no investigation has commenced.
Father Brendan Smyth
Mr. Mackinlay: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if the RUC, the Northern Ireland office, or any other Government or law enforcement agency have received an invitation from Cardinal Cahal Daly to assist his inquiry by giving evidence into the Church's handling of complaints relating to Father Brendan Smyth and other related cases.
Sir John Wheeler: I am not aware of any such invitation.
SCOTLAND
Agricultural Assistance
Mr. Maclennan: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will place in the Library his Department's guidelines indicating the criteria for eligibility for assistance for agricultural projects in the highlands and islands from objective 1 funding.
Sir Hector Monro: Explanatory leaflets covering the three main elements of the highlands and islands agricultural programme are being prepared. I shall arrange for copies of these to be placed in the Library at the appropriate times.
Assistance (Crofters)
Mr. Maclennan: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what assistance he has made available by district under the crofters building grants and loans scheme and the number of crofters assisted in each of the last five financial years.
Sir Hector Monro: Details of the assistance made available for housing under the crofters building grants and loans scheme by former crofting county and the number of crofters whose applications for assistance were approved in each of the last five financial years are set out in the following table:
|1989-90 |1990-91 |1991-92 |1992-93 |1993-94
|£000s |£000s |£000s |£000s |£000s
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Argyll |121 |117 |99 |97 |311
Caithness |45 |1 |37 |138 |146
Inverness |1,147 |1,510 |1,401 |1,732 |1,724
Ross-shire |1,137 |1,355 |1,608 |1,671 |1,652
Sutherland |266 |350 |160 |435 |277
Shetland |342 |503 |470 |495 |519
|--------|--------|--------|--------|--------
Total |3,058 |3,836 |3,775 |4,568 |4,629
Applications approved
New houses |109 |126 |122 |148 |143
Improvements |237 |210 |156 |179 |166
Disabled People
Mr. McNamara: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what is the number and percentage of disabled people employed by his Department and associated agencies over the past five years; and what are the projected figures for the next five years.
Mr. Lang: The numbers and percentages of registered disabled people employed in my Department and associated agencies over the past five years are set out in the table:
Registered disabled staff employed in the Scottish Office,
its
executive agencies-Scottish Prison Service shown separately-
and the associated departments of general register office and
Scottish record office
Year |SO+ |SPS |GRO |SRO
--------------------------------------------------------------
1990
-Number of registered disabled staff |73 |5 |7 |2
-percentage of all staff |1.2 |0.1 |2.3 |1.8
1991
-Number of registered disabled staff |66 |5 |2 |5
-percentage of all staff |1.1 |0.1 |0.6 |4.2
1992
-Number of registered disabled staff |86 |5 |6 |2
-percentage of all staff |1.4 |0.1 |2.1 |1.8
1993
-Number of registered disabled staff |81 |3 |5 |1
-percentage of all staff |1.3 |0.1 |1.8 |0.9
1994
-Number of registered disabled staff |79 |2 |3 |2
-percentage of all staff |1.3 |0.05|1.2 |1.6
Note:
Position as at 1 June for 1990 and 1991; 1 July thereafter.
Projected figures of the next five years are not available. My Department recently undertook a detailed survey of disability and long-term health conditions in the workplace. The survey revealed that 97 staff felt they were affected "a great deal" and a further 300 "to some extent" by a disability or long-term health condition in the workplace. This represents a total of 397 or 5.3 per cent. of all staff in the Scottish Office, its agencies and associated departments.
Mr. McNamara: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what is the budget allocated by his Department and associated agencies for each of the next five years
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for, and how many staff or staff hours equivalent have been allocated to achieve the objectives of, the programme for action to achieve equality of opportunity in the civil service for disabled people.Mr. Lang: Within the Scottish Office, its executive agencies and associated departments, expenditure in support of the programme of action to achieve equality of opportunity in the civil service for disabled people includes expenditure associated with policy development and implementation, recruitment, training, assessments, special equipment, modification of buildings and accommodation. A separate budget cannot be disaggregated.
The number of staff or staff hours equivalent allocated to achieving the objectives of the programme of action similarly cannot be calculated separately. Successful implementation requires the commitment and involvement of not only disabled persons officers and equal opportunities officers but personnel officers, recruitment and training officers as well as line managers throughout the organisation.
Sheep Premium
Mr. Maclennan: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland when his Department will complete the payment of the sheep premium; and if he will make a statement.
Sir Hector Monro: I refer the hon. Member to the answers that I gave to the hon. Member for Angus, East (Mr. Welsh) on 24 November, Official Report, column 343 .
Local Government Reorganisation
Mr. Raymond S. Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what provisions he intends to make for employees in local authorities affected by local government reorganisation and for severance pay generally; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Stewart: I am laying before the House today regulations which will enable local authorities to make improved payments to employees made redundant or prematurely retired. These regulations come into force on 28 December 1994. Copies of the regulations have been placed in the Library.
I shall also today be issuing for consultation the Government's proposals for the compensation which will be made available to those local authority staff in Scotland who are either made redundant or suffer loss of remuneration specifically as a result of local government reorganisation. Details of these proposals will also be placed in the Library.
In drawing up these proposals I have considered carefully the advice offered to me by the Local Government Staff Commission (Scotland). I have also taken into account the comments which have been received from local authorities and staffing interests on the commission's advice.
One of the main messages from this consultation has been that it is crucially important to let local authority staff know as soon as possible what compensation terms will be available during the period of transition to the new councils. Accordingly, I am today issuing the
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Government's proposals for consultation with a view to finalising them early in the new year. Comments on the proposals are invited by 23 January 1995.In coming to a decision on these matters, I have had to look to the interests of local authorities, their employees and the taxpayer. I believe that what I am proposing offers a sensible balance in this respect.
EDUCATION
Funding
Mr. Rooker: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what is the average annual cost met from public funds of (a) a nursery school place, (b) a primary school place, (c) a secondary school place and (d) a full- time undergraduate place in bands 1, 2 and 3.
Mr. Robin Squire: The net institutional expenditure per pupil in England for 1992 3, the latest year for which figures are available, was-- in 1994 95 prices--£1,683 in local education authority-maintained nursery and primary schools; and £2,399 in LEA-maintained secondary schools. Separate information is not collected for nursery and primary schools.
Figures are not available for the average cost of an undergraduate place in bands 1, 2 and 3. The estimated annual average cost from public funds--for a full-time equivalent student in higher education--in 1994 95 is £4,500.
Grant-maintained Schools
Mr. Blunkett: To ask the Secretary of State for Education (1) how many copies of (a) "Grant-Maintained Schools: Questions Governors Ask", (b) "Grant-Maintained Schools: Experiences During the First Year", (c) "Grant- Maintained Schools: Experiences of Primary Schools" and (d) "Grant- Maintained Schools: Experiences of Secondary Schools" have been produced since 1988; and what was the total cost for each booklet;
(2) how many copies of (a) "How to Become a Grant-Maintained School", (b) "Grant-Maintained Schools: Questions Parents Ask", (c) "Grant-Maintained Schools: What it Means for Staff" and (d) "Grant-Maintained Schools: Questions Staff Ask" have been produced since 1988; and what was the total cost of each booklet;
(3) how many copies of (a) "Grant-Maintained Schools: Experiences of Former Voluntary Schools", (b) "Going Grant-Maintained with Other Schools: GM Clusters" and (c) "Education into the Next Century", have been produced since 1988; and what has been the total cost for each booklet;
(4) how many folders have been produced for the distribution of material on grant-maintained schools; and what has been the cost since 1988.
Mr. Robin Squire: The information requested is set out. With one exception, the publications listed contain factual information on various aspects of grant-maintained status.
Some of these publications are no longer in use and are now out of print. The publication "Education into the
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Next Century" was a summary of the White Paper "Choice and Diversity: a New Framework for Schools"; it was not primarily about grant-maintained schools.
Publication |Approximate number produced |Approximate total cost of production
|£
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Questions Governors Ask |90,000 |17,000
Experiences During the First year |485,000 |243,000
Experiences of Primary
Schools |70,000
Experiences of Secondary |<5>
Schools |35,000 |112,500
Experiences of Former
Voluntary Schools |35,000
How to Become a
Grant-Maintained School |595,000 |123,000
(five editions since 1988)
Questions Parents Ask |1,588,000 |105,000
What it Means for Staff |193,00 |12,000
Questions Staff Ask |250,000 |197,000
Going GM with other Schools: GM Clusters |13,000 |15,500
Education into the Next Century |2,750,000 |117,000
Folders |263,000 |77,000
Mr. Blunkett: To ask the Secretary of State for Education if she will list the advertising campaigns her Department has run for grant- maintained status; and, for
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each campaign, if she will list (a) the total cost, (b) the cost of the advertisements, (c) the cost of the advertised telephone service and (d) how many inquiries were received on the advertised numbers.Mr. Robin Squire: There have been two campaigns to advertise sources of factual information on grant-maintained schooling: one to advertise the pilot "GM Helpline" in January 1993, and one in January and February 1994 to advertise the availability of booklets on GM status following the coming into effect of the relevant provision of the Education Act 1993. The costs and number of inquiries are listed.
|1993 |1994
-----------------------------------------------------
Total cost |211,000 |207,000
Cost of advertisements |200,000 |207,000
Cost of telephone service |11,000 |-
Number of inquiries |2,650 |<1>1,544
<1> These calls were handled by an existing
telephone inquiry line and their cost cannot be
disaggregated from the overall figure.
Mr. Blunkett: To ask the Secretary of State for Education if she will list, in chronological order, the "Going GM" conferences held by her Department on grant-maintained status, giving in each case (a) the date, (b) the location, (c) the number of schools invited, (d) the number of schools represented, (e) the number of representatives attending and (f) the cost.
Mr. Robin Squire: The information requested is set out in the table.
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Number |Date |Location |Number of schools |Number of schools |Number of delegates|Cost<2>
|invited<1> |represented
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1 |16 November 1992 |Leeds |6,250 |57 |95 |6,202
2 |12 December 1992 |Bolton |6,250 |93 |160 |6,873
3 |15 January 1993 |Sheffield |6,250 |120 |207 |8,164
4 |30 January 1993 |Manchester |6,250 |75 |138 |7,734
5 |10 February 1993 |Newcastle |1,645 |139 |222 |8,539
6 |11 February 1993 |Newcastle |1,645 |121 |204 |8,539
7 |15 February 1993 |Leicester |3,406 |65 |108 |4,306
8 |1 March 1993 |Nottingham |3,406 |111 |197 |7,751
9 |8 March 1993 |Taunton |192 |62 |90 |3,491
10 |10 March 1993 |Birmingham |3,406 |120 |202 |8,512
11 |29 March 1993 |Nottingham |3,406 |109 |176 |7,378
12 |26 April 1993 |Daventry |3,406 |45 |77 |4,150
13 |30 April 1993 |Haydock |100 |35 |62 |2,858
14 |4 May 1993 |Maidstone |5,825 |122 |219 |7,894
15 |7 May 1993 |St. Albans |5,825 |109 |198 |9,772
16 |13 May 1993 |Heathrow |5,825 |111 |209 |10,077
17 |19 May 1993 |Sandown |5,825 |110 |209 |8,019
18 |27 May 1993 |Watford |5,825 |106 |197 |6,876
19 |18 June 1993 |Bournemouth |3,213 |103 |180 |6,669
20 |28 June 1993 |Cheltenham |3,213 |99 |194 |6,263
21 |13 July 1993 |Exeter |3,213 |95 |173 |7,638
22 |23 September 1993 |Maidstone |5,825 |37 |72 |4,473
23 |7 October 1993 |Bristol |3,213 |56 |112 |8,908
24 |5 November 1993 |Cambridge |2,087 |90 |171 |9,240
25 |2 December 1993 |Cambridge |2,087 |107 |176 |9,156
26 |3 February 1994 |Darlington |7,164 |53 |94 |5,392
27 |18 February 1994 |Manchester |7,164 |67 |114 |8,236
28 |4 March 1994 |Newcastle |7,164 |47 |77 |6,392
29 |14 March 1994 |Huddersfield |7,164 |57 |102 |7,645
30 |27 April 1994 |Harrogate |7,164 |91 |152 |10,454
31 |28 June 1994 |Stratford |5,059 |82 |141 |7,747
32 |5 July 1994 |Hinckley |5,059 |43 |63 |4,720
33 |13 July 1994 |Stoke |5,059 |22 |39 |3,859
34 |24 September 1994 |Warrington |2,100 |29 |52 |4,723
3527 September 1994 |Penrith |669 |24 |53 |3,554
36 |1 November 1994 |London |2,240 |43 |78 |6,404
37 |21 November 1994 |Newquay |797 |52 |107 |<3>4,000
|--------
Total |252,608
<1> The same schools were invited to more than one conference in order to give headteachers and governors more choice over date and location.
<2> Costs listed are those attributable to specific conferences. In addition, there are two contracts: one for support services which for the 37 conferences
has totalled an estimated £263.623 and one for mailings which has totalled approx. £66,965. Total, £583,196.
<3> The costs for Newquay are an estimate pending receipt of the invoice.
Mr. Bayley: To ask the Secretary of State for Education how many and what percentage of (a) grant-maintained and (b) local authority schools have outside toilets.
Mr. Robin Squire: This information is not held centrally.
Mr. Blunkett: To ask the Secretary of State for Education (1) what is the basis for the payment of expenses to individuals on her Department's GM speakers list;
(2) what is the total cost of the expenses paid to individuals on her Department's GM speakers' list; how many individuals have been paid such expenses; and how many speaking functions were involved.
Mr. Robin Squire: GM speakers are volunteer heads, governors and bursars of grant-maintained schools who are reimbursed for expenses incurred in providing factual information about grant-maintained status to interested schools. Payments are made on receipt of proof of expenditure on the following basis:
travel to and from a meeting at which they are asked to speak; overnight stay, if this is unavoidable, up to a maximum of £65-(£70 in London);
photocopying costs for provision of written material;
light refreshments in connection with a visit to their school by representatives of another school (or schools);
supply cover, if a GM speaker cannot fulfil teaching commitments because of a relevant engagement, up to a maximum of two days' cover per school per month.
Since the GM speakers' list was first established in 1992, approximately £72,000 in expenses has been paid to about 240 speakers. The Department has received claims for over 180 speaking engagements in the current financial year. Records of the numbers of engagements prior to April 1994 are not available.
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