| Previous Section | Home Page |
Column 334
Fair Employment (Northern Ireland) Act 1989. The commission is taking steps to do so, and a review report should be available in 1996.Education Administration
Mr. Beggs: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what were the numbers of staff and the administrative costs of statutory bodies responsible for aspects of the administration of the education system in Northern Ireland in the year ended 31 March; and what are the projected costs for 1995 96. [21792]
Mr. Ancram: The numbers of staff and the administrative costs for those statutory bodies engaged in the administration of the education system in Northern Ireland for the year ended 31 March 1995 and projected costs for the 1995 96 year are as follows:
Staff nuAnnual costs
(£000s)
|1994-95|1994-95|1995-96
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Council for Catholic Maintained Schools |<1>37 |964 |857
DENI
Inspectorate (including inspectorate support branch) |65 |3,061 |3,236
DENI-other staff |518 |11,960 |12,389
Education and Library Boards
Belfast |330 |5,087 |4,935
North Eastern |349 |5,957 |6,051
South Eastern |304 |5,209 |5,036
Southern |343 |5,744 |5,558
Western |291 |5,603 |4,859
NI Council for the |<2>168 | 4,500 |4,645
Curriculum and |<3>250
Assessment
Youth Council for NI |<4>17 |340 |360
Notes:
<1> Includes one temp.
<2> Full-time.
<3> Temporary.
<4> Includes two part-time.
Social Fund
Mr. Milburn: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will list those projects in privatised companies which have received European social fund support since privatisation indicating (a) the level of funding and (b) the dates when it was received. [21293]
Mr. Ancram [holding answer 1 May 1995]: There are no privatised companies in Northern Ireland in direct receipt of support from the European social fund since their privatisation.
Mr. Milburn: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will list those public projects which received European social fund support and were subsequently privatised over the last 10 years indicating (a) the level of funding and (b) the dates when it was received. [21292]
Mr. Ancram [holding answer 1 May 1995]: Over the last 10 years, three public sector organisations, Northern Ireland Electricity, Harland and Wolff and Short Brothers received support from the European social fund as follows:
ESF Paid (£)
|NIE |H and W |Shorts
--------------------------------------------------
1985 |733,564 |475,591 |815,349
1986 |873,671 |170,547 |790,429
1987 |856,619 |384,623 |324,563
1988 |760,997 |93,531 |160,120
1989 |605,442 |- |-
1990 |1,005,805|- |-
1991 |1,037,414|- |-
1992 |670,344 |- |-
1993 |176,390 |- |-
|-------- |-------- |--------
Total |6,720,246|1,124,292|2,090,461
Funding was awarded to NIE to run EC approved engineering apprenticeship training courses at a purpose-built training centre. H and W and Short Brothers did not make any further applications for ESF after 1988.
Animal Diseases
Mr. Morley: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many cases of brucellosis have occurred in each year since 1985. [21819]
Column 336
Mr. Ancram: The number of herds in which brucellosis has been confirmed in Northern Ireland since 1985 is as follows:
1985: Nil
1986: Nil
1987: Nil
1988: Nil
1989: 3
1990: 1
1991: 4
1992: 3
1993: Nil
1994: Nil
Mr. Morley: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many cases of pleuro-pneumonia occurred in each year since 1985. [22169]
Mr. Morley: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many cases of paramyxovirus occurred in each year since 1985. [22173]
Mr. Ancram: Six outbreaks of paramyxovirus occurred in 1991.
Mr. Morley: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many cases of foot and mouth disease occurred in each year since 1978. [22177]
Mr. Morley: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many cases of epizootic lymphangitis occurred in each year since 1985. [22181]
Prevention of Terrorism Legislation
Ms Mowlam: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many people in Northern Ireland have been (a) arrested and (b) convicted under (i) section 9, (ii) section 10, (iii) section 11, (iv) section 12,(v) section 13, (vi) section 17 and (vii) section 18A of the Prevention of Terrorism (Temporary Provisions) Act 1989 since 1989. [22446]
Sir John Wheeler: The information is as follows:
(a) Arrests for offences under sections 9, 10 and 11 are made under section 14 of the Prevention of Terrorism (Temporary Provisions) Act 1989. Data on arrests specifically for offences under 9, 10 and 11 are not available.
There are no powers of arrest under sections 12 and 13. From the beginning of 1990, there were no arrests made under sections 17 or 18 of the Prevention of Terrorism (Temporary Provisions) Act 1983.
(b) Since the enactment of the Provision of Terrorism (Temporary Provisions) Act 1989, up to the end of 1994, there have been 41 convictions under sections 9 to 11 and 16 convictions under section 18.
No convictions under section 17 have been recorded.
Column 337
OVERSEAS DEVELOPMENT ADMINISTRATION
Indonesian Police
Mrs. Clwyd: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, pursuant to his answer of 3 March, Official Report, columns 727-28 , how many current or former Indonesian police officers who received any form of training paid for by his Department served with the Brigade Mobile--BRIMOB--of the Indonesian police force (a) before such training (b) during such training and (c) after such training. [22284]
Mr. Baldry: The Indonesian national police force inform us that one officer who has received training under our project has served with the Brigade Mobile. This officer is serving there at present.
EDUCATION
Reflexions Market Research Ltd.
Mr. David Blunkett: To ask the Secretary of State for Education (1) how many in-depth interviews her Department has commissioned Reflexions Market Research Ltd. to undertake; how many (a) parents, (b) teachers and (c) governors will be interviewed; how long the interviews will last; and what level of remuneration the interviewees will be given; [22463]
(2) how many focus groups her Department has commissioned Reflexions Market Research Ltd. to undertake to evaluate publicity material on grant- maintained schools; how many (a) parents, (b) teachers and (c) governors will be involved; and what level of remuneration the participants will be given; [22462]
(3) to how many schools her Department has written, and in what areas, to introduce a representative of Reflexions Market Research Ltd.; [22461]
(4) how much it is costing her Department to employ the services of Reflexions Market Research Ltd. to research the effectiveness of the Department's grant maintained schools publicity material; (5) how many (a) video tapes and (b) pamphlets her Department has commissioned through Reflexions Market Research Ltd. [22459]
Mr. Forth: Reflexions Market Research Ltd. has been commissioned to undertake qualitative research to assist the Department to evaluate its publicity material on grant-maintained schools. Research of this type is common to all of our major information campaigns. Eighteen in-depth interviews are being carried out: six with teachers, 12 with governors and none with parents. The interviews average 45 minutes. There are nine focus groups which comprise 21 parents, 35 teachers and seven governors.
In line with industry practice, each interviewee receives a nominal sum to cover travel and any child care costs.
A range of schools were written to in Northamptonshire, London, Sheffield, Sutton, Surrey and Warrington to obtain interviewees. These areas were chosen to provide a representative sample. The cost of the research is commercial-in-confidence. No video tapes or pamphlets were commissioned from Reflexions.
Column 338
Stratford Grant-maintained School
Mr. Lidington: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what steps she is taking in relation to Stratford grant-maintained school. [23586]
Mr. Forth: Stratford grant-maintained school was inspected in November 1993 and found to be failing to provide an acceptable standard of education. Since then, it has been subject to regular termly monitoring by Ofsted. The most recent report from Ofsted shows that standards of teaching and learning remain poor, that management is inadequate, and that the school has shown no signs of improvement since it was first found to be failing 18 months ago.
This persistent failure to provide an acceptable standard of education cannot be tolerated. My right hon. Friend is, therefore, exercising her power to remodel the governing body. The chairman of the governing body, Mr. Mark Prisk, has resigned and my right hon. Friend is arranging for the appointment of four new governors: Dr. Peter Osbourne, Mrs. Pat Collarbone, Mrs. Joan Greenfield and Mr. Paul Lewis.
As a matter of urgency, this remodelled governing body will need to devise a strategy to revitalise the school. I look to the school's head teacher and her staff to give their whole-hearted support to raising standards at the school.
Student Loans Company
Mr. Barry Sheerman: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what plans she has to allow medical students and those on above average length degree courses to borrow more money from the Student Loans Company. [22698]
Medical Students
Mr. Sheerman: To ask the Secretary of State for Education how many medical students failed to complete their courses due to financial difficulties in each of the last five years.
Mr. Boswell: This information is not currently available centrally.
Mr. Sheerman: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what steps she is taking to ensure that students undertaking medical science degrees are adequately financially supported during their courses. [22699]
Mr. Boswell: The total support available to all students in 1994 95 through the main rates of grant and loan is 4 per cent. higher than in 1993 94, thus maintaining its value in real terms. The extra weeks' allowances payable to students as part of the mandatory award who attend their courses for longer in the academic year than normal have also been increased by 4 per cent. Medical students, may benefit from these. The Government have also made £21 million in access funds available to universities and colleges in England for the 1994 95 academic year so that they can assist students, including medical students, in particular financial difficulty.
Student Expenditure
Mr. Sheerman: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what element of the maintenance grant for students is allotted for expenditure on books and
Column 339
equipment for (a) arts students, (b) social science students, (c) medical students and (d) engineering students. [22697]Mr. Boswell: It is for students to decide how to spend the total resources available to them from both maintenance grants and loans according to their particular needs. Disabled students may be eligible for additional means-tested allowances to cover the cost of special equipment and materials. Local education authorities can also, in certain circumstances, make discretionary awards to pay for books and equipment to students who are not eligible for mandatory awards.
Educational and Youth Exchanges
Mr. Cox: To ask the Secretary of State for Education if she will make a statement on educational andyouth exchanges between the United Kingdom and Pakistan. [22377]
Mr. Boswell: In 1993 94, the Government-funded scholarships and awards for 568 Pakistani students here in the United Kingdom at a cost of around £5.1 million. In that same year the British Council administered 330 exchange visits to the UK from Pakistan, and the League for the Exchange of Commonwealth Teachers, funded by the UK Departments of Education, arranged 21 teacher exchanges. Through Government funding provided to the Commonwealth Youth Exchange Council, 23 young Pakistanis came to the UK in 1992 93, with 20 of our young people going to Pakistan in 1993 94.
SCOTLAND
Education Administration
Mr. Beggs: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what were the numbers of staff and the administrative costs of each education authority in Scotland and the number of school pupils for which each education authority was responsible in the year ended 31 March. [21789]
Lord James Douglas-Hamilton: The information on administrative costs and pupil numbers is given in the following table for 1993 94, the latest available year. Details of numbers of staff employed by each education authority are not held centrally. However the "Joint Staffing Watch" records that, at September 1993. Scottish education authorities employed a total of 53,212, full-time equivalent, teachers and lecturers and 25,651, full-time equivalent, other staff, including non-teaching staff in schools and administrative staff.
|Net administrative |Pupils Numbers
|Education |authority nursery
|Departments |primary, secondary
|£000 |and special schools
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Borders |3,031 |15,164
Central |6,553 |42,417
Dumfries and Galloway |3,811 |22,799
Fife |8,434 |56,341
Grampian |10,587 |79,371
Highland |4,191 |34,727
Lothian |20,245 |101,555
Strathclyde |40,427 |359,344
Tayside |7,952 |58,275
Orkney |806 |3,349
Shetland |2,620 |4,116
Western Isles |2,755 |4,885
Scottish Nuclear
Mr. McFall: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he intends to contact Sir Donald Miller regarding the assurances the latter received from the right hon. and learned Member for Edinburgh, Pentlands (Mr. Rifkind) when he was Secretary of State for Scotland regarding the independence of Scottish Nuclear. [22065]
Mr. Kynoch: My right hon. Friend has no plans at present to do so.
Mr. McFall: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what discussion he has had with the chairman of Scottish Nuclear regarding the future of that company. [22038]
Mr. Kynoch: My right hon. Friend has met Mr. Hann on several occasions in recent weeks to discuss a range of issues concerning Scottish Nuclear Ltd.
Education Expenditure
Mrs. Fyfe: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what was the average cost in 1993 94, per pupil, of (a) education at a local authority school, (b) meals, (c) travel and (d) any other incidental expense; and what were the all-Scotland totals in each of these categories. [21864]
Lord James Douglas-Hamilton: Net current expenditure per pupil in local authority nursery, primary, secondary and special schools in Scotland is normally provided, for technical reasons, exclusive of the costs of school meals, home to school transport, central administration and loans charges. The figure on this basis for 1993 94 was £2,379 per pupil and £1.861 billion in total.
The equivalent figures for pupils consuming schools meals were £174 and £61.186 million respectively and for pupils benefiting from free home-to-school transport were £343 and £53.442 million respectively. These figures have been derived from local authority financial returns which do not include a heading for other incidental expenditure.
Nuclear Industry
Mr. McFall: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what is his estimate of the asset value of the nuclear energy industry in Scotland. [22037]
Mr. Kynoch: Such estimates are a matter for the companies concerned; information on asset values is contained in their annual reports and accounts.
Mr. McFall: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what measurement he has made regarding the security and safety implications of a privatised nuclear energy industry. [22039]
Column 341
Mr. Kynoch: Safety in the nuclear industry, whether in the public or private sectors, is the responsibility of the companies concerned. Civil installations are subject to a licensing regime which is transparent, rigorous and robust. HM nuclear installations inspectorate will continue to administer this regime under the Health and Safety at Work, etc. Act 1974 and the relevant statutory provisions. Security of nuclear installations is also a matter for the organisations concerned, in consultation with the appropriate authorities.
Animal Diseases
Mr. Morley: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many cases of brucellosis have occurred in each year since 1985. [21821]
Sir Hector Monro: There has been only one confirmed brucellosis herd breakdown case in Scotland since 1985. This case occurred in 1989.
Mr. Morley: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many cases of pleuro-pneumonia occurred in each year since 1985. [22167]
Sir Hector Monro: There have been no cases of pleuro-pneumonia recorded in Scotland since 1985.
Mr. Morley: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many cases of epizootic lymphangitis occurred in each year since 1985. [22179]
Sir Hector Monro: There have been no cases of epizootic lymphangitis recorded in Scotland since 1985.
Mr. Morley: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many cases of paramyxovirus occurred in each year since 1985. [22172]
Sir Hector Monro: The number of confirmed cases of paramyxovirus in Scotland for the years in question is as follows:
1985: 10
1986: 8
1987: 67
1988: 10
1989: 44
1990: 61
1991: 6
1992: 31
1993: 22
1994: 7
Mr. Morley: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many cases of foot and mouth disease occurred in each year since 1978. [22176]
Sir Hector Monro: There have been no confirmed cases of foot and mouth disease since 1978.
Column 342
Mr. Morley: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will make a statement on the link between rabbits and Johne's disease. [22347]
Sir Hector Monro: Mycobacterium paratuberculosis, the causative agent in Johne's disease, has been isolated from wild rabbits in the Perth- Angus area. It is not known whether this is the same strain of bacteria which causes disease in cattle and sheep and further research is being carried out.
Spottiswoode
Mr. Kirkwood: To ask the Secretary of Statefor Scotland (1) what consideration led to the Forestry Commission being allowed to dispose of the wood at Spottiswoode near Westruther in Berwickshire withno provision for protection for future access by thepublic; [21437] (2) if he will pay an official visit to Spottiswoode to discuss the extent of use of the wood by the local community; [21438] (3) what attempts he will now make to secure public assess when the wood at Spottiswoode is offered for sale; and if he will make a statement. [21441]
Sir Hector Monro: The Forestry Commission follows guidelines laid down by Ministers before selecting properties for sale. These guidelines take account of all relevant factors, including the existing levels of public access and recreation. The commission considered that the level of public access to Spottiswoode was low and that the wood could be sold. My right hon. Friend does not, therefore, consider it necessary to pay an official visit to Spottiswoode.
The Forestry Commission has already offered to enter into an access agreement with Borders regional council, which would have secured public access in the future, but the council declined the offer.
Mr. Kirkwood: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many school pupils visiting Pyatshaw outdoor centre used the wood at Spottiswoode for educational or recreational purposes over the past five years. [21439]
| Next Section
| Home Page |