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Column 186
In 1991 the Agency obtained Ministerial approval to move towards a Field network of some 184 Field Offices supported by 90 Inspector outstations. There are currently 267 Field locations. The Agency maintains over 60 million individual contributors accounts, and deals with over 1.2 million employers and 2.4 million self- employed people. Figures of the number of customers currently served by each location are not kept, and could only be obtained at disproportionate cost. The number of staff currently employed varies considerably between locations from 4 or 5 in some outstations to over 50 in some offices which have already successfully consolidated their operations in one location.Current research has shown that there is a need to match more closely Contributions Agency outlets to customer locations. Information has been obtained about density of businesses, density of population and locations of the self-employed. This information has been incorporated into the design of the new network which will consist of 9 Regional units outside London, each containing roughly equal numbers of businesses and population. London will be served by 3 Regional units. There will be around 100 115 locations, comprising 70 75 Field Offices and 30 40 Inspector outstations. This number of locations is similar to the number used by other Revenue collecting organisations dealing with similar operations. The exact number of locations has yet to be finalised and it is not possible to give an average figure of the number of people to be served by each location, but overall the effect will be to move to larger numbers which will allow staff to be used more flexibility to meet customer needs and to develop their specialised functional skills and expertise more fully. The locations have been chosen to combine the business needs of the Agency with those of the customer.
The Agency is fully committed to the Citizen's Charter principle and its standards of service are laid down in the Agency's Contributor's and Employer's Charters. These are:
--to reply to complaints sent to the Chief Executive within 10 days
--to respond to enquiries within 10 days
--to reply to a request for a visit within one week and then visit within the next two weeks
--to keep waiting time at our reception points to a maximum of 30 minutes
--to arrange customer appointments within two weeks
The changes proposed by the restructuring take account of research among customers which shows, in general, that they prefer to make contact by telephone or correspondence. This is also in line with the experience of other Revenue collecting bodies. The latest Customer Satisfaction Survey undertaken in November and December 1994 shows that 65% of the Agency's customers prefer to contact the Agency by telephone. The new network of offices will be supported by a fully integrated telephone system providing easier access for the customer to all parts of the Agency. The Agency's change programme includes installation of information technology systems which will improve response times for customers and enable quicker processing of work within local offices.
As at present, customers who are unable to call at proposed outlets or who call at a DSS office which does not have a CA presence will be dealt with either by appointment by CA staff or by Benefits Agency staff under the terms of the National Service Statement. Implementation of the proposed changes within the Agency will result in an improved service provided by Field offices.
Changes within the Contributions Agency which may impact on customer groups and staff are only introduced after careful consideration of representations received. As re-organisation of a Next Steps Agency is an operational matter this falls within my delegated authority as Chief Executive, I understand that the Secretary of State has no plans to lay the Contributions Agency's restructuring proposals before Parliament.
I hope you will find this reply helpful. If I can be of any further assistance, please let me know.
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Mr. Llew Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what assessment he has made of the role played by the local field officers of the Contributions Agency in monitoring the state of the informal economy and ensuring local employers implement properly the national insurance system. [31116]
Mr. Arbuthnot: The administration of the Contributions Agency is a matter for Mrs. Faith Boardman, the chief executive. She will write to the hon. Member.
Letter from Mrs. Faith Boardman to Mr. Llew Smith, dated 3 July 1995:
As Chief Executive of the Contributions Agency, I have responsibility for answering questions about operational matters relating to the National Insurance (NI) scheme. I have been asked to reply to your question about the monitoring role played by the Agency's local field officers.
The Agency is responsible for ensuring compliance with the law on NI matters. To achieve this, NI inspectors, based in our Field Operations local offices, carry out surveys and educational visits to employers to ensure correct administration of the NI scheme. The Secretary of State sets a target for the number of surveys to be undertaken each year. There is currently a re-structuring exercise within our Field Operations which enhances the educational role played by the Agency with increased emphasis on education and awareness of the scheme, the intention being to help our customers "get it right first time".
Proposals for the future include the setting up of dedicated teams specifically to investigate aspects of the informal economy. I hope you find this reply helpful. If I can be of any further assistance, please let me know.
Social Fund
Mr. McMaster: To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what was (a) the monthly amount and (b) the total amount of (i) community care grants and (ii) crisis loans in the (1) Paisley, North and (2) Paisley, South parliamentary constituencies which resulted from the flood of December 1994; if he will show in respect of community care grants the average amount awarded to claimants in each constituency, and in respect of crisis loans (A) the average amount and (B) the average weekly repayment which is sought from claimants in each constituency; and if he will make a statement. [31408]
Mr. Roger Evans: The administration of the Social Fund is a matter for Mr. Ian Magee, the chief executive of the Benefits Agency. He will write to the hon. Member with such information as is available. Letter from Ian Magee to Mr. Gordon McMaster, dated 3 July 1995: The Secretary of State for Social Security has asked me to reply to your recent Parliamentary Question about Community Care Grant (CCG) and Crisis Loan (CL) applications received by the Benefits Agency from people affected by the flooding in the Paisley North and Paisley South constituencies.
I should first of all point out that constituency and Benefits Agency (BA) District boundaries do not correspond exactly. Paisley North and Paisley South constituencies are served by the BA District of Renfrew. The information is therefore given for this District. Information relating to the average weekly repayment of CLs made is not readily available. It could only be obtained by examining every loan award made to the flood victims. In general, if an applicant has no commitments then the repayment rate for a loan is normally 15% of the amount of the Income Support applicable in an individual case. This is intended to ensure both that the repayment rate is appropriate to an applicant's individual
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circumstances, and that the loan is repaid in the shortest reasonable time. It is also intended to prevent the repayments being too high or going on for too long. However, if the applicant has commitments or debts, rates of 10% or 5% may be applied and even lower rates may be used in extreme cases. Full regard is taken of the applicant's income and any existing commitments when decisions on the rate of repayment are made.At Annex A I have provided information on the total and average amounts of CCG and CL awards made in the District as at 31 January 1995. After this date only one other application was received from a victim of the flood. The application was made in June and resulted in a CCG award of £869.
I hope you find this reply useful.
Annex A: Details of community care grant and crisis loan awards
made by Renfrew district as at 31 January 1995
|Amount |Average
|Number of |awarded |award
District |Benefit type|awards |£ |£
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Renfrew |Community |424 |80,951 |190.92
| care grant
|Crisis loans|99 |13,159 |132.92
Mr. Ian Bruce: To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what recent consideration he has given the operation of the social fund review process. [32852]
Mr. Evans: I am pleased to announce that an improvement to the social fund review process will be made and will take effect from 4 September 1995. The change is designed to streamline the stages of the first tier of the social fund review procedures and will improve the speed and the efficiency with which cases are handled within the Benefits Agency district offices.
Applicants will, of course, continue to retain the right of an independent review by a social fund inspector.
Income Support
Mr. Bayley: To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many and what percentage of children aged 18 years or under were living in families dependent on (a) income support or supplementary benefit and (b) family credit in (i) York, (ii) North Yorkshire, (iii) Yorkshire and Humberside and (iv) England in each year since 1979. [31584]
Mr. Roger Evans: Such information as is available is set out in the tables. Income support data for York cannot be provided. Reliable data for North Yorkshire is available only from 1993 following an increase in the sample size. Information for the statistical region of Yorkshire and Humberside is only available from 1991. Family credit data cannot be provided for the specified regions.
Number of dependents in families in receipt of income support
in
North Yorkshire and Yorkshire and Humberside
|Yorkshire and
|North Yorkshire|Humberside
----------------------------------------------------------------
May 1991 |- |252,000
May 1992 |- |269,000
May 1993 |20,000 |286,000
May 1994 |22,000 |287,000
Notes:
See table 1 for notes:
Source:
Income Support Statistics Local Authority Tables
Annual/Quarterly Enquiries May 1991-May 1994.
|Number of dependants
|in
|families in receipt |Population in |Number of dependants|Population in
|of |in
|Supplementary |England aged 18 |families in receipt |England aged 18
|benefit/Income |of Family
Year |Support in England |and under |Percentage |Credit in England |and under |Percentage
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1979 |784,000 |12,939,000 |6.1 |- |12,939,000 |-
1980 |937,000 |12,805,000 |7.3 |- |12,805,000 |-
1981 |1,294,000 |12,644,000 |10.2 |- |12,644,000 |-
1982 |1,495,000 |12,462,000 |12.0 |- |12,462,000 |-
1983 |1,573,000 |12,264,000 |12.81 |- |12,264,000 |-
1984 |1,704,000 |12,061,000 |4.1 |- |12,061,000 |-
1985 |- |11,927,000 |- |- |11,927,000 |-
1986 |1,870,000 |11,812,000 |15.8 |- |11,812,000 |-
1987 |1,880,000 |11,708,000 |16.1 |- |11,708,000 |-
1988 |1,830,000 |11,631,000 |15.7 |459,000 |11,631,000 |3.9
1989 |1,783,000 |11,576,000 |15.4 |519,000 |11,576,000 |4.5
1990 |1,793,000 |11,518,000 |15.6 |552,000 |11,518,000 |4.8
1991 |2,110,000 |11,533,000 |18.3 |609,000 |11,533,000 |5.3
1992 |2,454,000 |11,556,000 |21.2 |687,000 |11,555,000 |5.9
1993 |2,725,000 |11,589,000 |23.5 |825,000 |11,589,000 |7.1
1994 |2,748,000 |11,589,000(5) |23.7 |940,000 |11,589,000(5) |8.1
Notes:
1. Income support replaced supplementary benefit in 1988.
2. Data for 1985 not available.
3. Family credit figures are only available from 1988 to date.
4. A dependant is aged up to 18. Income support figures included those 19 in full time education who live with their parents.
5. Population figures are not yet available for 1994. 1993 figures have been used.
6. Family credit statistics for York, North Yorkshire and Humberside are not readily available.
Source:
Supplementary benefit/income support statistics annual enquiries 1979-1993
Income support statistics quarterly enquiry May 1995.
Family credit statistics May 1988-May 1994.
Office of Population Censuses and Surveys mid year estimates 1979-1993.
Ms Liz Lynne: To ask the Secretary of State for Social security how many people claimed income support by (a) gender and (b) age, for each region in England in the last month for which figures are available and (ii) in the same month in each year since 1990. [32391]
Mr. Evans: I have placed a copy of the available information in the Library.
Pilot Correspondence
Mr. Spearing: To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what changes he is considering in the organisation and pattern of replies he expects to make in respect of specific individual cases brought to his attention by hon. Members. [31943]
Mr. Hague: Hon. Members continue to receive individual replies to queries raised on behalf of their constituents. A pilot correspondence unit was set up in April to test whether centralising the management of staff dealing with departmental correspondence would help provide a better service to Ministers, hon. Members and the public.
The pilot project will last until the autumn. My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State will then consider the results of the exercise, with regard to quality of replies and efficiency of the service provided.
Mr. Simon Hughes: To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what plans he has to extend the central correspondence section pilot scheme; what representations he has received concerned the pilot; and what means of consultation will be carried out with hon. Members before any further extension of the scheme is made. [31925]
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Mr. Hague: The pilot correspondence unit was set up in April to test whether centralising the management of staff dealing with Departmental correspondence would provide a better service to Ministers, hon. Members and the public.
The pilot project will last until the autumn. My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State will then consider the results of the exercise, with regard to quality of replies and efficiency of the service provided. In the first three months of operations the unit has replied more than 2,000 inquiries from hon. member. There have been no complaints about the quality of the replies received.
We have received several letters from hon. Members in response to the letter sent by Mr. Sheldon of the National Union of Civil and Public Servants.
Mr. McAllion: To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what steps his Department is taking to pilot a project to standardise replies to inquiries from hon. members; and if he will make a statement. [31665]
Mr. Hague: None. The Department's pilot project aims to provide hon. Members with replies which answer their specific concerns. Ministers personally approve and sign all replies to hon. Members on policy issues.
The arrangements whereby agency chief executives reply to hon. Members about cases involving their constituents are not altered.
Voluntary Organisations
Miss Hoey: To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many voluntary sector organisations his Department has (a) paid grants to or (b) entered into
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contracts with in (i) 1993 94 and (ii) 1994 95; and what was the total value of these grants and contracts. [31305]Mr. Hague: The information requested is in the table.
|Number of
|organisations|Number of
Year |paid grants |contracts |Total value
|£
----------------------------------------------------------------------
1993-94 |83 |85 |17,001,000
1994-95 |85 |87 |18,591,000
The figures quoted show actual expenditure. Figures rounded to
nearest £000.
Incapacity Benefit
Mr. Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if a person signing on as unemployed will have this held against him in an appeal for incapacity benefit. [31662]
Mr. Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what plans he has to ensure that a claimant denied incapacity benefit further to appeal, and in turn denied benefit as being classed as unemployed, as the claimant could be deemed unfit for work, will not be left without any money. [31663]
Mr. Hague: The decision on incapacity for work applies across the benefit system. People found capable of work, including those who appeal against that decision, are entitled to claim unemployment benefits if they are available for and actively seeking work. People who are not looking for work may claim income support while waiting for their appeal to be heard.
Mr. Alan Howarth: To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if people who appeal against a decision that they are capable of work and claim income support pending their appeal will have their full incapacity benefit reinstated for the period between the date of the original decision and the date of the appeal decision. [32040]
Mr. Hague: If a social security appeal tribunal uphold an appeal against a decision that a person is capable of work, any incapacity benefit withheld pending the tribunal decision will be paid. Where income support has been in payment for the period covered by the backdated incapacity benefit, this payment will be reduced to take account of the income support actually paid.
Mr. Alan Howarth: To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what advice will be given to claimants appealing against a decision that they are capable of work concerning their benefit entitlement pending a tribunal hearing. [32041]
Mr. Hague: In addition to advice from officials in Benefits Agency and Employment Services Offices, everyone found capable of work after application of all work test will be sent, with their decision notice, leaflet IB 203 which explains the help available in finding work and claiming benefits.
Mr. Alan Howarth: To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security of those people in 1995 96 whom he expects to appeal against a decision that they are capable
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of work, how many he estimates will, (a) sign on as unemployed and (b) claim income support without signing on. [32043]Mr. Hague: I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave to the hon. Member for Manchester, Withington (Mr. Bradley) on 7 March, Official Report , column 168 .
Mr. Rooney: To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if claimants in receipt of incapacity benefit may retain benefit entitlement for up to four weeks during which they are on a training for work scheme on a trial basis; and if they are deemed to be available for work. [32332]
Mr. Hague: Availability for work is not an issue. Incapacity Benefit claimants who undertake training for work receive an allowance equivalent to their benefit entitlement and additional £10. This is not incapacity benefit. Linking provisions ensure that if there is a break in incapacity benefit entitlement of less than eight weeks, claimants can return to the rate of benefit in payment before the break. For claimants on the short-term higher or long-term rates who attend training courses, this is extended to two years, provided that they are incapable of work when the training course ends.
Jobseeker's Allowance
Mr. Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what help will be offered to a claimant denied the jobseeker's allowance for up to 26 weeks because that claimant had been dismissed from his job. [31664]
Mr. Roger Evans: Sanctioned claimants in vulnerable groups--those with children, those who are sick or pregnant or those who have a sick or pregnant partner, or who have caring responsibilities--may have access to hardship payments, at a reduced rate of jobseeker's allowance throughout the period of the sanction. Claimants who are not in vulnerable groups will receive no benefit for the first two weeks or a sanction; thereafter they may receive hardship payments if they can demonstrate that they or their partner would otherwise suffer hardship.
Mr. Rooney: To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if, on the introduction of jobseeker's allowance, (a) carers receiving invalid care allowance and (b) claimants in receipt of severe disablement allowance will continue to be able to study up to 21 hours per week on education and training courses without prejudice to benefit entitlement. [32333]
Mr. Evans: We are considering what changes, if any, need to be made to invalid care allowance and severe disablement allowance when jobseeker's allowance is introduced.
National Insurance
Mr. Rooney: To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what was the total amount of (a) employers' and (b) employees' national insurance contributions collected for each of the last 10 fiscal years expressed (i) at April 1995 prices and (ii) as a percentage of total Exchequer income. [32335]
Mr. Arbuthnot: The information requested is in the table.
Column 193
UK contribution
income
April 1995 prices Percentage of UK
(£ billion) Exchequer income
|Employees'|Employers'|Employees'|Employers'
|NICs |NICs |NICs |NICs
------------------------------------------------------------------
1985-86 |18.85<1> |19.50 |8 |8
1986-87 |19.29 |20.85 |8 |9
1987-88 |20.50 |22.24 |8 |9
1988-89 |21.42 |23.65 |8 |9
1989-90 |18.73 |22.92 |7 |9
1990-91 |16.75 |23.06 |7 |9
1991-92 |16.81 |23.17 |7 |9
1992-93 |16.44 |23.65 |7 |10
1993-94 |16.89 |24.11 |7 |10
1994-95<2> |18.59 |24.88 |7 |10
<1>Includes national insurance contributions by self-employed for
which separate data are available only from 1986-87.
<2>Estimate.
Travel Claims
Mrs. Anne Campbell: To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will detail the amount of travel claims at constant prices in his Department in (a) 1993 94 and (b) 1994 95 broken down by (i) public transport, (ii) car mileage allowance and (iii) bicycle allowance. [32175]
Mr. Hague: Information is not available in the form requested. The total amount of UK travel claims at constant 1994 95 prices in this Department in (a) 1993 94 and (b) 1994 95 is as follows: 1993 94: £25,609,547
1994 95: £24,582,379
Residential Care Homes
Sir John Gorst: To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what are the latest figures for the number of residents of care or nursing homes with preserved rights to the higher limits of income support, whose total entitlement to social security benefits does not meet their care home fees; and how many such residents are in care homes in the London borough of Barnet. [32528]
Mr. Roger Evans: There are 57,000 people in Great Britain with preserved rights to the higher levels of income support whose total entitlement to income support does not meet their care home fees. Some of these residents may have disregarded benefit, income or capital which could be used to meet any shortfalls.
Figures are not available for the London borough of Barnet. Source:
Income Support Quarterly Statistical Enquiry: May 1994.
Former Foreign Heads of State
Mr. Tony Banks: To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what special rules apply to former heads of state of foreign countries in respect of social security payments; and what is the current procedure for handling claims from such persons. [32517]
Mr. Hague: None. Any claim from such a person is handled in the normal manner.
Column 194
WALES
Housing Renovation Grants
Mr. Wigley: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales in what circumstances district councils found allocating money received by them from his Department towards housing renovation grants without following the procedure laid down in the Local Government and Housing Act 1989 are liable to repay monies to his Department; on what extent local councillors are surchargeable for dereliction of duty in those circumstances; and who is responsible for instigating
surcharges. [31275]
Mr. Gwilym Jones: The question of recovery would depend on the circumstances of each case. Local authorities are required to certify that their in-year and final claims meet the legal requirements and that they will notify the Welsh Office of any irregularity. The Welsh Office can suspend or abate on-account payments where it is notified of suspected fraud or other irregularity and can adjust overpaid contributions under a determination made under section 132 of the Local Government and Housing Act.
Section 19 of the Local Government Finance Act 1982 provides that if it appears to the district auditor that any item of account is contrary to law, he may apply to the courts for a declaration to that effect. If such a declaration is made, the courts have various powers including the surcharge of those responsible for authorising the expenditure.
Voluntary Organisations
Miss Hoey: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many voluntary sector organisations his Department has (a) paid grants to or (b) entered into contracts within (i) 1993 94 and (ii) 1994 95; and what was the total value of these grants and
contracts. [31298]
Mr. Richards: In 1993 94 369 voluntary organisations in Wales received grants totalling £18.6 million from the Welsh Office, mainly in direct funding, although some indirect grants are also included. Details of outturn expenditure for 1994 95 will be available shortly and I will write to the hon. Lady.
Details of the number of voluntary organisations contracting with the Welsh Office and the value of these contracts are as follows:
Year |Number |Amount £ ------------------------------------ 1993-94 |44 |543,100 1994-95 |51 |672,940
Trunk Road Improvements
Mr. Ainger: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what were the specific environmental reasons for the withdrawal of the A40 Treffgarne Rocks improvement from the road improvement programme in Wales. [31376]
Mr. Gwilym Jones: "Roads in Wales: 1994 Review" identified priority routes and schemes on which resources are to be concentrated. This followed a review of all schemes in the trunk road programme, taking account of
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economic, traffic and environmental considerations. Against this background it was judged that the scale of the previously envisaged improvement at Treffgarne Rocks could not be justified. The relevant environmental factors included the landscape, river habitats, protected species, wildlife and the river itself within the Treffgarne Rocks, Gorge and Tors sites of special scientific interest.Mr. Alan W. Williams: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will list for each trunk road improvement scheme listed in table 1 of the 1986 Welsh Office document, "Roads for Wales: the 1990s and Beyond", and described as expected to start between January 1988 and December 1990 (a) the actual starting date for construction, (b) the completion date and (c) the cost; and if he will also list those schemes that have been abandoned or where there is still no definite starting date. [31848]
Mr. Gwilym Jones: The information requested is set out as follows. A revised forward programme was published in "Road in Wales: 1994 Review", and updated in the Welsh Office's departmental report 1995, Cm 2815.
|Cost
Scheme |Start |Finish |£ million
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
M4 Baglan Lonlas-split as follows:-
M4 Earlswood-Lonlas |March 1990 |February 1993 |57
M4 Briton Ferry- |January 1992 |December 1994 |58
Earlswood
M4 Baglan-Briton Ferry |August 1992 |December 1994 |39
M4 Brynglas Tunnels and |September 1991 |May 1995 |88
Malpas relief road
A5 Pont Padog approaches In "Longer Term consideration" pool of
forward trunk road programme
A5 Halfway bridge In "Longer Term consideration" pool of forward
reconstruction forward trunk road programme
A5 Glyn Bends-Tynant- |May 1994 |1995-96 |8
Dinmael School
A40 Llandeilo northern |February 1994 |December 1994 |4
bypass
A40 Carmarthen eastern In "Programmed" pool of forward trunk road
bypass |programme
A40 Whitland bypass |March 1995 |1996-97 |10
A55 Aber improvement |February 1993 |September 1994 |12
A55 Pen-y-Clip tunnels |November 1989 |March 1994 |109
A55 Rhaullt Hill |May 1990 |April 1992 |17
improvement
A465/A40 Abergavenny In "Longer Term consideration" pool of
western bypass forward trunk road programme
A465 |January 1994 |Autumn 1996 |76
Glynneath-Aberdulais
improvement
A470 Pentrebach-Cefn |May 1994 |Spring 1997 |53
Coed improvement
A470 Under £3 million scheme. Start of work
Gelligemlin-Llanelltyd planned in 1997-98
diversion
A470 Improvement of |April 1990 |July 1991 |2
A470 and A44 at their
junctions south of
Llangurig
A483 Llandeilo eastern In "In preparation" pool of forward trunk road
bypass |programme
A483 Welshpool relief |September 1991 |July 1993 |19
roads
A483 Chirk bypass |April 1989 |April 1991 |12
A487 Cardigan bypass |August 1989 |December 1990 |12
A487 Caernarfon-South of Withdrawn in January 1993 in favour of
Port Dinorwic |Caernarfon Eastern Bypass
A487 Port Dinorwic |July 1992 |March 1994 |14
bypass
A487 Seiont bridge and Withdrawn from major scheme programme in
approaches January 1993. Now Pont Seiont Contract
(under £3 million scheme). Work started
February 1995
A494 Mold bypass |January 1991 |October 1992 |18
A4042 Penperlleni bypass In "Longer Term consideration" pool of
forward trunk road programme
A4042 Llantarnam bypass |January 1994 |1995-96 |17
Infertility Treatment
Mr. Jon Owen Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many Welsh health authorities fund the ICSI infertility treatment either within their own hospitals or as extra-contractual referrals. [23504]
Mr. Richards: This information is not held centrally.
Schools Performance
Mr. Flynn: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what was the total number of schools in Gwent included in examination league tables published in each year; and what was the position in those tables of Gwent's grant-maintained schools. [32104]
Mr. Richards: The information on individual school performance is published in county booklets which lists schools in alphabetical order by postal district. They are not presented in ranked position. The total number of schools in the booklet for Gwent is as follows:
|1992|1993|1994
---------------------------------------------
LEA maintained schools |28 |29 |30
Grant-maintained schools |2 |2 |3
Special schools |5 |2 |1
Independent schools |1 |3 |3
Assisted Places Scheme
Mr. Flynn: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, if he will list those schools which pupils have ( a) left and (b) moved to under the assisted places scheme in the past five years; and what were the numbers of placements for each school per year. [32105]
Mr. Richards: Information about pupil movements is not available centrally. The numbers of new assisted places taken per year for each school is as follows:
Academic year
School |1990-91|1991-92|1992-93|1993-94|1995-96
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
Christ College |20 |18 |18 |18 |17
Howells School, Denbigh |12 |15 |15 |11 |14
Howells School, Llandaff |26 |28 |28 |28 |29
Llandovery College |11 |11 |11 |11 |9
Monmouth School |20 |23 |24 |25 |24
Monmouth School for Girls |10 |14 |13 |11 |14
Penrhos College |12 |10 |13 |13 |12
Rydal School |12 |11 |9 |10 |11
|123 |130 |131 |127 |130
School 1990 91 1991 92 1992 93 1993 94 1994 95
Christ College 20 18 18 18 17
Howells School, Denbigh 12 15 15 11 14
Howells School, Llandaff 26 28 28 28 29
Llandovery College 11 11 11 11 9
Monmouth School 20 23 24 25 24
Monmouth School for Girls 10 14 13 11 14
Penrhos College 12 10 13 13 12
Rydal School 12 11 9 10 11
123 130 131 127 130
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