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Local Veterinary Inspectors
Mr. Morley: To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will place in the Library a copy of the report of the inquiry chaired by Divisional Veterinary Officer Hugh Morris in regard to certification procedures carried out by local veterinary inspectors. [11691]
Mrs. Browning [holding answer 25 January 1996]: The report of the working party chaired by Mr. Morris, DVO was an internal discussion document not intended for publication. A copy will not, therefore, be placed in the Library.
EDUCATION AND EMPLOYMENT
Student Loans Company
Mr. Fatchett: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment (1) how many people were employed by the Student Loans Company on 1 January in each of the last five years; what were the grades of those employed; and how many loans were being administered on 1 January in each of the last five years; [13847]
- (2) if she will set out (a) the number of cases in which the Student Loans Company has issued county court summons against students, (b) the number of cases which have proceeded to a court hearing, (c) the number of cases in which the defendant has been either (i) ordered or (ii) agreed to repay the loan and (d) the
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- number of cases in which the Student Loans Company has agreed to withdraw a summons, and the reason for that decision. [13848]
Mr. Forth: These are matters for the Student Loans Company. I have asked the chief executive to write to the hon. Member with the information.
Nursery School Inspections
Mr. Spearing: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment if she will place in the Library the names of the nursery schools visited by registered inspectors of education in school year 1994-95 under section 9 of the Education (Schools) Act 1992; and what is the public document which sets down the criteria used for these inspections. [14286]
Mr. Robin Squire: This is a matter for Her Majesty's Chief Inspector of Schools, who heads the Office for Standards in Education. I have asked Mr. Chris Woodhead to write to the hon. Member.
Nursery Vouchers Scheme
Mr. Spearing: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment, pursuant to her answer of 2 February, Official Report, column 983, concerning agreements entered into with non-statutory bodies or persons concerning her proposed extension to early years education, on what statutory authority she entered on 22 January into contract No. 0414/118/02 with Capita Managed Services Ltd. relating to the administration of phase 1 of a voucher scheme; how many responses were received to the published advertisements; and what is the value of the contract. [14284]
Mr. Robin Squire: The Secretary of State entered into the contract on behalf of the Crown in pursuance of the Crown's ordinary common law right to enter into contracts. This right does not depend on statute. One hundred and seventy companies expressed an interest in the contract. The contract was awarded by competitive tender. Its value is commercially confidential.
Mr. Blunkett: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what budget has been allocated for phase 1 of the nursery voucher scheme in each of the four pilot authorities; and if she will give a breakdown of this budget with respect to (a) funding for new places, (b) publicity, (c) administration and (d) inspection. [14116]
Mr. Squire: The estimated cost of new places in the phase one authorities is shown in the table. The budget for publicity in phase one is £750,000. The estimated cost of inspection and administration in phase 1 is £5 million, much of this is expected to be accounted for by the preparations for inspection in phase 2.
| Local authority | Estimated cost of new places £ |
|---|---|
| Wandsworth | 770,000 |
| Westminster | 880,000 |
| Kensington and Chelsea | 935,000 |
| Norfolk | 3,300,000 |
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Mr. Blunkett: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what assessment she has made of the proportion of providers participating in (a) phase 1 and (b) phase 2 of the voucher scheme, capable of meeting the premises' requirements set out in the Children Act 1989 and the Education (School Premises) Regulations 1981. [14117]
Mr. Squire: It is the responsibility of local education authorities and the governors of grant-maintained schools to ensure that all school premises comply with the Education (School Premises) Regulations 1981. They will also be responsible for ensuring compliance with the revised regulations that we expect to lay before the House later this month.
The Children Act 1989 does not prescribe premises standards for registration. Local authority social services departments have regard to the space standards guidance set out in local authority circular LAC(93)1 when registering institutions.
Reception Classes
Mr. Blunkett: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what is the (a) average class size, (b) average pupil-teacher ratio and (c) average pupil-adult ratio of reception classes in England. [14110]
Mr. Robin Squire: Information about pupils and staff in reception classes is not collected centrally.
Under-fives Education
Mr. Blunkett: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what are the number and percentage of three-year-olds in (a) maintained nursery schools and nursery classes, (b) reception classes in primary schools, (c) private or voluntary sector provision an (d) pre-school provision overall. [14118]
Mr. Robin Squire: The available information for schools in England is shown in the following table. We have no reliable estimates on three-year olds in voluntary or private provision.
| School type | Pupils | Percentage of population(27) |
|---|---|---|
| Maintained nursery schools and nursery classes | 277,353 | 42 |
| Infant classes in primary schools | 1,309 | -- |
| Independent schools(28) | 22,075 | 3 |
| All schools(29) | 303,467 | 46 |
--negligible (i.e. less than 0.5)
(26) Full-time and part-time pupils aged three years of age at 31 August 1994.
(27) Full-time and part-time pupils aged three years of age at 31 August 1994, expressed as a percentage of the population aged three at 31 August 1994
(28) Includes pupils in direct grant nursery schools.
(29) Includes pupils in maintained nursery, primary and special schools, non-maintained special schools and independent schools.
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Training and Enterprise Councils
Mr. John Greenway: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what progress St. Helen's chamber of commerce, training and enterprise and Greater Peterborough and Kent TECs are making in meeting the criteria for the award of a three-year licence. [14640]
Mr. Paice: I am pleased to announce the award of three-year licences to St. Helens chamber of commerce, training and enterprise, Greater Peterborough and Kent TECs, which have now completed the process of meeting the rigorous standards that we set.
NORTHERN IRELAND
Housing Bill
Mr. Robert McCartney: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland for what reasons the provisions of the Housing Bill do not extend to Northern Ireland [12827]
Mr. Moss: Provisions on housing benefit in the forthcoming Housing Bill will extend to Northern Ireland. Separate Northern Ireland legislation on homelessness and other related issues is likely to be brought forward in due course in a way which accommodates the particular circumstances of Northern Ireland.
Movilla Cemetery
Mr. John D. Taylor: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if the Old Movilla road, Newtownards, is designated as an access to Movilla cemetery, Newtownards; what assessment he has made of the gradient; what research he has evaluated into the impact of snow and frost on the road; if he will make it his policy to implement gritting the Old Movilla road during periods of frost and snow; and if he will make a statement. [12941]
Mr. Moss: The main entrance to Movilla cemetery is on the Old Movilla road, Newtownards. The 120m section of Old Movilla road between Movilla road and the cemetery's entrance has a very slight gradient; the remaining 390m section has a gradient of approximately 1:8. The impact of snow and ice on this road is not considered to be significantly different from many other comparable minor roads and traffic volumes are not high enough to justify its inclusion in the winter maintenance programme. However, the Department proposes to provide a grit bin along the steepest section of the road.
Strangford Ferry
Mr. John D. Taylor:
To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland on how many days each of the two car ferries operated on the Portaferry-Strangford route during the month of January 1996: on how many days the passenger ferry operated in that month; what factors led to the absence of a ferry service on Monday 29 January 1996; if he will arrange an internal inquiry about the management of this ferry service; what proposals there are to provide a new ferry boat; and if he will make a statement. [12901]
8 Feb 1996 : Column: 323
Mr. Moss:
During January 1996 the MV Strangford was in service for 22 days, while the MV Portaferry was not in service at all as it was, and still is, receiving its annual refit, which is required for marine safety purposes; the passenger vessel, MV Isle O'Valla was in service for six days.
No ferry service was in operation on 29 January 1996, when the MV Strangford and the MV Isle O'Valla suffered major mechanical breakdowns.
While there are no proposals to carry out an internal inquiry into the management of the ferry service, a report on the recent breakdown is presently being prepared.
Last year marine consultants carried out a review of the ferry service and, in the light of that, the Department is exploring the possibility of replacing the MV Portaferry. However, as this proposal will have to compete with other priorities it is not possible to state at this stage when a new vessel could be provided.
Mr. Taylor:
To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what was the net cost to public funds of the operation of the Strangford ferry, including maintenance and repairs, in the last financial year. [13170]
Mr. Moss:
Approximately £333,000.
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