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Rathgael Centre
Mr. Robert McCartney: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many residents of the Rathgael centre in Bangor left without permission in each month of 1995; and how many were (a) charged and (b) cautioned with offences committed while out of bounds. [18526]
Sir John Wheeler: Rathgael is an "open" training school and the information requested about those absent without leave is as follows:
| 1995 | Care(1) | Offenders | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| January | 19 | 16 | 35 |
| February | 20 | 16 | 36 |
| March | 29 | 22 | 51 |
| April | 24 | 12 | 36 |
| May | 19 | 15 | 34 |
| June | 29 | 16 | 45 |
| July | 25 | 24 | 49 |
| August | 25 | 15 | 40 |
| September | 12 | 14 | 26 |
| October | 23 | 21 | 44 |
| November | 23 | 19 | 42 |
| December | 19 | 24 | 43 |
(1) Residents requiring care, protection or control are accommodated separately from those given a training school order following a finding of guilt of a criminal offence.
A total of 70 children who absconded from Rathgael in 1995 were charged with offences. Of these, 15 were there for care reasons and 55 for offending.
A total of nine children who absconded from Rathgael in 1995 received a caution. Of these, eight were there for care reasons and one for offending.
Access to Work
Mr. Blunkett: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment how many of those who applied for access to work before 18 December, but have not yet had their applications processed, will have their applications considered under the criteria used when they applied. [11485]
Mr. Forth: Responsibility for the subject of the question has been delegated to the Employment Service agency under its chief executive. I have asked him to arrange for a reply to be given.
6 Mar 1996 : Column: 226
Letter from Mike Fogden to Mr. David Blunkett, dated 6 March 1996:
The Secretary of State has asked me to reply to your question about how people who applied for Access to Work before 18 December will have their applications considered.
The Secretary of State's announcement said that we would meet existing commitments. Thus everyone who made an application for Access to Work before 18 December will have had their applications considered under the criteria used when they applied.
I hope this is helpful.
EDS Ltd.
Ms Eagle: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment if she will list those contracts her Department currently holds with EDS, indicating for each the (a) date of inception, (b) value and (c) duration. [17447]
Mr. Robin Squire: I have been unable to identify any contracts between the Department and the company EDS.
Further Education (Manchester)
Mr. Callaghan: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what change there has been in enrolments on further education courses in the Greater Manchester area from 1987 to 1995. [18260]
Mr. Paice: Enrolments on full-time further education courses in Greater Manchester rose from 29,700 in 1986-87 to 44,100 in 1994-95, an increase of 48 per cent. Part-time enrolments fell by 22 per cent., from 104,100 to 81,100. The number of full-time equivalent students rose by 20 per cent. from 49,000 to 58,500.
Nursery Education Provision
Mr. Mills: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what will be the level of provision per pupil under the Government's proposed nursery scheme for (a) year 1, (b) year 2 and (c) year 3, for those pupils (i) aged three-and-a-half-years, (ii) in reception class and (iii) aged four years; and how this figure compares with the current provision. [18799]
Mr. Robin Squire: Local education authority budgets will be reduced only by the voucher value for every four-year-old in maintained provision. They will receive £1,100 for every full voucher redeemed at a local authority-maintained school. If LEA-maintained schools recruit the same number of four-year-olds as now, then their budgets will be unaffected. Moreover, if they currently spend above the voucher value on places for four-year-olds, or on provision for three-year-olds, the funding mechanism ensures that they retain the funds to continue doing so. They will, therefore, continue to be able to fund pre-school places at existing levels.
The expansion of provision will be largely driven by parental choice and is expected to become universal for four-year-olds within a reasonable time.
Nursery Voucher Scheme
Mr. Mills: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment how many local education authorities will suffer financial penalties under the provision of the nursery voucher scheme. [18797]
6 Mar 1996 : Column: 227
Mr. Robin Squire: No local education authority will lose any funding if it continues to recruit the same number of four-year-olds as it does now. Moreover, the voucher scheme will leave LEAs with funds to make grants to the voluntary sector, and for other related purposes.
Mr. Alfred Morris: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what representations she has received from the Manchester Diocesan Board for Education in regard to her proposals for nursery vouchers; what reply she is making; and if she will make a statement. [17212]
Mr. Robin Squire: My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State has received one letter from the Manchester diocesan board of education, dated 21 February, about the nursery voucher scheme. My right hon. Friend will shortly send a full reply.
Jobseeker's Allowance
Mr. Ian McCartney: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and employment if the calculation of the number of weekly guided learning hours using the criteria set out in the Further Education Funding Council's document "How to Apply for Funding 1996-97," para 164 by a claimant of jobseeker's allowance will be accepted by the Employment Service; and if she will make a statement. [19044]
Access to Work
Mr. Blunkett: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment when she expects the review of access to work to be completed; and if she will make a statement. [19146]
Mr. Forth: Responsibility for the subject of the question has been delegated to the Employment Service agency under its chief executive. I have asked him to arrange for a reply to be given.
Letter from Mike Fogden to Mr. David Blunkett, dated 6 March 1996:
The Secretary of State has asked me to reply to your question about the review of Access to Work.
Ms Corston:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment if she will make a statement on her Department's implementation of the European Union's third medium-term equal opportunities programme for men and women. [17269]
Mrs. Gillan:
The Government supported the third Community action programme on equal opportunities for men and women, which ran from 1991 to 1995. The programme had three broad objectives: the implementation and development of legislation; integration of women in the labour market; and improving the status of women in society. The Government have taken a wide range of actions in all these areas.
6 Mar 1996 : Column: 228
Mr. Hall:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what assessment she has made about the projected savings to the Funding Agency for Schools in respect of the introduction of private sector funding for grant-maintained schools' capital expenditure. [18836]
Mrs. Gillan
[holding answer 4 March 1996]: The contribution of private sector funding to capital expenditure on grant-maintained schools will depend upon the decisions of individual school governors and the private sector. We have made it clear that capital grant from the Funding Agency for Schools will continue to ensure that essential work is funded at GM schools.
Further to my earlier reply to you on this subject printed in Hansard, 24 January, column 285, the review of Access to Work is nearly complete, following discussions with organisations principally concerned about the programme's operation.
I hope this is helpful.
Cable and Wireless
Mr. Wilson: To ask the President of the Board of Trade what use the Government have made of their golden share in Cable and Wireless in respect of the appointment of foreign nationals. [17154]
Mr. Ian Taylor: The Government accepted a request in December from Cable and Wireless to change article 119 of that company's articles of association to facilitate the appointment of a new chief executive. Article 119 relates to the managing and executive directors--paragraph B specifically to the nationality of senior executives--and the Government's agreement as special shareholder is required to amendments to this article. I announced the Government's agreement in the reply to my hon. Friend the Member for Castle Point (Dr. Spink), on 18 December 1995, Official Report, column 862.
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