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EDUCATION AND EMPLOYMENT

Truancy, London

Mr. John Marshall: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what is the level of truancy in each London education authority. [20392]

Mr. Robin Squire: Rates of unauthorised absence for maintained primary and secondary schools in each London education authority for the 1994-95 school year up to and including 26 May 1995 are given in the following table:

Unauthorised absence in maintained primary schools in the 1994-95 school year

LEA	Percentage of half days missed	Average number of half days missed per absent pupil
Inner London
Corporation of London	0.6	6
Camden	1.5	15
Greenwich	1.7	16
Hackney	1.6	15
Hammersmith and Fulham	1.5	15
Islington	0.9	11
Kensington and Chelsea	1.1	11
Lambeth	1.9	14
Lewisham	1.2	12
Southwark	1.8	15
Tower Hamlets	2.1	14
Wandsworth	0.7	10
Westminster	1.5	14
Outer London
Barking and Dagenham	1.6	13
Barnet	0.4	10
Bexley	0.3	7
Brent	0.8	9
Bromley	0.3	9
Croydon	0.5	9
Ealing	0.5	10
Enfield	0.5	12
Haringey	1.8	15
Harrow	0.4	8
Havering	0.2	6
Hillingdon	1.1	9
Hounslow	0.7	10
Kingston upon Thames	0.4	9
Merton	0.7	11
Newham	2.8	17
Redbridge	0.7	10
Richmond upon Thames	0.2	7
Sutton	0.2	9
Waltham Forest	1.1	11
England average	0.5	10

Source:

The National Pupil Absence Tables 1995, DfEE, November 1995.

13 Mar 1996 : Column: 639

Unauthorised absence in maintained secondary schools in the 1994-95 school year

LEA	Percentage of half days missed	Average number of half days missed per absent pupil
Inner London
Corporation of London	n/a	n/a
Camden	2.2	26
Greenwich	1.8	31
Hackney	3.3	28
Hammersmith and Fulham	2.9	33
Islington	3.1	37
Kensington and Chelsea	2.4	19
Lambeth	2.1	20
Lewisham	2.1	26
Southwark	3.3	28
Tower Hamlets	3.6	25
Wandsworth	2.1	33
Westminster	2.6	20
Greater London
Barking and Dagenham	2.8	48
Barnet	0.3	12
Bexley	0.9	34
Brent	1.2	21
Bromley	0.5	16
Croydon	0.5	16
Ealing	1.3	29
Enfield	0.4	19
Haringey	1.9	38
Harrow	0.5	27
Havering	0.7	14
Hillingdon	1.5	24
Hounslow	1.0	28
Kingston upon Thames	0.4	17
Merton	1.8	27
Newham	3.6	43
Redbridge	0.4	15
Richmond upon Thames	0.8	17
Sutton	0.3	12
Waltham Forest	1.9	22
England average	1.0	22

Source:

The National Pupil Absence Tables 1995, DfEE, November 1995.

13 Mar 1996 : Column: 640

School Buildings (Conditions Survey)

Mr. Blunkett: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment when the last national survey of the condition of school buildings was undertaken by her Department; and when further such surveys are planned. [20567]

Mrs. Gillan: The last national survey by the Department that included information on the condition of school buildings was undertaken in 1986 and published in 1987 as the "Survey of School Buildings".

There are no plans for another exercise of this type in the immediate future.

Nursery Voucher Scheme, Manchester

Mr. Alfred Morris: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what representations she has had from St. Wilfrid's school in Northenden, Manchester, in regard to the nursery school voucher scheme; what reply she is sending; what action she is taking; and if she will make a statement. [19074]

Mr. Robin Squire: My right hon. Friend has received one letter from St. Wilfrid's school, Northenden about the nursery voucher scheme. A reply will be sent shortly.

Purcell School Development Appeal

Mr. Clifton-Brown : To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment if she will assist the Purcell school development appeal. [20876]

Mrs. Gillan: We have decided to make a capital grant of £250,000 towards the Purcell school development appeal. This will encourage private donors also to contribute, and will enable the school to secure the larger premises needed to enhance the specialist education it provides for children with exceptional musical talents. Subject to parliamentary approval of the necessary grant regulations, the payment will be made within the existing cash limit for class x vote 1 for 1995-96.

NORTHERN IRELAND

Prison Service

Mr. John D. Taylor: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many people have been employed within the Northern Ireland Prison Service; and if he will provide a breakdown (a) for (i) uniformed and (ii) civilian employees and (b) for each institution in each of the last five years. [19509]

13 Mar 1996 : Column: 641

Sir John Wheeler: Responsibility for the subject in question has been delegated to the Prison Service under its chief executive, Mr. Alan Shannon. I have asked him to arrange for a reply to be given.

Letter from A. D. Shannon to Mr. John D. Taylor, dated 13 March 1996:

The Secretary of State has asked me to reply to your question about the number of staff within the Northern Ireland Prison Service. The figures are based on staff in post at 1st March in each of the last 5 years.
Total staff in post

Year	Discipline staff	Governors	Specialists	Civilians
1992	2,463	105	582	345
1993	2,494	100	582	331
1994	2,507	94	589	325
1995	2,552	91	519	396
1996	2,532	86	445	430

Year	Discipline staff	Governors	Specialists	Civilian
HM prison, Belfast
1992	556	20	119	17
1993	609	22	120	20
1994	611	20	120	20
1995	335	16	111	32
1996	315	13	85	32
HM prison, Maze
1992	849	24	178	57
1993	823	24	174	47
1994	843	23	174	47
1995	1,153	23	131	68
1996	1,117	25	126	67
HM prison, Maghaberry
1992	478	16	128	38
1993	478	16	129	36
1994	481	15	133	34
1995	497	14	126	42
1996	515	15	103	46
HM prison, Magilligan
1992	397	12	85	19
1993	395	12	87	18
1994	395	11	88	19
1995	377	11	82	31
1996	377	10	71	37
HM Young offenders centre, Hydebank
1992	168	8	54	12
1993	174	9	54	11
1994	162	8	58	11
1995	174	8	52	20
1996	186	8	43	23
HM prison service college
1992	15	11	14	18
1993	15	4	13	18
1994	15	4	13	18
1995	16	4	8	13
1996	17	4	7.5	16
Prison service headquarters
1992	0	14	0	184
1993	0	13	0	184
1994	0	13	0	181
1995	0	15	0	190
1996	5	11	4	209

13 Mar 1996 : Column: 642

School Class Sizes

Mr. Worthington: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will publish class sizes in Northern Ireland primary schools over the past 10 years; and list how many and what percentage were up to 20, 21 to 25, 26 to 30, 31 to 35, 36 to 40 and over 40. [20286]

Mr. Ancram: The information requested is as follows:

13 Mar 1996 : Column: 641

Numbers and percentages of classes by class size in Northern Ireland primary schools

	Up to 20		21-25		26-30		31-35		36-40		Over 40
Year	Number	Per- centage	Number	Per- centage	Number	Per- centage	Number	Per- centage	Number	Per- centage	Number	Per- centage
1986-87	1,039	15.1	1,831	26.6	2,453	35.6	1,346	19.6	204	3.0	8	0.1
1987-88	1,036	15.0	1,881	27.2	2,520	36.4	1,312	19.0	168	2.4	5	0.1
1988-89	1,048	15.0	1,857	26.6	2,521	36.2	1,348	19.3	175	2.5	20	0.3
1989-90	1,060	15.0	1,892	26.8	2,602	36.9	1,345	10.1	143	2.0	7	0.1
1990-91	1,136	16.0	1,979	27.9	2,565	36.1	1,266	17.8	152	2.1	7	0.1
1991-92	1,221	16.9	2,122	29.4	2,614	36.2	1,157	16.0	90	1.2	15	0.2
1992-93	1,404	19.2	2,193	30.0	2,710	37.1	954	13.0	51	0.7	1	0
1993-94	1,755	22.8	2,473	32.2	2,628	34.2	793	10.3	36	0.5	1	0
1994-95	1,828	23.6	2,601	33.7	2,552	33.0	716	9.3	32	0.4	0	0
1995-96	1,810	23.9	2,472	32.6	2,634	34.7	647	8.5	18	0.2	0	0

13 Mar 1996 : Column: 641

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