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Benefits Agency Medical Services
Mr. Gordon Prentice: To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many doctors were employed by the Benefits Agency medical services (a) in April 1995 and (b) at the most recent date for which figures are available. [19661]
Mr. Burt: The administration of the Benefits Agency medical services is a matter for Peter Mathison, the chief executive of the Benefits Agency. He will write to the hon. Member.
Letter from Peter Mathison to Mr. Gordon Prentice, dated 22 March 1996:.
The Secretary of State has asked me to reply to your recent Parliamentary Question asking how many doctors were employed by the Benefits Agency Medical Services (BAMS) (a) in April 1995 and (b) at the most recent date for which figures are available.
On 1 April 1995 BAMS employed 250 doctors. The latest figures available show that as of 1 February 1996 BAMS employed 313 doctors.
I hope you find this reply helpful.
Parliamentary Questions
Mr. Donohoe: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment how many questions were tabled to her Department in each Session since 1987-88; how many were not answered on the grounds of disproportionate cost; what percentage of the total number of questions this represented; how many were not answered on the grounds that the information was not centrally available; and what percentage of the total number of questions this represented. [21152]
Mr. Robin Squire: The number of questions tabled for the Department since 1987 are shown in the following table. The reminder of the information sought could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.
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| Department of Employment | Department for Education and Science | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Year | Written | Oral | Written | Oral |
| 1987-88 | 3,145 | 390 | 2,342 | 461 |
| 1988-89 | 2,984 | 362 | 2,029 | 318 |
| 1989-90 | 2,620 | 321 | 2,281 | 266 |
| 1990-91 | 1,496 | 312 | 1,670 | 274 |
| 1991-92 | 730 | 143 | 776 | 127 |
| 1992-93 | 2,342 | 403 | (10)2,289 | (10)372 |
| 1993-94 | 1,636 | 273 | (10)1,550 | (10)278 |
| 1994-95 | 1,528 | 218 | (10)1,506 | (10)239 |
| 1995-96 | -- | -- | (11)962 | (11)137 |
(10) Department for Education.
(11) Department for Education and Employment.
Mr. Donohoe: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what was the average cost of answering an (a) oral and (b) written parliamentary questions from (i) Opposition and (ii) Conservative hon. Members in each Session since 1989-90. [21792]
Mr. Squire: This Department does not collect the information in the form requested.
Higher Education
Mr. Stewart: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment how many representatives of Scottish education interests he intends to appoint to the committee of inquiry into higher education in the United Kingdom. [22430]
Mr. Forth: My colleagues, including my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Scotland, and I are considering the membership of the committee of inquiry in the light of consultations and expect to make an announcement after Easter.
Pupil Registration Regulations
Mr. Nigel Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment, pursuant to her answer of 28 November 1995, Official Report, column 676, what conclusions she has reached on updating the Education (Pupil Registration) Regulations 1956. [22287]
Mr. Robin Squire: My right hon. Friend has no current plans to amend the Education (Pupil Registration) Regulations 1995, which replaced the 1956 regulations and came into force on 1 September 1995. Officials are, however, continuing to explore with representatives of local education authorities whether existing guidance and procedures in this area should be revised to take account of issues raised by the West case.
Pupil Assessments
Mr. Spearing: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment if she will list the evidence she has evaluated which shows that the performance of a school pupil in respect of subjects and related grades achieved in the general certificate of secondary education at the age of 16 plus can be predicted on the basis of assessments made at the age of 11 plus. [22768]
Mr. Paice: The first year of statutory assessment of 11-year-olds at the end of key stage 2 was 1995. It will be possible to compare these pupils' 1995 key stage 2 national curriculum assessment results with their GCSE results in 1999.
25 Mar 1996 : Column: 435
There are, however, a number of local schemes in existence which compare the value added by schools to pupils' achievements over time. We have asked the School Curriculum and Assessment Authority to investigate these and to advise how value added might be calculated nationally and for individual schools. The SCAA is due to report by the end of the year.
Access to Work Scheme
Mr. Sutcliffe: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment (1) what was the outcome of her Department's consideration of the access to work scheme; [22251]
- (2) what plans she has to alter criteria for inclusion on the access to work scheme. [22252]
Mr. Paice: The review of the access to work programme is now complete; an announcement is expected to be made shortly about its future operation.
Child Care Projects (Merseyside)
Mr. Frank Field: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment for what reason the rules concerning the funding of stand-alone child care projects attempting to gain support under objective 1 status in Merseyside were changed last year; and if she will make a statement. [22425]
Mrs. Gillan: The rules concerning the funding of stand-alone child care projects have not changed. Child care cost are only eligible as part of a European social fund vocational training or employment project.
School Funding
Sir Peter Emery: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what information she collates about the allocation of funds by local education authorities to different age groups at schools; and what was the average expenditure for children between (a) four and six years old, (b) seven and 11 years old, (c) 13 and 14 years old and (d) 15 and 16 years old plus in the last year for which figures are available. [22447]
Mr. Robin Squire: Information on the funding allocated by local education authorities to schools in 1995-96 by reference to the number and ages of their pupils is set out at appendix A in the volume "Education Statistics 1995-96 Estimates", published by the Chartered Institute of Public Finance and Accountancy, which is available in the Library. Information on funding allocated by reference to other factors is set out in appendix B. The Department has itself undertaken no collation and analysis which would add usefully to CIPFA's.
Careers Service
Mr. Byers: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment which contracts in respect of which local authority areas for the operation of the careers service have been awarded to Nord Anglia. [22448]
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Mr. Paice: Nord Anglia has provided the careers service in Stockport and the High Peak since April 1995. It is contracted to provide services in Wiltshire, Brent and Harrow and Bolton, Bury and Rochdale from 1 April 1996. A further contract is expected to be signed before the end of March but details remain commercial in confidence until then.
Training and Enterprise Councils
Mr. Byers: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what is the salary range for each training and enterprise council chief executive or highest paid director in (a) 1993-94 and (b) 1994-95. [22491]
Mr. Paice: In line with other private companies, training and enterprise councils are required to report details of salaries paid to their highest paid director in their annual accounts. Copies of the accounts are held in the Library.
NORTHERN IRELAND
Southern Education Area Board Building (Armagh)
Mr. John D. Taylor: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what proposals the Southern education area board has (a) to replace the damaged flagpole and (b) repair the public clock at its premises in the Market house in the centre of the Armagh city conservation area. [21196]
Mr. Ancram: The Southern education and library board has said that the necessary repairs will be carried out as soon as possible.
Killylane Reservoir
Mr. Clifford Forsythe: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what is the Department of the Environment environmental services sampling regime for discharge points at Killylane reservoir. [21248]
Mr. Moss: The environment service commenced monitoring of the discharge of waste water from Killylane water treatment plant in January 1996. Sampling will take place at monthly intervals.
Mr. Forsythe: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what was the aluminium content in samples taken from discharger points at Killylane reservoir between January 1993 and January 1996; and what assessment he has made of the compliance of those discharges with World Health Organisation tolerance levels. [21249]
Mr. Moss: A sampling regime for Killylane water treatment plant commenced in January 1996. A sample of the waste water discharge from the plant to the Killylane reservoir was taken by the environment service on 22 January and the aluminium content in the sample was 3.23 mg per litre.
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