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EDUCATION AND EMPLOYMENT

Prospects Scheme

Mrs. Jane Kennedy: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment if she will make a statement on the prospects scheme for unemployed people aged over 40 years; and what are the principal sources of funding for the scheme. [31826]

Mr. Forth: Prospects is the name given on Merseyside to a pilot, led by Knowsley metropolitan borough council, aimed at identifying any new sources of jobs arising from social and economic change. It will run for 18 months from January 1996.

The pilot is funded by the European Union. Similar pilots are being run in 15 other member states.

Correspondence

Mr. Winnick: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment when the hon. Member for Walsall, North will receive a reply to his letter of 7 May concerning the Construction Industry Training Board which was transferred from the Department of Trade and Industry to her Department. [31575]

Mr. Paice: A reply was sent on 5 June.

Student Loans Company

Mr. Redmond: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what is the average length of time hon. Members have had to wait for a reply from the chief executive of the Student Loans Company to parliamentary questions that her Department refers to him to answer; and if she will make a statement. [31484]

Mr. Forth: I understand that the average length of time taken by the Student Loans Company to reply to parliamentary questions tabled during the past 12 months has been seven days.

Mr. Redmond: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment (1) pursuant to her answer of 16 May, Official Report, column 516, when the hon. Member can expect a reply from the chief executive of the Student Loans Company; [31494]

(2) pursuant to her answer of 1 May, Official Report, column 539, when the hon. Member can expect a reply from the chief executive of the Students Loans Company. [31441]

7 Jun 1996 : Column: 571

Mr. Forth: I understand that the chief executive has now written to the hon. Member, as requested.

Barnsley and Doncaster Training

and Enterprise Council

Mr. Redmond: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what is the total amount of money paid to date to the Barnsley and Doncaster TEC to assist with social and economic regeneration in respect of the pit closure programme; and (a) how much has been spent to-date and (b) on what scheme. [31424]

Mr. Paice: Over the three financial years 1993-94 to 1995-96, a total of £6.9 million pounds has been paid to the Barnsley and Doncaster training and enterprise council to support the range of activities agreed between the Government office for Yorkshire and Humberside and the TEC under the local coal plan.

The moneys were used by the TEC to extend and enhance the provision of adult training, business start-up and business support services available to communities that were affected by colliery closures. In addition, a number of local initiatives were developed, using the funding provided, to increase the range of local education, training and employment advisory and guidance services available to those who required help.

Other Government funding available to the TEC will also have benefited those areas directly affected by colliery closure.

Additional Educational Needs Funding

Mr. Blunkett: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment (1) if she will (a) list the change in 1996-97 education standard spending assessment (i) in cash, (ii) as a percentage of total standard spending assessment and (iii) in pounds per pupil aged five to 18 years for each education authority and by class, arising from her decision to reverse the policy of increasing allowances for additional educational needs and free school meals in line with increases in the number

7 Jun 1996 : Column: 572

of children of income support claimants and (b) rank each authority in descending order in terms of cash lost per pupil; [31051]

(2) if she will list the representations from local authorities to date (a) in favour and (b) against her decision to reverse the policy of increasing additional educational needs allowances and free school meals in line with increases in the number of children of income support claimants; and if she will make a statement; [31052]

(3) if she will list the proportion of education standard spending assessment distributed by the additional educational needs index (a) in 1990-91, (b) in 1995-96 and (c) in 1996-97 for each education sub-block and in total. [30997]

Mr. Robin Squire: The information is set out in the tables. Options setting out different ways of calculating the allowances in the schools standard spending assessment--SSA--sub-blocks for additional educational needs and free school meals were presented to the local authority associations last year for consultation. The option chosen was to reset the allowances at the levels derived from the 1993 review of standard spending assessments. The option chosen is supported by the Association of County Councils and opposed by the Association of Metropolitan Authorities and the Association of London Government. To date, I have received representations from two local authorities opposing the option chosen.

Proportion of education standard spending assessments distributed by the additional educational needs index

SSA Sub-block	1990-91	1995-96	1996-97
	Per cent.	Per cent.	Per cent.
Primary	20.0	17.4	15.7
Secondary	20.0	17.4	15.7
Post-16	18.0	17.5	16.5
Under fives	70.0	37.5	37.5
Other	70.0	62.9	63.4
Total	24.5	20.9	19.3

7 Jun 1996 : Column: 571

Table of results

	1	2	3	4	5	6
	1996-97 Education SSA	Cash difference	Percentage difference in SSA	Actual 5 to 18+ SSA per pupil	Adjusted 5 to 18+ SSA per pupil	Change in 5 to 18+ SSA per pupil
Local Education Authority	£ million	£ million	Percentage	£	£	£
Tower Hamlets	122.839	-2.599	-2.1	3,547	3,633	-86
Hackney	92.084	-1.624	-1.8	3,504	3,579	-75
Lambeth	100.826	-1.687	-1.7	3,542	3,618	-75
Southwark	109.297	-1.830	-1.7	3,343	3,411	-68
Islington	81.095	-1.281	-1.6	3,320	3,383	-63
Haringey	93.427	-1.567	-1.7	3,060	3,122	-61
Camden	78.312	-1.147	-1.5	3,318	3,376	-58
Newham	130.381	-2.118	-1.6	3,036	3,093	-57
Hammersmith and Fulham	56.047	-0.733	-1.3	3,271	3,324	-53
Lewisham	108.942	-1.410	-1.3	3,244	3,294	-50
Manchester	188.261	-2.938	-1.6	2,689	2,738	-49
Brent	109.692	-1.492	-1.4	3,018	3,066	-48
Greenwich	114.263	-1.357	-1.2	3,177	3,220	-43
Westminster	58.134	-0.630	-1.1	3,123	3,164	-41
Waltham Forest	97.421	-1.129	-1.2	2,897	2,937	-39
Knowsley	73.138	-0.897	-1.2	2,605	2,642	-36
Kensington and Chelsea	34.193	-0.299	-0.9	3,058	3,093	-35
Liverpool	209.232	-2.527	-1.2	2,573	2,608	-35
Wandsworth	86.304	-0.808	-0.9	3,090	3,124	-35
Birmingham	448.721	-4.720	-1.1	2,538	2,569	-30
Ealing	112.151	-0.912	-0.8	2,793	2,820	-26
Hounslow	94.807	-0.689	-0.7	2,759	2,782	-23
Newcastle upon Tyne	99.652	-0.764	-0.8	2,461	2,483	-22
Middlesbrough	61.491	-0.452	-0.7	2,449	2,470	-20
Wolverhampton	99.898	-0.721	-0.7	2,450	2,470	-20
Barking and Dagenham	69.879	-0.413	-0.6	2,661	2,679	-18
City of Kingston upon Hull	102.701	-0.659	-0.6	2,408	2,426	-18
Enfield	117.827	-0.664	-0.6	2,703	2,720	-17
Bradford	209.868	-1.217	-0.6	2,433	2,448	-16
Coventry	119.872	-0.663	-0.6	2,395	2,410	-15
Sandwell	118.096	-0.643	-0.5	2,392	2,407	-15
Salford	82.496	-0.413	-0.5	2,365	2,378	-14
Wirral	132.298	-0.645	-0.5	2,384	2,397	-13
Croydon	118.396	-0.493	-0.4	2,649	2,662	-13
Redbridge	98.258	-0.351	-0.4	2,657	2,668	-11
Gateshead	70.844	-0.246	-0.3	2,357	2,366	-9
City of Bristol	119.870	-0.386	-0.3	2,338	2,347	-9
Rochdale	82.736	-0.265	-0.3	2,356	2,364	-8
South Tyneside	59.030	-0.191	-0.3	2,343	2,352	-8
Walsall	108.588	-0.331	-0.3	2,342	2,350	-8
Redcar and Cleveland	59.590	-0.174	-0.3	2,377	2,385	-8
Hartlepool	37.013	-0.102	-0.3	2,337	2,344	-7
Barnet	117.029	-0.268	-0.2	2,598	2,605	-7
Sunderland	114.863	-0.296	-0.3	2,342	2,349	-7
Oldham	94.759	-0.241	-0.3	2,341	2,348	-7
Sheffield	170.970	-0.397	-0.2	2,331	2,337	-6
Merton	58.096	-0.089	-0.2	2,574	2,578	-5
Doncaster	119.680	-0.205	-0.2	2,394	2,399	-5
Hillingdon	93.797	-0.133	-0.1	2,584	2,588	-4
Calderdale	77.167	-0.106	-0.1	2,338	2,341	-4
Rotherham	102.425	-0.123	-0.1	2,325	2,328	-3
Sefton	106.847	-0.128	-0.1	2,296	2,299	-3
North Tyneside	68.757	-0.057	-0.1	2,293	2,295	-2
Bolton	100.891	-0.078	-0.1	2,283	2,285	-2
North East Lincolnshire	64.840	-0.045	-0.1	2,308	2,309	-2
Stockton on Tees	71.747	-0.008	0.0	2,310	2,310	0
St. Helens	66.604	-0.005	0.0	2,291	2,291	0
Nottinghamshire	365.135	-0.017	0.0	2,312	2,312	0
Harrow	72.990	0.007	0.0	2,552	2,551	0
Leeds	252.509	0.036	0.0	2,284	2,283	0
Sutton	67.782	0.016	0.0	2,554	2,553	1
City of London	0.759	0.000	0.0	2,866	2,864	1
Kirklees	141.523	0.095	0.1	2,305	2,303	2
Barnsley	76.867	0.059	0.1	2,277	2,275	2
Bedfordshire	220.156	0.207	0.1	2,416	2,413	3
Durham	216.644	0.219	0.1	2,330	2,327	3
Lancashire	510.448	0.766	0.1	2,289	2,285	4
Leicestershire	333.840	0.588	0.2	2,296	2,291	4
East Sussex	219.761	0.378	0.2	2,390	2,385	5
Bexley	88.646	0.157	0.2	2,502	2,497	5
Trafford	76.735	0.155	0.2	2,237	2,232	5
Wakefield	111.605	0.262	0.2	2,223	2,217	6
Isle of Wight Council	45.138	0.099	0.2	2,445	2,439	6
Kingston upon Thames	47.066	0.099	0.2	2,488	2,482	6
Wigan	110.133	0.292	0.3	2,218	2,212	7
Kent	581.733	1.431	0.2	2,405	2,399	7
Tameside	80.591	0.217	0.3	2,210	2,203	7
Dudley	104.158	0.292	0.3	2,209	2,202	7
Bury	61.635	0.184	0.3	2,208	2,201	7
Devon	345.862	1.070	0.3	2,305	2,297	8
Northamptonshire	222.270	0.815	0.4	2,269	2,260	9
Essex	566.981	1.994	0.4	2,418	2,409	9
Berkshire	282.308	1.009	0.4	2,414	2,405	10
Cheshire	348.970	1.392	0.4	2,238	2,228	10
Havering	87.183	0.314	0.4	2,473	2,463	10
Bromley	103.845	0.389	0.4	2,450	2,440	10
Dorset	207.427	0.850	0.4	2,257	2,246	10
Derbyshire	319.922	1.328	0.4	2,245	2,235	10
Bath and North East Somerset	54.404	0.230	0.4	2,226	2,216	10
Cornwall	164.930	0.704	0.4	2,330	2,319	11
Cambridgeshire	237.278	1.042	0.4	2,301	2,289	11
Solihull	73.069	0.348	0.5	2,184	2,173	11
Hertfordshire	387.245	1.663	0.4	2,457	2,445	12
York	52.793	0.250	0.5	2,208	2,196	12
Buckinghamshire	252.855	1.155	0.5	2,405	2,393	12
Staffordshire	366.019	1.826	0.5	2,220	2,208	12
Northumberland	113.513	0.571	0.5	2,301	2,289	13
Norfolk	243.384	1.242	0.5	2,324	2,312	13
Stockport	89.804	0.478	0.5	2,156	2,143	13
Hampshire	525.153	2.700	0.5	2,308	2,295	13
North Lincolnshire	56.381	0.301	0.5	2,290	2,276	13
Cumbria	170.602	0.919	0.5	2,305	2,291	14
Gloucestershire	183.797	1.014	0.6	2,254	2,240	14
West Sussex	235.410	1.285	0.5	2,343	2,329	14
Warwickshire	164.025	0.951	0.6	2,237	2,223	14
Lincolnshire	213.026	1.197	0.6	2,329	2,314	14
Shropshire	145.332	0.830	0.6	2,279	2,265	14
Hereford and Worcester	229.005	1.404	0.6	2,251	2,235	15
Wiltshire	197.517	1.304	0.7	2,246	2,230	16
South Gloucestershire	78.677	0.547	0.7	2,152	2,136	16
Suffolk	217.470	1.476	0.7	2,243	2,227	17
North Somerset	58.642	0.416	0.7	2,203	2,186	17
Somerset	150.908	1.093	0.7	2,256	2,238	18
Oxfordshire	192.571	1.340	0.7	2,329	2,311	18
Richmond upon Thames	45.854	0.316	0.7	2,348	2,330	19
North Yorkshire	185.854	1.603	0.9	2,287	2,265	21
East Riding of Yorkshire	102.954	0.928	0.9	2,237	2,215	22
Surrey	307.474	2.515	0.8	2,393	2,371	22
Isles of Scilly	1.233	0.012	0.9	4,259	4,215	44
Total	17764.242	0.000	0.0	2,403	2,403	0
Inner London	1043.096	-15.404	-1.5	3,314	3,373	-59
Outer London	1824.526	-9.019	-0.5	2,680	2,695	-15
Metropolitan borough	4304.322	-16.400	-0.4	2,368	2,378	-10
Shires	9484.108	38.362	0.4	2,322	2,311	10
New Authorities	1106.975	2.449	0.2	2,293	2,288	6
Isles of Scilly	1.233	0.012	0.9	4,259	4,215	44

1. Columns 4 and 5 calculate SSA per 5 to 18+ pupil by dividing the sum of the primary, secondary and post-16 SSA sub-blocks by the sum of pupils aged 5 to 10, 11 to 15 and post-16, as defined in the Local Government Finance Report (England) 1996-97.

2. Column 4 sets out the actual level of SSA per pupil aged 5 to 18+ for 1996-97. Column 5 sets out what the level of SSA per pupil would have been without the change in methodology.

3. Column 6 ranks each authority in descending order of the change in SSA funding per pupil.

7 Jun 1996 : Column: 575

7 Jun 1996 : Column: 575

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