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Further Education Colleges
Mr. Chaytor: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment how many further education colleges in England and Wales face budget reductions for the financial year 1997-98. [5330]
Dr. Howells: The Further Education Funding Council has determined final allocations for the academic year 1997-98 in respect of 227 colleges. 109 of these colleges have reduced allocations compared to their funding allocations at the start of 1996-97. 202 of these colleges have reduced allocations compared to their estimated out-turn for 1996-97. Final allocations have still to be made for the remaining 220 colleges.
The responsibility for colleges in Wales lies with my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Wales.
Mr. Chaytor:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment how many further education colleges in England and Wales are currently operating with a financial deficit. [5329]
Dr. Howells:
Based on audited accounts for the academic year ending July 1996, the number of colleges in England with an operating deficit is 275. The total operating deficit involved is £112 million, equivalent to 2.9 per cent. of total income.
The responsibility for colleges in Wales lies with my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Wales.
Mr. Chaytor:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment (1) how many students were enrolled in further education colleges in England and Wales during 1992-93; [5327]
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Dr. Howells:
The figures in table 1 below show the number of FE and HE students in further education colleges in England in the academic years, 1992-93 and 1996-97. In order to provide data on a comparable basis, the 1992-93 figure includes information for sixth form colleges which became part of the FE sector in April 1993. Information for 1996-97 is provisional.
(2) how many students are enrolled in further education colleges in England and Wales during the current financial year. [5328]
| Academic year | Number of students in further education colleges(16) |
|---|---|
| 1992-93 | 1,952.5 |
| 1996-97 (Provisional) | 2,351.8 |
Note:
(16)As at 1 November.
Mr. Truswell: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what criteria he will employ in considering proposed mergers of further education colleges; and if continuity, choice and accessibility of courses will be essential requirements. [5277]
Dr. Howells: My right hon. Friend will normally consider proposed mergers on the basis of a formal proposal from the Further Education Funding Council for England. The Council assesses proposals against criteria which include the benefits to existing and future students in terms of access and choice. It is also a statutory requirement, contained in S.I. 1992 No. 2361, that public notices in respect of proposals shall include the educational provision to be made for those students who have not completed their courses at the time of the merger.
Mr. Truswell: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what plans he has to review the effects of the incorporation of colleges and of the further education funding council system, particularly as regards areas served by a number of further education institutions. [5315]
Dr. Howells: My right hon. Friend expects the further education sector to continue to be funded by the Further Education Funding Council for England and for colleges to continue to be governed as independent institutions. In areas served by a number of colleges, he would welcome greater collaboration between them.
Departmental Advisers
Mr. Mitchell: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment if he will list the special advisers in his Department, the Minister to whom each is responsible, the subjects on which they advise and the number of advisers in his Department in the year up to 1 May. [5359]
Mr. Blunkett: I refer my hon. Friend to my replies given to the hon. Member for Chesham and Amersham on 10 June and 19 June, Official Report, cols. 369 and 258 respectively.
Both of my advisers are employed under terms and conditions based on the model contract for Special Advisers. In accordance with Schedule 1 (part 1) of the
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model contract, Conor Ryan is advising me on press and policy presentation strategy; school standards; lifelong learning; University for Industry; information technology; Welfare to Work and the Education White Paper. Sophie Linden (part time) is advising me on Nursery and Primary (literacy and numeracy) education; Teacher training; Millennium volunteers; Young People/Pupil welfare and links with Parliament.
Any additional provision will be directed at the development of employment and employability issues, together with specific support to me in dealing with confidential written material, reflecting the particular circumstances I face in undertaking my job on equal terms with my other ministerial colleagues.
The Department employed two advisers in the year up to 1 May 1997.
Mr. Nigel Jones:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment how many children in Gloucestershire are in full time education in (a) primary and (b) secondary schools. [5368]
Mr. Byers:
In January 1997 (provisional estimates), the numbers of full time children in maintained primary and secondary schools in Gloucestershire Local Education Authority area were 46,152 and 34,961 respectively.
Mr. Nigel Jones:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment how many primary school children in Gloucestershire have been taught in class sizes larger than 29 in each of the last 10 years for which figures are available; and if he will make a statement. [5369]
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Mr. Byers:
The information requested is shown in the following table.
| Position as at January | Number |
|---|---|
| 1997 (provisional estimates) | 19,630 |
| 1996 | 17,936 |
| 1995 | 15,975 |
| 1994 | 14,693 |
| 1993 | 13,172 |
| 1992 | 12,483 |
| 1991 | 12,054 |
| 1990 | 13,588 |
| 1989 | 13,468 |
| 1988 | 15,298 |
Mr. McNulty: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what are the average and maximum numbers of children in primary school classes in (i) Harrow, East and (ii) Harrow, West; and how many are educated in class sizes of over 30 pupils. [5352]
Mr. Byers: The available information is shown in the following table.
The information in Table 2 puts into context the information on maximum class sizes in Table 1.
| Average class size | Maximum size class | Pupils in classes of 31 or more | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Harrow West | 27.6 | 35 | 1,818 |
| Harrow East | 27.4 | 35 | 1,845 |
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| Size of class | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1-20 | 21-30 | 31-35 | 36-40 | 41 or more | Total | ||||||||
| Number of classes | Number of pupils | Number of classes | Number of pupils | Number of classes | Number of pupils | Number of classes | Number of pupils | Number of classes | Number of pupils | Number of classes | Number of pupils | ||
| Harrow West23 | 321 | 181 | 5,073 | 57 | 1,818 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 261 | 7,212 | ||
| Harrow East20 | 291 | 256 | 7,031 | 58 | 1,845 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 334 | 9,167 | ||
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Further Education (Funding)
Mr. Chaytor: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what proposals he has to review (a) the Further Education Funding Council's funding methodology and (b) its policy of funding convergence. [5325]
Dr. Howells:
The report of a working group of the Further Education Funding Council on the funding methodology is due to be published shortly. The Council's announcement last month on funding convergence policy followed consultation with colleges earlier in the year.
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Mr. Truswell:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment if he intends to introduce a system of strategic planning into the further education sector, particularly in areas served by a number of colleges. [5314]
Dr. Howells:
In order to assess whether it is fulfilling its statutory duties in respect of the provision of adequate and sufficient further education in England the Further Education Funding Council for England requests all further education sector colleges to produce strategic plans covering a three year period.
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