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Schools (Windfall Tax)
Mr. Fitzpatrick: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment (1) when the criteria for qualifying for help from the funds for schools set aside from the windfall tax will be produced; [8018]
- (2) what proposals he has to give areas with a larger percentage of old school buildings priority when the funds for schools from the windfall tax are distributed. [8019]
Mr. Byers: We shall shortly be writing to Schools, Local Education Authorities, the Funding Agency for Schools and the representatives of Voluntary Aided Schools with details of how New Deal for Schools capital will be distributed.
Income Support
Mr. Rooney: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment (1) how many claimants had their income support reduced in each of the first two quarters of 1996-97 for non-attendance or failure to complete (i) jobplan workshops, (ii) restart courses, (iii) workwise and worklink and (iv) 1-2-1; [7730]
- (2) how many claimants had income support reduced for (a) two weeks and (b) four weeks for non-attendance or failure to complete project work in the first two quarters of 1996-97. [7729]
Mr. Alan Howarth [holding answer 10 July 1997]: Responsibility for the subject of the questions 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 Leigh Lewis to Mr. Terry Rooney, dated 17 July 1997:
- The Secretary of State has asked me to reply to your questions about how many claimants had their Income Support reduced in each of the first two quarters of 1996-97 for non-attendance or failure to complete (i) Jobplan Workshops, (ii) Restart Courses, (iii) Workwise and Worklink and (iv) 1-2-1, and how many claimants had Income Support reduced for (a) two weeks and (b) four weeks for non attendance or failure to complete Project Work in the first two quarters of 1996-97. This is something which falls within the responsibilities delegated to me as Chief Executive of the Agency.
- Unfortunately, the information is not available in the form you require. It may help if I explain that decisions on Income Support for non attendance on or failure to complete Project Work are based on opinions given by Employment Service adjudication officers. In the period April 1996 to September 1996, Employment Service adjudication officers gave 43 opinions which may have led to a reduction in the amount of Income Support payable. The information
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- available does not show whether this would have been for two weeks or four weeks. Not all adverse opinions will necessarily have resulted in a reduction of Income Support.
- Information on the number of claimants whose Income Support was reduced during the same period for non attendance on or failure to complete Jobplan Workshops, Restart Courses, Workwise, Worklink, and 1-2-1 was not collated centrally and unfortunately can not therefore be provided.
- I hope this helps to clarify the situation.
School Performance Tables
Mrs. Gordon: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what is his Department's assessment of the (a) advantages and (b) disadvantages of league tables for public examination results; and what assessment he has made of the utility to parents of data contained in these reports. [8438]
Ms Estelle Morris: Performance tables of examination results inform the debate on standards and focus attention on the areas where action is needed. Most parents are aware that the information is available and find it valuable when making decisions. But they need to have a fuller picture. Secondary tables this November will show how schools have improved over time. We aim to include value-added measurements the following year.
Mrs. Gordon: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what assessment he has made of the advantages of taking account of secondary school intake in school performance tables. [8440]
Ms. Morris: Secondary school performance tables need to show the progress pupils have made, from their different starting points, as well as success in public examinations. The School Curriculum and Assessment Authority have reported that it is possible to measure value added in schools. I have asked them to take forward this work with the aim of including such measures in secondary tables in 1998. We shall consult fully on this.
Further Education (Mentally Ill People)
Mr. Etherington: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment when his departmental officials last met representatives of the Further Education Funding Council regarding the provision of further education services to patients detained under the Mental Health Act 1983. [8504]
Dr. Howells: Officials have not held any meetings with FEFC officers on this issue, but there has been contact with FEFC, by telephone and correspondence, on this matter.
Mr. Etherington: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what plans he has to ensure that further education services are available to patients detained under the Mental Health Act 1983; and if he will make a statement. [8503]
Dr. Howells:
Section 60 of the Further and Higher Education Act 1992 debars the Further Education Funding Council from funding the education of patients detained under the Mental Health Act 1983. The Government has no plans for amending the legislation in this area.
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Mrs. Gordon:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment if he will ensure that pupils permanently excluded from particular schools have places at other schools. [8439]
Ms Estelle Morris:
Local education authorities have a statutory duty to arrange suitable education for children of compulsory school age who are out of school by reason of exclusion or otherwise.
Sir Richard Body:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what was the cost of producing the White Paper "Excellence in Schools"; and how many copies have been printed. [8639]
Mr. Byers:
The cost of printing the White Paper was met by the publishers, The Stationery Office. The Department met the cost of design, photography and typesetting which amounted to some £78,700 including VAT. Sixty thousand copies have been printed but I understand that a reprint of a further 1,500 copies has now been put in hand by The Stationery Office.
Sir Richard Body:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what was the cost of producing the video accompanying the White Paper, "Excellence in Schools"; and how many copies have been produced. [8646]
Mr. Byers:
The cost of producing the video and reproducing 30,000 copies, 28,000 of which will be distributed in September to all schools in England, is expected to cost £131,300 including VAT.
Sir Richard Body:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment how many organisations have been sent a copy of the White Paper, "Excellence in Schools". [8637]
Mr. Byers:
The White Paper has been sent to all schools, with separate copies to headteachers and chairs of governing bodies, all Further Education institutions, all local education authorities, all MPs and a wide range of other interested organisations and individuals.
Mr. Willis:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what plans he has to re-introduce the School Premises Regulations; and when the Regulations will be introduced to cover three to five-year-olds within the new proposals for early years education. [8649]
Mr. Byers:
There are already school premises regulations in place: currently these are the Education (School Premises) Regulations 1996, which replaced the Education (School Premises) Regulations 1981 last September.
The Regulations set minimum standards for school premises and facilities, and apply to all state sector schools, including those with pupils aged from three to five years.
Mr. Chaytor:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what assessment he has made
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of the current workskill pilot schemes in respect of their contribution towards education and training opportunities for unemployed adults. [8640]
Mr. Alan Howarth:
It is too early to make an assessment of the existing Workskill pilots at this stage. They have been operating in four areas since April this year. The pilots will be fully evaluated to provide us with valuable information on the extent to which allowing people to study on benefits affects their chances of gaining and remaining in employment. The first evaluation findings are expected to be available in early 1998.
Mr. Gordon Prentice:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what is the lowest hourly rate paid for full-time employment that has been advertised in a jobcentre over the last 12 months. [8641]
Mr. Alan Howarth:
Responsibility for the subject of the questions 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 Leigh Lewis to Mr. Gordon Prentice, dated 17 July 1997:
The Secretary of State has asked me to write to you direct in reply to your question about the lowest hourly rate paid for full time employment that has been advertised in a Jobcentre over the last 12 months. This is something which falls within the responsibilities delegated to me as Chief Executive of the Agency.
I regret that I am unable to provide the information you have requested. The Employment Service does not collect statistical information on the wage rates on offer for vacancies advertised in Jobcentres.
I am sorry I cannot be more helpful.
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