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Astra Pension Scheme

Mr. Todd: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what steps he is taking to compensate future pensioners of the Astra pension scheme for their loss of benefits. [70757]

Mr. Mudie: The Department continues to press the Astra liquidators and the pension fund trustees to ensure that future pensioners suffer no loss of benefits. Current pensioners are already receiving their full entitlements.

Childline

Mrs. Virginia Bottomley: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment when he last met the Chief Executive or Chairman of Childline to discuss funding. [70708]

Mr. Blunkett: I last met the Chief Executive in February 1998 to launch the Childline in Partnership with Schools (CHIPS) project but have not had a meeting specifically to discuss funding.

Departmental Expenditure

Mr. Blunt: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment how much his Department spent on promotional literature between (a) 1 May 1997 and 1 January 1999 and (b) 1 May 1995 and 1 January 1997. [70443]

Mr. Mudie [holding answer 15 February 1999]: Within the Department's Advertising and Publicity Budget the total spend on publications was:



Mr. Don Foster: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment if he will list the expenditure incurred by his Department, agencies and non- departmental public bodies on (a) the setting up and (b) the operation of web sites, indicating the cases in which the expenditure has been above that budgeted; and if he will list for each web site (i) the topics covered, (ii) the current average number of hits per month and (iii) the estimated expenditure on each web site for each of the next three years. [70974]

Mr. Mudie [holding answer 15 February 1999]: The costs of setting up and operating the Department's website since it began in 1995 have not been held centrally and figures could be obtained only at disproportionate cost. The website provides information and advice to parents, teachers, schools, employers and jobseekers about the Department's policies and responsibilities. It receives approximately 950,000 hits per month.

The cost of developing and running the website for the next three years is estimated to be in the region of £100,000 per year plus staff costs, which are not possible to separate out for work associated with the website.

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The Employment Service has a separate website which provides more detailed information for employers and jobseekers and about ES services. It receives approximately 7,500 hits per month. In 1998-99 it cost approximately £15,000 to run the website. This will rise to £23,600 next year to enable important enhancements and thereafter costs will fall to about £10,000 per year.

The New Deal website is again separate from the Department's and gives information for employers and potential participants of the New Deal. The site has an average of 12,000 hits per month. The cost to date of the New Deal website is £167,000. Decisions on the future costs and development of the website have not yet been made.

The Teacher Training Agency had two websites until the end of last year. The first aimed at those involved in Teaching and the second aimed at potential teachers. The average number of hits per month for the two sites is 223,340. The cost to date of setting up and operating the websites is £205,000. The cost for ongoing development and maintenance is estimated at £32,000.00.

Skin Cancers

Mr. Kemp: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what measures have been taken to offer school children and staff guidance on, and protection from, the dangers of excessive exposure to sunlight and its linkage with skin cancers. [70365]

Mr. Charles Clarke: The Department recommends that schools include sun awareness as part of their health and safety policy, and that information is provided to pupils and parents.

The Department has publicised the Health Education Authority's Sun Awareness Campaign in "Spectrum," a publication that is sent to all schools. This includes "Sun Known-How" safety guidelines for schools, which include advice on putting policies in place, practical information and ideas for activities involving pupils.

Didbrook School

Mr. Laurence Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment if he will estimate the increased gross cost of upgrading Didbrook School following the proposed closure of Toddington School; if Gloucestershire County Council has indicated that it is to reconsider its decision to amalgamate the two schools on the basis of cost; and if he will make a statement. [70893]

Ms Estelle Morris: It is for Gloucestershire County Council to estimate the gross cost of these proposals and to submit the relevant financial information to the Department as part of the statement of case. My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State has received no indication from Gloucestershire County Council that it intends to reconsider its decision to amalgamate the schools. I refer the hon. Member to my answer of 26 January 1999, Official Report, column 229.

Legal Services

Mr. Ruffley: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment if he will list (a) the London barristers' chambers and (b) the London solicitors' firms that have performed services for his Department (i) since

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1 May 1997 and (ii) in the equivalent period preceding that date, indicating the remuneration paid in each particular case. [70030]

Mr. Mudie [holding answer 8 February 1999]: The information requested is available only at disproportionate cost.

My right hon. and learned Friend the Attorney-General appointed Philip Sales as First Junior Treasury Counsel (Common Law) and Jonathan Crow as First Junior Treasury Counsel (Chancery) to advise and represent the Government in their important civil cases. In addition, the Attorney-General maintains at present two London panels of junior Counsel whom Departments are expected to use for the rest of the Government's civil litigation. The panels currently comprise 103 barristers from 42 different sets of chambers. The Attorney-General will shortly appoint a third panel of very junior barristers. The Attorney-General's individual nomination is required before a barrister who is not on one of the approved panels can be instructed to appear for the Government in litigation.

Departments may use firms of solicitors in addition to the Treasury Solicitor and their departmental legal advisers, for example, where the relevant expertise lies in the private sector. The relationship is subject to the usual confidentiality which operates between lawyer and client.

"Public Relations Toolkit for Employers"

Mr. Chope: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment how many copies of the New Deal "Public Relations Toolkit for Employers" have been produced; and at what cost. [71366]

Mr. Andrew Smith: 30,000 copies of the New Deal "Public Relations Toolkit for Employers" were printed, at a total cost of £41,856.

Carers (Students)

Ms Kelly: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment (1) what support is available for carers who wish to enter further or higher education; and if he will make a statement; [70794]

Mr. Mudie: Someone with caring responsibilities who is in full-time higher education is, subject to personal eligibility, entitled to support towards tuition fees and living costs on the same basis as other students. For students entering before 1998-99, 50 per cent. of that support was available as grant and 50 per cent. as student loan, and students were not required to contribute to their

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tuition fees. From 1998-99 most new entrants are liable for a contribution to their tuition costs, according to their ability to pay. From 1999-2000, the support available to new entrants will be in the form of 100 per cent. loans.

Currently, the first £3,030 of any Invalid Care Allowance is disregarded in assessing the support available. If the person being cared for is financially dependent on the student, the student may also be eligible for a Dependants Allowance of up to £2,025. Additional support may be available through the Access Funds and the Hardship Loans.

The maximum maintenance support available to full-time students in higher education will depend upon the student's personal circumstances. For most students living away from the parental home, the maximum support available through grant and loan is currently £3,545. Disabled students are eligible for additional grants as follows:


Someone who is a carer wishing to enter further education will be eligible for the range of support available to all students in that sector. This support has been transformed from September 1999 so that it is more evenly distributed across the country and better targeted on those most in need. Provision will be mostly through an expanded access fund administered by colleges, which will provide assistance for such expenditure items as travel, fees, books and equipment. There will be additional support available for child care and for those need to study away from home. Colleges when considering individual applications for access funds will take account of other sources of support, including benefits and allowances. It is up to each college to determine the level of payment appropriate to the individual circumstances of the student concerned. Most students over age 18 will be liable to pay tuition fees, but students no in employment are generally exempt and there is further discretion to assist other groups.

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