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EDUCATION AND EMPLOYMENT
School Admissions Code of Practice
Mr. Don Foster: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment if he will place in the Library copies of responses he received to the School Admissions Code of Practice Consultative Draft. [71750]
Ms Estelle Morris: I have arranged for copies of all responses received on the Draft School Admissions Code of Practice to be placed in the Library.
Failing LEAs (Contractors)
Mrs. May: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment, pursuant to his answer of 1 February 1999, Official Report, column 490, on failing LEAs, how many formal expressions of interest from organisations able to (a) perform LEA functions and (b) provide management consultancy services for LEAs had been received by 15 February. [72508]
Ms Estelle Morris: 98 expressions of interest were received for consultancy work and 107 for the delivery of LEA functions.
Disabled People (Interviews)
Mr. Oaten: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment in the pilot areas for the New Deal for Disabled People (a) how many initial interviews with personal advisers have been booked, (b) how many initial interviews with personal advisers have taken place, (c) how many disabled people have agreed to participate in the New Deal following an initial interview and (d) how many people obtained jobs following participation in the New Deal. [72372]
Ms Hodge: The Personal Adviser Service is in the early stages of pilot operation, and it is too soon to draw conclusions. Figures show that by 5 February, 1,528 interviews had been booked, 1,364 people had been seen by Personal Advisers, and some 821 people had begun to implement an employment focused action plan. We know that most people in this client group will need many months of support before they are ready to start work. However, I am delighted that so far 50 people have secured work.
KPMG
Mr. Ruffley: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment if he will list the services that KPMG have performed for his Department (a) since 1 May 1997 and (b) in the corresponding period prior to 1 May 1997, indicating the remuneration made in each case. [72006]
Mr. Mudie: The services and levels of remuneration provided to my department by KPMG are given in the following table.
| Period | Service | Remuneration (£) |
|---|---|---|
| 1 May 1997--31 January 1999 | Management Consultancy | 22,291 |
| Policy advice | 47,880 | |
| 1 April 1996--30 April 1997 | Management Consultancy | 265,864 |
22 Feb 1999 : Column: 19
Ministerial Visits
Mr. Gray: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment, pursuant to his answer of 15 February 1999, Official Report, column 566, on ministerial visits, which hon. Members have been informed of a planned visit to their constituency by him in the last 12 months. [72225]
Mr. Mudie: In accordance with paragraph 79 of the Ministerial Code, hon. Members are informed in advance about planned visits to their constituencies by myself and Ministerial colleagues.
Jobfinder Grants
Mr. Field: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment how many Jobfinder grants have been paid in each year since the introduction of the scheme. [72184]
Mr. Andrew Smith: Responsibility for the subject of this question has been delegated to the Employment Service agency under its Chief Executive. I have asked him to arrange for a reply to be given.
| Year | Number of Grants |
|---|---|
| 1994-1995 pilot | 4,708 |
| 1995-1996 | 12,383 |
| 1996-1997 | 17,300 |
| 1997-1998 | 15,820 |
| 1998-Jan 99 (10 months) | 8,281 |
I hope this is helpful.
Ofsted Inspectors
Mr. Blizzard: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment (1) if he will make it his policy to ensure that all Ofsted inspectors periodically undertake some teaching in schools; [72269]
- (2) what is the average age of Ofsted inspectors; [72270]
(3) what is the average length of time since an Ofsted inspector last taught in a school. [72271]
Ms Estelle Morris:
These are matters for HM Chief Inspector of Schools and I have therefore asked Chris Woodhead to write to my hon. Friend and to place a copy of his letter in the Library.
22 Feb 1999 : Column: 20
Mr. Boswell:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what arrangements are made to assist with public funds capital expenditure on pre-school provision. [71966]
Ms Estelle Morris:
Following the Comprehensive Spending Review, over £5 billion will be available over the next three years for investment in school buildings, including facilities for under fives. Earmarked capital grant for Early Excellence Centres is available through the New Deal for Schools programme.
Mrs. May:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment how many copies of the magazine "Teachers" have been distributed to (a) teachers direct and (b) schools; what was the cost of producing the magazine; and what was the cost of distributing the magazine. [72506]
Ms Estelle Morris:
No copies have been distributed direct to teachers. A total of 334,300 copies of the magazine have been distributed to schools: teachers requested approximately 8,000 extra copies after 326,300 copies were initially distributed to schools.
The magazine costs 9p a copy to produce and 11p a copy to distribute. It replaces the DfEE's previous publication, Schools Update. The magazine is paid for from the Department's central advertising and publicity budget which has already been earmarked for spending on publicity material.
Mrs. May:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment if he will make copies of his Department's magazine, Teachers, available in the Library. [72239]
Ms Estelle Morris:
Copies have been placed in the Library.
Mrs. May:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment when he plans to issue draft regulations for consultation on private/public sector partnerships under section 128(1)(2) of the School Standards and Framework Act 1998. [72505]
Ms Estelle Morris:
It is planned to issue draft regulations for consultation in May 1999.
Mrs. May:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what advice his Department has issued to local education authorities on the use of genetically modified foods in school meals services. [72237]
Mr. Charles Clarke:
Responsibility for determining the content of school meals rests with local education authorities and the governing bodies of grant maintained schools.
22 Feb 1999 : Column: 21
Mrs. May:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment if he intends to publish details of the position of specialist teachers in relation to his proposals to restructure teachers' salary scales. [72507]
Ms Estelle Morris:
There is no statutory definition of the term "specialist teacher".
The technical consultation document on pay and performance management, published on 1 February 1999, sets out the Government's proposals in respect of teachers' salary structure.
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