| Previous Section | Index | Home Page |
Departmental Asset Sales
Mr. Malcolm Bruce: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment if he will list the items sold by his Department, its agencies and associated public bodies from those listed in the National Assets Register of November 1997; if he will give in each case the amount of money realised; if he will estimate the total cash raised from such sales to date; and if he will make a statement. [70412]
Mr. Mudie [holding answer 11 February 1999]: The total value of money realised from the sale of assets by the Department, its agencies, and associated public bodies since the publication of the information in the National Assets Register is £13,391,196.
Asset management is kept under close review, and those which are surplus to requirements are disposed of as quickly as possible, subject to value-for-money considerations. They are normally disposed of on the open market by public auction or tender. The exception to this rule is that in DfEE, good working IT equipment is gifted to education and employment bodies and projects via third-party organisations. The following table lists items reported as sold by the Department, its agencies and associated public bodies since the information on assets was published in the National Assets Register of November 1997.
23 Feb 1999 : Column: 277
| Department for Education and Employment | Type of asset sold | Number of transactions or transaction detail | Value realised (£) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1997-98 | Freehold Property | Swindon Skill Centre--land only | 1,435,850 |
| Fixtures and Fittings | 1 | 925 | |
| Vehicles | 63 | ||
| Cars | 62 | 268,632 | |
| Vans | 1 | 2,139 | |
| Office Machinery | (19)3 | 49,602 | |
| Other IT Equipment | 3,200 | 152,374 | |
| 1998-99 (January 1999) | Freehold Property | Letchworth Skill Centre--land only | 150,070 |
| Office Machinery | 1 | 275 | |
| Other IT Equipment | 1,156 | 15,426 |
(19) These figures include the sale of some assets of the former Teachers' Pensions Agency which were sold to Capita Ltd. when they took over the function on a going concern basis.
23 Feb 1999 : Column: 279
| Employment Service | Type of asset sold | Value realised (£) |
|---|---|---|
| 1997-98 | Land and Buildings(20) | 3,244,480 |
| Fixtures and Fittings | 9,000 | |
| Vehicles | 1,117,586 | |
| Office Machinery | 2,779 | |
| Other IT Equipment | 83,734 | |
| 1998-99 (December 1998) | Land and Buildings(21) Fixtures and Fittings | 1,575,000 5,128 |
| Vehicles | 914,778 | |
| Other IT Equipment(22) | 1,922 |
(20) Employment Service Property Assets listed in National Assets Register disposed of in 1997-98: Airdrie UBO, Barking JC, Biggleswade ESJ, Blaenavon ESJ, Bradford Clifford St. ESJ, Cardiff JC, Cowdenbeath ESJ, Doncaster Trafford Way ESJ, Dumfries JC, Dunoon JC, Eastleigh JC, Ellesmere Port UBO, Epping JC, Gorleston ESJ, Kelso ESJ, Llandrindod Wells ESJ, Loughborough PACT, Milford Haven ESJ, Nelson ESJ, Newton Le Willows ESJ, (Historic Lease) Northallerton ESJ, Orpington (the Walnuts), Parkhead UBO, Peterhead UBO, Preston JC, Rushden UBO, South Kirby ESJ, Stanford Le-Hope, Walton ESJ, Wishaw ESJ, Witney ESJ and Worcester ESJ.
(21) Employment Service Property Assets listed in National Assets Register disposed of in 1998-99 (up to December 1998): Camden Town ESJ, Malvern ESJ, and March ESJ.
(22) From 1 August 1998 the Employment Service entered into a partnership agreement with EDS for a period of 10 years. Under the partnership agreement, ES computer equipment (with the exception of telecommunication equipment) transferred to EDS for a nominal charge. The assets had a net book value of approximately £20 million at the date of transfer. They were exchanged for equivalent savings in the net present value of service charges over the term of the agreement.
| Ofsted | Type of assets sold | Number of transactions | Value realised (£) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1997-98 | Vehicles--Cars | 7 | 28,329 |
| 1998-99 | Vehicles--Cars | 4 | 20,318 |
| Organisation | Type of asset sold | Value realised (£) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| NCVQ/SCAR now QCA | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1997-98 | Office Machinery | 450 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Vehicles | 2,432 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1998-99 | Other IT Equipment | 3,500 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Vehicles | 19,297 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Teachers Training Agency | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1997-98 | IT equipment | 3,900 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Construction Industry Training Board | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1997-98 | Building | 140,000 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Plant and Machinery | 20,500 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Office furniture and equipment | 10,700 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Vehicles | 263,933 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1998-99 | Plant and Machinery | 8,200 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Office furniture and equipment | 750 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Vehicles | 108,300 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Funding Agency for Schools | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1997-98 | IT equipment | 9,000 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1998-99 | IT equipment | 3,400 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Higher Education Funding Council for England | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1997-98 | Vehicles | 4,200 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| IT equipment | 25,500
| Remploy Ltd.
| 1997-98 | Buildings | 164,000
| Plant machinery and other equipment | 955,000
| Vehicles | 400,000
| 1998-99 | Buildings | 538,000
| Plant machinery and other equipment | 886,000
| Vehicles | 119,000
| |
| Student Loan Company
| 1997-98 | Computer and other electronic equipment | 463,000
| Vehicles | 43,000
| Further Education Funding Council
| 1997-98 | Equipment | 2,285
| 1998-99 | Equipment | 502
| |
| Engineering Construction Industry Training Board
| 1997-98 | Plant and machinery | 118,000
| | |||||||||||||||||||
23 Feb 1999 : Column: 280
Gateway Interviews (Training)
Mrs. May: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what specific training will be given to personal advisers conducting interviews for the Single Work-Focused Gateway on advising people with learning disabilities. [71584]
Mr. Andrew Smith [holding answer 16 February 1999]: Single Work-Focused Gateway Personal Advisers will have access to training materials to equip them with the skills and knowledge to help them identify people with learning disabilities.
This training material will also equip Personal Advisers to refer people with learning disabilities to the most appropriate specialist support.
The content of the training material includes the following:
Miss McIntosh:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment (1) what representations he has received on the SSA level for the education provision in North Yorkshire; and if he will make a statement; [72165]
Ms Estelle Morris:
My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State has received representations from concerned schools and parents complaining about the possibility that North Yorkshire County Council may not use all of the £13 million increase in the education SSA to support education. He has no plans to visit North Yorkshire, but has written to the Leader of the County Council to make it clear that we expect the County Council to set a budget
23 Feb 1999 : Column: 281
which uses all of the education SSA increase to support education services, especially schools. I understand that the County Council will now do this.
Kali Mountford:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what changes he plans to make to cash limits and running costs limits within his responsibility for 1998-99. [72993]
Mr. Mudie:
Subject to Parliamentary approval of the necessary Supplementary Estimate, the cash limit for Class IX, Vote 1 (Department for Education and Employment: programmes and central services), Vote 3 (Employment Service), and Vote 4 (Office of Her Majesty's Chief Inspector of Schools in England), will be amended as follows:
how to identify people with disabilities, including learning disabilities;
the sensitivities around dealing with people with disabilities;
specialist programmes available for people with disabilities; and
the specific help specialist support can offer, e.g. through the Disability Employment Adviser.
(2) what plans he has to visit North Yorkshire to discuss the SSA settlement for North Yorkshire County Council. [72160]
| Class | Vote | Existing cash limit (£) | Change (£) | New cash limit (£) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| IX | 1 | 10,381,602,000 | 94,807,000 | 10,476,409,000 |
| IX | 3 | 1,749,858,000 | 25,811,000 | 1,775,669,000 |
| IX | 4 | 118,641,000 | -8,300,00 | 110,342,000 |
The cash limit for Class IX, Vote 1 (Department for Education and Employment: programmes and central services) will be increased by £94,807,000 from £10,381,602,000 to £10,476,409,000. This is the net effect of the take up of £17,356,000 of the end-year flexibility eligibility on running costs and £5,265,000 of that on the New Deal for Schools announced by the Chief Secretary to the Treasury on 14 July 1998, Official Report, columns 131-36; a claim on reserve of £38,000,000 to cover European Social Fund payments in the current financial year for which the receipts from the EC will not arrive until next year; transfers of £8,300,000 from Class IX, Vote 4 (Office of Her Majesty's Chief Inspector of Schools) and £19,200,000 from Class IX, Vote 3 (Employment service) in connection with Books for Schools and Key stage 2 revision classes, of £20,000 from Class XIII, Vote 3 (the Scottish Office) for compensation due to a change in the student support funding regime and cross border flows of students, and of £102,000 to Class XII, Vote 3 (the Department of Social Security) for publicity of the National Childcare strategy; a switch of £4,224,000 from Supplementary Credit approvals in connection with the provision of schools capital; and an increase of £6,348,000 for Welfare to Work publicity and running costs of which £1,718,000 is transferred from Class IX, Vote 3 (Employment Service) and £70,000 from Class XII, Vote 3 (Department of Social Security), and £4,560,000 is extra provision financed from the windfall tax; offset by transfers of £250,000 to Class XIV, Vote 2 (the Welsh office) and £230,000 to Class XV, Vote 1 (the Northern Ireland Departments) for the University for Industry, of £470,000 to Class XII, Vote 1 (the Department of Social Security) for Bridging Allowances, of £4,260,000 of gross provision and £1,702,000 of receipts to Class IX, Vote 3 (the Employment Service) for restructuring and Grays Inn Road property, and of £500,000 to Class XI, Vote 1 (the Department of Health) for professions allied to medicine.
The running cost provision within the control total has been increased by £25,791,000 from £250,548,000 to £276,330,000. This is as a result of the £17,356,000 take up of end-year flexibility and the transfers of £20,000 from the
23 Feb 1999 : Column: 282
Scottish Office and £4,260,000 to the Employment Service mentioned above, plus the reclassification of £3,000,000 from capital to running costs and an addition of £9,500,000 to take account of the change to the treatment of VAT receipts on contracted out services and of £175,000 for EC related initiatives which are offset by receipts. The Welfare-to-Work running costs provision (outside the control total) will increase by £1,479,000 form £1,283,000 to £2,762,000. This is as a result of the transfer of £219,000 from the Employment Service, the virement of £130,000 from the Millennium Volunteers programme and additions of £494,000, £70,000, £370,000 and £196,000 for the New Deals on Young People, Lone Parents, the Disabled and Partners respectively.
The non-Voted cash limit DfEE/LACAP has also been decreased by £4,224,000 from £44,940,000 to £40,716,000 as a result of increase in provisions of schools capital.
The cash limit for Class IX, Vote 3: Employment Service will be increased by £25,811,000 (of which £15,311,000 is in respect of the Welfare-to-Work programme and is outside the control total) from £1,749,858,000 to £1,775,669,000.
The £15,311,000 for the Welfare-to-Work programme is the net result of the following: a transfer of £10,350,000 from Class XII, Vote 1 (Central government administered social security benefits and other payments) for the New Deal for lone parents; £4,871,000 direct from the Windfall Tax for the New Deal programmes to help people with disabilities and partners of unemployed people into work; the take up of £1,808,000 under the Welfare-to-Work end year flexibility scheme as announced by the Chief Secretary to the Treasury on 14 July 1998, Official Report, column 131-36; a transfer of £1,718,000 to Class IX, Vote 1 (Department for Education and Employment: programmes and central services) to cover the cost of work on New Deal programmes undertaken by Department for Education and Employment.
The balance of the increase to the cash limit, £10,500,000, is the net result of the following: an increase of £19,957,000 in capital provision due to the sale of Information Technology assets; the transfer of £19,200,000 to Class IX, Vote 1 (Department for Education and Employment: programmes and central services) in respect of additional spending on books for schools and Key Stage 2; the transfer from Class XII, Vote 3 (Department of Social Security; administration) of £7,108,000 for the recalculation of JSA core funding and other work ES undertakes for the Benefits Agency; a transfer of £4,260,000 in running costs and £1,702,000 in appropriations in aid from Class IX, Vote 1, to cover the transfer of the lease for 236 Grays Inn Road, London and the restructuring costs of surplus staff; and from Class XVIII, Vote 1 (Cabinet Office: other services), £77,000 in respect of accommodation costs of The Pithay, Bristol.
The running cost provision within the control total for Class IX, Vote 3 will be increased by £24,873,000 from £777,673,000 to £802,546,000. This increase results from the transfers of £7,108,000 from the Department of Social Security, £4,500,000 from capital provision to fund additional expenditure on Information technology services now undertaken by an external provider; £4,260,000 from the Department for Education and Employment and
23 Feb 1999 : Column: 283
£77,000 from the Cabinet Office and an addition of £8,928,000 to take account of the change to the treatment of VAT receipts on contracted out services which are offset by receipts.
The Welfare-to-Work running costs provision, outside the control total for Class IX, Vote 3 will be increased by £14,291,000 from £122,500,000 to £136,791,000. This is the result of the transfer of £9,725,000 from the Department of Social Security, the additional £4,476,000 from the Windfall Tax, the take up of £1,808,000 of end-year flexibility and the transfer to the Department for Education and Employment of £1,718,000.
The gross running costs limit for the DfEE (comprising Class IX, Vote 1 and Vote 3) inside the control total has increased by £32,236,000 from £1,028,221,000 to £1,060,457,000 and outside the control total by £15,770,000 from £123,783,000 to £139,553,000. The gross running costs limit is net of the VAT changes of £9,500,000 on Vote 1 and £8,928,000 on Vote 3.
The cash limit for Class IX, Vote 4 (Ofsted) will be reduced by £8,300,000 from £118,641,000 to £110,342,000 as a result of the transfer to Class IX, Vote 1 in connection with Key Stage 2 revision classes.
23 Feb 1999 : Column: 284
| Next Section | Index | Home Page |