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EDUCATION AND EMPLOYMENT
Tuition Fees
Mr. Willetts: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment if he will estimate the cost of increasing the income level below which students are exempt from tuition fees by (a) £2,000, (b) £4,000, (c) £6,000, (d) £8,000 and (e) £10,000 for students resident in (i) Scotland, (ii) Wales, (iii) Northern Ireland and (iv) England. [84061]
Mr. Mudie [holding answer 13 May 1999]: The estimated costs for students ordinarily resident in England and Wales and EU students in English and Welsh institutions, and for Scottish resident students and EU students in Scottish institutions, are given in the table. Estimates are not available for Northern Ireland as suitable information on levels of contributions is not readily available.
| £ million | ||
|---|---|---|
| Increase in income level | England and Wales | Scotland |
| £2,000 | 5 | 1 |
| £4,000 | 20 | 2 |
| £6,000 | 35 | 5 |
| £8,000 | 60 | 11 |
| £10,000 | 85 | 17 |
The costs have been estimated for the year 2001-02 by which time, under the current arrangements, virtually all students will have a liability to contribute to their tuition according to means. It has been assumed that existing contributions for all other income levels above the increased income level below which students are exempt
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remain the same. If the contribution scales were to be recalculated on the basis of increased income thresholds then there would be further knock-on costs, depending on how the policy is implemented, on the proportion of tuition fees paid by those not fully exempt and on other assessed elements of student support, and so the financial impact would be significantly higher.
Mrs. Brinton:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment if he will make it his policy to change departmental refrigeration and air-conditioning systems to operate on not-in-kind refrigerants. [86165]
Mr. Mudie:
It is already the policy of both the DfEE and the Employment Service not to purchase refrigeration and air-conditioning systems containing ozone depleting substances such as CFCs and HCFCs.
Dr. Cable:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what research his Department has (a) commissioned and (b) evaluated from the schools sector on the policy of naming and shaming failing colleges. [86171]
Mr. Mudie:
The Government have no specific policy of "naming and shaming" further education colleges with poor provision. We may, however, comment on adverse inspection reports or other evidence which is already in the public domain.
The Government are strongly committed to raising standards in further education. We will continue to give praise to successful colleges who are performing well and will emphasise how much we value excellence through the announcement of further Beacon Colleges. However, we will not tolerate unacceptable standards, or hesitate to intervene where colleges are failing their students and communities.
Mrs. May:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what criteria will be used to determine which schools and colleges will participate in the pilot project on the return of GCSE and A-Level exam scripts. [86404]
Ms Estelle Morris
[holding answer 11 June 1999]: A total of about 200 centres in England will pilot the four GCSE models. Centres were selected at random and their agreement sought prior to the introduction of the pilots. At A-Level, two syllabuses from each of the five Awarding Bodies were chosen. To keep the pilots manageable, syllabuses with entries of around one thousand candidates, and involving no more than one hundred centres, were selected.
Mrs. May:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what will be the timetable for the return of GCSE and A-Level exam scripts to students under the pilot project. [86403]
Ms Estelle Morris
[holding answer 11 June 1999]: The timetable will depend upon the particular model being piloted. At A-Level, photocopied scripts will arrive on the day the results are issued--Thursday 19 August.
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At GCSE, four different models will be piloted. Under three of these models, scripts will be available from Tuesday 1 September. Under the fourth, where scripts will be available only on request, scripts are not expected to arrive before Friday 4 September. The pilots will provide a framework within which centres should operate the pilots, rather than imposing rules, so timings may vary between centres.
Mrs. May:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what is the estimated cost of the pilot project to return GCSE and A-Level exam scripts to students; and what estimate his Department has made of the total cost of a general return of such exam scripts. [86405]
Ms Estelle Morris
[holding answer 11 June 1999]: The Qualifications and Curriculum Authority (QCA) will be conducting the pilot exercises, from a budget of £250,000. One of the objectives of these pilots is to assess the costs associated with each model before any decisions on wider implementation are made.
Mrs. May:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment if guidance to those marking exam scripts will be changed in those areas participating in the pilot project for the return of GCSE and A-Level scripts. [86402]
Ms Estelle Morris
[holding answer 11 June 1999]: All GCSE and GCE Awarding Body examiners are bound by a Code of Practice, developed in consultation with the Qualifications and Curriculum Authority. The Code provides a basis for high standards in all aspects of the examining process. There are no plans to change this guidance ahead of this summer's examinations.
Mr. Stephen Twigg:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment if he will announce the outcome of the Quinquennial Review of Investors in People UK. [87297]
Mr. Mudie:
Against the background of the established practice of carrying out quinquennial policy and financial reviews of non-Departmental Public Bodies, the Department conducted a thorough review of Investors in People UK during 1998.
The first stage was a policy review of whether the functions were still needed, and also what framework was most efficient to deliver them. It was concluded that Investors in People UK should continue to carry out the functions with an NDPB framework.
Stage 2 consisted of a financial management survey of the organisation. The financial management survey, carried out for the Department by external consultants Pannell Kerr Forster, concluded that the Company achieves value for money in Grant-in-Aid terms and has achieved excellent performance against its objectives.
The combined quinquennial review is published today and a copy is being placed in the Library. Further copies can be obtained on request from: Jane Binney, Department for Education and Employment, Workplace Learning Division, Area E8b, Moorfoot, Sheffield S1 4PQ, telephone number 0114 259 4232.
15 Jun 1999 : Column: 130
Mr. Don Foster:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment (1) what percentage of 11-year-old (a) male, (b) female and (c) male and female pupils in each local education authority attained (i) Level 3 or better, (ii) Level 4 or better and (iii) Level 5 or better, in the 1998 Key Stage 2 tests for mathematics; and what was the average level per pupil; [87016]
(3) what percentage of 11-year-old (a) male, (b) female and (c) male and female pupils, in each local education authority attained (i) Level 3 or better, (ii) Level 4 or better and (iii) Level 5 or better, in the 1998 Key Stage 2 tests in the (1) writing, (2) reading and (3) combined test for English; and what was the average level per pupil; [87019]
(4) what percentage of 11-year-old pupils in each local education authority in maintained schools were entered for the 1998 Key Stage 2 SAT tests in (a) writing, (b) reading and (c) both for English but were absent. [87020]
Ms Estelle Morris:
The information requested is shown in tables, copies of which have been placed in the Library.
Mr. Don Foster:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment if he will list by local authority the planned expenditure per pupil at 1998-99 prices from aggregate school budgets in (a) maintained primary schools and (b) maintained secondary schools in 1999-2000. [87015]
Ms Estelle Morris:
Information for the financial year 1999-2000 is still being collected and checked by the Department. We will publish authoritative data showing the plans of the authorities, including the amounts to be held back centrally, later this month. I will write to the hon. Member when the figures he requests are available, and a copy of my letter will be placed in the Library.
(2) what percentage of 11-year-old pupils in each local education authority in maintained schools were entered for the 1998 Key Stage 2 SAT tests in mathematics but were absent; [87017]
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