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Education Spending (Tyne and Wear)
Mr. Cousins:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment if he will list the (a) SSA and (b) total estimated spending per head in each local education authority in Tyne and Wear in each year from 1995-96 to 1999-2000; and if he will estimate the comparable figures for 2000-2001; and what assessment
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he has made of the impact of changes in (i) school population, (ii) overall population and (iii) take-up of free school meals on these figures. [115286]
Ms Estelle Morris
[holding answer 20 March 2000]: The tables list (a) the SSA per pupil, calculated by adding primary and secondary SSA together and dividing by total
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numbers of pupils between five and 15 used in the SSA methodology; and (b) spending per pupil in LEA maintained primary and secondary schools for 1995-96 to 1997-98, the latest year for which finalised figures are available, based on Net Institutional Expenditure, which is not directly comparable with the SSA figure.
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| Local Education Authority | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gateshead | Newcastle upon Tyne | North Tyneside | South Tyneside | Sunderland | |
| 1995-96 | 2,223 | 2,337 | 2,124 | 2,211 | 2,200 |
| 1996-97 | 2,299 | 2,401 | 2,237 | 2,305 | 2,299 |
| 1997-98 | 2,355 | 2,461 | 2,295 | 2,409 | 2,379 |
| 1998-99 | 2,471 | 2,599 | 2,412 | 2,530 | 2,500 |
| 1999-2000 | 2,597 | 2,736 | 2,529 | 2,662 | 2,625 |
| 2000-01 | 2,721 | 2,878 | 2,653 | 2,800 | 2,743 |
Note:
Cash figures: no allowances have been made for Nursery Vouchers, or for changes in SSA methodology.
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Changes in the size of the school population do not have a direct impact on the SSA per pupil, nor do changes in the overall population and take up of free school meals, since they do not form part of the calculation of an authority's education SSA. No assessment can be made of the impact of changes in population and take up of free school meals on overall expenditure per pupil.
Mr. Hesford:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment how pupils with special educational need will be supported and advised in Excellence in Cities areas. [115048]
Jacqui Smith:
Pupils with special educational needs (SEN) in all areas of the country, including Excellence in Cities (EIC) areas, are supported by schools and LEAs in accordance with the guidance in the SEN Code of Practice. My right hon. Friend aims to consult publicly later this year on a revised SEN Code of Practice. The revised Code is expected to come into effect in September next year. Within EIC areas pupils with SEN in mainstream schools benefit from all aspects of Excellence in Cities. In addition special schools are eligible to become specialist or beacon schools as part of the specialist and beacon school expansion under EIC.
Relocation
Mr. Hunter: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office what relocation companies the Government makes use of when relocating civil servants. [115379]
Mr. Stringer:
Departments and agencies have delegated authority to make their own arrangements for employing relocation companies. No central record of relocation companies is maintained.
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Mr. Hilary Benn:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office what is the average starting salary for new graduates employed by the Civil Service. [115487]
Mr. Stringer:
Salary ranges and pay arrangements vary from Department to Department. Information is not held in the form requested. Entrants to the Civil Service Fast Stream Development Programme can expect salaries in London to start from around £17,500, with additional amounts for relevant experience.
Many graduates join the Service as junior managers. The average starting salary at this level during 1998-99 was £15,640.
Property Law Report
36. Mr. Clifton-Brown: To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department what plans the Lord Chancellor has to implement the Law Commission report No. 152, entitled "Property Law: Liability for Chancel Repairs." [114045]
Mr. Lock: My noble and learned Friend, the Lord Chancellor, announced in response to a written parliamentary question on 29 July 1998, Official Report, House of Lords, column WA201, that the Law Commission Report No. 152, "Liability for Chancel Repairs" would not be implemented. This remains the Government's position.
Court Fees
37. Mr. Brady:
To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department what meetings he has had with the Law Society over the Lord Chancellor's proposals to raise court fees. [114046]
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Mr. Lock:
I have had no meetings with the Law Society over proposals concerning court fees, and there has been no request for such a meeting. We have however consulted the Law Society regarding our proposals, in the usual way. Its response has been considered along with the other responses received.
40. Mr. Burns:
To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department what meetings the Lord Chancellor has had with the National Association of Citizens Advice Bureaux over his proposals to raise court fees. [114050]
Mr. Lock:
We have had no meetings with the National Association of Citizens Advice Bureaux (NACAB) over proposals to raise court fees and there has been no request for such a meeting. We have however consulted NACAB regarding our proposals, in the usual way. Its response has been considered along with other responses received.
39. Mr. Gapes:
To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department what plans the Lord Chancellor has to assess the effectiveness of the enforcement of decisions of the small claims courts. [114049]
Mr. Lock:
Since March 1998, we have been engaged in a comprehensive review of the enforcement of all civil court judgments, including small claims decisions. I anticipate being able to report the conclusions of the review in June.
41. Mr. Kidney:
To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department what research the Lord Chancellor's Department has commissioned regarding the gender balance of juries in Crown court trials. [114051]
Jane Kennedy:
The Lord Chancellor's Department has not commissioned any research into the gender balance of juries in Crown court trials.
42. Mr. McWalter:
To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department what plans the Lord Chancellor has to make provision for those for whom the cost of civil actions is increased by a change mid-trial of presiding judge. [114052]
Jane Kennedy:
Under section 53 of the Administration of Justice Act 1985, the Lord Chancellor may consider claims from parties in respect of those costs incurred where a judge is incapacitated, or dies during a trial and the case has to be re-heard.
43. Ms Moran:
To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department what plans the Lord Chancellor has for training for the judiciary in respect of child contact in cases of domestic violence. [114053]
Jane Kennedy:
Judicial training is the responsibility of the Judicial Studies Board (JSB) which is a non- departmental public body and is chaired by Lord Justice Waller.
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Circuit Judges, Recorders and Assistant Recorders newly authorised to hear Private Family Law cases attend a JSB Family Law induction seminar. Thereafter they attend a JSB Family Law continuation seminar every three years. Training on the issues relating to child contact in cases involving domestic violence is given at these seminars.
Ms Blears:
To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department what steps the Lord Chancellor is taking to ensure that local communities have access to justice in local magistrates courts. [114047]
Jane Kennedy:
It is the Government's policy that the administration of magistrates courts is best decided locally. It is for each magistrates courts committee to decide how best to deploy their resources, in order to fulfil their statutory responsibility to provide an efficient and effective service to court users.
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