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Hampshire LEAs (Funding Bids)
Mr. Oaten: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment if he will list by spending initiative for each local education authority in Hampshire (a) the number and value of funding bids submitted to his Department and (b) the number and value of grants made by his Department from (i) the Standards Fund, (ii) Class Size Reduction funds and (iii) other sources of direct funding for schools since May 1997. [115966]
Ms Estelle Morris
[holding answer 23 March 2000]: Tables are today being placed in the Library showing the figures requested for each financial year since May 1997 for Hampshire county council, Portsmouth city council and Southampton county council. For the Standards Fund only, the number and value of the grants are shown in the tables. The number and value of bids under the Standards
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Fund cannot be disaggregated for each year without incurring disproportionate cost. Allocations are made via a combination of applications from local authorities and formulae based on School Census data. For Class Size Reduction revenue grant, funding levels were agreed with authorities based on their implementation plans.
Mr. St. Aubyn:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what assessment he has made of the impact of increases in the Standards Fund on the equitable distribution of funding for schools in addition to the funding of schools via the standard spending assessment for education. [117133]
Ms Estelle Morris:
None. The Standards Fund enables the targeting of funds on specific programmes, areas or schools, to support the Government's drive to raise standards. Local education authorities are required to devolve around 75 per cent. of the Standards Fund to schools. In addition, all maintained schools will receive a share of the additional funding through the £50 million School Standards Grant and the £290 million School Budget Support Grant. Both of these special grants are fully funded by the Government and are only for schools.
Mr. Dobbin:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment how many people have been employed to date by local councils through the New Deal initiatives for (a) young people, (b) people aged over 50 years, (c) disabled people and (d) lone parents. [117081]
Ms Jowell:
We do not hold figures which show separately how many people from the New Deal have been employed by local councils.
However, independent research by the Local Government National Training Organisation has shown that local councils are fully involved in all aspects of New Deal. This research suggests that over 3,500 young people have taken part on New Deal Options including over 900 on the Employer Option. In addition there is evidence to show that local council are employing people under the New Deals for the Disabled, for Lone Parents and for 50+. We continue to work closely with Local Authority Associations and the New Deal Task Force to encourage local council take up of New Deal. The Local Authority Associations themselves are actively promoting the take up of New Deal among their members.
Mr. Norman:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what estimate his Department has made of the increased demand for school places in the south-east that will come about as a result of the building of an additional 215,000 dwellings in the south-east by 2005. [117792]
Ms Estelle Morris:
It is for local education authorities to plan and keep under review the supply of school places in the light of proposed housing development, so as to ensure that there is sufficient provision to meet demand. The recent announcement of Regional Planning Guidance for the south-east will assist local education authorities in
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the region to do this. Where an LEA can demonstrate overall growth in the need for school places it may apply to my Department for capital funding.
Mr. Coleman:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what estimate his Department has made of the costs to London boroughs of providing education for the children of asylum seekers in 1999-2000. [117930]
Jacqui Smith:
It is not possible to estimate the total costs of this provision in London boroughs in 1999-2000, as the information is not recorded centrally. However, London boroughs receive funding for the cost of providing education for the children of asylum seekers in the same way as for all other children on the school roll. Children of asylum seekers can also benefit from assistance with the acquisition of language skills through the Ethnic Minority and Traveller Achievement Grant.
Mr. Kidney:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment if he will make provision for free school meals for children whose parents receive Working Families Tax Credit. [117852]
Jacqui Smith:
We have no current plans to extend eligibility for free school meals (which would require primary legislation), but we are working closely with the Child Poverty Action Group on ways of increasing take-up by entitled pupils.
Helen Jones:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what percentage of school pupils took school meals in (a) 1979, (b) 1987, (c) 1997 and (d) 1999. [117825]
Ms Estelle Morris:
The information is not available in the form requested. The latest available information is shown in the table.
Prior to 1989, data on school meals were not collected by the Department.
| Position as at January of each year | Pupils who bought a school meal | Pupils who received a free school meal | All pupils who took a school meal |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1999(3) | (5)-- | 14.1 | (6)-- |
| 1997(3) | 26.8 | 15.7 | 42.5 |
| 1989(4) | 31.9 | 11.2 | 43.1 |
(3) Day pupils only
(4) Includes boarders
(5) Data not available
(6) Not applicable
Mill Hill County High School
Mr. Dismore:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment if he will make a statement on admissions policy at Mill Hill County High School, Mill Hill. [117855]
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Ms Estelle Morris:
Following a judicial review against an Adjudicator determination that partial selection at Mill Hill County High School should be reduced, the court made an order on 27 March for a second Adjudicator to make a fresh determination. Mill Hill's admission arrangements for 2000-01 are dependent upon the new determination which will be notified to all parties and published in a local newspaper in the usual way.
Mr. Brady:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment if he will make a statement regarding the future of grammar schools in the borough of Trafford. [117860]
Ms Estelle Morris:
The Government have always been clear that we do not wish to see the 11-plus extended. However, we believe it is for parents to decide whether or not they want a vote, whether or not to keep the 11-plus. The decision is and remains one for parents in Trafford as anywhere else.
Mr. Matthew Taylor:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment, pursuant to his answer of 30 March 2000, Official Report, column 205W, what definition he uses for training; what amounts will be spent on training in each financial year from 1996-97 to 2001-02; from which budget these are paid; and if he will make a statement. [117829]
Mr. Blunkett:
Expenditure on training includes expenditure on work-based training for young people, the careers service, adult information and guidance, Career Development Loans and other related programmes. These are all funded from within the DfEE's Departmental Expenditure Limit. This table shows spending on training in England in cash terms for the years requested.
| £ million | |
|---|---|
| 1996-97 | 972 |
| 1997-98 | 975 |
| 1998-99 | 963 |
| 1999-2000 | 1,178 |
| 2000-01 | 1,281 |
| 2001-02 | 1,377 |
The figures do not include education and training through the New Deal for Young People helping those who enter the Full Time Education and Training option, which we estimate is more than £50 million a year. There is also additional resource being spent on education through the Lottery New Opportunities Fund, although this does not count as Government spending.
Learning and Skills Council (Wales)
Mr. Edwards: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what plans he has to establish a Learning and Skills Council for Wales with similar powers to the Learning and Skills Council for England; and if he will make a statement. [115590]
Mr. Hanson:
I have been asked to reply.
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