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Primary Schools

Mr. Gordon Prentice: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what steps he is taking to ensure the viability of primary schools with small rolls. [118662]

Ms Estelle Morris: The viability of a school may depend on a range of factors and differ according to the particular situation in the area. It is for the local education authority to plan the provision of places in order to maximise parental preference and ensure good-quality education cost-effectively. Local education authorities have freedom in the budgets they delegate to schools to recognise the additional unit costs of small schools. We are establishing a Small School Support Fund from September to enable small schools to pilot innovative approaches to joint working and other forms of collaboration, and funds are being made available over 1999-2001 to provide more administrative support staff in small schools. There is also a presumption against the closure of schools in rural areas, where access to alternative provision may be more difficult.

Leeds LEA

Mr. Truswell: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment how many times his Department's officials have met headteachers in Leeds (a) since the publication of the Ofsted Inspection report on the local education authority and (b) since the appointment of PricewaterhouseCoopers as consultants on future structures. [118547]

Ms Estelle Morris: As part of its policy outreach function, DfEE's Standards and Effectiveness Unit (SEU) has an adviser with responsibility for maintaining contact with Leeds LEA. The Education Adviser meets headteachers in a range of circumstances, from one-to-one discussions to larger group meetings. In the period between the publication of Ofsted's report and the appointment of PricewaterhouseCoopers four such meetings took place, involving 12 headteachers. To date, since the appointment of PwC, 13 such meetings have taken place, involving 53 headteachers. In addition, following the publication of Ofsted's report, Professor Michael Barber, Head of SEU, and I met a larger group of Leeds heads--approximately 200 in number--to explain DfEE's objectives for Leeds and to hear their views. Subsequently, following PwC's appointment I met five heads on a school visit and Professor Barber has met a group of 45 heads--following up discussion at our earlier meeting.

Mr. Truswell: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment how many times his Department's officials met PricewaterhouseCoopers staff since their appointment as consultants following the publication of the Ofsted report on Leeds LEA; and for what purpose. [118546]

Ms Estelle Morris: DfEE officials meet on a regular basis with individuals and groups from PricewaterhouseCoopers--including those currently involved in various ways in the Leeds consultancy--and

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for a range of reasons. These include bidding for intervention consultancy; feedback on such bids; development of framework contracts for intervention work; the discussion of current consultancy loads; and availability for further work.

Mr. Truswell: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what monitoring procedures he will apply to ensure the objectivity of the work of the consultants appointed as a result of the Ofsted report on Leeds local education authority. [118545]

Ms Estelle Morris: PriceWaterhouseCoopers (PwC) are working to a brief agreed jointly by Leeds LEA and DfEE. PwC report progress against that brief fortnightly to a project steering group. The project steering group comprises DfEE officials and Leeds LEA officers and is chaired in rotation.

Remploy 21

Mr. Worthington: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what proposals he has regarding (a) grant levels, (b) Government procurement policies and (c) employment service policies to support the new Remploy 21 proposals. [117604]

Ms Hodge: There are no plans to increase Remploy's grant at present. However, Remploy has received an additional £1.5 million, both this year and last, to modernise its factories and to improve progressions to mainstream employment, and a similar amount will be available in 2001-02.

If Remploy wishes to ask for further money to support the implementation of Remploy 21 then I will consider its request.

The Government cannot change their procurement policies, which comply with EC regulations. Remploy 21 is an internal plan for the strategic development of the Company. The Employment Service is working closely with Remploy to deliver the Remploy 21 strategy.

Schools (Somerset and Yeovil)

Mr. Ashdown: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment how many temporary classrooms there are in schools in (a) Somerset and (b) the Yeovil constituency; and if he will make a statement. [118640]

Jacqui Smith: The information requested is not held centrally.

While temporary classrooms perform a useful function in many schools, we are concerned about the length of time some units have been in use. That is why a substantial element of the latest round of the New Deal for Schools programme, which is being announced today, is being targeted at replacing with permanent accommodation those temporary classrooms which are in the poorest condition. Around £150 million is being allocated to support the removal of some 1,500 temporary classrooms.

Local Authority Child Care

Dr. Kumar: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what plans the Government

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have to change legislation to enable local authorities to charge recipients of Working Families Tax Credit for the child care they provide. [118893]

Ms Hodge: Local authorities are currently unable to pass on any of the costs of the child care they provide to parents who receive Working Families Tax Credit or Disabled Person's Tax Credit. Some of these families have sufficient incomes but nevertheless have their child care provided free of charge. We will be introducing an amendment to the Local Government Bill which will allow local authorities to charge for the child care they provide, but will still require them to exempt parents of children in need.

DEFENCE

Armoured Regiments

Mr. Key: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what progress has been made in re-roling an armoured regiment into a joint nuclear, biological and chemical weapons regiment; and if he will make a statement. [117490]

Mr. Spellar [holding answer 3 April 2000]: The Joint Nuclear, Biological and Chemical (JNBC) Regiment was established on 1 April 1999. It includes the majority of personnel from 1st Royal Tank Regiment who re-roled on return from Germany in summer 1999. However, one squadron and the Reconnaissance Troop from 1st Royal Tank Regiment continue to provide the Armoured Demonstration Squadron element of the Combined Arms Training Centre at Warminster. The JNBC Regiment conducted a series of exercises towards the end of 1999 and declared that it had reached its Initial Operating Capability at the end of December.

Mr. Key: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what progress has been made in restructuring the armoured regiments; and if he will make a statement. [117488]

Mr. Spellar [holding answer 3 April 2000]: The new establishments have been agreed and the additional fourth squadrons will be formed by 2002.

AS90 Regiment

Mr. Key: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what progress has been made in the creation of the sixth AS90 regiment; and if he will make a statement. [117497]

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Mr. Spellar [holding answer 3 April 2000]: 19 Regiment Royal Artillery completed its conversion to AS90 by 19 November last year. It is currently in Colchester, with two batteries, and the current plan is that it will move to Larkhill in 2003-04 when two further batteries currently in Germany will bring the Regiment up to full strength.

Kosovo

Mr. Key: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many Challenger II tanks are in Kosovo; and how many miles they have covered. [117485]

Mr. Spellar [holding answer 3 April 2000]: The UK has 16 Challenger II tanks deployed in Kosovo. Up to 26 March, they had covered some 3,631 kilometres since first deploying on 8 February this year.

Infantry Battalions

Mr. Key: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what progress has been made on the reconfiguring of infantry battalions to form a third mechanised brigade; and if he will make a statement. [117496]

Mr. Spellar [holding answer 3 April 2000]: The two infantry battalions equipped with Saxon vehicles will become part of 12 Mechanised Brigade in April this year, with the armoured infantry battalion joining in August this year.

5 Airborne Brigade

Mr. Key: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what progress his Department has made in converting the 5 Airborne Brigade into a mechanised brigade; and if he will make a statement. [117493]

Mr. Spellar [holding answer 3 April 2000]: The headquarters of 12 Mechanised Brigade was operational by the end of December 1999 and it has already taken its armoured regiment under command. The two battalions equipped with Saxon vehicles are joining the Brigade in April this year and the armoured infantry battalion joins in August this year.

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