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Career Development Loans
Dr. Harris: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment if he will list the cost of career development loans in terms of (a) interest rate subsidies, (b) administration costs and (c) other costs; and what default rate exists. [133118]
Mr. Wicks: The information requested is as follows:
| £ | |
|---|---|
| (a) Interest rate subsidies | 15,382,173.00 |
| (b) Administration costs | 0.22 |
| (c) Other costs(1) | 141,260.00 |
(1) Per trainee week
(1) Other costs consist of TEC endorsement fees of £48,778 and programme support costs of £92,462.
The default rate at the end of the period was 13.00 per cent.
City Academies
Mr. Simon Hughes: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment (1) if he will list by local education authority area all those expressions of interest in the establishment of a City Academy he has received during July, with the date of receipt, names of those expressing support and dates for hoped opening in each case; and if he will place in the Library a copy of each expression of interest; [133173]
- (2) when he expects to announce his first (a) decisions of support for and (b) agreement to particular City Academy proposals; and if he will publish the most recent criteria for approval as a City Academy. [133174]
Ms Estelle Morris: We have received several expressions of interest from potential sponsors and are having further discussions with them about the scope for developing more detailed proposals. It is too early to say when the Secretary of State will announce the first decisions of support and agreement for funding for particular City Academy proposals. We will shortly be making available details of the criteria against which we will be assessing proposals. I will ensure that these are sent to the hon. Member. Copies of all supported proposals will be placed in the Library.
University for Industry
Maria Eagle: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what effect UFl Ltd's change to charitable status has had on the framework, including controls, within which the Department provides financial support. [133691]
Mr. Wicks: Further to my reply dated 11 January 2000, Official Report, column 146W, in order to achieve charitable status, UfI Ltd. has split into two companies: one, the charity "UFI Charitable Trust", which wholly owns the second, its trading subsidiary "Ufi Limited", which is the operating company.
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The controls exercised by my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State have been adjusted in the light of the new company structure.
Each company's Memorandum and Articles of Association were approved by the Secretary of State and the Department continues to exercise similar controls over the companies, although the Secretary of State's right to appoint the Chairman and between 30 and 49 per cent. of Ufi Limited's Board Directors/members is now time- limited to 31 March 2005. The Secretary of State's control over appointment of the Chairman and Directors of the charity is not time bound.
The previous Funding Agreement between the Department and Ufi Ltd. has been superseded by one with both companies which provides for a number of checks and controls on the spending of public funds. It specifies the requirement to submit an annual Financial Plan for the approval of the Secretary of State. The Funding Agreement and the Financial Plan provide the basis for financial support.
Ufi Limited will own the assets it creates (mainly intellectual property rights on learning products) and retain any receipts from the disposal of assets. The Department will take account of any income received by Ufi Limited as a result of Government investment, including asset disposal proceeds, in fixing the level of future financial support. This regime will apply only so long as Ufi Limited receives Government support.
If the Funding Agreement is terminated due to breach of contract or insolvency the intellectual property rights will pass to the Secretary of State if he so requests. The Memorandum of the charity provides that if it is wound up or dissolved the Secretary of State has a right of veto over the disposition of any remaining assets. The charity cannot dispose of any of the shares of Ufi Limited without the prior authority of the Secretary of State. The charity cannot alter the constitution of Ufi Limited in so far as this affects the Secretary of State's controls.
Graduates
Mr. Boswell: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what steps he is taking to ensure that the quality of graduates is not impaired by policies of wider access. [132531]
Mr. Wicks [holding answer 25 July 2000]: The Government are committed to maintaining and enhancing standards in higher education as access is widened.
The A-level point scores of entrants is the same now as it was 10 years ago when participation was much lower. Details are given in the table.
Notes:
1. Scores related to those obtaining two or more A level passes subject to a maximum score of 30 points which is equivalent to three grade A passes at A level or AS level or combinations of A/AS level passes, treating AS level scores as half the equivalent A level score. The points for each A level grade are as follows: A = 10, B = 8, C = 6, D = 4, E = 2.
2. Figures from 1994-95 are based on UCAS entrants only, figures prior to that are based on all entrants.
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Students
Mr. Boswell: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what plans he has to expand maximum allowed student numbers for higher education institutions to accommodate the planned expansion of student numbers towards a participation rate of 50 per cent. of young people. [132665]
Mr. Wicks [holding answer 25 July 2000]: The additions to publicly planned funding for higher education in 2001-02 are compatible with achieving the Government's goal that 50 per cent. of 18 to 30-year-olds should have the opportunity to benefit from higher education by the end of the decade. Current plans allow for an increase of 21,000 full time equivalent student places between 2000-01 and 2001-02. My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Education and Employment has yet to announce the allocation of funding for higher education for 2002-03 and 2003-04.
Teachers' Salaries (Wales)
Mr. Wigley: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what discussions he has had with the First Secretary of the National Assembly for Wales on the implications of the High Court judgment of 14 July on the standards for the teachers' performance- related pay scheme on the structure of teachers' salaries and terms of employment in Wales; and if he will make a statement. [132792]
Ms Estelle Morris: My officials are in frequent contact with officials in the National Assembly for Wales and I meet with the Assembly Secretary for Education and Children. The implications of Mr. Justice Jackson's judgment for the threshold standards and for the structure of teachers' pay and conditions in Wales are the same as in England.
Cycling Lessons
Mr. Ben Chapman: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment (1) what plans he has for schools to provide cycling lessons for pupils; [132812]
- (2) how many schools in the United Kingdom provide cycling lessons for young people. [132811]
Jacqui Smith: Local authorities already provide cycling proficiency classes in schools. They are funded to do so through their annual revenue allocations. In addition, Road Safety is included in the Personal, Social and Health Education curriculum at Key Stages 1 and 2.
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Information on the numbers of schools providing cycling lessons is not collected centrally.
Private Finance Initiative
Mr. Alan Williams: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment in how many of his Department's PFI contracts KPMG has been an adviser. [132866]
Teachers (Yorkshire)
Mr. Grogan: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment how many teachers were employed in (a) primary schools and (b) secondary schools in the City of York local education authority in each year since its inception. [132872]
Ms Estelle Morris: The full-time equivalent of teachers employed on the third Thursday of January in 1997, 1998, 1999 and 2000 in City of York unitary authority is as shown.
| January | Nursery/primary | Secondary | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1997 | 700 | 600 | 1,300 |
| 1998 | 700 | 600 | 1,300 |
| 1999 | 700 | 600 | 1,300 |
| 2000 | 800 | 700 | 1,400 |
Note:
Figures are rounded to the nearest 100. Totals may not sum to component parts because of rounding.
There has been a growth of 6,900 full-time equivalent regular teachers in the maintained school sector in England between January 1998 and January 2000.
The answer includes teachers in occasional service (short-term supply) on the survey date, teachers on secondment for a period of a term or more and unqualified teachers.
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