---

Child Care Places

Mr. Clappison: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment how many child care places for under eights have been available in each of the last three years for which figures are available, broken down by places available through (a) day nurseries, (b) pre- school playgroups and (c) child minders; and what

28 Jul 2000 : Column: 1053W

estimate he has made of the number of such places which will be available over the period covered by the Comprehensive Spending Review. [132402]

Ms Hodge: I will write to the hon. Member and place a copy of the letter in the Library.

Ms Keeble: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment how many additional child care and nursery places were created in Northampton between 1997 and 2000. [131944]

Ms Hodge: Since this Government came to office, 120,000 new, free, early education places have been created for three and four-year-olds nationally. We have provided sufficient funding to ensure that all four-year- olds and over 35 per cent. of three-year-olds in the Northamptonshire area receive a free, part-time, early education place.

With regard to out-of-school and pre-school child care places no information is available prior to 1999-2000 on a constituency basis. However, in 1999-2000, a total of 201 new child care places were created in Northampton.

Teachers (Retention)

Mr. Clappison: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment how many (a) heads, (b) deputy heads and (c) teachers have (i) retired on grounds of ill health and (ii) otherwise left the profession, excluding those barred or dying in service, in each of the last 10 years, in (1) primary and (2) secondary schools. [131680]

Ms Estelle Morris: I will write to the hon. Member and place a copy of my letter in the Library.

Public Service Agreements

Mr. Matthew Taylor: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment, pursuant to the Public Service Agreement targets in Prudent for a Purpose, Cm 4807, page 114, which statistical measure he will use to define employment; how he will make cyclical adjustments for unemployment and employment; which statistical measure he will use to define unemployment for the over 18s; what will be the minimum change in employment rates to qualify as a change; and if he will make a statement. [132270]

Ms Jowell: I will write to the hon. Member and place a copy of the letter in the Library.

Pilot Projects

Mr. Matthew Taylor: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment which pilot projects undertaken by his Department since 1997 have involved random assignment elements; and what assessment he has made of their effectiveness in promoting more effective policy making. [131583]

Mr. Wills [holding answer 20 July 2000]: I will write to the hon. Member and place a copy of the letter in the Library.

28 Jul 2000 : Column: 1054W

Disabled People (North-west)

Mr. Fearn: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what funding for training is available for blind and disabled persons in the North West Region. [132090]

Ms Hodge: I will write to the hon. Member and place a copy of the letter in the Library.

Mr. Fearn: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment how many disabled persons are employed through Government supported employment schemes in the North-west region. [132089]

Ms Hodge: Responsibility for the subject of the question has been delegated to the Employment Service agency under its Chief Executive. I have asked him to arrange for a reply to be given.

Letter from Richard Foster to Mr. Ronnie Fearn, dated 28 July 2000:

As the Employment Service is an Executive Agency, the Secretary of State has asked Leigh Lewis to reply to your question concerning the number of disabled people employed through government supported employment schemes in the North West Region. This is something which falls within the responsibilities delegated to Mr. Lewis as Chief Executive of the Agency. I am replying in his absence.

In answer to your specific question, I am sorry that we cannot provide the information you request as we are unable to isolate the programme figures by regions. Contracts for the Supported Employment Programme are managed nationally and include some contractors whose provision is spread across the country. Although we do collect a national figure annually for the number of individuals employed in the programme on a set date, we cannot identify people working in a specific geographical area.

I can let you know that the average number of disabled people working in the programme for the period 1 April 1999 to 31 March 2000 was 22,908.

If you would like to discuss whether we can help further in any way please contact Jocelyn Dann, Supported Employment Programme Manager, on telephone number 0114 259 6310.

Teacher Training

Mr. Clappison: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment how many applications have been received for initial teacher training in (a) primary and (b) secondary courses commencing in September 2000; and how many were received at the same stage in (i)1999 for commencement in September 1999 and (ii) 1997 for commencement in September 1997. [131711]

Ms Estelle Morris: I will write to the hon. Member and place a copy of the letter in the Library.

Summer Camps

Mr. Bob Russell: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment, pursuant to his answers of 18 January 2000 to the hon. Member for Daventry (Mr. Boswell), Official Report, column 389W, and of 6 March 2000 to the hon. Member for Colchester, Official Report, column 477W, how many summer activity camps will be held this year; at what locations; how many people will be taking part; and what is the expected cost. [132027]

Jacqui Smith: I will write to the hon. Member and place a copy of my letter in the Library.

28 Jul 2000 : Column: 1055W

Hotel Industry

Mr. Fearn: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what Government training schemes are available to those working within the hotel industry in England. [132092]

Ms Jowell: My Department has worked with the Hospitality Training Foundation, the National Training Organisation for the hospitality sector including the hotel industry, to secure the skills for greater competitiveness and employability needed in this sector. Government support for training is currently given through the Training and Enterprise Councils for Foundation Modern Apprenticeships, Advanced Modern Apprenticeships and National Vocational Qualifications. A Vocational 'A' Level (GNVQ) and a range of further higher education courses are also available, providing students with broad knowledge and an understanding of the basic skills needed for those who are planning to enter this sector.

Local Education Authorities

Mr. David Taylor: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what plans he has to reform the (a) role, (b) powers and duties and (c) resourcing of local education authorities; and if he will make a statement. [132397]

Ms Estelle Morris [holding answer 25 July 2000]: The Government will be publishing shortly a Green Paper on the future funding arrangements for local authorities.

Global Business Dimensions Ltd.

Helen Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment (1) when his Department was first notified of concerns over the use of European Social Fund money by Global Business Dimensions Ltd.; to whom these concerns were reported; and what action was subsequently taken; [132458]

(2) when his Department began its investigation into Global Business Dimensions Ltd.; what the result of that investigation was; and if he will place a copy of the report in the Library. [132460]

Ms Jowell [holding answer 26 July 2000]: Information raising concerns regarding Global Business Dimensions Ltd. was received by Government Office for the West Midlands on 16 December 1999. As a result of this information an investigation was initiated by the Department's ESF Unit and carried out by the Special Investigation Unit (SIU). As the SIU investigation is still continuing, it would be inappropriate to comment further at this stage.

Pre-school Provision

Mr. Cox: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what the funding from his Department has been in each of the last three years for pre-school provision within the Greater London area. [132635]

Ms Hodge: The following table shows the amount of funding that has been made available for pre-school provision through the Under Five's Education Standard

28 Jul 2000 : Column: 1056W

Spending Assessment (SSA) sub block, the Standards Fund and Nursery Education Grant. The funding has risen by around 30 per cent. over the period.

Funding for pre-school provision in the Greater London area

	£
1997-98	222,006,828
1998-99	250,613,813
1999-2000	285,094,491

---