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School Playing Fields
Mr. Chaytor: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment how many school playing fields have been sold during each of the last five years for which figures are available. [138810]
Jacqui Smith: Prior to October 1998 there was nothing to prevent a local authority selling a school playing field if it wanted to. An estimated 40 playing fields a month were sold in this way under the previous Government. Section 77 of the School Standards and Framework Act 1998 was introduced, with effect from 1 October 1998, to stop the indiscriminate sale of school playing fields. Local authorities and governing bodies of all maintained schools, including foundation schools, are now required to obtain the Secretary of State's consent before disposing of playing fields, or any part of a playing field.
Since October 1998, 76 applications from local authorities and governing bodies to sell areas equal to, or larger than, a sports pitch have been approved. As no
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national figures were collected before October 1998, the following table provides a breakdown of these approved applications for each year since the law was changed.
| Year | Number of sales |
|---|---|
| 1998 | 7 |
| 1999 | 44 |
| 2000 | 25 |
Notes:
1. All sale proceeds are used to provide new or improved sports or education facilities at maintained schools.
2. 38 per cent. of approved applications were in respect of sports pitches at closed or closing schools.
3. In 68 per cent. of cases at operating schools, the sale proceeds have been used to provide new or enhanced sports facilities, including sports halls, all-weather pitches or improved grass sports pitches.
4. 'Sports pitch' means an area of open grassed land which is equal to, or larger than, the Football Association's recommended 2,000 sq m area for games played by under-10s and which has a configuration making it suitable for sports pitches, whether laid out as a sports pitch or not.
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Catering Industry
Dr. Palmer: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment if he will take steps to relax the immigration rules in respect of professionals from the catering industry. [137452]
Ms Hodge: The changes to the work permit skills criteria, which came into effect on 1 October 2000, are in part a response to concerns raised by the catering industry about the lack of skilled, professional staff. Where it can be shown that UK or European Economic Area workers are not available, the process for employers to obtain the necessary work permit for overseas staff is now more transparent, straightforward and relevant to the needs of employers.
If we wish key sectors in the economy to grow, we must ensure that that growth is not inhibited by lack of relevant and appropriate skills. At the same time we are investing £6 billion a year in training and education for adults to encourage more people to develop the skills needed in the modern economy.
Disability Rights
Mr. Berry: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment when he plans to publish a final response to the report of the Disability Rights Task Force, "From Exclusion to Inclusion". [139408]
Ms Hodge: The Government published their interim response on many of the Task Force's non-legislative recommendations in March 2000. The SEN and Disability Rights in Education Bill, which will be presented to Parliament next Session, implements the Task Force's recommendations on civil rights in education. We have been considering the remainder of the Task Force's recommendations in the light of negotiations on the European Commission's Employment Directive, brought forward under Article 13 of the European Community Treaty. The Directive, which was agreed at the Council of Ministers on 17 October, has implications for many of the Task Force's recommendations on the definition of disability and discrimination in employment. We hope to be in a position to publish a final response to the Task Force around the end of February 2001.
LORD CHANCELLOR'S DEPARTMENT
Lord Birt
Mr. Baker: To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department how many meetings the Lord Chancellor has had with Lord Birt regarding crime since Lord Birt's appointment as an adviser to the Government on crime. [137316]
Jane Kennedy: I refer the hon. Member to the written answer given to him by my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister on 17 November 2000, Official Report, column 800W.
Queen's Counsel
Mr. Dismore: To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department for what reason the
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number of QCs appointed in each of the last 10 years has remained broadly the same; and if he will make a statement. [138619]
Mr. Lock: The number of appointments in recent years has ranged from 60 to 78. The number appointed in each year merely reflects the number of applicants who meet the criteria to the required degree.
The number appointed in each year shows little correlation with the number of applicants. The number of applicants in recent years has varied little (from 472 to 553), and the success rate of those applicants has varied from less than 12 per cent. to more than 15½ per cent.
Immigration and Asylum Appeals
Mr. Lidington: To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department what the average time taken was between an asylum appeal and (b) a non-asylum immigration appeal being referred by the Home Office to the appellate authorities and the determination of that appeal in (i) 1997-1998, (ii) 1998-1999, (iii) 1999-2000 and (iv) 2000-01 to date; and if he will make a statement. [139372]
Jane Kennedy: Waiting time information is available from 1999-2000. The waiting time for asylum and non-asylum appeals from receipt by the IAA to promulgation of the adjudicator's decision, in 1999-2000 was 10.7 weeks and 12.3 weeks respectively. The waiting time for 2000-2001 to 31 October is 19 and 18.8 weeks respectively.
The increased waiting times are as a consequence of the increase in asylum appeals. The Lord Chancellor expects to meet his target to dispose of 65 per cent. of appeals through both tiers of the system within four months from April 2002.
Mr. Lidington: To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department when he expects to meet his target for reducing the average duration of an asylum appeal to four months. [139379]
Jane Kennedy: For the current financial year, the Immigration Appellate Authority's target is an average waiting time for appeals before adjudicators of 16 weeks. The Lord Chancellor's Departments Service Delivery agreement sets a different target covering both ties of the appeal process. The target is to dispose of at least 65 per cent. of appeals within four months from April 2002. The Lord Chancellor expects this target to be met.
Mr. Lidington: To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department how many adjudicators are available to hear asylum and immigration appeals; what plans he has to review that number; and if he will make a statement. [139374]
Jane Kennedy: There are currently 75 full-time and 311 part-time adjudicators available to hear asylum and immigration appeals. This represents an increase of 27 full-time (64 per cent.) and 121 part-time adjudicators (64 per cent.) since 1 April 1999. A further 26 full-time adjudicators are in the process of being appointed and recruitment is under way to appoint a further 200 part-time adjudicators. The Lord Chancellor keeps the numbers under constant review to ensure that sufficient judiciary are available to hear asylum appeals.
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Mr. Lidington: To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department how many (a) asylum appeals and (b) non-asylum immigration appeals, were awaiting determination on (i) 1 April 2000 and (ii) the most recent date for which information is available. [139380]
Jane Kennedy: The table shows appeals at the Immigration Appellate Authority at 1 April and 31 October 2000 (the most recent date for which information is available).
Asylum workload has increased by 181 per cent. over that period to a level of broadly 3,600 cases a month. The number of outstanding cases is consistent with the number of cases that will inevitably be in the system at any one time, given the higher workload and an average disposal time of around four months.
| 1 April 2000 | 31 October 2000 | |
|---|---|---|
| Asylum | 3,805 | 14,216 |
| Non-asylum | 2,827 | 2,522 |
Mr. Lidington: To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department what the average cost to his Department is of (a) an asylum appeal and (b) a non-asylum immigration appeal; and if he will make a statement. [139376]
Jane Kennedy: Separate average cost for asylum and non-asylum average costs are unavailable. The average unit cost to the Immigration Appellate Authority, excluding accommodation and overhead costs, for all types of appeal is £375.
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