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Pre-school Closures
Mr. Hayes: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment how many pre-schools have closed since 1 May 1997; and how many places at such schools have been lost as a result. [139298]
Ms Hodge [holding answer 20 November 2000]: Information is not available in the form requested. The Department does collect information on playgroups and pre-schools, which is published in Statistical Bulletin "Children's Day Care Facilities" (as at 31 March), which is available from the Library. This shows the total number of playgroups and pre-schools, in each year from 1996-97 to 1999-2000. It shows that as a result of the partnership
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approach towards providing new nursery places, the number of places has begun to increase again over the last year for which figures are available:
| 1996-97 | 1997-98 | 1998-99 | 1999-2000 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Number of playgroups and pre-schools(10) | 15,800 | 15,700 | 15,000 | 14,300 |
| Net difference(10) | -- | -100 | -700 | -700 |
| Number of places(10) | 383,700 | 383,600 | 347,200 | 353,100 |
| Net difference | -- | -100 | -36,400 | +5,900 |
(10) Figures have been rounded to the nearest hundred
A total of £1.750 million has been made available over the three years from 1998 to 2000 for small grants to voluntary pre-schools and playgroups facing financial
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difficulties, to give them breathing space as policy initiatives work through to individual groups. Over the first two years of the scheme, grants were made to some 1,500 pre-schools. This year's scheme is currently in progress. This year we have also made available £250,000 for projects to help pre-schools and playgroups develop, in partnership with others, as early education and care places expand.
The expansion of free places for three-year-olds, which is significantly increased in the current school year, is taking place largely in the private and voluntary sectors and we expect to see playgroups benefiting from that expansion. There are 120,000 more free nursery places for three and four-year-olds this year than there were in 1997.
Nursery Schools
Ms Ward: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment how much money nursery schools will receive from the Chancellor's pre-Budget Statement allocation to schools. [139451]
Ms Hodge: Maintained nursery schools in England will receive just over £2 million in total from the allocation in the Pre-Budget Statement of £167 million of additional capital grant to schools in England for 2000-01.
In addition, maintained nursery schools are receiving £7 million in 2000-01 to develop and extend the services they offer and to upgrade buildings and equipment so that they can provide wrap around care and other family support services.
The funding we are making available to these schools is part of our overall commitment to the early years which includes, for the first time, the provision of free early education places for three-year-olds across all sectors. All three-year-olds will be able to access a free early education place by September 2004 and total spending on nursery education will increase from £1 billion in 1996-97 to £2 billion in 2003-04.
Following the March 2000 Budget, we made additional direct grant payments of £3,000 to each nursery school. This was increased following the Spending Review to £6,000 per school.
New Deal
Ms Kelly: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment how many (a) youth unemployed, (b) long-term unemployed, (c) lone parents and (d) disabled unemployed have (1) gained (i) subsidised and (ii) unsubsidised employment and (2) undertaken training under the New Deal scheme in (A) Bolton and (B) the North-West. [139513]
Ms Jowell: The following table shows the figures requested for Bolton and the North-West:
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The New Deal for Lone Parents does not have a subsidised employment component.
Disabled unemployed people have the option of joining either the New Deal for young people or the New Deal for long-term unemployed aged 25+ without having to complete the usual six or 24 months unemployment. These people are therefore included in the figures quoted in the table. There are currently New Deal for Disabled People pilots running in only some areas, including one in Bolton. To end August 2000, 340 people had found work in Bolton through the pilot.We know that significant numbers of people leave the New Deal for jobs without telling the Employment Service.
Mr. Llwyd: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment how many young people in Wales have found employment through the New Deal since its inception; and what percentage this represents of all unemployed young people. [140124]
Ms Jowell: Latest figures to the end of August 2000 show that 16,580 young people in Wales have gained employment through the New Deal for Young People.
As at October 2000, the number of 18 to 24-year-olds claiming Jobseeker's Allowance in Wales was 15,100--compared to 19,400 as at April 1998.
Mr. Llwyd: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what percentage of the young people who found employment through the New Deal have found sustained unsubsidised work. [140214]
Ms Jowell: Latest figures to the end of August 2000 show that 244,450 young people have gained employment through the New Deal for Young People. Of these, 66 per cent. were sustained unsubsidised jobs. Young people leaving the New Deal do not have to notify the Employment Service that they have found jobs: independent surveys have found that over half of young people whose destination upon leaving the New Deal is recorded as unknown have, in fact, found work.
Children Act 1989
Mr. Edwards: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what representations he has received from Stagecoach performing arts schools about changes to the Children Act 1989. [139928]
Ms Hodge: We have received many letters sent on behalf of Stagecoach schools. The Government are presently reforming the system for regulating child care in England, bringing in new national standards to be regulated by a new Early Years Directorate in Ofsted. The correspondents are concerned about the potential impact of these changes on activity-based organisations such as Stagecoach whose primary purpose is not child care. The Government recognise these concerns and are considering
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whether it is appropriate to bring such organisations under the new arrangements. We will take full account of all the concerns raised when we reach a decision.
Teachers' Pension Scheme
Mr. Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment if he will make a statement on the estimated value of funds available to the Teachers' Pension Scheme (a) now and (b) in 20 years. [140098]
Mr. Wicks: The Government Actuary estimates that the current value of the notional Fund is just over £100 billion.
The future value of the notional Fund depends on many factors including the level of investment markets, the rates of inflation and earnings growth, and the demographic experience of the Scheme. Consequently, any estimate of the value of the Fund in 20 years' time would not be meaningful.
Mr. Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment when he will be in a position to start making annual pension statements for individual members of the Teachers' Pension Scheme. [140097]
Mr. Wicks: Some 40,000 benefit statements are issued each year on request to members of the Teachers' Pension Scheme. We are working with the scheme administrators and representatives of teacher and employer associations on a scheme which will see benefit statements issuing automatically to a pilot segment of the membership in 2001.
Teaching Vacancies
Mr. Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment how many teaching vacancies are unfilled in (a) Gloucestershire and (b) England; and if he will make a statement. [140285]
Ms Estelle Morris [holding answer 24 November 2000]: There were 26 vacancies (0.7 per cent.) for qualified teachers in the maintained nursery, primary, secondary and special sector in Gloucestershire in January 2000. The equivalent figure for England was 2,910 vacancies (0.8 per cent.).
The number of regular teachers in maintained schools increased by 6,900 between January 1998 and January 2000.
A DfEE survey of maintained secondary schools in England in the first week of September 2000 indicated that there were about 1,000 secondary teacher vacancies; the equivalent figure at January 2000 was 1,200.
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