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Connexions Service

Mr. Boswell: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what guidance is being made available to local Connexions services in connection with the development of their business plans. [140391]

Mr. Wicks [holding answer 29 November 2000]: Planning guidance was issued on 23 October to the 16 Connexions Partnerships who have been invited to prepare business plans to introduce the Connexions service

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in 2001. Supplementary guidance, e.g. on Personal Advisers, will be issued shortly. Guidance for partnerships starting in 2002 will be made available next year.

New Technologies in Schools

Mr. Allan: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what his Department's definition is of high specification computers; and if he will list the machines that are so categorised. [140432]

Mr. Wills: The Department does not use the phrase "high specification" computers or provide a minimum technical specification of computers suitable for use in schools since this will change continually as technology develops. It is also important that schools are able to choose the ICT that they consider most appropriate to improve educational opportunities for their pupils. The Department therefore provides schools with advice and guidance so that they are able to plan, procure and use ICT effectively. In doing so they are able to make reference to appropriate functional specifications for networking, hardware, software and content, training and support that have been agreed as the basis for NGfL (National Grid for Learning) Managed Services.

Pre-school Playgroups

Mr. Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment how many pre-school playgroups closed in (a) 1997-98, (b) 1998-99 and (c) 1999-2000. [134777]

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

University of Buckingham

Mr. Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what plans he has to visit the University of Buckingham. [136461]

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

Schools (Sutton)

Mr. Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment if he will estimate spending per pupil in secondary schools in the London Borough of Sutton for each year from 1985-86 to 1999-2000, expressed in 1997-98 prices; and if he will make a statement. [134884]

Ms Estelle Morris [holding answer 6 November 2000]: I will write to the hon. Member and place a copy of my letter in the Library.

Sport England (Planning Application)

Dr. Tonge: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment how many planning applications were (a) received and (b) rejected by Sport England in each of the last 12 months. [136753]

Jacqui Smith [holding answer 6 November 2000]: I will write to the hon. Member and place a copy of my letter in the Library.

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Leeds LEA

Mr. Hilary Benn: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what the total spending was on schools in Leeds local education authority in each of the last 10 years in (a) cash and (b) real terms; and what was the spending per pupil on the same basis in that period. [137367]

Ms Estelle Morris: Spending on schools in Leeds, from 1990-91 to 1998-99, the latest year for which this information is available, is set out in the following table. The figures are based on Net Institutional Expenditure and expressed in cash terms and at 2000-01 prices.

	Net Institutional Expenditure		Per pupil
	(a) cash	(b) real terms	(a) cash	(b) real terms
	£000	£000	£	£
1990-91	172,020	230,710	1,670	2,240
1991-92	194,360	245,580	1,870	2,360
1992-93	203,800	257,510	1,920	2,350
1993-94	205,810	245,320	1,900	2,270
1994-95	213,080	250,470	1,940	2,280
1995-96	219,810	251,160	1,990	2,270
1996-97	228,860	253,340	2,060	2,280
1997-98	226,080	243,370	2,030	2,180
1998-99	248,240	259,640	2,220	2,320

The following table sets out the resources made available to Leeds local education authority since 1995-96. The special and specific grant totals include the money for schools announced in the Budget on 21 March 2000. These figures are not directly comparable with the net institutional expenditure figures set out: they show an increase in funding per pupil of £60 in real terms between 1995-96 and 1997-98; with a much larger real terms increase over the last three years of £430 per pupil.

Funding per pupil at 2000-01 prices⁽²³⁾

			£ per pupil
	Standard Spending Assessment	Special and Specific Grants	SSA and Special/ Specific Grants
1995-96	2,440	30	2,470
1996-97	2,470	30	2,490
1997-98	2,490	40	2,530
1998-99	2,550	40	2,590
1999-00	2,610	120	2,730
2000-01	2,680	280	2,960

⁽²³⁾ Figures have been rounded to the nearest £10.

It is not possible to provide comparable figures from before 1995-96, because of changes to the SSA methodology between 1994-95 and 1995-96.

Departmental Directorates

Mrs. May: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment (1) how many staff are employed in the Schools Directorate of his Department; and what the establishment is for that directorate; [137306]

(2) how many staff are employed in the Lifelong Learning Directorate of his Department; and what the establishment is for that directorate; [137307]

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(3) how many staff are employed in the Employment, Equality and International Relations Directorate of his Department; and what the establishment is for that directorate; [137308]

(4) how many staff are employed in the Legal Adviser's Office of his Department; and what the establishment is for the directorate; [137309]

(5) how many staff are employed in the Government Offices for the Regions on business relating to his Department; [137310]

(6) how many staff are employed in the Strategy and Communications Directorate of his Department; and what the establishment is for that directorate; [137311]

(7) how many staff are employed in the Personnel and Support Services Directorate of his Department; and what the establishment is for that directorate; [137312]

(8) how many staff are employed in the Finance and Analytical Services Directorate of his Department; and what the establishment is for that directorate. [137313]

Mr. Wills [holding answer 8 November 2000]: This is a breakdown of the work covered by the following Directorates in DfEE:

Schools Directorate:

The Schools Directorate deals with most aspects of education policy for children up to 16 years, including early years. The aim of the Directorate is to transform standards in schools, enabling all children to fulfil their potential, to make an effective transition to adulthood and the world of work and to develop an appetite for lifelong learning.

Corporate Services and Development Directorate:

The Corporate Services and Development Directorate is responsible for the delivery of value-for-money services within the Department, covering information technology, human resources, facilities management and procurement. It fosters and supports the modernisation of DfEE by implementing policies and practices which encourage and facilitate new ways of working.

Employment, Equality and International Relations:

Is responsible for developing a programme of labour market interventions--including the New Deals--designed to help people to move from welfare into work; Developing policies to combat discrimination in employment, based on gender, race, disability and age; Designing and implementing the National Childcare Strategy; and influencing EU and other international partners, so that their policies and initiatives support domestic policies.

Government Offices for the Regions:

The role of Government Offices is to manage programmes on behalf of parent Departments, to support and facilitate effective linkages between partners and programmes and to inform the development of Departments' policies from the regional perspective.

Legal Adviser's Office:

The Legal Adviser's Office is responsible for providing legal advice to the Department for Education and Employment.

Lifelong Learning Directorate:

The Lifelong Learning Directorate is responsible for supporting Ministers in creating policies aimed at developing in everyone a commitment to lifelong learning, so as to enhance their lives, improve their employability in a changing labour market and create the skills that our economy and employers need. The Directorate supports the modernisation of the DfEE through the introduction of new ways of working.

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Finance and Analytical Services Directorate:

The Finance and Analytical Services Directorate covers a broad range of work aimed at ensuring good value for money from the Department's resources. This includes securing and allocating the resources needed to deliver the Department's overall aim and objectives through the regular Spending Reviews. Policy work is also supported by the analytical teams who produce statistical reports, including production of the school performance tables on which school improvement is measured; provide an evidence base on which the whole Department can depend; and commission and manage research aimed at informing policy development. All of this will help us to get our priorities right and ensure that we make the most of our limited resources.

Strategy and Communications Directorate:

SCD is responsible for effectively developing the Department's strategy at national, regional and local levels, and ensuring that it is communicated with target audiences across everything DfEE does. SCD manages DfEE policy interests with Government Offices and Regional Development Agencies, and sponsors closer working by the rest of DfEE with employers. It also has responsibility for cross-Government initiatives including those on social exclusion and regeneration, and manages relationships with the public whether through correspondence, telephone or Internet.

The Department aims to deliver high quality public services as part of a modernised civil service. Against this background we have created a unit to drive forward a continuous improvement strategy that encompasses: a programme of Better Quality Services reviews to assess whether our current delivery arrangements are the best available; "Identifying Efficiency Action" reviews which are incisive scrutinies of a range of the Department's activities that offer scope for efficiency action; and the promotion of the European Foundation For Quality Management Model and Benchmarking in the development of Divisional Improvement Plans. These reviews are key in moving resources to deal with new pressures.

A breakdown of staffing figures for the Department is shown in the following table.

Directorate	Staffing figures as of 1 July 2000
Schools Directorate	1,247
Corporate Services and Development Directorate	954
Employment, Equality and International Relations	643
Government Offices for the Regions	(24)753
Legal Adviser's Office	10
Lifelong Learning	(24)1,013
Strategy and Communications	231
Finance and Analytical Services	586

⁽²⁴⁾ Some functions currently carried out in these areas will transfer in April 2001 to the Learning and Skills Council.

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