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EDUCATION AND EMPLOYMENT

New Deal for Young People

Mr. Lansley: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what the cost of implementing the New Deal for Young People in the South Cambridgeshire constituency was between April 1998 and September 2000. [141304]

Ms Jowell: New Deal expenditure is not available by constituency. However, the cost of implementing the New Deal for Young People between April 1998 and September 2000 in the Cambridgeshire unit of delivery was approximately £1,733,011.

Departmental Policies (Leeds, Central)

Mr. Hilary Benn: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment if he will make a statement on the effect on the Leeds, Central constituency of his Department's policies and actions since 2 May 1997. [141310]

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Mr. Wills: Details outlining the effect on the Leeds, Central constituency and Leeds LEA of a range of the Department's policies will be placed in the Library.

Education Expenditure

Mr. Peter Bradley: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what the per pupil expenditure was in 1996-97, and what it is projected to be for (a) 2000-01 and (b) 2001-02 (i) on average, (ii) in primary schools and (iii) in secondary schools. [142402]

Ms Estelle Morris: Funding data for the years in question are contained in the following table:

Standard spending assessment and special and specific grants per pupil

			£
	Cash
	SSA	Grants	Total
Primary
1996-97	2,050	30	2,080
1997-98	2,130	30	2,160
2000-01	2,470	260	2,740
2001-02	2,590	380	2,960
Secondary
1996-97	2,730	20	2,750
1997-98	2,780	30	2,810
2000-01	3,180	210	3,380
2001-02	3,310	280	3,590
Primary and Secondary
1996-97	2,350	30	2,370
1997-98	2,410	30	2,440
2000-01	2,780	240	3,020
2001-02	2,910	330	3,240

£

	Real terms 2000-01 prices
	SSA	Grants	Total
Primary
1996-97	2,270	30	2,300
1997-98	2,290	30	2,330
2000-01	2,470	260	2,740
2001-02	2,520	370	2,890
Secondary
1996-97	3,020	30	3,050
1997-98	2,990	30	3,030
2000-01	3,180	210	3,380
2001-02	3,230	270	3,500
Primary and Secondary
1996-97	2,600	30	2,630
1997-98	2,600	30	2,630
2000-01	2,780	240	3,020
2001-02	2,840	320	3,160

Note:

The SSA per pupil figures and the grant figures for 2001-02 are provisional. The grant figures in particular are liable to change.

Grant Letters

Mrs. May: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment when he will issue annual grant letters to the Higher Education Funding Council and the Teacher Training Agency. [142281]

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Mr. Wicks [holding answer 12 December 2000]: The annual grant letter to the Higher Education Funding Council for England was issued on 29 November 2000. The grant letter to the Teacher Training Agency will be issued shortly.

Sure Start

Mr. Coaker: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment when the next phase of Sure Start will be announced; and what plans he has to include in it small pockets of deprivation outside city council areas. [142834]

Yvette Cooper: I will write to my hon. Friend as soon as possible.

Employment Service

Mr. Martyn Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment when his Department will conduct a quinquennial review of the Employment Service. [143500]

Ms Jowell: In March this year my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister announced plans to develop a brand new agency which will provide a single point of access for advice on looking for work and accessing benefits. The new agency will draw together the Employment Service and those parts of the Benefits Agency dealing with people of working age. This announcement effectively overtook the quinquennial review of the Employment Service which was planned to be undertaken this year in parallel with a review of the Benefits Agency. Following consultation, my right hon. Friend the Minister of State, Cabinet Office has formally agreed to cancel the requirement for a quinquennial review of the Employment Service. My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Social Security will be making a statement about the review of the Benefits Agency.

ENVIRONMENT, TRANSPORT AND THE REGIONS

Bus Drivers

Mr. Edward Davey: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what plans his Department has to assist bus companies to recruit drivers in areas where there are significant driver shortages; and if he will make a statement. [142062]

Mr. Hill: My Department is aware of the difficulties being experienced by bus operators in recruiting and retaining bus drivers in some areas. We have been in regular contact with the bus industry to consider the extent of this problem, which has also been a matter considered as part of the Department's research on trends in the industry.

The responsibility for ensuring that they have sufficient drivers is primarily a matter for individual bus companies. However, my Department and the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) and Driver Standards Agency (DSA) have been pursuing with the industry what steps can be taken to assist with the current problems. For example a pilot procedure has recently been introduced

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by DVLA with one nominated operator on a trial basis, with the aim of providing a high speed response to PSV driver licence applications.

In addition, I understand the Department for Education and Employment has provided £145,000 to TRANSfED, the bus industry's National Training Organisation, to identify and address future skills needs.

Home Zones

Mr. Edward Davey: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions how many bids for funding from local authorities for the creation of home zones he has received; and how many grants for funding towards the creation of home zones his Department has made since 1999. [142063]

Mr. Hill: A number of local authorities have bid for funding for home zones in the Local Transport Plan settlement. My Department is currently monitoring nine pilot home zone projects. However funding for home zones is not ring fenced and therefore comes out of the general local transport plans settlement announced yesterday, 14 December 2000, Official Report, columns 202-03W, for the next five years.

Air Pollution

Mr. Shaw: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what resources the Highways Agency has been allocated to meet obligations arising out of designated air quality management areas under the Environment Act 1995. [141307]

Mr. Hill: Within its role as network operator the Highways Agency is resourced to meet its obligations under the Environment Act 1995.

Where local authorities decide to designate air quality management areas the Agency is ready to play its part in the preparation and implementation of local authorities' action plans. A number of local authorities have been informally consulted on a document giving information on how best to involve the HA in this process. The final version will be issued shortly.

Mr. Shaw: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what research his Department has commissioned to assess the benefit of erecting physical barriers to disperse air pollution. [141306]

Mr. Meacher: Physical barriers alongside roads are generally erected to reduce the noise impact on adjacent buildings or amenity areas. Noise radiates from a source and so can be effectively blocked by a solid barrier, screening locations behind it. In contrast, air pollution, over a period of time, will find its way over or around the barrier.

I understand that Tonbridge and Malling Borough Council are currently consulting on their stage 3 review and assessment of air pollution in their locality. If there are air pollution problems in the vicinity of a particular road, then the local authority will need to consider with the Highways Agency, where appropriate, the best means of reducing vehicle emissions.

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Road Schemes

Mr. Syms: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions (1) what budget has been set aside for road schemes on (a) A5 Nesscliffe Bypass, (b) A6 Rothwell-Desborough Bypass, (c) A6 Rushden and Higham Ferrers Bypass, (d) A10 Wadesmill- Colliers End Bypass, (e) A21 Lamberhurst Bypass, (f) A23 Coulsdon Relief Road, (g) A46 Newark-Lincoln Improvement and (h) A63 Selby Bypass; and what progress has been made towards their implementation; [141673]

(2) what budget has been set aside for road schemes on (a) A1 Willowburn-Denwick, (b) A6 Great Glen Bypass, (c) A27 Polegate Bypass, (d) A41 Aston Clinton Bypass, (e) A43 Silverstone Bypass, (f) A1033 Hedon Road, Hull Improvement, (g) A6 Clapham Bypass, (h) A11 Roudham Heath to Attleborough, (i) A43 M40-B4031 Improvement, (j) A66 Stainburn and Great Clifton Bypass, (k) A500 Basford/Hough/Shavington Bypass and (l) A650 Bingley Relief Road; and what progress been made towards their implementation; [141672]

(3) what budget has been set aside for the widening schemes at (a) M25 J 12-15 and (b) M60 J 5-8; and what progress has been made towards their implementation. [141674]

Mr. Hill: I have asked the Chief Executive of the Highways Agency, Tim Matthews, to write to the hon. Member.

Letter from Tim Matthews to Mr. Robert Syms, dated 15 December 2000:

I have been asked by the Transport Minister, Keith Hill, to reply to your recent Parliamentary Questions about road schemes in the Targeted Programme of Improvements.

£176m (which will be increased in line with inflation) has been identified to implement the M25 J12-15 and M60 J5-8 widening schemes. Budgets for individual schemes are determined annually on the basis of anticipated progress in the next financial year.

We plan to award contracts for these schemes in 2002/03 and 2003/04 respectively, in line with the announcement made by Lord Whitty in December 1998.

£311m (which will be increased in line with inflation) has been identified to implement the following road schemes: A1 Willowburn - Denwick; A6 Great Glen Bypass; A27 Polegate Bypass, A41 Aston Clinton Bypass; A43 Silverstone Bypass; A1033 Hedon Road Improvement; A5 Clapham Bypass; A11 Roudham Heath to Attleborough; A43 M40 B4031 Improvement; A66 Stainburn and Great Clifton Bypass; A500 Basford/Hough/Shavington Bypass and A650 Bingley Relief Road. Budgets for individual schemes are determined annually on the basis of anticipated progress in the next financial year.

Contracts have been awarded for A27 Polegate Bypass and A43 Towcester to M40 Dualling (which comprises A43 Silverstone Bypass, A43 Whitfield Turn Brackley Hatch and A43 M40 B4031). We plan to award contracts on all the remaining schemes during 2000/01, in line with the announcement made by Lord Whitty on 3 February 2000.

£140m (which will be increased in line with inflation) has been identified to implement the following road schemes: a) A5 Nesscliffe Bypass b) A6 Rothwell - Desborough Bypass c) A6 Rushden and Higham Ferrers Bypass d) A10 Wadesmill - Colliers End Bypass e) A21 Lamberhurst Bypass g) A46 Newark - Lincoln Improvement and h) A63 Selby Bypass. Budgets for individual schemes are determined annually on the basis of anticipated progress in the next financial year.

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We plan to award contracts on all these schemes during 2001/02 in line with the announcement made by Lord Whitty in December 1998.

The A23 Coulsdon Relief Road is now the responsibility of the Mayor of London.

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