1 Mar 2001 : Column: 717W
Written Answers to Questions
Thursday 1 March 2001
EDUCATION AND EMPLOYMENT
Adult Literacy and Numeracy
Mr. Meale: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what plans the Government have to improve adult literacy and numeracy skills in England. [152260]
Mr. Blunkett: The standard of literacy and numeracy skills in England has been too poor for too long. Claus Moser's report found that up to 7 million adults in England have weak literacy and numeracy skills. This is disastrous for the individuals concerned, weakens business competitiveness and places a huge burden on society.
The Government will shortly launch their strategy to tackle this problem. Our priority is to improve the skills of those groups where literacy and numeracy needs are greatest and where we can make most impact. We will spend £1.5 billion over the next three years and focus the work of all relevant organisations on ensuring that 750,000 adults improve their literacy and numeracy by 2004, and that we reach the literacy and numeracy levels of our international competitors.
Our strategy will deliver radical quality improvements. New national standards, a common core curriculum and National Tests will make sure that best teaching and learning practice is adopted across the country. And we are training teachers, establishing a research centre and introducing more rigorous national inspections so that standards remain high.
The Government themselves will be setting an example with my Department working with other Government Departments and agencies such as the MOD and the Prison Service to bring about radical improvements in standards of adult skills.
Our literacy and numeracy strategy will mark a decisive step in addressing this country's poor literacy and numeracy skill levels and will give adults the opportunity to acquire the skills they need to participate in modern society.
New Deal
Mr. Pike: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment how many young people have found employment through the New Deal in (a) the north-west region and (b) Lancashire. [150650]
Ms Jowell: Figures to the end of November 2000 show that the following numbers of young people have found employment through New Deal in the north-west region and Lancashire:
1 Mar 2001 : Column: 718W
| North-west region | Lancashire | |
|---|---|---|
| Total jobs | 39,666 | 5,171 |
| of which are sustained | 30,132 | 3,894 |
| Other | 9,534 | 1,277 |
Dr. Jack Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what his most recent estimate is of the take up of the New Deal for (a) young people, (b) lone parents, (c) people with disabilities and (d) older people in Copeland; and if he will make a statement on its operation. [150684]
Ms Jowell [holding answer 26 February 2001]: Latest figures, to the end of November 2000, for Copeland parliamentary constituency show the following take-up of the New Deal:
| Numbers starting New Deal | |
|---|---|
| New Deal for Young People | 1,375 |
| New Deal for Lone Parents | 234 |
| New Deal for 25+ | 1,103 |
Statistics on New Deal for People with Disabilities are not available at constituency level. To date the New Deal for Disabled People has operated only in a limited number of locations, not including Copeland. 24 innovative schemes have been testing new ways of helping disabled people into work and 12 Personal Adviser pilots have helped disabled people to overcome their particular barriers to work.
The New Deal for Disabled People will be extended on a national basis, with services for disabled clients beginning from July 2001.
The approach which underpins the New Deal programmes is one which links equality of opportunity and investment in skills to economic prosperity and labour market expansion.
ENVIRONMENT, TRANSPORT AND THE REGIONS
Departmental IT Projects
Mr. Field: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he will list the IT projects currently undertaken in his Department; and if he will state the (a) expected completion date and (b) cost of each project. [151501]
Ms Beverley Hughes [holding answer 26 February 2001]: The tables list IT projects currently undertaken within DETR(C) and its agencies where costs are estimated to be equal to or exceed £50,000.
Small projects where the total cost falls below £50,000 have not been listed as the collection of information and collation of these projects could be provided only at disproportionate cost.
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| Projects | Total forecast costs to completion (£) | Projected completion date |
|---|---|---|
| DETR(C) | ||
| Data Communications Systems | 2,230,000 | March 2001 |
| Replacement PCs | 204,000 | March 2001 |
| High Speed LANS | 762,000 | March 2001 |
| Second GSI Gateway | 33,000 | March 2001 |
| Bristol HQ Infrastructure | 293,000 | March 2001 |
| Netware 5 | 365,000 | March 2001 |
| Replacement ETHOS Servers | 225,000 | March 2001 |
| TAN21--a programme of business change involving the redesign of the business processes and the modernisation of IT/IS systems | 7,977,000 | September 2001 |
| Computerised Local Authority Statistics System | 245,000 | March 2001 |
| DETR Payroll Procurement Project | 480,000 | September 2001 |
| The Optimum Pensions System | 943,000 | March 2002 |
| Maps on Tap | 174,000 | June 2001 |
| Electronic Procurement Stages 2 and 3 | 4,331,000 | March 2003 |
| Marine Incident Database--Phase 2 | 241,000 | April 2001 |
| DETR Electronic Briefing System | 1,340,000 | February 2002 |
| DOC Project Management System | 133,000 | October 2001 |
| Videoconferencing System | 64,000 | April 2001 |
| Climate Change Levy | 113,000 | March 2001 |
| Research Management Database--Phase 1 | 40,000 | June 2001 |
| Electronic Document and Record Management--Scoping Study | 40,000 | May 2001 |
| RIMNET Scoping Study | 200,000 | May 2001 |
| Next Generation Accounting System (procurement under way) | (1)-- | -- |
(1) Information commercially sensitive.
Note:
The information above relates to projects that have been approved and are still running. It should be noted that for some projects the costs only represent those related to scoping studies. The final cost of these projects is subject to the outcome of the scoping study and ITSD and BISD approval. It is therefore not possible to include total project costs for these projects.
1 Mar 2001 : Column: 719W
| Projects | Estimated total external project costs to completion (£) | Projected completion date |
|---|---|---|
| Highways Agency | ||
| Computer Aided Facilities Management (CAFM) | 212,000 | July 2001 |
| Migration to MS Outlook and Office 2000 | 1,639,000 | May 2002 |
| Electronic Document Management (EDMS) | 350,000 | March 2004 |
| Environmental Database | 375,000 | February 2002 |
| Extranet Project (Agent Access) | 621,000 | February 2001 |
| Geotechnical Data Management System (GDMS) | 355,000 | December 2002 |
| HA Corporate Intranet/Extranet Development | 1,199,000 | February 2002 |
| Highways Agency Management Information System (HAMIS) | 3,100,00 | March 2001 |
| Highways Agency Pavement Management System (HAPMS) | 11,238,000 | December 2003 |
| HA Supplier Database and Tender Support | 175,000 | August 2001 |
| Knowledge Management Pilot | 104,000 | July 2001 |
| Part 1 Claims Database | 80,000 | April 2001 |
| Remote Access--Service Improvements | 301,000 | July 2001 |
| Strategy for Financial Management (SFM)(2) | 25,000,000 to 30,000,000 | 2004 |
| Structures Management Information System (SMIS) | 1,736,400 | March 2002 |
| Total (SFM minimum) | 46,485,400 | -- |
| Total (SFM maximum) | 51,485,400 | -- |
(2) The Agency also classifies the implementation of resource accounting and budgeting as an IT project. It is currently estimated to cost £25-30 million over a 10 year period ending in 2004.
Note:
The information above relates to projects that have been approved and are still running. It should be noted that for some projects the costs only represent those related to scoping studies. The final cost of these projects is subject to the outcome of the scoping study and ITSD and BISD approval. It is therefore not possible to include total project costs for these projects.
(3) Information commercially sensitive.
Note:
The information above relates to projects that have been approved and are still running. It should be noted that for some projects the costs only represent those related to scoping studies. The final cost of these projects is subject to the outcome of the scoping study and ITSD and BISD approval. It is therefore not possible to include total project costs for these projects.
1 Mar 2001 : Column: 721W
1 Mar 2001 : Column: 721W
| Projects | Estimated operating cost per annum (£) | Contract due to commence |
|---|---|---|
| Vehicle Inspectorate Agency | ||
| MOT Computerisation | 22,000,000 | May 2002 |
| Replacement IT Services Contract (procurement under way) | (4)-- | -- |
(4) Information commercially sensitive
Note:
The information above relates to projects that have been approved and are still running. It should be noted that for some projects the costs only represent those related to scoping studies. The final cost of these projects is subject to the outcome of the scoping study and ITSD and BISD approval. It is therefore not possible to include total project costs for these projects.
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