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Fire Risk Categorisation
Mr. Shepherd: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) if he will publish Her Majesty's Fire Services Inspectorate's comments on the fire risk categorisation survey which have been made available to members of the West Midlands Fire and Civil Defence Authority; [4500]
- (2) what the result was of the West Midlands Fire Service's recent fire risk category survey in Aldridge and Bloxwich; which buildings' risk categorisation is (a) B and (b) C; which buildings in each category have been (i) upgraded and (ii) downgraded by the survey; and what proportion these are of the total. [4499]
Dr. Whitehead: I have been asked to reply
Responsibility for providing fire services rests locally with the fire authority. The authority cannot provide a building by building analysis of fire risk categorisation because risk categories are expressed in terms of the "predominant risk" of an area. The methodology used has been validated by HM Inspector of Fire Services in order to ensure consistency across the area and with other fire authorities.
Women Prisoners
Fiona Mactaggart: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what plans he has to restructure the prison estate to accommodate the number of women being given custodial sentences and those people being detained for reasons of immigration; and if he will make a statement. [4974]
Beverley Hughes: The use of the prison estate is kept under constant review by the Prison Service Management Board and I have endorsed their decision to change the function of Downview male closed prison to become a female closed prison; to remove immigration detainees from Rochester, making the whole of that establishment a young offender institution; and for Dover young offender institution to become an establishment dedicated to immigration detainees.
Leave to Remain
Vernon Coaker: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what plans he has to replace the current application forms for foreign nationals wishing to apply for leave to remain in the United Kingdom. [4975]
Angela Eagle: The current application forms are valid for use only until 14 October 2001. Revised forms will be prescribed before then and should be available by the end of September. From the time they are issued until 14 October 2001, applications may be made on either the newly prescribed forms or the present versions. Only the new
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forms may be used for applications made on or after 15 October 2001. Copies will be placed in the Library when they are available.
EDUCATION AND SKILLS
Home Education
Mr. Laurence Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many infant children had approval for home education in (a) 1997, (b) 1998, (c) 1999 and (d) 2000; and if she will make a statement. [2865]
Mr. Timms: We do not collect centrally the data requested.
Section 7 of the Education Act 1996 places a duty on parents to ensure that a child of compulsory school age receives education suitable to his or her age, ability, aptitude and any special educational need the child may have. Parents can fulfil this duty either by their child attending school regularly or otherwise. Some parents elect to educate their children at home. Local education authorities have a duty to monitor the suitability of the education being received by a home educated child by virtue of section 437 (1) of the 1996 Act and can issue a School Attendance Order if they are not satisfied that a child is receiving suitable education.
Free School Meals
Mr. Dobson: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what the percentage of children entitled to free school meals is in (a) schools previously
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designated as specialist schools, (b) schools included in the latest annual list of specialist schools and (c) all other maintained secondary schools. [3163]
Mr. Timms [holding answer 11 July 2001]: The available information is shown in the table.
| Percentage | |
|---|---|
| Schools designated as specialist as at 30 September 2000 | 14.6 |
| Schools newly designated as specialist as at 30 September 2001 | 17.6 |
| Maintained secondary schools not designated as specialist schools | 16.9 |
Mr. Hoyle: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills if she will extend free school meals to those on Working Families Tax Credit; and if she will make a statement. [3737]
Mr. Timms: My Department has no such plans.
IT Contracts
Mr. Dobson: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills if she will list the information technology contracts in excess of £500,000 let by her Department or its predecessor since April 1991, giving in each case the original estimated cost and original estimated completion date, the actual cost and actual completion date and the names of the contractors involved and consultants retained by her Department. [3497]
John Healey: The information that can be provided without disproportionate cost is contained in the table:
| Contract | Contract | Estimated cost (£) | Estimated completion date | Actual cost (£) | Actual completion date |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Work permits system hardware | Data General | 600,000 | 1992 | 600,000 | 1992 |
| Census of employment processing system | Andersens | 3,900,000 | February 1994 | 3,920,000 | March 1994 |
| Personnel system | Data General UK | 750,00 | April 1997 | 760,000 | April 1997 |
| Replacement accounting system | WS Atkins Planning and Management Consultants | 500,000 | April 1999 | 500,000 | April 1999 |
| Supply and Installation of Network Cabling | Century Electrical Contractors | 525,000 | October 1999 | 525,000 | October 1999 |
| Provision of initial IT infrastructure for the Learning and Skills Council | ICL | 890,000 | February 2001 | 985,000 | February 2001 |
| The Government Catalogue, framework contract for ICT goods and related services | EDS | 15,000,000 | October 2001 | — | — |
| On-line training system supply and maintenance | NETG | 748,000 | March 2002 | — | — |
| Mainframe leasing, system supply & contract management services | ICL | 24,000,000 | March 2002 | — | — |
| Software applications development and maintenance service | FI Group | 33,000,000 | March 2002 | — | — |
| Framework contract for supply of software to DfEE | Trustmarque Solutions | 2,500,000 | July 2002 | — | — |
| Framework contract for supply of personal computers etc. | Dell Computer Corporation | 15,000,000 | November 2002 | — | — |
| Framework contract for Electronic publishing services | CTPi | 778,000 | February 2003 | — | — |
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Universities (Public-Private Partnerships)
Helen Jackson: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills (1) if she will list those universities that have agreed public-private partnerships to provide students with residential accommodation; [3872]
(2) if those universities which have agreed public- private partnerships to provide students with residential accommodation have retained the ability to control rents for that accommodation. [3873]
Margaret Hodge: Universities are independent, self-governing bodies which make their own decisions about entering into public-private partnerships. They also make their own decisions on the conditions under which such partnerships exist. The Government do not hold records of these arrangements.
Teachers' Pay
Mr. Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what the forecast rise in teachers' pay will be for 2003–04 in (a) real and (b) cash terms. [3927]
Mr. Timms: No such forecast has been made. The level of teachers' pay in 2003–04 will be subject to recommendation by the School Teachers' Review Body (STRB) and consultation before a decision is reached. It will need to take account of affordability, recruitment and retention, and other factors that will apply at the time.
Child Care (Coventry)
Mr. Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many new childminder places have been set up in Coventry through the early years development programme and the child care partnerships. [3930]
Mr. Timms: Since April 1999 Coventry early years development and child care partnership has reported the creation of 948 new childminder places in the Coventry area.
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