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Benefits Agency

Jeremy Corbyn: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what were the staffing levels for each of the last five years in the Benefits Agency offices at (a) Elthorne road, London N19, and (b) Seven Sisters road, London N7, the number of callers per day for the equivalent period and the average waiting time. [23637]

Malcolm Wicks: This is a matter for Alexis Cleveland, Chief Executive of the Benefits Agency. She will write to the hon. Member.

Letter from Alexis Cleveland to Jeremy Corbyn, dated 9 January 2002:




Seven Sisters Road Finsbury Park officeElthorne Road Highgate office
Average staff days per month
1996443315
1997377329
1998348304
1999379402
2000369427
Average number of callers per month
19965,9125,340
19975,6314,936
19985,2174,602
19995,6955,050
20005,0394,553
Initial waiting time 10 minutes or less based on the average number of callers (shown as a percentage)
19965772
19975743
19984368
19993470
20004163
Initial waiting time 30 minutes or less based on the average number of callers (shown as a percentage)
19968298
19979485
199891100
199987100
20008597

22 Jan 2002 : Column 812W

EDUCATION AND SKILLS

GCSE Point Scores

Helen Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what was the average annual change in points score at GCSE in (a) specialist, (b) grammar and (c) all secondary schools in each of the past five years. [19239]

Mr. Ivan Lewis [holding answer 3 December 2002]: The information requested on the change in average GCSE/GNVQ point score for schools in England is shown in the table:

(a) Specialist

Score in former yearScore in latter yearChange
1995–96 and 1996–9738.839.91.1
1996–97 and 1997–9840.141.51.4
1997–98 and 1998–9940.742.21.5
1998–99 and 1999–200041.542.51.0
1999–2000 and 2000–0141.842.40.6

(a) Specialist (b) Selective (c) All schools
ChangeScoreChangeScoreChange
1996–971.157.00.635.90.5
1997–981.459.42.437.01.1
1998–991.560.71.338.11.1
1999–20001.062.11.438.90.8
2000–010.662.80.739.30.4

Note:

As the number of specialist schools increases year on year, the column for 'specialist schools' refers to schools which were designated as specialist for both the appropriate academic years, hence two figures are given for each year. For example, throughout the academic years 1995–96 and 1996–97 there were 102 specialists. Throughout 1996–97 and 1997–98 there were 174 specialists. In the table above the 39.9 figure in the first row refers to the average point score of the 102 schools in 1997. The 40.1 figure in the second row refers to the average point score of the 174 specialists in 1997.


Adult and Community Learning

Mrs. Gillan: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what the spending per head of population is on adult and community learning in (a) Buckinghamshire and (b) the Chesham and Amersham constituency. [27124]

John Healey: Spending per head of population (adults 19 and over) on adult and community learning in Buckinghamshire was £4.74 in 1999–2000 1 . Figures for the Chesham and Amersham constituency are not available, as expenditure is calculated on an LEA basis only.


Mr. Randall: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what the spending per head of population is on (a) adult and (b) community learning in the Greater London area, broken down by constituency in this financial year. [27265]

John Healey: Set out is information for each London borough and for London overall for 1999–2000. This is the latest year for which final published data are available from LEA returns to the Audit Commission. Information is not available by constituency. The figures are £s per adult (aged 19 and over).

22 Jan 2002 : Column 813W

London boroughs£
City of Londonn/a
Camden4.64
Greenwichn/a
Hackney7.35
Hammersmith and Fulham14.60
Islington3.57
Kensington and Chelsea5.89
Lambeth7.76
Lewisham8.90
Southwark3.21
Tower Hamlets13.32
Wandsworth5.37
Westminster15.61
Barking and Dagenham6.47
Barnet0.74
Bexley15.61
Brent6.26
Bromley9.49
Croydon10.39
Ealing0.52
Enfield0.28
Haringey8.95
Harrow2.22
Havering1.18
Hillingdon4.83
Hounslow4.66
Kingston-upon-Thames8.47
Merton6.42
Newham5.79
Redbridge7.38
Richmond-upon-Thames1.92
Sutton17.49
Waltham Forest7.32
London overall6.99

Individual Learning Accounts

Mr. Dismore: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills if she will make a statement on the use of claims based on individual learning account funds to support terrorist activities. [26774]

John Healey: We have no evidence that ILA funds have been used for terrorist activity.

Sue Doughty: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many ILA learning providers have to date (a) had complaints and (b) had no complaints made against them. [27158]

John Healey: We have had complaints concerning non-compliance with the ILA rules and regulations against 565 ILA learning providers out of a total of approximately 8,500 registered on the England ILA database.

We had serious concerns about 86 providers and are in the process of investigating 82 of these.

Sue Doughty: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many of those ILA learning providers that have had no complaints made against them have received all payments owed to them for the ILA scheme. [27159]

John Healey: We have as a matter of priority been working to validate outstanding claims to providers. On

22 Jan 2002 : Column 814W

21 December, all learning providers that have had no complaints made against them received payment for claims they had submitted up to 21 November.

We intend making a further payment by Friday 25 January 2002 for learning confirmed between 21 November and 23 November.

Officials will be writing to learning providers once arrangements for future payments for learning that was booked on the ILA system up to its closure on 23 November are finalised.

Sue Doughty: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills if consultation on a replacement scheme for individual learning accounts will be by invitation only; and if she will consider submissions from all interested parties. [27161]

John Healey: Although the views of providers, account holders and other key partners are being particularly sought, we welcome and will consider submissions from anyone who feels they have a contribution to make on a successor programme to ILAs.

Stolen Equipment

Mr. Menzies Campbell: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what equipment has been stolen from her Department since 1 May 1997; and what the approximate value of each item was. [26821]

Mr. Ivan Lewis: The table details the equipment stolen from the Department for Education and Skills since 1 May 1997 along with the approximate value of the stolen equipment.

Description Number of itemsApproximate value of item (£)Total approximate value (£)
Financial year 1997–98
Laptop PC51,0005,000
Printer2300600
PC chips4125500
PC hard drive1900900
IT kit131,03513,455
Power drill2145290
CCTV camera11,0001,000
Mobile phone1200200
Total21,945
Financial year 1998–99
Laptop PC71,0007,000
Palmtop PC1250250
PC chipsFrom 205 PCs423.5786,831
Total94,081
Financial year 1999–2000
Laptop PC51,0005,000
Palmtop PC1250250
PC processing unit21,0002,000
Mobile phone16060
Total7,310
Financial year 2000–01
Laptop PC21,0002,000
Palm pilot PC1300300
Nokia WAP phone1200200
Mobile phone and charger1100100
Total2,600
Financial year 2001–02
Laptop PC31,0003,000
Mobile phone2100200
Video phone1200200
Phone charger12525
Dictaphone14040
Chair18080
Total3,545
The total number of items stolen since 1 May 1997 amounts to 265 at a total approximate value of £129,481

Note:

Electronic security tags are fitted to all portable IT equipment held in London. The tags raise an alarm at reception of an unauthorised person attempts to remove the kit. The level of theft outside London is so low that it is not justified to extend tagging to the Darlington, Runcorn and Sheffield sites of the Department.


22 Jan 2002 : Column 815W

Mr. Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills if she will list those items valued at more than £50 which have been stolen or lost from her Department in each of the last four years. [28001]

Mr. Ivan Lewis: The table details items valued at £50 or more which have been stolen from the Department for Education and Skills in each of the last four years.

Description Number of itemsApproximate value per item (£)Total approximate value (£)
Laptop PC71,0007,000
Palmtop PC1250250
PC chipsFrom 205 PCs423.5786,831
Total94,081
Financial year 1999–2000
Laptop PC51,0005,000
Palmtop PC1250250
PC processing unit21,0002,000
Mobile phone16060
Total7,310
Financial year 2000–01
Laptop PC21,0002,000
Palm pilot PC1300300
Nokia WAP phone1200200
Mobile phone and charger1100100
Total2,600
Financial year 2001–02
Laptop PC31,0003,000
Mobile phone2100200
Video phone1200200
Chair18080
Total3,480
The total number of items valued at £50 or more that have been stolen or lost in the last four years amounts to 263 at a total approximate value of £129,416

Note:

Electronic security tags are fitted to all portable IT equipment held in London. The tags raise an alarm at reception if an unauthorised person attempts to remove the kit. The level of theft outside London is so low that it is not justified to extend tagging to the Darlington, Runcorn and Sheffield sites of the Department.



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