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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:
- The Secretary of State for Work and Pensions has asked me to respond to your recent Parliamentary Question asking, if he will state 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.
- The information is not available in the format requested. Such information that is available is in the attached table.
- I hope this is helpful.
| Seven Sisters Road Finsbury Park office | Elthorne Road Highgate office | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Average staff days per month | |||
| 1996 | 443 | 315 | |
| 1997 | 377 | 329 | |
| 1998 | 348 | 304 | |
| 1999 | 379 | 402 | |
| 2000 | 369 | 427 | |
| Average number of callers per month | |||
| 1996 | 5,912 | 5,340 | |
| 1997 | 5,631 | 4,936 | |
| 1998 | 5,217 | 4,602 | |
| 1999 | 5,695 | 5,050 | |
| 2000 | 5,039 | 4,553 | |
| Initial waiting time 10 minutes or less based on the average number of callers (shown as a percentage) | |||
| 1996 | 57 | 72 | |
| 1997 | 57 | 43 | |
| 1998 | 43 | 68 | |
| 1999 | 34 | 70 | |
| 2000 | 41 | 63 | |
| Initial waiting time 30 minutes or less based on the average number of callers (shown as a percentage) | |||
| 1996 | 82 | 98 | |
| 1997 | 94 | 85 | |
| 1998 | 91 | 100 | |
| 1999 | 87 | 100 | |
| 2000 | 85 | 97 | |
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:
| Score in former year | Score in latter year | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1995–96 and 1996–97 | 38.8 | 39.9 | 1.1 |
| 1996–97 and 1997–98 | 40.1 | 41.5 | 1.4 |
| 1997–98 and 1998–99 | 40.7 | 42.2 | 1.5 |
| 1998–99 and 1999–2000 | 41.5 | 42.5 | 1.0 |
| 1999–2000 and 2000–01 | 41.8 | 42.4 | 0.6 |
| (a) Specialist | (b) Selective | (c) All schools | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Change | Score | Change | Score | Change | |
| 1996–97 | 1.1 | 57.0 | 0.6 | 35.9 | 0.5 |
| 1997–98 | 1.4 | 59.4 | 2.4 | 37.0 | 1.1 |
| 1998–99 | 1.5 | 60.7 | 1.3 | 38.1 | 1.1 |
| 1999–2000 | 1.0 | 62.1 | 1.4 | 38.9 | 0.8 |
| 2000–01 | 0.6 | 62.8 | 0.7 | 39.3 | 0.4 |
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.
- 1 Source: Audit Commission
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 London | n/a |
| Camden | 4.64 |
| Greenwich | n/a |
| Hackney | 7.35 |
| Hammersmith and Fulham | 14.60 |
| Islington | 3.57 |
| Kensington and Chelsea | 5.89 |
| Lambeth | 7.76 |
| Lewisham | 8.90 |
| Southwark | 3.21 |
| Tower Hamlets | 13.32 |
| Wandsworth | 5.37 |
| Westminster | 15.61 |
| Barking and Dagenham | 6.47 |
| Barnet | 0.74 |
| Bexley | 15.61 |
| Brent | 6.26 |
| Bromley | 9.49 |
| Croydon | 10.39 |
| Ealing | 0.52 |
| Enfield | 0.28 |
| Haringey | 8.95 |
| Harrow | 2.22 |
| Havering | 1.18 |
| Hillingdon | 4.83 |
| Hounslow | 4.66 |
| Kingston-upon-Thames | 8.47 |
| Merton | 6.42 |
| Newham | 5.79 |
| Redbridge | 7.38 |
| Richmond-upon-Thames | 1.92 |
| Sutton | 17.49 |
| Waltham Forest | 7.32 |
| London overall | 6.99 |
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.
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 items | Approximate value per item (£) | Total approximate value (£) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Laptop PC | 7 | 1,000 | 7,000 | |
| Palmtop PC | 1 | 250 | 250 | |
| PC chips | From 205 PCs | 423.57 | 86,831 | |
| Total | 94,081 | |||
| Financial year 1999–2000 | ||||
| Laptop PC | 5 | 1,000 | 5,000 | |
| Palmtop PC | 1 | 250 | 250 | |
| PC processing unit | 2 | 1,000 | 2,000 | |
| Mobile phone | 1 | 60 | 60 | |
| Total | 7,310 | |||
| Financial year 2000–01 | ||||
| Laptop PC | 2 | 1,000 | 2,000 | |
| Palm pilot PC | 1 | 300 | 300 | |
| Nokia WAP phone | 1 | 200 | 200 | |
| Mobile phone and charger | 1 | 100 | 100 | |
| Total | 2,600 | |||
| Financial year 2001–02 | ||||
| Laptop PC | 3 | 1,000 | 3,000 | |
| Mobile phone | 2 | 100 | 200 | |
| Video phone | 1 | 200 | 200 | |
| Chair | 1 | 80 | 80 | |
| Total | 3,480 | |||
| 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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