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Education Funding (Cheltenham)
Mr. Nigel Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what effect the Budget of 17 April will have on the provision of education in Cheltenham. [52940]
Mr. Timms: My right hon. Friend the Chancellor announced in the Budget an additional £85 million investment in 2002–03 in school and college buildings in England. This means that every maintained school in England, including those in Cheltenham, will receive in 2002–03 an additional allocation of about 20 per cent. of New Deal for Schools devolved formula capital for schools. Colleges and other educational establishments will also receive their proportionate share. Details of changes to future funding for education will be announced when the Spending Review has been completed in the summer.
Golden Hellos (Teacher Shortages)
Ms Atherton: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what factors underlay the decision to restrict golden hello payments to shortage-subject specialists trained for secondary teaching. [53008]
Mr. Timms: Golden hellos are available in the five subject-areas where teacher recruitment is most challenging. National statistics published by my Department on 24 April showed that, in January 2002, 70 per cent. of all vacancies for full-time secondary teachers in England were in these subjects.
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Ministerial Powers
Chris Grayling: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what powers she holds in relation to Scotland and Northern Ireland. [52536]
Estelle Morris: My powers are broadly for England, with some also extending to Wales. The education and training functions previously exercised by my right hon. Friends the Secretaries of State for Scotland and for Northern Ireland have transferred to the devolved Administrations in Scotland and Northern Ireland. My officials work closely with officials in the devolved Administrations on matters of mutual interest across the UK. My Department also represents the UK at international level on education, skills and youth issues, briefed, where appropriate, by the devolved Administrations. Under the Industrial Training Acts, I have levy powers across England, Scotland and Wales to fund the Industrial Training Boards.
Qualifications
Mr. Francois: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what proportion of children left school in 2001 without any qualifications. [52274]
Mr. Ivan Lewis [holding answer 26 April 2002]: In 2001 the proportion of pupils reaching the end of compulsory schooling without any qualifications fell for the sixth year in a row to 5.5 per cent.
Ofsted Inspections
Mr. Willis: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what plans she has to ensure Ofsted inspections and individual inspectors do not influence individual school reports by applying their religious beliefs to evidence of school performance. [53128]
Mr. Timms: This is a matter for HM Chief Inspector of Schools. I have therefore asked Mike Tomlinson to write to the hon. Member and to place a copy of his letter in the Library.
Mr. Steen: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what the cost was of the Ofsted inspection conducted in the Torbay unitary authority Area in 2001; how many officials were involved in undertaking the inspection; and what the cost was of producing a report after the inspection. [52486]
Mr. Timms: This is a matter for HM Chief Inspector of Schools and I have therefore asked Mike Tomlinson to write to the hon. Member and to place a copy of his letter in the Library.
School Funding
Mr. Woodward: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how much direct grant was given to (a) primary schools and (b) secondary schools in (i) St Helens, (ii) Merseyside, (iii) the north-west, (iv) the south-east and (v) England in (A) 1997, (B) 1998, (C) 1999, (D) 2000 and (E) 2001. [50937]
Mr. Timms: School Standards Grant (SSG) was not payable in 1997, 1998 and 1999. For the years 2000–01 and 2001–02 the total amount of SSG paid to all schools (primary, secondary, special, pupil referral unit and nursery), taking into account adjustments made as a result
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of reconciliations, is as shown on the table. A breakdown of the amounts of funding into primary and secondary schools cannot be supplied except at disproportionate cost.
| 2000–01 | 2001–02 | |
|---|---|---|
| St. Helens | 1,064,000 | 2,345,500 |
| Merseyside | 8,971,000 | 19,128,000 |
| the north-west | 43,743,750 | 94,001,000 |
| the south-east | 43,964,000 | 94,417,500 |
| England | 292,711,500 | 631,103,500 |
Education Expenditure
Mr. Woodward: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how much was spent by (a) St Helens Metropolitan Borough Council, (b) the average council in the north-west, (c) the average council in the south-east and (d) the average council in England on education in (i) 1997, (ii) 1998, (iii) 1999, (iv) 2000 and (v) 2001. [50938]
Mr. Timms: The table sets out the information requested. The Department is due to collect data relating to the 2001–02 financial year from this September.
| Region | 1997–98 Outturn | 1998–99 Outturn | 1999–2000 Outturn | 2000–01 Outturn(16) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| St. Helens | 78,961 | 84,024 | 85,584 | 91,093 |
| North west councils | 131,270 | 138,453 | 146,787 | 157,071 |
| South east councils | 142,329 | 150,559 | 171,121 | 183,090 |
(16) Provisional
| Region | 1997–98 Outturn | 1998–99 Outturn | 1999–2000 Outturn | 2000–01 Outturn(17) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| St. Helens | 84,628 | 87,604 | 87,158 | 91,093 |
| North west councils | 140,691 | 144,352 | 149,486 | 157,071 |
| South east councils | 152,544 | 156,974 | 174,268 | 183,090 |
| England councils | 135,033 | 138,618 | 150,106 | 158,057 |
(17) Provisional
Notes:
1. Source of figures for 1997–98 and 1998–99 are drawn from the DTLR's ROI returns.
2. Source of figures for 1999–2000 and 2000–01 are drawn from the DfES's Section 52 Outturn statements.
3. 2000–01 figures are provisional and are subject to change.
4. Real terms figures are calculated using GDP deflators published by the Treasury 17 April 2002.
5. Figures reflect Net Current Expenditure which covers all education expenditure by local authorities.
Parliamentary Questions
Mr. Willis: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills when she will reply to the question tabled by the hon. Member for Harrogate and Knaresborough on 19 March. [53025]
Mr. Timms: I apologise to the hon. Member for the time taken in providing an answer to his question of 19 March, but it is taking some time in compiling the information which he seeks.
I anticipate being able to provide a reply by the end of the week.
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Teachers' Salaries
Mr. Oaten: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills if she will make it her policy to award teachers in the FE and college sector pay awards equal to those teaching in secondary schools. [53122]
Margaret Hodge: It is for each college to agree annual pay rises and conditions of employment with its staff in the context of the overall resources available to them. We are, however, aware of the funding gap between schools and FE and have pledged to bring up levels of funding and allow upwards convergence over time as resources allow.
We are investing significant funding in the FE sector. In 2001- 02, £527 million extra was planned for FE—a 12 per cent. real terms increase, with a further 3 per cent. increase this year. By 2003–04, annual funding for FE will have increased by £1.4 billion compared with 1997–98, a real terms increase of 20 per cent. The substantial additional investment we are making in the sector should help colleges and the trade unions reach agreement on appropriate salary increase this year.
We are also investing more than £311 million in the teaching pay initiative during the period 2001–04 to allow colleges, including sixth form colleges, to reward high quality teaching. This is separate to any general pay rise a teacher may receive.
Teaching Assistants
Mr. Willis: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what duties and responsibilities she has determined are appropriate for teaching assistants in (a) primary and (b) secondary sectors. [53124]
Mr. Timms: A working party involving representatives of teachers and support staff, the local government employers and other Government bodies, is currently considering the roles and responsibilities of teaching assistants in primary, secondary and special schools. Following its initial discussions, we expect to issue a consultation paper asking for comments on these and a range of other issues relating to teaching assistants and support staff. The Education Bill currently before Parliament provides for there to be regulations specifying the duties which may be carried out by teaching assistants and others who are not qualified as school teachers.
Mr. Willis: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what plans she has to provide a career structure for teaching assistants. [53125]
Mr. Timms: The question of a career structure and associated training and development for teaching assistants is being considered by a working party which includes representatives of teachers and support staff, the local government employers and other Government bodies. This group's discussions are being used to inform the production of a consultation paper which will address a range of issues relating to teaching assistants and other support staff. National vocational qualifications, based on the new national occupational standards for teaching assistants, are expected to be in place later this year and will form part of the proposed career structure.
Mr. Willis: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what plans she has to provide schools and local education authorities with model role descriptions for teaching assistants. [53126]
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Mr. Timms: Possible roles for teaching assistants in schools are being considered by a working party which includes representatives of teachers and support staff, the local government employers and other Government bodies. We expect to issue a consultation paper later this term, which will ask for comments on enhanced roles and responsibilities and will address the need for the provision of guidance to schools and local education authorities.
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