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Pupil Participation

Mr. Woodward: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what recent representations she has received on including in Ofsted's framework of school assessments measures that are being taken by schools to encourage and improve pupil participation in the school's decision-making process. [63654]

Mr. Stephen Twigg [holding answer 26 June 2002]: No recent representations have been received about including an assessment of measures to encourage and improve pupil participation in Ofsted's framework.

Public Appointments

Mr. Sheerman: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many days elapsed between the

27 Jun 2002 : Column 1045W

departures of chief executives and the arrivals of successors for each non-departmental body funded by her Department and its predecessor Departments since 1979. [59711]

Estelle Morris [holding answer 10 June 2002]: The information requested for NDPBs currently funded by my Department are as listed. Information on NDPBs previously funded by my Department but which no longer exist, could be provided only at disproportionate cost:

Adult Learning Inspectorate (ALI): David Sherlock, the first and current chief inspector, was appointed on 1 April 2001.

British Educational Communications and Technology Agency (BECTA)—formerly National Council for Educational Technology (NCET): Noel Thompson was appointed as the first chief executive of NCET on 1 April 1990, he left the post on 28 February 1992. Between 1 March and 2 August 1992 the post was held by an interim chief executive, Graham Walters. Between 3 August 1992 and 31 January 1997 the post was held by Margaret Bell. Between 1 February and 2 September 1997 the post was held by another interim chief executive, Michael Littlewood. Between 3 September and 31 December 1997 Owen Lynch held the post on secondment. On 1 January 1998 Owen Lynch was appointed as the first chief executive of BECTA, a post he currently holds.

Higher Education Funding Council for England (HEFCE): Professor Graeme Davies was appointed as the first chief executive in 1992, he left on 30 September 1995. Between 1 October 1995 and 30 September 2001 the post was held by Brian Fender. Sir Howard Newby, the current chief executive, was appointed on 1 October 2001.

Investors in People UK (IIP UK): Mary Chapman, the first chief executive, left the post in May 1998. Ruth Spellman, the current chief executive, was appointed on 1 October 1998.

Learning and Skills Council (LSC): John Harwood, the first and current chief inspector, was appointed on 1 October 2000.

National College for School Leadership (NCSL): Heather Du Quesnay, the first and current director, was appointed on 1 September 2000.

Qualifications and Curriculum Authority (QCA): Dr. Nick Tate was appointed as the first chief executive in 1997, he left the QCA on 31 August 2000. Between 1 September 2000 and 31 December 2001 the post was held by Professor David Hargreaves. The post is currently filled temporarily by Beverley Evans, Ken Boston will take up post on 16 September 2002.

Sector Skills Development Agency (SSDA): Christopher Duff, the current chief inspector, was appointed on 22 April 2002.

Student Loans Company (SLC): Ron Harrison was appointed as the first chief executive on 10 January 1990, he left the post on 10 March 1995. Between 11 March and 31 December 1995 the post was vacant. Colin Ward, the current chief executive, was appointed to the post on 1 January 1996.

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Teacher Training Agency (TTA): Anthea Millett was appointed as the first chief executive on 1 January 1995, she left on the post on 31 December 1999. Ralph Tabberer, the current chief executive, was appointed on 7 February 2000.

Children Leaving Care

Mr. Willis: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what financial assistance is offered to children who leave care at the age of 16 years to remain in full or part-time education. [62657]

Jacqui Smith: I have been asked to reply.

The Children (Leaving Care) Act 2000, which commenced on 1 October 2001, places a duty on local authorities to help care leavers with education and training, as appropriate in light of the individual young person's needs to the end of their agreed programme. Local authority support may be extended until a care leave's 24th birthday and can continue for longer if this is necessary to complete an agreed programme of education and training.

TREASURY

Overpayments (Crown Immunity)

Mr. Letwin: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make a statement on his policy towards Crown immunity in cases where taxpayers sue for the refund of overpayments made to the Inland Revenue. [64379]

Dawn Primarolo: My understanding is that the Inland Revenue does not have a legal right to claim Crown immunity where taxpayers claim refund of an overpayment of tax.

Landfill Tax Credit Scheme

Mr. Letwin: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what progress has been made in the consultation on the landfill tax credit scheme. [64378]

John Healey: The consultation on the future of the landfill tax scheme closed on 17 June. A summary of responses will be produced shortly.

Illegal Meat Imports

Mr. Collins: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make a statement on the priority given by HM Customs and Excise to the prevention of illegal meat imports into the UK. [64876]

John Healey: Import controls to detect illegal import of meat and meat products are the responsibility of the Department for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) and local or port health officers. HM Customs and Excise does not therefore specifically target its checks against the risk of illegal import of meat and meat products.

Customs does however support the controls to prevent illegal import of meat and meat products by:

Dealing with meat and meat products found in the course of checks made in relation to the wide range of controls for which Customs does have lead responsibility;

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Participating in joint exercises organised by DEFRA or local or port health officers;


Supporting DEFRA and local and port health officers with information to assist in detection of illegal imports; and


Contributing to the DEFRA led illegal imports programme, for example by assisting in developing risk assessment.

Network Rail

Matthew Taylor: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will place the accounting advice given by the Office for National Statistics concerning Network Rail in the Library; and if he will make a statement. [65059]

Mr. Boateng: Yes, the letter from the Office for National statistics of 20 June 2002 giving accounting advice concerning Network Rail will be placed in the Library.

Mr. Howard: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what assessment he has made of the impact of the treatment of Network Rail debt on potential UK obligations under EMU convergence programmes and the stability and growth pact. [64880]

Mr. Boateng: Network Rail will be classified to the private sector in national accounts. It would pose no threat to UK obligations under EU treaties that concern excessive government deficits.

Mr. Howard: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what submissions his Department has made to the ONS about the treatment of Network Rail debt in the national accounts; and if he will set out the reasoning behind those submissions. [64881]

Mr. Boateng: Over the months since October 2001 Treasury has kept ONS informed about the developing proposals for the constitution and financing of Network Rail in order to give ONS the opportunity to ask questions affecting the sector classification.

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On 14 June 2002 Treasury wrote to ONS asking for a formal decision on the sector classification of Network Rail in national accounts. ONS replied on 20 June saying that, subject to NR's members confirming the board of directors, and further checking of the legal documents, NR would be classified to the private sector in national accounts. The reasoning behind the submissions was to obtain ONS's view on the sector classification of Network Rail, and to make sure that ONS received in good time all the information it needed to make that decision and raise any queries.

Mr. Howard: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what discussions he has had with the Department for Transport about the treatment of Network Rail debt in the national accounts. [64872]

Mr. Boateng: Treasury officials have advised the Department for Transport that the Office for National Statistics (ONS) would classify Network Rail (NR) to the private sector in national accounts once its board of directors had been confirmed by a meeting of NR's members.

"Modernising Annuities"

Mr. Flight: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will place in the Library the figures underlying the graph on page 19 of "Modernising Annuities" published by the Inland Revenue in February; what the date is in each year for which the figures are valid; and what the source is of the date used for earnings, annuity rates and value of maturing personal pension funds. [61084]

Mr. McCartney: I have been asked to reply.

The information in the table sets out the figures underlying the graph on page 19 of "Modernising Annuities" published by the Inland Revenue and the Department of Work and Pensions in February.

Year started contributing	Retire at end year	Years of contribution	Lump sum built up (£)	Lump sum in 2000 earnings terms (£)	Annuity rate in last year of contribution	Pension at retirement (nominal terms, £ weekly)	Pension at retirement (2000 earnings terms, £ weekly)
1956	1986	31	17,681	38,694	14.1	48	105
1957	1987	31	21,066	42,786	14.0	57	115
1958	1988	31	23,845	44,503	13.7	63	117
1959	1989	31	25,578	43,792	14.0	69	118
1960	1990	31	27,866	43,460	15.2	82	127
1961	1991	31	34,243	49,608	14.6	96	139
1962	1992	31	41,169	56,297	13.2	105	143
1963	1993	31	53,666	71,268	11.7	121	161
1964	1994	31	47,497	60,865	11.6	106	135
1965	1995	31	57,034	70,893	11.3	124	154
1966	1996	31	60,718	72,850	11.0	129	154
1967	1997	31	71,040	81,762	10.4	141	163
1968	1998	31	85,598	93,743	9.4	155	169
1969	1999	31	80,168	83,738	8.9	138	144
1970	2000	31	85,438	85,438	9.1	149	149
1971	2001	31	83,936	80,348	8.9	143	137

The figures are based on hypothetical modelling of the return from contributing to a pension fund using the following assumptions:

A person contributes to a personal pension for 31 years.


The earnings of each individual go up in line with average earnings.


Each individual contributes 10 per cent. of their earnings into a personal pension.


For the first 21 years, the fund is invested in equities, providing a return in line with the FT30 price index (dividends are ignored to allow for the effect of charges).

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Over the last 10 years of contributions, the fund is switched into gilts at a rate of 10 per cent. of the fund each year.


The return on gilts is in line with the Barclays capital total return index.


A further annual charge of 1 per cent. of the fund under management is paid out of the fund each year.


Upon retirement on 31 December of the given year, an annuity is purchased at the prevailing rate of that year. Date and sources of information:


Historical annuity rates provided by Annuity Direct; and the rates refer to level annuity for a male aged 65, single life, guaranteed 5 years.


The annuity rates were calculated by taking the average of monthly rates for each year. The annuity rates for 2001 refer to the average of monthly rates from January to October only. Earnings:


The average earnings series from 1963 to December 2001 is taken from National Statistics publication, 'The Abstract of Statistics for Social Security Benefits and Contributions and Indices of Prices and Earnings, 2001 Edition'.


Two indices have been put together to form a monthly average earnings series, starting from 1963. The Index of Average Earnings from 1963 to 1975 covered employees in all industries and services, except postal services, banking and medical services. The Average Earnings Index (whole economy) from 1976 to present covered all employees.


Prior to 1963 the earnings series was constructed by back calculating using the annual growth in average earnings of full time male manual employees.


Figures for 2001 refer to the average of monthly rates from January to October only.

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The FT 30:
Figures taken from: Economic Trends Annual Supplement, Office for National Statistics.
Figures for 2001 refer to the average of monthly rates from January to September only.
Gilt Rates:
Barclays capital total return index
Figures for 2001 refer to estimates after the end of October 2001.

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