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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

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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:


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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 contributingRetire at end yearYears of contributionLump sum built up (£)Lump sum in 2000 earnings terms (£)Annuity rate in last year of contributionPension at retirement (nominal terms, £ weekly)Pension at retirement (2000 earnings terms, £ weekly)
195619863117,68138,69414.148105
195719873121,06642,78614.057115
195819883123,84544,50313.763117
195919893125,57843,79214.069118
196019903127,86643,46015.282127
196119913134,24349,60814.696139
196219923141,16956,29713.2105143
196319933153,66671,26811.7121161
196419943147,49760,86511.6106135
196519953157,03470,89311.3124154
196619963160,71872,85011.0129154
196719973171,04081,76210.4141163
196819983185,59893,7439.4155169
196919993180,16883,7388.9138144
197020003185,43885,4389.1149149
197120013183,93680,3488.9143137

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


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