House of Commons Hansard Written Answers for 16 Dec 2002 (pt 21)

16 Dec 2002 : Column 585W—continued

Sickness Absence

Mr. Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills (1) how many days (a) primary school teachers and (b) secondary school teachers took as sickness absence in 2002 in (i) the Portsmouth South constituency and (ii) the United Kingdom, broken down by (A) full-time and (B) part-time teachers; and if he will make a statement; [86932]

(a)

(b)

Mr. Miliband: The information is not available in the form requested. The table shows data on sickness absence ¹ taken by full-time and part-time teachers in Portsmouth Local Education Authority and in the English maintained schools sector. The data cannot be broken down by phase or Parliamentary constituency and are provisional.

Full time Part time

Teachers Days absence Teachers Days absence

Portsmouth LEA 780 8,220 130 1,040

England 246,300 2,461,000 37,300 338,900

	Full time	Part time
	Teachers	Days absence	Teachers	Days absence
Portsmouth LEA	780	8,220	130	1,040
England	246,300	2,461,000	37,300	338,900

⁽⁵⁾ Sickness absence on working days, whether paid absence or not, of teachers with permanent contracts or contracts of over one month, including teachers without QTS. The numbers of teachers taking sick leave includes an individual teacher only once however many periods of sickness absence they have had.

Source:

2001 data were taken from the Sickness Absence Statistical First Release. Final 2001 data will be published in the teachers statistical volume in January 2003.

16 Dec 2002 : Column 586W

Star Ratings

Mr. Chaytor: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many local authorities' provisional star ratings in the education comprehensive performance assessment have been adjusted after the Audit Commission had signed off the data on performance indicators this year; and which of these authorities' ratings were adjusted (a) upwards and (b) downwards. [86750]

Mr. Miliband [holding answer 12 December 2002]: The Audit Commission signed off the data related to comprehensive performance assessment on 9 December 2002, and there have been no further changes to local authorities' star ratings after that time.

Student Funding

Mr. Rendel: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills pursuant to his Answer of 2 December, ref 83011, if he will estimate the level of funding required if student maintenance grants had been maintained at their final level in (a) real terms 1995–96 prices and (b) actual terms in (i) 1998–99, (ii) 1999–2000, (iii) 2000–01, (iv) 2001–02 and (v) 2002–03, in (A) England and (B) Wales. [85812]

Margaret Hodge [holding answer 9 December 2002]: Under the XMandatory Awards" scheme in operation up to academic year 1997–98 eligible students received a grant from LEAs towards their living costs. In 1997–98 this comprised a means tested basic grant of up to #1,755 (other than in London) plus extra allowances the student could claim depending on his/her circumstances, for example for those with disabilities or dependants. The grant was means tested against the student's own income and that of their parents (if the student was under 25 or not otherwise regarded as independent) or their spouse.

Tables 1 and 2 show the estimated funding required for LEA expenditure on maintenance grants (i.e. the basic grant excluding allowances) in real and cash terms for each of the financial years 1998–99 to 2002–03, assuming that the grants available in 1997–98 had continued thereafter.

Table 1: Estimated maintenance grant funding in real⁽⁶⁾ terms# million

1998–99 1999–2000 2000–01 2001–02 2002–03

England 663 670 670 684 696

Wales 41 41 42 43 44

England and Wales 704 711 713 728 740

	1998–99	1999–2000	2000–01	2001–02	2002–03
England	663	670	670	684	696
Wales	41	41	42	43	44
England and Wales	704	711	713	728	740

Notes:

1. Figures have been converted to 1995–96 price levels using the November 2002 GDP deflators.

2. Figures may not sum due to rounding.

3. Includes medical and dental students and allied professionals, grant funding for whom under the new student arrangements, has been transferred to the Department of Health.

16 Dec 2002 : Column 587W

Table 2: Estimated grant funding in cash terms# million

1998–99 1999–2000 2000–01 2001–02 2002–03

England 725 750 767 800 834

Wales 44 46 48 51 53

England and Wales 769 795 815 850 887

	1998–99	1999–2000	2000–01	2001–02	2002–03
England	725	750	767	800	834
Wales	44	46	48	51	53
England and Wales	769	795	815	850	887

Notes:

1. Figures may not sum due to rounding.

2. Includes medical and dental students and allied health professionals, grant funding for whom under the new student support arrangements, has been transferred to the Department of Health.

These are approximate estimates derived by applying the grant arrangements in 1997–98 to numbers of English and Welsh students for the academic years 1998–99 to 2002–03. Costs for English and Welsh students have been pro-rated on the basis of numbers of students from each country.

16 Dec 2002 : Column 588W

In addition, students also received a subsidised loan towards living costs. The maintenance grant comprised approximately 50 per cent. of the total package available to students for their living costs.

Tables 3 and 4 show actual payments for maintenance grants (excluding allowances) made by LEAs in real and cash terms under the XMandatory Awards" scheme for each of the financial years 1998–99 to 2002–03.

Table 3: Outturn maintenance grant pavements in real⁽⁶⁾ terms# million

1998–99 outturn 1999–2000 outturn 2000–01 outturn 2001–02 projected outturn 2002–03 projected outturn

England 508 300 129 37 6

Wales ⁽¹⁰⁾ 31 18 8 2 *

England and Wales 539 319 137 39 6

	1998–99 outturn	1999–2000 outturn	2000–01 outturn	2001–02 projected outturn	2002–03 projected outturn
England	508	300	129	37	6
Wales ⁽¹⁰⁾	31	18	8	2	*
England and Wales	539	319	137	39	6

Notes:

1. Figures have been converted to 1995–96 price levels using the November 2002 GDP deflators

2. Figures may not sum due to rounding

3. Figures for England and Wales have been estimated

4. 2000–01 outturn is provisional

5. Projected outturn less than #0.5 million in 2002–03

6. Includes the Department's funding for dental and medical students and allied health professionals

Table 4: Outturn maintenance grant payments (cash terms)# million

1998–99 outturn 1999–2000 outturn 2000–01 outturn 2001–02 projected outturn 2002–03 projected outturn

England 556 336 148 43 7

Wales 34 21 9 3 ⁽⁹⁾

England and Wales 590 357 157 45 7

	1998–99 outturn	1999–2000 outturn	2000–01 outturn	2001–02 projected outturn	2002–03 projected outturn
England	556	336	148	43	7
Wales	34	21	9	3	⁽⁹⁾
England and Wales	590	357	157	45	7

Notes:

1. Figures may not sum due to rounding

2. Figures for England and Wales have been estimated

3. 2000–01 outturn is provisional

4. Projected outturn less than #0.5 million in 2002–03

5. Includes the Department's funding for dental and medical students and allied health professionals

Cost for English and Welsh students have been pro-rated on the basis of numbers of students from each country.

Notes:

1. Costs have been estimated by academic year and then converted to a financial year basis. Financial year costs have been estimated on the assumption that 2/3 of the cost will arise from the current Academic Year and 1/3 from the previous Academic Year.

2. Maintenance grant costs for tables 1 and 2 have been estimated for 1998–99 to 2002–03 by multiplying the number of students by the estimated average maintenance award.

3. Average maintenance award per student has been estimated for 1998–99 to 2002–03 by uprating the average assessed maintenance award in 1997–98 by increase in grant rates for each year 1998–99 to 2002–03. The estimates also allow for changes in the proportions of students entitled to the Home, London and elsewhere rates of grant.

4. Outturn data used in tables 3 and 4 has been derived from LEA returns for 1998–99 to 2000–01.

5. The estimates are based on actual student numbers for 1998–99 to 1999–2000 and projected student numbers for 2000–01 to 2002–03.

6. Costs by country of domicile have been estimated using proportions of students in England and Wales from:

(a) 1998–99 LEA assessment data for 1998–99 and 1999–2000, and

(b) 2000–01 SLC data for 2000–01 to 2002–03.

16 Dec 2002 : Column 589W

Supply Teachers

Mr. Pickthall: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills whether he plans to amend the conditions of service of supply teachers. [86492]

Mr. Miliband [holding answer 12 December 2002]: My right hon. Friend has no current plans to re-examine supply teachers' conditions of service. Local education authorities pay supply teachers in accordance with the statutory arrangements for teachers, laid down in the School Teachers' Pay and Conditions Document. Private supply teacher agencies agree pay rates and terms of service with the teachers they supply. However, we have introduced a range of measures designed to lever up standards of supply teaching and the recruitment and management practices of agencies.

16 Dec 2002 : Column 590W

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