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24 Feb 2003 : Column 170W—continued

Teachers

Dr. Murrison: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many teachers retired in 2001–02. [96743]

Mr. Miliband: In 2001–02 financial year, 9,950 teachers retired from the maintained schools sector in England. Further details can be found in the recently published 2002 edition of "Statistics of Education: Schools Workforce in England" . This is available now in the statistical section of the DfES website and will soon be placed in the House Library.

Gregory Barker: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many (a) secondary and (b) primary school teachers were newly employed by each local education authority in England and Wales on (i) permanent and (ii) short-term temporary contracts in each academic year since 1997–98. [96699]

Mr. Miliband: Information is not available in the form requested. The table showing new entrants 1 to full-time or part-time 2 teaching in the maintained schools sector, in England by local education authority has been placed in the Library. Teachers providing short-term supply cover are not included.

The National Assembly for Wales is responsible for the supply of teachers in Wales.

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Mr. Gray: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many teachers are affected by the cancellation of the early retirement option broken down by age and LEA; and if he will make a statement. [93786]

Mr. Miliband: Early retirement continues to be available to teachers over the age of 50 where their employment has been terminated by their employer and their employer has agreed to meet the associated additional pension costs. In addition, teachers over the age of 55 are able to retire voluntarily with pension benefits that have been actuarially reduced to take account of their early payment. In 2001–02, for example, some 3,500 teachers retired early through these routes.

Teacher (Suffolk)

Mr. Ruffley: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many teacher vacancies there were in Suffolk in each year since 1997. [97387]

Mr. Miliband: The information is shown in the following table.

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January Teachers(37)Vacancies(38)Vacancy rate(39) (percentage)
19974,790360.8
19984,860250.5
19994,880380.8
20004,870230.5
20014,840891.8
20024,850841.7

(37) Full-time teachers in post in the maintained schools sector.

(38) Advertised vacancies for full-time permanent appointments (or appointments of at least one term's duration) in maintained nursery, primary, secondary and special schools. Includes vacancies being filled on a temporary basis.

(39) Vacancies as a percentage of teachers in post.

Source:

DfES annual 618G survey.


Teachers (East Riding)

David Davis: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many teachers entered into (a) full-time and (b) part-time service in maintained schools in the East Riding of Yorkshire in each year since 1997. [97739]

Mr. Miliband : The information is given in the following table.

1 April 1997 to 31 March 19981 April 1998 to 31 March 19991 April 1999 to 31 March 2000(40)
Full-timePart-time(41)Full-timePart-time(41)Full-timePart-time(41)
New entrants(42)151520101510
Returner to maintained sector(43)101520202025
Moved from other LEA in England(44)550

(40) The most recent data available at LEA level.

(41) The database of teacher records is maintained for pension purposes. Some part-time non-pensionable service is not recorded, as a result around 10 per cent. to 20 per cent. of part-timers may not be included.

(42) Those in service at the end of the period shown who had no known service in the maintained schools sector before that period. Includes newly qualified entrants and those who deferred entry.

(43) Teacher has returned to service in the maintained schools sector.

(44) Teacher has moved from service in the maintained schools sector elsewhere in England.


Top-up Fees

Gregory Barker: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what representations his Department has received from (a) higher education institutions and (b) student bodies (i) in favour and (ii) against the introduction of top up fees. [96701]

Margaret Hodge: The Department has received a number of representations from a variety of sources on the question of university fees. Representations before the publication of the White Paper were not, of course, set in the context of our full proposals, including the ability of students to defer fees rather than pay them up front, the continuation of fee remission grant, the introduction of a new additional grant, and the role of the Access Regulator.

Following the launch of the White Paper—"The Future of Higher Education"—we are engaging in a wide-ranging dialogue with those who provide higher education and those who benefit from it. The period for comment will run until 30 April 2003. Following the conclusion of this period, we shall make available a summary of comments on the Department for Education and Skills website.

Tuition Fees

Mr. Willis: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what he estimates the annual costs of deferred tuition fees will be to his Department, once they are introduced in 2006. [96276]

Margaret Hodge: The costs of offering students the option to defer their tuition fees will depend on the proportion of those students who decide to defer payment of fees, which institutions decide to charge variable fees, at what level and for which courses, and the number of students taking those courses.

Mr. Damian Green: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills (1) what mechanisms his Department will put in place to recover debt from non-UK EU-resident students under the post-2006 university tuitions fee arrangements; and if he will make a statement; [97253]

Margaret Hodge [holding answer 11 February 2003]: Non-UK EU students are not eligible for maintenance loans. Mechanisms are in place to recover loans from

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UK students who live abroad after graduation, and who are outside the UK tax system, through direct payments to the Student Loans Company. The arrangements for collecting varied fees from EU graduates will be based on these arrangements.

Llew Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what estimate he has made of the cost to Government of abolishing tuition fees in higher education. [93911]

Margaret Hodge: For 2002–03, the standard tuition fee contribution for full-time home and EU students of £1,100 is estimated to raise around £853 million for English institutions and around £57 million for Welsh institutions. The contribution made from public and private resources towards these totals is as follows.

£ millions

2002–03 estimateEnglandWales
Public contributions to fees44730
Private contributions towards the cost of tuition40627
Total85357

Note:

Private contributions to tuition fees have been estimated from 2000–01 LEA income assessment data and assumed growth rates in annual earnings.

Estimates are based on projections of student numbers derived from actual data for academic year 2000–01. The figures for Wales exclude initial teacher training.

If the Government were to abolish tuition fees, the extra cost to the public purse would be the loss of private contribution towards the cost of tuition.


Mr. Watts: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what recent estimate he has made of the cost of providing all students with free tuition at university. [94752]

Margaret Hodge: I refer my hon. Friend to the reply given to my hon. Friend the Member for Blaenau Gwent (Llew Smith) on 20 February 2003.

Mr. Watts: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what level of support students receive in (a) Scotland, (b) Wales and (c) other EU countries. [94756]

Margaret Hodge: Financial support for students in Scotland is the responsibility of the First Minister for Scotland. Financial support for students in Wales is broadly the same as in England, except that the Welsh Assembly has introduced additional Assembly Learning Grants of up to £1,500 for Welsh-domiciled students on low incomes. About a quarter of Welsh HE students are expected to qualify for some or all of this grant.

The Department does not have up to date information about arrangements in all EU countries. However, the level of public spending on financial support for students in the UK as a percentage of total public expenditure on higher education is the highest in the OECD, including many EU countries.


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