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5 Mar 2003 : Column 1132W—continued
Radioactive Waste
Llew Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what co-ordination has taken place with the Department for Trade and Industry to ensure that sufficient skills capacity is developed to deal with current and future volumes of radioactive waste through training in universities and research institutes. [100043]
Margaret Hodge: In 2002, the Department for Trade and Industry (DTI) co-ordinated a study of the skilled population required for the application of nuclear and radiological technology, including waste management, power generation, health and defence. This was sponsored by several departments. The study
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considered the supply of skilled people over the next 15 years and recommended in its report that workforce development arrangements be included within the work of the evolving network of Sector Skills Councils. My Department is working closely with the Sector Skills Development Agency and the DTI to ensure that the nuclear industry is represented in the network.
Science
Mr. Gibb: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what percentage of pupils educated in the state sector attained (a) level 5 and above and (b) level 6 and above in Key Stage 3 science in each year from 1999 to 2001. [99754]
Mr. Miliband: The percentage of pupils in maintained schools who achieved (a) level 5 or above and (b) level 6 or above in Key Stage 3 science in each year from 1999–2001 is shown in the tables:
| Key Stage 3 science test | Key Stage 3 Science teacher assessment | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| (a) Level 5 or above | (b) Level 6 or above | (a) Level 5 or above | (b) Level 6 or above | |
| All maintained schools | ||||
| 1999 | 55 | 24 | 60 | 29 |
| 2000 | 59 | 29 | 62 | 30 |
| 2001 | 66 | 34 | 64 | 32 |
| Maintained mainstream schools only | ||||
| 1999 | 55 | 24 | 61 | 30 |
| 2000 | 60 | 30 | 63 | 31 |
| 2001 | 67 | 34 | 65 | 32 |
Demountable Classrooms
Bob Russell: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills pursuant to his answer of 6 February 2003, Official Report, column 357W, on demountable classrooms, whether he is now able to plan a visit to the St. Andrews junior and infant schools in Colchester to inspect the demountable classrooms. [99609]
Mr. Miliband: Further to the answer given on 6 February by my hon. Friend the Parliamentary Under Secretary of State London Schools, I would hope to include a visit St. Andrew's Junior and Infant Schools when I am next in the Colchester area.
Tuition Fees
Mr. Boswell: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what representations he has received on collusion between higher education institutions in the setting of tuition fees; and what mechanism he uses to prevent collusion. [100304]
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Margaret Hodge: Under current arrangements, the level of tuition fees for full-time undergraduate courses in England is fixed and the question of collusion does not arise.
Our future plans for higher education make clear each university will need to have in place an Access Agreement with the independent Access Regulator before they are allowed to increase tuition fees above the current fee. Each university will be treated independently.
Parliamentary Questions
Mr. Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many named day written questions were tabled to the Department between 15 October 2002 and 24 February 2003; how many that received a holding answer were given a substantive answer (a) within three days, (b) within seven days, (c) within 14 days, (d) within 28 days and (e) over 28 days later; and what procedures the Department has in place to monitor performance on answering (i) parliamentary questions and (ii) ministerial letters. [99434]
Mr. Stephen Twigg: The information requested is contained in the following table:
| Number of questions | |
|---|---|
| Total number of named day written questions tabled to this Department between 15 October 2002 and 24 February. | 409 |
| Number of questions answered on the named day | 167 |
| Number of questions for which a holding reply was issued and a substantive reply sent within three business days | 154 |
| Number of questions for which a holding reply was issued and a substantive reply sent between four and seven business days | 68 |
| Number of questions for which a holding reply was issued and a substantive reply sent between eight and 14 business days | 15 |
| Number of questions for which a holding reply was issued and a substantive reply sent between 15 and 28 business days | 5 |
| Number of questions for which a holding reply was issued and a substantive reply sent after 29 business days | 0 |
The provision of quality responses in a timely manner to both parliamentary questions and ministerial letters is one we take very seriously. Outstanding parliamentary questions are monitored on a daily basis by the parliamentary section and reviewed weekly by the parliamentary clerk. The Cabinet Office, on an annual basis, publishes a report to Parliament on performance of departments in replying to ministerial correspondence. The report for 2001 was published on Friday 24 May 2002, column 674W. The report for 2002 will be published in due course.