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13 May 2003 : Column 175W—continued

Tenants' Deposit Scheme

Mrs. Ellman: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what progress is being made on implementing a statutory tenants' deposit scheme; and if he will make a statement. [112512]

Mr. McNulty: The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister hopes to announce the outcome of the consultation on tenancy money and the Government's decision on future measures in due course.

Transport and Social Exclusion Report

Mrs. Ellman: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what steps are being taken to implement the Cabinet Office report on Transport and Social Exclusion. [112511]

Mrs. Roche: The Social Exclusion Unit (SEU), now part of the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister, published its report "Making the Connections: Transport and Social Exclusion", on 26 February this year. The Department for Transport (DfT) are leading on its implementation, and are co-ordinating work across Government to deliver the actions that it sets out. DfT is also established a working group of local authority transport practitioners to develop and pilot approaches to accessibility planning. This will inform

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guidance on accessibility planning to be issued by DfT and other relevant departments to inform the next round of Local Transport Plans.

Travellers

Mr. Bercow: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what plans he has to reform the law on the rights of travellers. [112285]

Mr. McNulty: There are no current plans to reform the law on the rights of travellers.

Bob Russell: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what action he plans to take to require local authorities to provide sites for travellers and gypsies; which authority in areas with two tiers of local government is responsible for (a) the location, (b) the financing and (c) the management and maintenance of sites; and if he will make a statement. [112407]

Mr. McNulty: Local Authorities have discretionary powers to provide sites based on need within their area. The Government have no immediate plans to change this.

Planning policies concerning the provision of suitable locations for Gypsy sites, whether local authority provided or private, is set out in the Department of Environment Circular 1/94 'Gypsy Sites and Planning'.

The Government do not, however, specify who should take the lead in site provision issues in areas where there are two tiers of Local Government.

Bob Russell: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what representations he has received from (a) local authorities, (b) organisations representing travellers and gypsies and (c) others to allocate additional finance to provide the additional pitches for travellers and gypsies by 2007 to meet the Government's target. [112408]

Mr. McNulty: The Government have received no representations concerning the allocation of additional finance to provide the number of additional pitches suggested by the research report "The Provision and Condition of Local Authority Gypsy/Traveller Sites in England".

Bob Russell: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what procedures he has laid down for local authorities to bid for financial support for the provision of sites for gypsies and travellers; and if he will make a statement. [112409]

Mr. McNulty: Local authorities have a discretionary duty to provide sites based on need within their area. Where they identify a need, they would be expected to fund it. Planning policies concerning the provision of suitable locations for gypsy sites, whether local authority provided or private, is set out in the Department of Environment Circular 1/94 'Gypsy Sites and Planning'.

In 2001, the Government made £17 million over three years via the Gypsy Site Refurbishment Grant. The grant allows local authorities to bring unused or under-used sites back into full use; and/or improve the facilities on sites; and to create new transit or emergency stopping sites. Bidding guidance and application forms are sent out to local authorities in the autumn. The guidance sets out the purpose for the scheme, how to bid, the criteria for assessment and conditions for payment.

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The Government recently announced a further two rounds of the grant, amounting to £16 million.

Bob Russell: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister how much money is to be allocated in (a) this financial year and (b) the next financial year to assist local authorities in the provision of sites for gypsies and travellers; and whether the money can be used for replacement sites in areas where previous sites have closed. [112410]

Mr. McNulty: The Gypsy Sites Refurbishment Grant is providing £8 million in 2003–04—successful bids were announced in March 2003. A further £8 million per year will be available for 2004–05 and 2005–06.

The grant may be used to bring under-used or closed sites back into use. Bids that involve re-location of sites will be eligible for consideration provided that planning permission has been obtained. Additionally, the grant may be used to create new temporary sites to enable Gypsies and Travellers to pursue their nomadic lifestyle.

MINISTER FOR WOMEN

Women's Sports

Mr. Jim Cunningham: To ask the Minister for Women what recent discussions she has had with the Minister of State for Sport regarding the promotion of women's sports in the UK. [111135]

Ms Hewitt [holding answer 7 May 2003]: I have had no such recent discussions. However, I welcome the publication by my hon. Friend the Minister for Sport in December 2002 of a joint strategy document between the Department for Culture, Media and Sport and the Strategy Unit which sets out our determination to improve opportunities for women at all levels in sport, whether as participants, competitors, coaches, or administrators.

EDUCATION AND SKILLS

Child Care Costs

Jon Trickett: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what estimate he has made of the average cost of full-time child care in the Hemsworth constituency; and if he will make a statement. [109899]

Maria Eagle: The cost of child care reported in the Department for Education and Skills 2001–02 audit shows average costs for Wakefield, the LEA within which Hemsworth falls, of £83 per week for full day care. The audits were completed for each local authority by their respective Early Years Development and Childcare Partnerships. The audits do not give a further breakdown for constituency areas.

The Government recognise that making child care affordable is a key challenge for the National Childcare Strategy and have made a substantial investment to achieve this.

Working parents, subject to the level of their income, may receive support through the child care element of the Working Tax Credit. Tax credits are rightly targeted at lower and middle income families who may use a range of types of child care. The child care element of the

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Working Tax Credit provides for up to 70 per cent. of costs of eligible child care. It can pay up to £94.50 a week for one child (where the child care cost is £135), and up to £140 a week for two or more children (where the cost is £200).

£1 million a day is now spent on supporting parents with child care costs through the Working Tax Credit.

A-Levels

Mr. Evans: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what the average number of A-level points obtained by students in (a) Lancashire, (b) the North West of England and (c) England was in 2002. [112058]

Mr. Miliband: The average point scores of 16–18 year old students entered for GCE/VCE A/AS examinations in Lancashire, the North West of England and in England in 2002 are shown as follows.

	Average GCE/VCE A/AS point score(6) per candidate	Average point score(6) per GCE/VCE A/AS examination entry
(a) Lancashire	272.6	75.8
(b) North West Region	246.7	71.8
(c) England
Maintained Sector	240.5	72.9
Total England	254.5	76.0

⁽⁶⁾ The number of points assigned to each GCE/VCE A/AS qualification and VCE Double Award reflects the UCAS Tariff.

Child Minding

Mr. Willis: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills whether the Childminding National Standards for England, Standard 2 section prohibits more than one baby under one year in a child minding setting; and what consultations were carried out prior to setting this standard. [109539]

Maria Eagle: The National Standards for under 8s child minding require that childminders should normally look after no more than one child under one-year-old. Ofsted guidance indicates that each case should be considered on its merits. Exceptions can be made to accommodate siblings. The National Standards were finalised in 2001 after extensive consultation. We are reviewing the Standards this year and, alongside other matters, are proposing to allow child minders to care for more than one baby under one if child minders have the necessary experience or training.

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