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9 Jun 2003 : Column 607W—continued
Sixth Forms
Mr. Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what the Government's strategy is towards small school sixth forms. [117675]
Mr. Ivan Lewis: We have said many times in the House that we have no intention of closing small school sixth forms where they are successful and popular and meet the needs of their communities. Indeed such sixth forms are an important part of the pattern of provision. They should be supported to build on their success where, in collaboration with others, they continue to offer a range of high quality learning opportunities.
Special Educational Needs
Mr. Paul Marsden: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills if he will list the percentage of children with special educational needs in each local education authority. [115025]
Mr. Ivan Lewis: The information requested has been placed in the House of Commons Library.
Mrs. Curtis-Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what funding has been received by Sefton metropolitan borough council to support
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educational services for children and people with learning difficulties, disabilities and other special educational needs in the current financial year. [116279]
Mr. Miliband: The calculation of Sefton MBC's Education Formula Spending Share (FSS) takes account of the estimated number of children between the ages of 3 and 16 with high levels of educational need. Sefton's overall FSS determines the general funding received through the authority through Revenue Support Grant. The authority decides how much of this funding is used to support spending on educational services for children and people with learning difficulties, disabilities and other special educational needs—it is not possible to identify a separate funding allocation for these services.
The authority also receives funding from the Learning and Skills Council for students over the age of 16 with special educational needs. In 2003–04 this totalled £890,508. There is also support for children and people with learning difficulties through the Standards Fund: the authority's grant for SEN for 2003–04 is £519,437. There is capital funding available: the authority's School Access Initiative, to help make schools more accessible for children with disabilities, is worth £650,000 in Basic Credit Approvals for 2003–04.
Jonathan Shaw: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills which (a) attention deficit hyperactivity disorder and (b) dyslexia projects received funding from the (i) Special Educational Needs Small Programme Fund and (ii) Training and Development Fund; and how much each project received. [116904]
Mr. Ivan Lewis: In the financial year 2003–04, three projects related to attention deficit hyperactivity disorder or dyslexia are receiving funding under the Special Educational Needs Small Programmes Fund. These are;
- £45,000 to the NSPCC for their "Attention Difficulties: Developing a whole school approach" project. Among the partners involved in this project are the North East Special Educational Needs Regional Partnership and Durham University.
£49,966 to The Dyslexia Institute for their "Bury Local Education Authority Dyslexia Friendly Schools initiative". This work is being done alongside the Bury Local Education Authority Special Educational Needs Support Service Team.
£50,000 to The Dyslexia Institute for their "Effective Strategies to meet Specific needs of Pupils with Specific Learning Difficulties/Dyslexia in the Classroom". This is taking place at the Roebuck Primary School in Stevenage, Hertfordshire and the consortium includes the Regional Partnership and the Local Education Authority.
Student Finance
Mr. Spring: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many higher education students in Suffolk pay all or part of the annual fee charged for university tuition. [114390]
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Margaret Hodge [holding answer 20 May 2003]: Student support data on the levels of contribution to tuition are collected from local education authorities (LEAs) through a voluntary survey. However, due to poor response rates and quality of responses from a number of LEAs, the data are only robust enough to be published at the national level.
Mr. Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills (1) how much was raised through tuition fees from students in the London Borough of Havering in (a) 1998, (b) 1999, (c) 2000, (d) 2001 and (e) 2002; [115341]
- (2) how many students from the London Borough of Havering are exempt from tuition fees. [115345]
Margaret Hodge: Student support data on the levels of contribution to tuition are collected from local education authorities (LEAs) through a voluntary survey. However, due to poor response rates and quality of responses from a number of LEAs, the data are only robust enough to be published at the national level.
CULTURE, MEDIA AND SPORT
Sports Tourism
Mr. Gardiner: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what the value was of sports tourism to the UK economy in each of the previous five years. [116998]
Dr. Howells: The Office for National Statistics collected statistics on sports tourism in 2001 and 2002. Figures for 2001 show that 650,000 overseas visitors to the UK either watched a sporting event or participated in amateur sport as the main purpose of their visit, and they spent an estimated £369 million. Figures for 2002 will be available in August.
Asbestos
Dr. Cable: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport if she will list the actions her Department, its agencies and non-departmental public bodies are taking to comply with the requirements of the Control of Asbestos at Work Regulations 2002; whether she has made an estimate of the cost of compliance; and if she will make a statement. [117700]
Dr. Howells: The DCMS has in place an asbestos register in respect of buildings on the estate. The audit and assessment of any asbestos still in situ in buildings is a three yearly occurrence in addition to any risk assessment that would be necessary prior to any works which might disturb asbestos in the structure of the buildings. The same applies to the Royal Parks Agency. Non-departmental public bodies, of which the Department has 60, are autonomous in respect of management of their estate, much of which is minority leased holdings in commercial buildings.
Energy Efficiency
Mr. Roger Williams: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what targets her Department has for improving energy efficiency; and how she intends to achieve these targets. [116645]
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Dr. Howells: Details of environmental policies and targets are posted on the Department's website. In common with all Government Departments DCMS has an interim target of 1 per cent. reduction in (weather-corrected) CO 2 emissions from the estate, relative to a base year of 1999–2000. New cross-government targets will be agreed, based on benchmarking the performance of individual buildings, where possible by the end of this year. An established Environmental Management System will enable the Department to identify best options and methods for seeking a continual improvement (reduction) in energy use and emissions.
Protection of Cultural Property
Bob Russell: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what plans the Government has to ratify the 1954 Hague Convention for the Protection of Cultural Property in the event of armed conflict; and if she will make a statement. [116321]
Tessa Jowell: We remain fully committed to the protection of cultural property in time of armed conflict in accordance with international law and are currently giving active consideration, with other interested departments, to the ratification of the 1954 Hague Convention.
Radio Stations
Mr. Liddell-Grainger: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what Government assistance is available to the BBC to cover the whole of the Bridgwater constituency by local radio. [115614]
Dr. Howells: This is a matter for the BBC. The BBC is funded by the licence fee and the Governors are responsible for ensuring that the funds are spent in the public interest. I understand that the BBC currently has a local FM service across parts of Somerset in the form of BBC Radio Bristol, and the Corporation has no plans for further FM developments in this area.
Mr. Liddell-Grainger: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport if she will grant the BBC an FM frequency in Somerset. [115615]
Dr. Howells: This is a matter for the BBC. FM spectrum is a scarce resource and it is for the BBC to determine how their spectrum allocation is planned to deliver local radio services. I understand that the BBC currently has a local FM service across parts of Somerset in the form of BBC Radio Bristol, and the Corporation has no plans for further FM developments in this area.
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