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14 Jul 2003 : Column 103W—continued
London Challenge Initiative
Ms Abbott: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many (a) professional staff, (b) administrative staff and (c) consultants work on his Department's London Challenge initiative; what the total budget is for the initiative; and if he will make a statement. [123365]
Mr. Stephen Twigg: The London Challenge is a major new programme of work to raise standards in London schools. Our recently published strategy document "The London Challenge: Transforming London Secondary Schools" sets out a comprehensive programme of work, including 20 new schools and 30 academies, intended to create a city as renowned for its learning and creativity as it already is for so many other things.
In announcing the London Challenge, the then Secretary of State, my right hon. Friend the Member for Birmingham, Yardley (Estelle Morris), announced that £25 million would be set aside over three years for the implementation of new initiatives arising from the programme, including £7.5 million for a major programme of leadership training and support in schools and £10 million for a new London gifted and talented centre. In addition, the programme of work set out in the strategy document involves a major focusing of national programmes (including, for example, the academies programme) on London—so that there will be very significant new investment in London over the next three years.
The programme is currently staffed by:
- (a) 10 professional staff
- (b) Nine civil servants
(c) One consultant.
Millennium Volunteer Projects
Mr. Blizzard: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what guidance he issues to Government regional offices regarding the distribution of funding for millennium volunteer projects. [123288]
Mr. Ivan Lewis: The funding which is to be allocated for 2004–05 and 2005–06 to each region will be finalised in September 2003. Government Offices for the Regions will be able to take decisions on how funding for local millennium volunteers activity in 2004–05 and 2005–06 is to be distributed within their regions. These decisions will take account of regional needs and will be informed by local discussions with key partners as well as the outcomes of a review of the formula which will determine the allocation of funds to each region. In making their decisions in late autumn, Government offices will take into account existing provision, the needs of young people, particularly those at risk, and the coverage across their region.
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Minister for Children
Vera Baird: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what age range the Minister for Children's responsibilities cover. [121827]
Margaret Hodge: My responsibilities cover the policies of the Department for Education and Skills for children, young people and their families from the child's conception to age 19, plus specific responsibility for certain vulnerable groups beyond 19 such as young people leaving care. Particular services and programmes may cover different age groups, depending on the nature of the service. I work closely with Ministers in a range of other Government departments responsible for delivery of services to children.
Vera Baird: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills whether the Minister for Children has responsibility for (a) children in prison, (b) asylum-seeker children and (c) children of domestic violence victims in refuges. [121828]
Margaret Hodge: My responsibilities cover the services provided by the Department for Education and Skills for children in these particular situations. These include:
- support for unaccompanied asylum seeking children;
ensuring an appropriate education for children of asylum seekers, young people in secure establishments, and children living in domestic violence refuges;
Connexions services for any of these young people aged 13–19;
SureStart programmes for families in refuges;
programmes supporting these children funded by the Children's Fund;
social care for all children and young people in secure establishments, and children living in domestic violence refuges.
- the Home Office for services to children and young people in secure establishments, for asylum seeking children (both accompanied and unaccompanied);
the Department of Health, for healthcare for children; and
the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister on funding for domestic violence refuges and their services.
Ministerial Meetings
Mr. Mark Field: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many times he and his predecessors met the Mayor of London in official meetings at the Department in each of the past three years. [122140]
Alan Johnson: My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State meets the Mayor of London from time to time, but detailed information requested is not maintained in the form requested.
Private Office Costs
Mr. Flight: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what the running costs have been of Ministers' private offices in his Department in each year since 1997. [123111]
14 Jul 2003 : Column 105W
Mr. Stephen Twigg: The information requested is in the table. This information includes the total running cost for the Department for Education and Skills and its predecessor, the Department of Education and Employment.
| Financial year | Running cost (£ million) |
|---|---|
| 2002–03 | 2.2 |
| 2001–02 | 2.1 |
| 2000–01 | 2.3 |
| 1999–2000 | 2.0 |
| 1998–99 | 1.9 |
| 1997–98 | (31)— |
(31) Information not held in format requested
Education Provision (The Wrekin)
Peter Bradley: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what percentage of 11-year-olds in The Wrekin have achieved level 4 in each year since 1997 in (a) English and (b) maths. [124609]
Mr. Miliband: The table shows the percentage of pupils achieving level 4 or above in the Key Stage 2 English and maths tests in maintained schools in The Wrekin constituency between 1997 and 2002:
| The Wrekin | England | |
|---|---|---|
| English KS2 test | ||
| 1997 | 62 | 63 |
| 1998 | 67 | 65 |
| 1999 | 71 | 71 |
| 2000 | 77 | 75 |
| 2001 | 78 | 75 |
| 2002 | 75 | 75 |
| Maths KS2 test | ||
| 1997 | 62 | 62 |
| 1998 | 61 | 59 |
| 1999 | 68 | 69 |
| 2000 | 73 | 72 |
| 2001 | 69 | 71 |
| 2002 | 73 | 73 |
Peter Bradley: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many students there were in further education in The Wrekin in each year since 1997. [124611]
Alan Johnson: The numbers of people resident in The Wrekin constituency who were students at Further Education colleges in each year since 1997/98 are shown in the table below. Due to the way the data are collected, figures prior to 2000/01 are only available for students funded by the Learning and Skills Council (LSC), or as it was then, the Further Education Funding Council (FEFC). Those not funded by the council are included for 2000/01, the latest full year for which information is available.
| Academic year | Council funded | Non-council funded |
|---|---|---|
| 1997/98 | 6,000 | n/a |
| 1998/99 | 6,200 | n/a |
| 1999/00 | 6,000 | n/a |
| 2000/01 | 6,500 | 1,600 |
Source:
Individualised Student Record
14 Jul 2003 : Column 106W
Peter Bradley: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many (a) teachers and (b) classroom assistants in schools there were in The Wrekin in each year since 1997. [124610]
Mr. Miliband: The table shows the number of regular teachers and teaching assistants in maintained schools in Telford and Wrekin local education authority since 1999. Prior to this Telford and Wrekin was part of Shropshire LEA. 2002 is the latest year for which teacher data are available.
| Regular teachers(32) | Teaching assistants(33),(34),(35) | |
|---|---|---|
| 1999 | 1,360 | 260 |
| 2000 | 1,340 | 280 |
| 2001 | 1,410 | 370 |
| 2002 | 1,420 | 390 |
| 2003(36) | — | 480 |
(32) Full-time equivalent teachers in post in the maintained schools sector.
(33) Includes nursery assistants, special needs support staff, minority ethnic pupil support staff.
(34) Includes non-maintained special schools and special and general hospital schools.
(35) Includes both full-time and the full-time equivalent of part-time.
(36) Provisional
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