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1 Sept 2003 : Column 770W—continued
Sure Start
Harry Cohen: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what studies have been undertaken
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about the means and methods to sustain Sure Start projects deemed beneficial when the money under that programme is no longer available for such projects; what replacement programme for Sure Start is envisaged when that is (a) running down and (b) completed in an area; and if he will make a statement. [125545]
Margaret Hodge: A national evaluation of Sure Start local programmes (SSLPs) began in January 2001 and is due to run until July 2008. Each SSLP also undertakes its own local evaluation.
Both levels of evaluation will provide information on the effectiveness of local programmes in the short, medium and long-term, identifying examples of good practice and factors associated with the longer-term sustainability of Sure Start local programmes.
Each SSLP receives funding for up to 10 years and is expected to develop a strategy to maintain improved child outcomes as the additional financial contribution declines, including helping mainstream services to implement the lessons from Sure Start. Many SSLPs will form the basis of Children's Centres in their areas.
Mrs. Dean: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how much of the latest departmental underspend was accounted for by the Sure Start programme. [125991]
Mr. Miliband: My department's expenditure outturn was published in the Public Expenditure Outturn White Paper on 16 July (command number 5884).
The Department's resources are allocated on a 3 year basis by the Treasury. Departments are allowed to carry forward any unused funds from one year to the next to ensure the most effective use of funds and to recognise the fact that expenditure patterns on some activities, including on capital funding, can be difficult to predict.
Mrs. Dean: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many Sure Start schemes were completed in each year since 1999; what the annual spending on Sure Start programmes has been in each year since 1998; what plans he has for the expansion of the Sure Start programme; and if he will make a statement. [125992]
Margaret Hodge: Each Sure Start local programme (SSLP) receives funding for up to 10 years and is expected to develop a strategy to maintain improved child outcomes as the additional financial contribution declines, including helping mainstream services to implement the lessons from Sure Start. We will also build on programmes like Sure Start, Neighbourhood Nurseries and Early Excellence Centres to create a network of children's centres in disadvantaged areas providing good quality integrated childcare with early education, family and health services, and training and employment advice, for at least 650,000 children and their families.
Table 1 provides information on the number of SSLPs and the date they were announced. Table 2 provides an annual breakdown of SSLPs spending since the inception of the programme in 1999–00 through to 2002–03.
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| Date announced | SSLPs |
|---|---|
| 19 January 1999 | 59 |
| 15 November 1999 | 69 |
| 13 July 2000 | 65 |
| 31 January 2000 | 67 |
| 17 July 2000 | 179 |
| 14 May 2000 | 85 |
| Total SSLPs | 524 |
| Financial year | SSLPs spend £ million |
|---|---|
| 1999–2000 | 5 |
| 2000–01 | 56 |
| 2001–02 | 134 |
| 2002–03 | 216 |
| Total SSLPs spend | 411 |
Teacher Redundancies
Mr. Heald: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills pursuant to his answer of 7 July 2003, Official Report, column 633W, on teacher redundancies, what the reasons were for the delay in answering the question; at what level information on redundancies is collected centrally; if he will place that information in the Library; and if he will make a statement. [125772]
Mr. Stephen Twigg [holding answer 14 July 2003]: The answer to the hon. Member's earlier question was being processed in the usual way and was answered at the earliest opportunity. Provisional statistics on teacher numbers and teacher vacancies at January 2003 were published in April in Statistical First Release 10/2003. In May this year, in response to concerns about the difficulties some schools are facing as a result of changes to the funding arrangements, my Department liaised with local education authorities (LEAs) to make a broad assessment of the extent to which schools were making changes in their teaching staff complements, including making teachers redundant, and the possible reasons for such changes, including falling rolls. This was based on the best information available to local education authorities (LEAs) at that time; many told us that definitive information was not available and that the situation was changing rapidly as schools finalised their budgets and their staffing. In addition they advised that a significant number of the redundancy notices were 'protective' and were likely to be withdrawn as the situation within schools and the LEA became clearer.
Teacher Training Targets
Mr. Willis: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills whether his Department will use the 1996 curriculum and staffing survey data in the formulation of the 2004–05 initial teacher training targets to be announced in December. [126912]
Mr. Miliband: I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to a similar question asked previously by the hon. Member, on 16 July 2003, Official Report, column 353W.
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Teachers' Pensions
Andrew Selous: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what plans he has to raise the age at which teachers may receive their pensions. [124431]
Mr. Hoyle: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills (1) what discussions he has had with the Department for Work and Pensions on raising the retirement age of teachers; [124480]
- (2) what assessment he has made of the impact on teachers of increasing the retirement age from 60 to 65. [124481]
Margaret Hodge: Following consultation on the Pensions Green Paper, which was published by the Department for Work and Pensions last December, raising the pension age for teachers and other public servants from 60 to 65 is one of the measures being taken forward. This reflects both increased life expectancy and the fact that many people want to work longer and build up their pensions.
Details of how and when the changes might be introduced for new entrants to the Teachers Pension Scheme and the transitional arrangements for existing scheme members remain to be worked out. These will be considered alongside changes to improve scheme benefits, and there will be a wide-ranging review of the scheme involving full consultation with union and employer representatives. All of the issues associated with an increase in the pension age of members of the Teachers' Pension Scheme will be considered during the review. A change for new entrants is unlikely before 2006 and will be much later for existing staff.
We have, nevertheless, given teachers five clear guarantees.
- Serving teachers who are currently aged 50 and over will not be affected by changes to the existing pension arrangements.
Pension benefits earned before the new arrangements start will not be affected. Whatever changes are made will not affect pension benefits already earned from past service.
Teachers will still be able to retire at, before or after 60 as they do now. At retirement, pension and lump sum benefits will take account of the number of years of service the teacher has worked before and after the changes were introduced.
These changes will be talked through fully with teachers and their union representatives, as well as with employers. Unions will be part of this process and there will be a full consultation exercise before any changes are made to the Teachers' Pension Scheme.
Opportunities to introduce other benefits and flexibilities into the Scheme will be fully explored, particularly those that aid the transition from work to retirement.
Telecommunication Masts
Mr. Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many planning applications have been made to site mobile telecommunications masts on land owned by the Department. [124815]
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Margaret Hodge: Since August 2001, when the current planning regulations on mobile telecommunications masts came into force, there have been no planning applications and no applications for prior approval to site mobile telecommunications masts on land owned by the Department.
Tomlinson Inquiry
Mr. Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what progress he has made with regard to article 95 of the Tomlinson Inquiry. [126491]
Mr. Miliband: A Memorandum of Understanding between the Department and the Qualifications and Curriculum Authority (QCA) was published on QCA's website on 19 June. A copy was placed in the Library on 18 June.
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