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15 Oct 2003 : Column 254W—continued
University Drop-out Rate
Mr. David Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what the drop-out rate was at universities in England and Wales in each year since 1997. [130377]
Alan Johnson: The latest available figures giving non-completion rates for students starting full-time first degree courses in England and in Wales are as follows:
| Students startingcourses in: | Non completion rate (%)(3) | |
|---|---|---|
| England | Wales | |
| 1999–2000 | 16 | 15 |
| 1998–99 | 16 | 14 |
| 1997–98 | 16 | 16 |
Source:
HEFCE Performance Indicators
(3) Non-completion is regarded as those who do not gain a qualification from their original course or from any other course and do not transfer to another institution.
Figures published in 2003 by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) show that the UK as a whole has one of the lowest non-completion rates among OECD countries.
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University Places
Mrs. Cheryl Gillan: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what proportion of A-level students from (a) the Chesham and Amersham constituency and (b) Buckinghamshire secured a place at university in the last year for which figures are available. [129889]
Alan Johnson: The available information shows that, in 2002, the proportion of 18 year olds resident in Buckinghamshire who obtained two or more A-levels and who were accepted onto a full-time or sandwich undergraduate course in the UK via the Universities and Colleges Admission Service (UCAS) was 65 per cent., compared to the national average of 61 per cent.
Figures are not available at constituency level.
Students (Tynemouth)
Mr. Alan Campbell: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many people resident in Tynemouth constituency are (a) further and (b) higher education students. [130387]
Alan Johnson: Figures are not available at constituency level. The available figures cover North Tyneside LEA.
In 2001–02, 16,445 people resident in North Tyneside LEA attended Further Education (FE) sector colleges.
In 2002–03, 856 people resident in North Tyneside LEA were accepted through the Universities and Colleges Admissions Service (UCAS) onto full-time undergraduate courses.
Higher Education
Mr. Alan Campbell: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many people beginning higher education courses in 2002 had previously attended a fee paying school. [130382]
Alan Johnson: The available information is from the Universities and Colleges Admissions Service (UCAS) and covers full-time undergraduate entrants. Figures are in the table.
| Previous Educational Establishment | Numbers | Percentage of known |
|---|---|---|
| Maintained school | 121,911 | 46 |
| Independent school | 30,293 | 11 |
| FE colleges | 110,083 | 42 |
| Other | 1,480 | 1 |
| Total known | 263,767 | 100 |
| Unknown | 67,958 | – |
| Total | 331,725 | – |
Source:
UCAS
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Further and Higher Education
Mrs. Cheryl Gillan: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many people in (a) Chesham & Amersham and (b) Buckinghamshire are (i) further and (ii) higher education students. [129891]
Alan Johnson: Figures are not available at constituency level. The available figures cover Buckinghamshire LEA.
In 2001–02, 19,396 people resident in Buckinghamshire LEA attended Further Education (FE) sector colleges.
In 2002–03, 3,316 people resident in Buckinghamshire were accepted through the Universities and Colleges Admissions Service (UCAS) onto full-time undergraduate courses.
Literacy and Numeracy
Mr. Phil Willis: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills if he will list the contractual penalties incurred by contractors responsible for the delivery of primary (a) literacy and (b) numeracy strategies for failure to meet targets set by the strategies in the last three years. [131342]
Stephen Twigg: The responsibility for the achievement of the primary literacy and numeracy national targets lies solely with the Department for Education and Skills. The contractor responsible for the delivery of the primary literacy and numeracy strategies, CfBT Education Services, provides educational and operational support under the strategic direction of the Department.
HOME DEPARTMENT
Child Protection
Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many specialist child protection officers have been employed in each county police force in each of the last five years. [129333]
Ms Blears [holding answer 11 September 2003]: Specific information relating to the compliance of police forces with the recommendations of the Victoria Climbie Inquiry Report has been analysed by Her Majesty's Inspectorate of Constabulary, and a summary report of their findings, together with those of Health and Social Services Inspectorates, will be published in October.
Information about the numbers of specialist child protection officers will not be available from this report. The allocation of resources within a force is decided locally by the Chief Constable or, in the case of the Metropolitan Police Service, the Commissioner. Under the National Policing Plan all forces and authorities are expected to review their force policy and local service plans to ensure that child protection is given the appropriate priority.
Communications Data
Harry Cohen: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many prescribed officers will be able to authorise access to communications data under
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(a) Schedule 1, columns 1 and 2 and (b) Schedule 2, columns 1 and 2 of the draft Regulation of Investigatory Powers (Communications Data) Order 2003, broken down by organisations authorised to provide access. [131710]
Caroline Flint: This information is not held centrally.
Harry Cohen: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether a single authorised request for access to communications data can involve all individuals who have contacted an organisation identified in the Schedules of the draft Regulation of Investigatory Powers (Communications Data) Order 2003; and what estimate he has made of the number of people whose communications data will be accessed in a single year. [131712]
Caroline Flint: Under Part I Chapter II of the Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act 2000, any authorisation granted or notice given requiring the disclosure of communications data must be necessary for a purpose set out in section 22(2). Obtaining the data must also be proportionate to what is sought to be achieved by that taking into account the extent of the intrusiveness of what is proposed and the operational need for that. The imposition of a regulatory framework will enable a clearer assessment of how many people lawful acquisition of communications data impacts upon.
Harry Cohen: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many staff the Interception of Communications Commissioner will have to supervise those who are authorised to gain access to Communications Data under the draft Regulation of Investigatory Powers (Communications Data) Order 2003; and if he will make a statement on the current staffing levels of the Commissioner. [131709]
Caroline Flint: I refer my hon. Friend to the answer given by my hon. Friend the Member for Coventry North East (Bob Ainsworth) on 26 March 2003, Official Report, column 264W.
The Interception of Communications Commissioner is considering the number of staff he will require to undertake his statutory duty and how he might additionally undertake some form of third party prior approval of certain requirements for disclosure of communications data. This was proposed in the consultation paper "Access to communications data—respecting privacy and protecting the public from crime", a summary of responses to which has been published 1 .
The Commissioner is satisfied that the staffing level in his office is sufficient to meet his current responsibilities.
- 1 http://www.homeoffice.gov.uk/docs2/access comms data.html
Harry Cohen: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many authorised requests for access to communications data he has estimated each organisation identified in the Schedules of the draft Regulation of Investigatory Powers (Communications Data) Order 2003 will make in a year. [131711]
Caroline Flint: In the consultation paper 'Access to communications data—respecting privacy and protecting the public from crime' the Government estimated public authorities have approximately half a
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million requirements for disclosure of communications data annually and, where kept, gave figures for specific public authorities. The imposition of a regulatory regime for acquisition of communications data will require proper record keeping by each public authority exercising powers under Part I Chapter II of the Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act 2000.
Harry Cohen: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether the police, having gained access to communications data, have the powers to disclose such data to the Inland Revenue for the purposes of collection of tax or duty; and what plans he has to withdraw the draft Regulation of Investigatory Powers (Communications Data) Order 2003 to make specific reference to section 22(2)(f) of the Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act 2000. [131713]
Caroline Flint: The draft Regulation of Investigatory Powers (Communications Data) Order 2003 makes specific reference to section 22(2)(f) of the Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act 2000. It provides that only the Commissioners of Customs and Excise and the Commissioners of Inland Revenue may grant an authorisation or give a notice requiring disclosure of communications data for the purpose of assessing or collecting any tax, duty, levy or other imposition, contribution or charge payable to a Government Department. The police having obtained communications data for another purpose have no power to disclose that data to the Inland Revenue for the purposes of collecting tax or to Customs and Excise for the purposes of collecting duty.
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