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21 Oct 2003 : Column 505W—continued
Teacher Vacancies
Mr. Damian Green: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many teacher vacancies in each subject there were in (a) primary schools, (b) secondary schools, (c) special schools and (d) all schools in each year since 1997, broken down by local education authority; and if he will express the numbers as a percentage of all teachers. [133676]
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Mr. Miliband: The tables showing the number of teacher vacancies in maintained secondary schools in England have been placed in the Libraries. Vacancies by subject are available only for secondary schools. The most recent data available at local education authority level are for January 2003. Vacancy rates are not available because data for the denominator (teacher numbers by subject, by local education authority) are not collected.
Teacher vacancies are defined as advertised vacancies for full-time permanent appointments (or appointments of at least one term's duration). This includes vacancies being filled on a temporary basis unless filled by someone with a fixed term contract of one term or more.
Truancy
Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many prosecutions of parents per thousand pupils for truancy at school there were in descending order by local authority, in the latest year for which figures are available. [133048]
Mr. Ivan Lewis: Information about the number of prosecutions for truancy is not collected centrally.
Tuition Fees
Mr. Edwards: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what representations he has received from vice-chancellors in Wales about proposals to introduce differential tuition fees for university students. [129408]
Alan Johnson: My right hon. Friend has received a number of representations from various stakeholders in Wales about variable fees for university students.
University Medical Schools
Mr. Clappison: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills pursuant to his answer of 6 October 2003, Official Report, column 1150W, on university medical schools (funding), which universities have received funding from the improving retention pot as a result of admitting full-time students under 21 with an A-level points score of less than 3 C grades to study medicine; how many such students each university has admitted; and how much of such funding each school has attracted. [133325]
Alan Johnson: The Higher Education Funding Council for England (HEFCE) allocated funds for the first time in 2003–04 to institutions to improve retention based on the profile of their students and an assessment of the risks of students failing to complete their studies. The HEFCE does not publish sensitive student or financial data at course level for individual institutions, but the institutions set out below received part of their funding from this exercise as a result of the profile of their medical students. Across these institutions, some 480 full-time medical students attracted a total of £126,092 in additional funding from the improving
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retention pot because they were under 21 years of age and their points score was less than the equivalent of 3 Cs at A level.
- University of Bath
University of Birmingham
University of Bristol
University of Cambridge
University of Durham
University of Leeds
University of Leicester
University of Liverpool
Imperial College
Queen Mary, University of London
University College, London
University of Newcastle
University of Oxford
University of Southampton
King's College London
St George's Hospital Medical School
University of Manchester
University of Nottingham
University of Sheffield
University of Warwick.
HOUSE OF COMMONS COMMISSION
House Tours
Mr. Evans: To ask the hon. Member for Roxburgh and Berwickshire, representing the House of Commons Commission what the ticket revenue was in each of the years that the House has been opened to members of the public for guided tours; and what the staffing cost was in each year of (a) the tour guides, (b) ticket booth staff and (c) other staff costs. [132438]
Sir Archy Kirkwood: Revenue and costs for the four years that the House has been open during the summer to members of the public for guided tours are given as follows:
| 2000 (trial) | 2001 (trial) | 2002 | 2003 (Estimated) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Net ticket revenue | 80,357 | 185,568 | 440,000 | 482,900 |
| Tour guide costs | 93,497 | 171,928 | 185,000 | 230,000 |
| Ticket booth staff | Costs of ticket booth staff not differentiated from 'other staff costs' until 2003 | 29,989 | ||
| Other staff costs | 65,948 | 77,235 | 85,000 | Figures notyet available |
Medical Services
Mr. Paul Marsden: To ask the hon. Member for Roxburgh and Berwickshire, representing the House of Commons Commission what services are available to hon. Members in accessing (a) a nurse, (b) a general practitioner and (c) a mental health professional within the precincts of the Palace of Westminster. [132302]
Sir Archy Kirkwood: The Occupational Health, Safety and Welfare Service (OHSWS) in the Department of Finance and Administration is an
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advisory service provided to both Houses of Parliament. The OHSWS assesses the effects work has on health and offers specialist advice on all aspects of health and safety in the workplace.
A walk-in treatment and advisory service is located in Lower Waiting Hall and is available to hon. Members and Peers during parliamentary sessions between 9am and 5pm on Mondays to Thursdays and between 9am and 4pm on Fridays.
A medical screening service is also offered on a three yearly rolling programme and an earlier appointment can be requested if required. This service is located in 7 Millbank and has been provided without interruption for more than ten years.
The OHSWS currently has two doctors: a consultant occupational physician working one day a week and a medical adviser who works three days a week. There are three qualified nurses (one full-time, two part-time). In addition, the Occupational Health Manager is a qualified nurse, and is full-time. The House does not employ any mental health professionals, but the doctors maintain close links with consultant psychiatrists at St Thomas's Hospital from whom advice can be sought.
The House does not provide general practitioner services, but the OHSWS is in discussion with a local practice about the possibility of providing an emergency GP service for Members and Peers. hon Members will be informed should such a service become available.
September Sittings
Mr. Martyn Jones: To ask the hon. Member for Roxburgh and Berwickshire, representing the House of Commons Commission if he will estimate the additional expense to public funds of the two week September sitting of the House; and if he will make a statement. [131860]
Norman Baker: To ask the hon. Member for Roxburgh and Berwickshire, representing the House of Commons Commission what extra costs have been incurred as a result of the sitting of the House in September, broken down by (a) staff costs, (b) costs relating to building works and (c) other costs; and if he will make a statement. [131867]
Sir Archy Kirkwood: The sitting of the House in September has not increased the total number of sitting days. The main costs of accommodation and staff were not affected appreciably by the two week return. The building work was planned, as far as was practicable, on the basis of the revised arrangements in order to cause minimum disruption. It is impossible to determine with any accuracy what the actual costs of alternative contracts might have been, but it is estimated that some £90,000 of additional House of Commons works-related expenditure was incurred directly by the change to the recess period, out of a total forecast spend of around £24 million. In addition, it is estimated that the income from public tours was about £40,000 less as the result of moving them to later in September.
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SOLICITOR-GENERAL
Parliamentary Questions
Miss McIntosh: To ask the Solicitor-General when she will reply to question 128333 of 15 September from the hon. Member for Vale of York. [133596]
The Solicitor-General: The question was answered on 14 October 2003, Official Report, column 155W.
INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT
Bosnia
Angus Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development how many (a) casualties and (b) injuries have been recorded each month in Bosnia (i) during the mandate of the International Peacekeeping Force and (ii) since the establishment of the Stabilisation Force; and if he will make a statement. [131792]
Mr. Gareth Thomas: We do not hold this information. In regard to UK military personnel, there have been a total of 29 deaths since December 1995.
Angus Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development how many de-mining programmes have been in operation in Bosnia per annum since 1997; how much aid his Department has contributed to each programme per annum (a) directly, (b) through the EU and (c) through the UN; and if he will make a statement. [131891]
Mr. Gareth Thomas: The UK bilateral contribution to demining in Bosnia since 1997 is £1 million which was paid in 2000–01 into the International Trust Fund (ITF) for demining. The ITF is an international body of which the UN is a partner. These funds were used to support demining operations in the Kupres region of the country with priority being given to agricultural areas and areas being used for refugee return.
The following table shows the contribution from the EU to demining operations in Bosnia from 1998–2001 (figures obtained from the United Nations Mine Action Service (UNMAS) website).
| EU contribution to demining in Bosnia US$ | Total UK share of EU funding (%) | |
|---|---|---|
| 1998 | 2,583,000 | 19.1 |
| 1999 | 5,640,000 | 17.75 |
| 2000 | 3,330,806 | 19.66 |
| 2001 | 5,293,412 | 18.9 |
DFID will make a further contribution to demining in Bosnia this year of £150,000 which will be paid via the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP). This is our first direct contribution to the UN for demining in Bosnia. These funds will be used to support capacity building of the National Mine Action Authority, improving national survey mechanisms, database co-ordination, development of transparent priority-setting processes, and improving senior and middle management skills through UNDP-sponsored training courses.
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Angus Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what de-mining programmes were (a) initiated and (b) directly run in Bosnia since 1997. [131892]
Mr. Gareth Thomas: Since 1997 National and International NGOs, the UN, the International Trust Fund for Demining (supported by various donors) working through the Bosnian mine action authorities have run programmes covering the following activities in Bosnia; advocacy and prevention, co-ordination, information, integrated mine action, mine awareness, mine clearance, research and development and victim assistance.
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