---

18 Nov 2003 : Column 784W—continued

School Funding

Mr. Andrew Turner: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills whether his pledge of increased school funding is aimed at assisting schools in meeting the cost of (a) incremental drift and (b) teachers crossing the pay threshold. [137477]

Mr. Miliband: Increased school funding designed to help school maintain the improvement in standards since 1997. The cost of incremental drift has been taken into account in calculating average cost pressures, and although schools' costs will vary from the average, the 5 per cent. floor increase for LEAs should enable them to target resources at particular schools which have unavoidable higher than average staff costs. Threshold payments will continue to be fully funded through grant in 2004–05.

18 Nov 2003 : Column 785W

Tuition Fees

Paul Farrelly: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what his estimate is of the average debt medical students will face when they qualify as doctors if they are charged the maximum tuition fee per year. [137216]

Alan Johnson: Average additional debt for medical students as a result of being charged the maximum variable fee of £3,000 per year from 2006/07 will depend on whether they receive a higher education grant or a bursary from university; and whether they use these sums to offset fees. Currently students who are not eligible for means-tested grants for fees pay £1,125 contributions to fees. Over the four years when this Department is responsible for medical students' support, the maximum increase in support would be £1,875 per year, totalling an additional £7,500, to meet the difference. Poorer medical students will in addition be eligible for HE grants of up to £1,000 per year and university bursaries which will reduce their costs and hence their extra debt.

The level of loan taken out by medical students will depend upon their individual circumstances and choices, including the extent to which they work while in higher education. In years five and six they currently pay no contribution to fees and are eligible for means tested NHS bursaries, which helps to keep down the level of debt. Medical students on graduation should have better prospects of secure employment and of higher salaries than the typical graduate and will therefore pay off their loans faster.

Paul Farrelly: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what discussions he has had with Ministerial colleagues from other Departments in respect of increasing proposed tuition fee remission levels for students from poorer backgrounds. [139165]

Alan Johnson: The Secretary of State has had a number of discussions with colleagues across Government on all aspects of his proposals for financing higher education.

University Enrolments

Mr. Boswell: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills if he will make a statement on the work of the task force on university enrolments chaired by Professor Thomas. [129989]

Alan Johnson: I apologise for the delay in replying. I believe the reference is to the Higher Education Endowment Task Force chaired by Professor Eric Thomas, Vice Chancellor of Bristol University. The Task Force is focusing on: exploring tax incentives and models of matched funding schemes to encourage giving and institutions' capacity to raise funds; building a culture where universities ask for donations and donors are more willing to give; and elements necessary for a professional development office and effective fundraising. The Task Force is due to report in March 2004.

Mr. Boswell: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what evidence he has collated on higher education student participation by socio-

18 Nov 2003 : Column 786W

economic class in (a) subgraduate qualifications, (b) first degree courses and (c) postgraduate qualifications. [135783]

Alan Johnson: The available information on undergraduate participation is the Age Participation Index (API). The API measures the proportion of UK domiciled initial entrants to full-time undergraduate HE by the age of 20 and is expressed as a percentage of the average of the 18 and 19-year-old populations. The most recent information, for 2001/02, is in the table.

Participation rates for postgraduate study are not held centrally.

Age Participation Index (API) by social class⁽¹⁰⁾ and level of course, 2001/02

Social class	First degree	Sub degree(11)
I Professional	77	3
II Intermediate	47	3
IIIn skilled non-manual	31	3
IIIm skilled manual	19	2
IV partly skilled	16	2
V Unskilled	13	2
I-IIIn	47	3
Illm-V	18	2
Total	30	6

⁽¹⁰⁾ Figures rounded to nearest whole percentage.

⁽¹¹⁾ Around a third of home domiciled sub-degree entrants to GB institutions, aged under 21 years, were part time in 2001/02 and so would not be included in the API.

Working Tax Credit

Judy Mallaber: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what estimate he has made of the cost of raising the maximum child care element of the working tax credit from 70 per cent. of the costs of eligible child care to (a) 80 per cent., (b) 90 per cent. and (c) 100 per cent. [136777]

Dawn Primarolo: I have been asked to reply.

Such increases are likely to prompt substantial changes in the amount spent on eligible child care. No reliable estimates are available of the sizes of these changes, and therefore of the total costs.

WALES

Coal Mining Communities

Mr. Llwyd: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what representations he has made to the Department of Trade and Industry regarding the amount paid to Welsh communities by the Coalfields Regeneration Trust in comparison with other former coal mining communities. [115145]

Mr. Touhig: My right hon. Friend and I have regular discussions with Ministers at the Department for Trade and Industry covering matters of interest to people living in former coal mining areas of Wales.

There have been no recent discussions on the Coalfields regeneration Trust.

18 Nov 2003 : Column 787W

Website

John Barrett: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what recent assessment he has made of the content and design of his Department's website. [139365]

Mr. Touhig: A recent review will lead to a bilingual homepage to more easily link to the parallel English and Welsh versions. A further review of the overall content and design of the site is due to begin shortly.

WORK AND PENSIONS

Child Support Agency

Mr. Webb: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will place in the Library an updated progress report on the implementation of the new child support scheme. [137926]

Mr. Andrew Smith: I have today placed in the Library a second report on progress in implementation of the new child support scheme.

Mr. Alan Reid: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions when Child Support Agency cases which have been assessed under the old scheme and which are linked to cases which have been assessed under the new scheme will be re-assessed under the new scheme. [139525]

Mr. Pond: Linked cases will transfer to the new scheme from the date on which the fresh case takes effect. (Cases are treated as linked where a person who already has an old scheme assessment is involved in a new scheme application. In addition there are special rules for households on certain prescribed benefits.)

Council Tax Benefit

John Barrett: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what estimate he has made of the number of people eligible for but not claiming Council Tax Benefit in (a) the City of Edinburgh local authority area, (b) Scotland and (c) the UK in 2002–03. [138684]

Mr. Pond: The information is not available.

Statistics for Great Britain are presented in the DWP series "Income Related Benefits Estimates of Take-Up". The latest estimates relate to financial year 2000–01 and are in the Library.

John Barrett: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what steps he is taking to improve the take-up of Council Tax Benefit among pensioners. [138688]

Mr. Pond: Council Tax Benefit is administered by over 400 local authorities, each of which is required by legislation to take appropriate steps to ensure that people with a potential entitlement to Council Tax Benefit are made aware of the help available. Information is also contained in leaflet GL17 "Help with your Council Tax Benefit" as well as various other information leaflets and posters produced by the Department.

Applicants for Pension Credit are asked if they want to claim Council Tax Benefit and they are either sent or given a claim form to return to their local authority. A similar approach is being taken when a customer

18 Nov 2003 : Column 788W

changes address. The claim packs for Income Support and Jobseekers Allowance also include a claim form for Housing Benefit and Council Tax Benefit.

---