---

24 Mar 2004 : Column 895W—continued

In-service Training (Schools)

Mr. Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills whether he plans to ringfence budgets for schools for in-service training purposes following the ending of specific support under the Standards Fund. [162742]

Mr. Miliband: No, we are committed to reducing ring-fenced budgets for schools. We believe that schools will get best value from their budgets by managing them as a whole in accordance with their own priorities.

Pupil Mobility

Mr. Gardiner: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what discussions his officials have had with the Prime Minister's Strategy Unit about their research into the effect of increased pupil mobility on education in London. [163418]

Mr. Stephen Twigg: Officials from the London Challenge Programme have met with the Prime Minister's Strategy Unit to discuss the relevant findings of the London Analytical Report, including those relating to pupil mobility. The London Challenge is addressing the particular challenges faced by schools

24 Mar 2004 : Column 896W

with high levels of mobility through the Key Stage 3 Strategy and through the trialling of induction mentors in 22 London secondary schools as part of the 'On the Move' project.

Mr. Gardiner: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills whether there is evidence of a disproportionate effect in London authorities arising from pupil mobility. [163420]

Mr. Stephen Twigg: Pupil mobility in some London schools is significant. Data published in the Ofsted report 'Managing Pupil Mobility' in 2002 showed that mobility in both inner and outer London was higher than elsewhere. Schools in inner London authorities had an average of 14.2 per cent. of pupils joining or leaving mid year. In Outer London the average was 6.8 per cent.. This compared to 5.9 per cent. for metropolitan authorities, 6.3 per cent. for unitary authorities and 5.7 per cent. for shire authorities. Ofsted evidence suggests that where mobility levels exceed 12 per cent. there is an impact on standards achieved for all pupils. We are seeking to address the issue of pupil mobility in London through the trialling of induction mentors in 22 London secondary schools, and by the dissemination of good practice through the Key Stage 3 Strategy.

Mr. Gardiner: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills whether good practice guidelines on pupil mobility have been issued. [163421]

Mr. Ivan Lewis: The Guidance on Managing Pupil Mobility and the accompanying Handbook for Induction Mentors were launched on 26 November 2003. Copies are available from Prolog, from the Standards website at www.standards.dfes.gsi.gov.uk/schoolimprovement. Copies have also been placed in the House of Commons Library.

Rewarding and Developing Staff Initiative

Dr. Iddon: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what percentage of the Government's Rewarding and Developing Staff funding has been spent on (a) additional staff, (b) external consultants, (c) general salary increases, (d) individual salary increases and (e) performance related pay. [162064]

Alan Johnson: The Higher Education Funding Council for England (HEFCE) undertook an early evaluation of the Rewarding and Developing Staff initiative in its first year (2001–02). The evaluation findings did not provide information at the level of detail requested in the question, but did show investment by higher education institutions in the six areas prioritised by the scheme, as shown below.

Priority area	Proportion of first year's investment
Staff development (esp. management development)	30%
Recruitment and retention	30%
Reviews of staffing needs	12%
Job evaluation/equal pay	9%
Equal opportunities activities (excl. job evaluation/equal pay)	9%
Annual performance reviews	7%
Managing poor performance	3%

HEFCE will be evaluating the full first three years of the RDS initiative from autumn 2004.

24 Mar 2004 : Column 897W

Schools (West Suffolk)

Mr. Spring: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills if he will list the schools in west Suffolk which ran a budget deficit in the year ended 31 March 2003; and how much this deficit was for each school. [163034]

Mr. Miliband: The information requested is submitted to the Department according to local education authority areas rather than districts within an area. West Suffolk is a district of Suffolk Local Education Authority. The information for Suffolk is as follows:

Schools which ran a deficit budget in the year ending 31 March 2003.

£

School name	Deficit
Claydon High School	88,658
Hartismere High School	73,826
Stowmarket High School	43,747
Bury St. Edmunds County Upper School	34,990
Westbourne High School	34,789
St. Felix C of E VC Middle School	26,051
Beacon Hill School	25,466
Glemsford Community Primary School	4,961
Hundon Community Primary School	4,592
Clifford Road Primary School	2,017
Downing Primary School	142

Notes:

1. The data are as reported by Suffolk LEA as at 18 March 2004 and taken from their 2002–03 Section 52 Outturn Statement submitted to the DfES.

2. 2002–03 data remain provisional and as such are subject to change by the LEA.

3. Deficit budget is taken from Table B column 13—other revenue balance. This includes the cumulative balance of income less expenditure from revenue funding sources during the financial year and the balance from previous years.

4. Figures are rounded to the nearest pound.

Teacher/Lecturer Salaries

Mr. Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what plans he has for the level of (a) teacher and (b) lecturer salaries, in real terms, in each of the next three years. [162673]

Mr. Miliband: My right hon. Friend has accepted the School Teachers' Review Body's recommendation that pay scales increase by 2.5 per cent. in April 2004 and by 3.25 per cent. in April 2005 to August 2006. This is in line with the Government's projections on the rate of inflation to 2006 and it is not, therefore, expected that teachers' pay will involve a real terms increase.

The Government play no part in setting the levels of pay in the higher education and further education sectors as universities and further education colleges are independent and autonomous bodies. Pay levels are subject to negotiations between employers and the representative trade union bodies. Pay levels will therefore vary from institution to institution.

24 Mar 2004 : Column 898W

Teachers' Pensions

Bob Spink: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what recent representations he has received regarding teachers' pensions; and if he will make a statement. [162872]

Mr. Miliband: Officials in the Department are working closely with representatives of teacher and employer associations on a wide-ranging review of the Teachers' Pension Scheme that will look at what improvements and flexibilities could be introduced as part of a package of changes that will include an increase to 65 in the scheme's normal pension age.

I have proposed that the higher pension age would be introduced for new teachers from 2006 and for the future service of existing teachers from 2013. I have also given the following assurances to teachers:

Current members of the scheme who reach age 60 on or before 31 August 2013 will not be affected by changes to the existing pension arrangements.

Pension benefits earned before the new arrangements start will be fully protected.

Teachers will still be able to retire at, before or after age sixty 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.

Teachers, their union representatives and employers will be fully consulted on the changes.

The review will also examine what other benefits and flexibilities can be introduced into the pension scheme.

NORTHERN IRELAND

A-levels

Mrs. Iris Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what methods are being employed to ensure that the percentage of pupils achieving at least three A grades at A-level in Northern Ireland is maintained. [160625]

Jane Kennedy: The standards of attainment of pupils of all abilities, including the most able, are maintained in all schools through teachers' professional development, and evaluated through inspection.

Costello Report

Mr. Beggs: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland which external consultants the Department of Education employed in the development, distribution and promotion of the Costello Report. [160984]

Jane Kennedy: No external consultants were employed by my Department in the development, distribution and promotion of the Post-Primary Review Working Group's report. A private company was contracted to print and distribute copies of the report to schools and other bodies.

Mr. Beggs: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what amount was spent on (a) printing the Costello Report and (b) the design, printing and distribution of the leaflet, Information about Transfer Tests and New Post-Primary Arrangements. [160985]

24 Mar 2004 : Column 899W

Jane Kennedy: The cost of printing the Costello Report was £25,000 and the cost of the design, printing and distribution of the household leaflet was £134,000.

Mr. Beggs: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will list (a) the groups and individuals he has met and (b) the groups and individuals that have requested a meeting with him to discuss post-primary arrangements, since the publication of the Costello Report. [160986]

Jane Kennedy: Since the publication of the Costello Report, I met with representatives of the UUP, DUP, SDLP, Sinn Fein, the Alliance Party and the Governing Bodies Association. I have received a request for a meeting with representatives of the Catholic Bishops of Northern Ireland and I hope to meet with them in the very near future.

Mr. Beggs: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland when guidance will be issued to schools about the management, planning arrangements and timetable outlined in the Implementation Process Timetable in the Costello Group Report. [160989]

Jane Kennedy: Schools will be kept informed about the implementation arrangements as they are developed. Advice about the initial stages of implementation is expected to be issued to schools before the end of the current school year.

---