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10 May 2004 : Column 53W—continued
Student Finance
Mr. Lazarowicz: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills pursuant to his Answer of 19 April 2004, Official Report, column 51W, on student finance, if he will make a statement on the outcome of his discussions with Scottish Ministers. [171114]
Alan Johnson: My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Education and Skills and the Deputy First Minister agreed that the Scottish Executive and the Department for Education and Skills would keep each other informed as they develop their policies on HE funding, and that the programme of Ministerial meetings on cross border issues would continue.
Student Grants
Mr. Cousins: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what the evidential basis is for the estimation that 30 per cent. of full-time students will receive full combined grant in 2006/07. [169245]
Alan Johnson: Our estimate that around 30 per cent. of students will be eligible for the full grant of £2,700 in 2006/07 has been produced using:
a specially commissioned survey from a sample of LEAs providing details of the actual incomes of students used in the assessment for entitlement to student support in 2002/03;
Family Resources Survey (FRS) data to estimate the effects of changes to the definition of income introduced in 2004/05;
forecasts of future inflation rates
estimates of future earnings growth;
The estimate does not take into account possible future changes in the demand for higher education from different income groups.
Sustainable Development
Mr. Willis: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what steps his Department is taking to promote the delivery of sustainable development within Government. [166785]
Mr. Stephen Twigg: My Department is implementing an Environmental Management System at each of its sites. Various initiatives are in place within DfES to promote sustainable development within Government, including publicity on the internet, our internal website and hard copy notices and posters in all buildings.
In addition we operate a number of recycling schemes. All of our toner and printer cartridges and our spent fluorescent tubes and light bulbs are recycled and the revenue generated contributes to costs incurred. Other initiatives include recycling cans, paper, batteries and textiles and we are constantly reviewing the position to extend the range of items recycled.
10 May 2004 : Column 55W
Teachers
Mr. Collins: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many vacant (a) head teacher, (b) deputy head teacher and (c) teacher posts there were in (i) primary, (ii) secondary, (iii) special and (iv) all schools, expressed as a percentage of the total number of each, in each year since 1997, broken down by local education authority. [167573]
Mr. Miliband: The information requested has been placed in the Libraries. It shows deputy head teacher and classroom teacher vacancy rates in maintained nursery and primary, secondary and special schools by local education authority. Rates have not been provided for head and deputy head teachers in special schools because of the very small numbers involved. There were 10 head teacher vacancies in special schools in England in 2003 and 20 deputy head vacancies. For 2004 overall vacancy rates for head teachers were 0.5 per cent., deputy heads 0.8 per cent. and classroom teachers 0.7 per cent.. Overall vacancy rates by LEA will be published later in the year.
Teaching Assistants
Mr. Borrow: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many teaching assistants there were in schools in South Ribble in (a) each of the last seven years and (b) on the latest date for which figures are available. [171709]
Mr. Miliband: The following table gives the numbers of full time equivalent teaching assistants in maintained schools in South Ribble constituency in January of each year between 1997 and 2003, the latest year for which data are available.
| 1997 | 70 |
| 1998 | 70 |
| 1999 | 90 |
| 2000 | 90 |
| 2001 | 120 |
| 2002 | 100 |
| 2003 | 200 |
Source:
Annual Schools' Census.
Mr. Pickthall: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many teaching assistants there were in West Lancashire schools in each of the last seven years; and what the current figure is. [171489]
Mr. Miliband: The following table gives the numbers of full time equivalent teaching assistants in maintained schools in the West Lancashire constituency in January of each year between 1997 and 2003, the latest year for which data are available.
| Number | |
|---|---|
| 1997 | 140 |
| 1998 | 150 |
| 1999 | 160 |
| 2000 | 180 |
| 2001 | 220 |
| 2002 | 180 |
| 2003 | 300 |
Source:
Annual Schools' Census.
10 May 2004 : Column 56W
University Students
Jeff Ennis: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many students from Barnsley East and Mexborough are attending university; and how many of these students pay (a) no tuition fee and (b) a partial tuition fee. [170659]
Alan Johnson: In England and Wales students on full-time undergraduate courses and their families are expected to make a contribution towards the cost of their tuition only if they can afford to do so.
For entry in 2002, there were 776 applicants domiciled in Barnsley LEA who were accepted through UCAS to full-time first degree and HND courses at UK institutions.
The number and percentages of students in England and Wales in academic year 2002–03 (latest year for which data are available) who have been assessed to make a nil or partial contribution towards the cost of their tuition is shown in the table:
| Student support scheme student numbers thousands(23) | Student support scheme students Percentage(23) | |
|---|---|---|
| Nil contribution towards the cost of tuition from student/parents/spouse/ partner(24) | 330 | 43 |
| Partial contribution towards the cost of tuition from student/parents/spouse/partner | 116 | 15 |
(22) Provisional.
(23) Contributions towards the cost of tuition are assessed by local education authorities in England and Wales for students normally domiciled in their area and studying in the UK.
(24) Includes students on courses where the fee support was not subject to income-assessment (e.g. PGCE courses, and some other ITT courses; and designated courses at private institutions).
Source:
F503G survey of local education authorities.
National level data are published annually in the Department's Statistical First Releases.
Data are collected from the local education authorities (LEAs) to produce national estimates and the data collection exercise does not allow for the production of firm figures below this level, and therefore data by constituency or local education authority are not available.
INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT
St. Helena
Bob Spink: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development if he will make a statement on the £26.3 million previously committed by the British Government towards the building of an airport on St. Helena and if he will make a statement. [170215]
Mr. Gareth Thomas:
It was included, as a possible DFID contribution, in last year's international invitation for possible private sector participation in developing air access for St. Helena. I announced on 19 April 2004, Official Report, column 1WS, that none of the responses offered a basis upon which, with DFID
10 May 2004 : Column 57W
financial assistance as described in the invitation, DFID might enter negotiations. Instead, we are now investigating and costing all options to follow expected withdrawal of the present ship from service by around the turn of the decade, including possible development of air access through alternative arrangements. A specialist team will arrive on the island later this week to progress this work and to initiate geo-technical investigations on a possible airport site.
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