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16 Jun 2004 : Column 941W—continued
Correspondence
Mr. Collins: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what action he proposes to take in response to the letter to him by Mr. John Wright, of the Independent Panel for Special Education Advice, of 6 February. [177437]
Margaret Hodge: The Department wrote to Mr. Wight on 17 February confirming that the complaints against five local education authorities made in his letter would be taken up individually with each of the authorities concerned. The Department wrote to Mr. Wright again on 30 March, having concluded its investigations of East Sussex local education authority, to confirm that the complaint against the Authority had not been upheld. Further information is awaited from the remaining authorities to enable the Secretary of State to reach decisions on the outstanding cases. We expect to receive this shortly.
Food Technology
Mr. Willis: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what plans he has to reform the food technology curriculum taught in schools; and if he will make a statement. [177646]
Mr. Stephen Twigg: We are working with colleagues across Government to tackle key health issues, including bringing together all aspects of food education, such as nutrition, diet, cooking, food hygiene and safety for pupils of all ages. Food education is taught through science, food technology, and Personal, Social and Health Education and we will consider any curriculum implications in the light of our cross government work on this important area.
Learning and Skills Council
John Mann: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what discussions his Department has had with the Learning and Skills Council on the recently issued guidelines to limit college franchising arrangements with work-based learning providers; what steps he is taking to ensure that the provision of high quality training is safeguarded; and if he will take steps to ensure the early substitution of direct contracting between local learning and skills councils and the affected providers. [178232]
Alan Johnson
[holding answer 14 June 2004]: My officials have not had detailed discussions with the Learning and Skills Council (LSC) about the guidelines to local LSCs concerning the funding of franchised further education provision. The LSC is responsible for establishing and developing a robust and diverse network of providers to meet the needs of communities, learners and employers. My ministerial colleagues and I, with the support of officials, ensure the LSC carries out its responsibilities through regular meetings, reporting and review arrangements. As contracting decisions are the operational responsibility of the LSC, Mark Haysom, the LSC's Chief Executive, will write to my hon. Friend detailing the arrangements adopted to ensure changes to franchised activity are handled smoothly.
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Tuition Fees
Mr. Cameron: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what representations the Government have received from students in year 12 and their parents planning to take a gap year who will pay tuition fees if they secure deferred places at universities; and if he will make a statement. [178903]
Alan Johnson [holding answer 14 June 2004]: My right hon. Friend has received a number of representations from students, their parents and others about the tuition fees to be paid by students who choose to defer their entry from 2005 to 2006.
DEPUTY PRIME MINISTER
Planning Decisions
Mrs. Spelman: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister which planning decisions were overturned by his Department in (a) 2001, (b) 2002 and (c) 2003; and which of these concerned development on brownfield sites. [178532]
Keith Hill: The table details the number of recovered appeals allowed by the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister and its predecessor department in 2001, 2002 and 2003, and the number of these which concerned development on brownfield sites.
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Figures for 2001, 2002 and 2003 concerning transferred appeals allowed by Inspectors, on behalf of the Secretary of State, my right hon. Friend the Deputy Prime Minister are tabled as follows. Information on which of these developments were on brownfield land is not held centrally, and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.
| Number of transferred appeals allowed | As a percentage of total appeals | |
|---|---|---|
| 2001 | 4,535 | 36 |
| 2002 | 5,115 | 37 |
| 2003 | 6,015 | 33.5 |
Postal Voting
Mrs. Spelman: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what the process is for reimbursing local authorities for the extra costs of conducting all-postal pilots in the June 2004 elections. [176249]
Mr. Raynsford: The process is set out in Schedule 3 of the European Parliamentary and Local Elections (All Postal) Pilots Order. Regional and local returning officers will be able to claim reimbursement for services properly rendered, or expenses properly incurred, for or in connection with the European election by submitting an account to my right hon. Friend the Deputy Prime Minister within six months of the election. Insofar as the local elections in principal areas or parishes within the pilot regions are concerned, returning officers will be able to claim "local election pilot expenditure" from my right hon. Friend the Deputy Prime Minister. That will include any expenditure which is apportioned to the local election under section 15(4) of the 1985 Act, which exceeds the expenditure which he would have incurred if the electoral region within which the election (and any election the poll at which is combined with that election) is held had not been specified in section 1(3) of the 2004 Act i.e. had not been one of the pilot regions.
Returning officers may claim advance payments prior to the election. In these cases, the balance is settled after the election when the final costs are submitted.
Second Homes
Mr. Gregory Campbell: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister if he will make a statement on his plans for an interim permanent residence policy affecting the purchase of second homes. [178606]
Keith Hill:
The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister recognises the need for affordable homes for local residents in supporting balanced and sustainable communities. It is not part of our policy to address this need by removing the basic right of willing sellers and willing buyers to sell and buy property.
16 Jun 2004 : Column 944W
SCOTLAND
Departmental Staff
Mr. Goodman: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many people have left employment in his Department because of (a) anxiety, (b) stress, (c) depression and (d) other mental health reasons in each year since 1997. [175672]
Mrs. McGuire: The Scotland Office was established on 1 July 1999.
No staff have left employment in the Office because of anxiety, stress, depression or other mental health reasons.
Early Retirement
Bob Spink: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many employees in his Department took early retirement in the last financial year; and at what total cost. [171730]
Mrs. McGuire: The Scotland Office incurred no costs in relation to early retirements in 2003–04. All staff in the Office are on loan from other Government Departments or other bodies, who remain their employers.
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