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22 Jun 2004 : Column 1383W—continued
EDUCATION AND SKILLS
Basic Skills Agency
Mr. Simmonds: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how much funding the Department provided to the Basic Skills Agency in each of the last five years. [177378]
Mr. Ivan Lewis: The total funding provided to the Basic Skills Agency by the Department for each of the years from 1999–2000 to 2003–04, along with the funding currently agreed for 2004–05, is given in the following table:
| £ | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Core grant | Projects | Total | |
| 1999–2000 | 7,374,500.00 | 00.00 | 7,374,500.00 |
| 2000–01 | 16,699,289.00 | 6,888.88 | 16,706,177.88 |
| 2001–02 | 21,267,884.00 | 21,298,878.68 | 42,566,762.68 |
| 2002–03 | 5,119,740.00 | 41,525,208.12 | 46,644,948.12 |
| 2003–04 | 5,412,000.00 | 40,330,969.77 | 45,742,969.77 |
| 2004–05 | 5,467,000.00 | 1,281,394.00 | 6,748,394.00 |
A summary of the headline projects that have been funded for each of the years from 1999–2000 is given in the following table:
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Bullying
Mr. Simmonds: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many cases of bullying were reported in primary schools in each year since 1990. [179446]
Mr. Ivan Lewis: Data on bullying are not collected centrally and there is no reliable basis for an estimate of prevalence. However, any level of bullying is too high and we are determined to help schools to tackle the problem. Our guidance pack "Bullying: Don't Suffer in Silence", the anti-bullying Charter for Action and the anti-bullying website www.dfes.gov.uk/bullying offer detailed advice on preventing and addressing bullying.
In November 2003 I launched our anti-bullying charter for schools, which schools are now signing. It is accompanied by a summary of effective practice to help schools review and enhance their anti-bullying policies. The Charter was launched at the first of the Make The Difference series of regional conferences. The programme of conferences began in November 2003 and culminated with a final event on 14 June. These conferences are an opportunity for schools and other partners to share good practice on this issue and to learn at first hand about what has worked elsewhere. Details of the conferences can be accessed online at www.teachernet.gov.uk/antibullying. Our new public information film, "Tell Someone", also encourages children and young people to tell someone if they are being bullied.
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Charitable Status
Virginia Bottomley: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills if he will make it his policy to oppose change to the presumption that education is charitable in purpose. [177269]
Mr. Miliband: The Charities Bill will put all charities on the same footing in that they must demonstrate public benefit in order to enjoy the benefits conferred by charitable status.
Cheshire Learning Partnership
Ann Winterton: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what the expenditure of the Cheshire Learning Partnership was in each of the last five financial years for which figures are available. [179636]
Mr. Ivan Lewis: Learning Partnerships receive funding from a number of different sources. My Department only holds information about expenditure related to funds that it has provided. Therefore, expenditure by Cheshire Learning Partnership, for the last five financial years, was as follows:
| £ | |
|---|---|
| 1999–2000 | 64,188 |
| 2003–04 | 133,172 |
| 2003–04 | 187,940 |
| 2003–04 | 198,540 |
| 2003–04 | 63,000 |
Ann Winterton: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how much funding will be made available to the Cheshire Learning Partnership for the current financial year. [179637]
Mr. Ivan Lewis: The Learning and Skills Council assumed responsibility for Learning Partnerships from April 2003. This is therefore a matter for the Learning and Skills Council and I have asked the Chief Executive, Mark Haysom, to reply to you direct, copying his reply to me.
Child Care
Annette Brooke: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what data is available on (a) the number of people working in the child care sector, (b) the level of academic qualifications they hold and (c) whether they have a qualification in child care and if so at what level; and if he will make a statement. [177521]
Margaret Hodge: The most recent data, the 2002/03 Childcare and Early Years Workforce Survey, show 279,100 people working in the child care sector in England at spring 2003. No data is available on the level of academic qualifications they hold. 48 per cent. of workers hold a qualification relevant to child care at level 2. 35 per cent. hold a relevant qualification at level 3 and 3 per cent. at level 4 and above. The position in Wales is a matter for the National Assembly for Wales.
City Technology Colleges
Mr. Hoban:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what the effect is of a city technology college becoming a city academy, with
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particular reference to the impact on (a) funding and (b) the institution's relationship with (i) the local education authority and (ii) his Department. [179900]
Mr. Charles Clarke: In becoming an academy, a CTC would be funded on the basis of the local education authority formula where it is located, in line with other local schools. A CTC is funded by taking an average of the school funding in all of the LEAs from which CTCs draw pupils.
The relationship between the Department and a CTC on becoming an academy would remain unchanged. Both academies and CTCs are independent schools funded by the Department through a funding agreement between the school and the Secretary of State. When a CTC becomes an academy a new funding agreement is put in place.
Academies are required by their funding agreement to share facilities with other schools and the wider community. They are required to be members of their local admissions forum and to take part in locally co-ordinated admission arrangements. They play a full part in local collaborative arrangements such Excellence in Cities. Academies are also required to consult the LEA and the holder of my office about the targets they set. CTCs are not required to do any of these.
Mr. Hoban: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what recent discussions he has had with city technology colleges about becoming city academies. [179901]
Mr. Charles Clarke: None, but my hon. Friend the Minister of State for School Standards spoke recently at a conference of CTC and academy principals. My officials are holding on-going conversations with individual CTCs about becoming academies.
Connexions
Charles Hendry: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many of the Connexions Partnerships which opted to move to direct delivery in 2003–04 undertook best value assessments of alternative operational models before reaching their decision. [179003]
Margaret Hodge: Three Connexions Partnerships who opted to move to direct delivery in 2003/04 have undertaken best value assessments.
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