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22 Jun 2004 : Column 1390W—continued
Failing Schools
Mr. Gray: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what Ofsted's policy is on inspecting failing schools which are expected to be closed. [179200]
Mr. Miliband: Ofsted will continue its normal cycle of visits to schools subject to special measures until Her Majesty's Inspectors conclude that a school no longer needs special measures or it has closed.
Fee-paying Schools
Mr. Chaytor: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills if he will list, for each of the last five years, the number and percentage of pupils in fee paying schools in each English local education authority. [176703]
Mr. Miliband [holding answer 10 June 2004]: The information requested has been placed in the House of Commons Libraries.
Mr. Chaytor:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills if he will list, for each of the last five years, the number of pupils in fee paying schools, at the age of (a) five to 10, (b) 11 to 15 and (c) 16 to 19 years,
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(i) in total and (ii) by gender; and what percentage these figures represent of all pupils in each case. [176704]
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Mr. Miliband [holding answer 10 June 2004]: The information requested is shown in the table.
| Boys | Girls | Total | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Number | Percentage(31) | Number | Percentage(31) | Number | Percentage(31) | |
| 1999 | ||||||
| 5–10 | 103,288 | 5.2 | 97,896 | 5.2 | 201,184 | 5.2 |
| 11–15 | 110,033 | 7.1 | 101,913 | 6.9 | 211,946 | 7.0 |
| 16–19+ | 41,126 | 21.2 | 36,393 | 17.9 | 77,519 | 19.5 |
| 2000 | ||||||
| 5–10 | 104,072 | 5.3 | 99,044 | 5.3 | 203,116 | 5.3 |
| 11–15 | 110,253 | 7.0 | 103,014 | 6.8 | 213,267 | 6.9 |
| 16–19+ | 40,568 | 20.7 | 35,718 | 17.4 | 76,286 | 19.0 |
| 2001 | ||||||
| 5–10 | 105,215 | 5.3 | 100,379 | 5.4 | 205,594 | 5.4 |
| 11–15 | 112,274 | 7.0 | 105,348 | 6.8 | 217,622 | 6.9 |
| 16–19+ | 40,589 | 20.3 | 35,682 | 17.2 | 76,271 | 18.7 |
| 2002 | ||||||
| 5–10 | 105,687 | 5.4 | 101,401 | 5.5 | 207,088 | 5.5 |
| 11–15 | 113,990 | 7.0 | 108,160 | 6.9 | 222,150 | 7.0 |
| 16–19+ | 40,872 | 20.3 | 37,130 | 17.7 | 78,002 | 19.0 |
| 2003 | ||||||
| 5–10 | 105,051 | 5.5 | 101,454 | 5.5 | 206,505 | 5.5 |
| 11–15 | 115,547 | 7.0 | 110,635 | 7.0 | 226,182 | 7.0 |
| 16–19+ | 41,474 | 20.1 | 38,205 | 17.7 | 79,679 | 18.9 |
| 20042 | ||||||
| 5–10 | 104,340 | 5.5 | 101,000 | 5.6 | 205,340 | 5.5 |
| 11–15 | 118,910 | 7.1 | 113,820 | 7.1 | 232,730 | 7.1 |
| 16–19+ | 41,710 | 20.0 | 38,270 | 17.2 | 79,980 | 18.5 |
(31) Number of boys, girls and total pupils in independent schools expressed as a percentage of boys, girls and total pupils in all schools.
(32) 2004 data are provisional and have been rounded to the nearest 10.
Free School Meals
Mr. Willis: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many (a) primary and (b) secondary school pupils are (i) eligible for and (ii) taking up free school meals, broken down by (A) region and (B) gender. [178453]
Mr. Miliband [holding answer 15 June 2004]: The information requested, for all local education authorities and regions in England, has been placed in the House of Commons Library and is relating to provisional 2004 figures.
The available information on the take up of free school meals is limited to school level aggregates that cannot be broken down by gender.
Further Education
Mr. Willis: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills pursuant to the Answer to the hon. Member for Wolverhampton, South-West (Rob Marris) of 14 May 2004, Official Report, columns 623–24W, on further education colleges, what the percentage change in funding received in 2003–04 by (a) schools and (b) colleges was when the impact of (i) rates of changes to targeted funds for pay and staff training and (ii) teachers' pension funding are included in the calculation. [179177]
Alan Johnson: For the academic year 2003–04, core funding rates per qualification increased by 3 per cent. for school sixth forms and 10 per cent. for further education colleges. The 10 per cent. increase in core funding rates per qualification for further education colleges includes a 2 per cent. increase to compensate colleges for increases to the employer contribution to the Teachers Pension Scheme; and a 3.5 per cent. increase to reflect the consolidation of previously targeted funds for pay and staff training. The additional resources to schools for changes to the employer contribution to the Teachers Pension Scheme were allocated separately from the qualification rates to schools. The allocation was based on pupil numbers and area costs. The amount per pupil before area cost adjustments was £103 in 2003–04. The consolidation of previously targeted funds for pay and staff training did not apply to schools funding in 2003–04.
Mr. Gordon Prentice: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what recent discussions he has had with the Association of Colleges about the concerns of the further education sector; and if he will make a statement. [179224]
Mr. Ivan Lewis:
We have had a number of discussions recently with the Association of Colleges (AoC) and the Learning and Skills Council (LSC) about concerns within the sector on funding for 2004–05. Over the last year the further education (FE) sector and other providers have exceeded expectations in participation, retention and attainment and it is this success that has created pressures on funding for this year. Although we have already invested a record amount in FE this spending review, we have added £130 millionextra to the LSC's budget that will allow allocations for 2004–05 to be kept on track for all colleges that are performing to target. This is an important extra investment which will
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also support a process of change and help colleges develop towards a more demand-led system in which colleges are increasingly funded from a variety of sources, particularly from employers.
Mr. Simmonds: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many different qualifications could be achieved through study at further education colleges on the latest date for which figures are available. [179812]
Alan Johnson: The Learning and Skills Council (LSC) estimate that in 2002/03 there were about 17,000 different qualifications being studied for in further education (FE) colleges in England. This estimate covers LSC funded FE provision only and includes some non-accredited qualifications. In addition to this 17,000, some colleges also provide higher education courses, and many local authorities contract out some of their adult and community learning provision to FE colleges.
Graduates
Phil Sawford: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what action he is taking to monitor the first destination of first degree graduates each year in terms of (a) those who find employment and (b) the type of employment they find. [173088]
Alan Johnson: The Department's main data source for monitoring the destination of graduates is the First Destination Survey (FDS), which is collected annually by the Higher Education Statistics Agency (HESA). This records the employment position of graduates six months after graduation, including the type of work obtained by those graduates entering employment. Following a comprehensive review, the FDS has been expanded for 2002/03 to cover students completing part-time courses and to collect additional information on the student's employment.
Higher Education Bill
Mr. Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what plans he has to ensure equal university and college access to people of all backgrounds under the Higher Education Bill. [176559]
Alan Johnson [holding answer 9 June 2004]: The Higher Education Bill includes provisions which will ensure that no institution can charge higher variable fees without an access plan approved by the Director of Fair Access. The access plan will include the outreach measures and financial support which the institutions will undertake to ensure access is safeguarded and promoted. We also propose to abolish the requirement to pay up front fees for all full time undergraduates—they will be able to defer their fees, and repay them after they graduate.
In addition the maintenance loan will be increased to cover average basic living costs for undergraduates. From 2006, the poorest students will be eligible for the £2,700 maintenance grant, as well as minimum £300 bursary support. And all students commencing their courses after 2006 will benefit from a loan write off after 25 years.
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