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9 Sept 2004 : Column 1368W—continued

School Sport

16. Mr. Love: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what plans he has to increase participation in sport in schools. [187712]

Mr. Stephen Twigg: The Government are investing over £1 billion in England to transform school sport. This is delivering an ambitious Public Service Agreement target to increase the percentage of 5–16 year olds who spend a minimum of two hours each week on high quality PE and school sport to 75 per cent. by 2006 and to 85 per cent. by 2008.

Children's Commissioner

17. Julie Morgan: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what mechanisms will be put in place for the Children's Commissioner to liaise with the Children's Commissioners in Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland. [187713]

Margaret Hodge: I hope that the four United Kingdom Commissioners will draw up their own co-operation arrangements so as best to serve the children
 
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for which they are responsible. We are currently examining across Government how the Children Bill could best enable or assist them to do this. To this end, I have arranged to meet colleagues from Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales next week.

Bullying

Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what steps he is taking to tackle bullying in schools. [187710]

Mr. Ivan Lewis: We take all bullying seriously and attach great importance to tackling it.

In November 2003, I launched the "Make The Difference" campaign at the first of a programme of conferences for headteachers. The campaign includes a public information film, "Tell Someone", to encourage children who are being bullied to tell someone and the Anti-Bullying Charter for Schools. We have also funded the Anti-Bullying Alliance to maintain the momentum of the campaign.

The Anti-Bullying Alliance will:

Capital Funding

Mr. Hopkins: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills pursuant to the Answer given on 14 June 2004, Official Report, column 771W, on Building Schools for the Future, what specific action his Department has taken to encourage local authorities and local learning and skills councils to consult each other in formulating their proposals and plans for priority capital funding. [187037]

Mr. Miliband: The Department encourages local authorities and local Learning and Skills Councils to consult each other in formulating their plans for capital investment. Specific action includes: guidance to local Learning and Skills Councils and further education providers requires them to discuss their plans with the relevant local authority; guidance to local authorities on asset management planning requires consultation with the relevant local Learning and Skills Council; guidance on the Building Schools for the Future (BSF) programme requires proposals for BSF projects to include the local Learning and Skills Councils, among others, as active partners; guidance for local Learning and Skills Councils on taking forward Strategic Area Reviews of post-16 provision requires that local authorities must be represented on their stakeholder
 
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groups and actively involved in carrying out the reviews. In addition, the Department and the Learning and Skills Council are looking at ways to forge closer links between the Council and the new Partnerships for Schools (PfS) body, set up to assist the delivery of the new Building Schools for the Future programme.

Mr. Hopkins: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills pursuant to the Answer given on 14 June 2004, Official Report, column 771W, on Building Schools for the Future, what specific action his Department has taken in conjunction with the Learning and Skills Council to join up capital investment for schools, sixth-form colleges and further education. [187038]

Mr. Miliband: Where proposals brought forward under the Building Schools for the Future programme include a local vision for the delivery of 14–19 education in association with a further education institution requiring capital investment, the Learning and Skills Council will take this factor into account in determining its priorities for capital support. This is subject to overall pressures and funding constraints. In addition, the Department and the Learning and Skills Council are in discussion concerning a proposed new joint 16–19 capital budget for schools and further education establishments.

Departmental Expenditure

Mr. Hoban: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how much his Department spent in the last year for which figures are available on (a) refurbishment and (b) office furniture. [186684]

Mr. Stephen Twigg: During 2003–04 my Department has spent £2,106,720 on refurbishment and £2,122,428 on office furniture.

Mr. Hoban: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what the cost of satellite and cable subscriptions in his Department's buildings was in the last year for which figures are available; and if he will list the premium channels that his Department subscribes to. [186677]

Mr. Stephen Twigg: During 2003–04 the cost to my Department for satellite subscriptions was approximately £5,700. Apart from receiving the Parliamentary Broadcast Package via the House of Commons, which is for use by Ministers and their Private Offices, my Department does not subscribe to any premium channels.

Further Education Colleges

Mr. Hopkins: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what proportion of provision in further education colleges, measured by (a) hours taught and (b) funding allocated, was graded 4 or 5 in Ofsted inspections during (i) 2003 and (ii) 2004 to date. [187074]

Mr. Ivan Lewis: These matters are for Ofsted. HM Chief Inspector, David Bell, will write to my hon. Friend and place a copy of his letter in the Library.
 
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School Meals

Helen Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what guidance he has issued on the role of school governors in ensuring the provision of healthy school meals. [187709]

Mr. Stephen Twigg: On 6 September the Secretary of State launched the Healthy Living Blueprint for schools. The blueprint, and supporting website (www.teachernet.gov.uk/healthyliving), bring together all the elements that contribute to a whole school approach to food and nutrition: the curriculum; food/meals available; pupil views; partnership working; the role of heads, governors and other staff. In addition to the blueprint the Food Standards Agency is working closely with the National Governors' Council to encourage school governors to promote a high quality approach to food and nutrition in their schools.

School Sixth Forms

Mr. Hopkins: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how much funding was provided by each local Learning and Skills Council to school sixth forms in (a) 2002–03 and (b) 2003–04; and how many students each of these school sixth forms has on its roll. [187073]

Mr. Charles Clarke: The Department allocates funds for the provision of education in school sixth forms to the Learning and Skills Council (LSC). Information about these allocations at local level is not collected by the Department. This is an operational matter and the responsibility of the LSC. Mark Haysom, the LSC's Chief Executive, will write to my hon. Friend with this information, including the pupil number data and a copy of his reply will be placed in the Library.


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