House of Commons Hansard Written Answers for 1 Nov 2004 (pt 9)

1 Nov 2004 : Column 28W—continued

EDUCATION AND SKILLS

CAFCASS

Mr. Laxton: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what guidance is given to CAFCASS as to whether a parent should be present when a child is interviewed during proceedings to decide how much contact each parent should have with the child. [193013]

Margaret Hodge: The CAFCASS Service Principles and Standards state:

"3.5 Except where the Practitioner is acting as a Reporting Officer, all children who are the subject of proceedings will normally be seen on one or more occasions by them."

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"3.6 The Practitioner will also take all reasonable steps to see adult parties to the proceedings and any other relevant children and adults unless directed otherwise by the Court."

Thus, when the practitioner is acting in private law proceedings relating to contact between children and their parents following separation or divorce, CAFCASS expects that its practitioners will see all children who are involved in a case. CAFCASS practitioners have high level skills and experience and are relied upon to exercise their professional judgement in each case. It is important that CAFCASS practitioners tailor their approach to working with children and families, in accordance with the individual circumstances of each case.

Parental presence, during an interview with a child will depend on the following factors:

the circumstances specific to the case;

the age and developmental stage of the child; and

the practitioner's professional judgement.

Rule 4.11 (1) of the Family Proceedings Rules 1991 requires the practitioner, among other things, to "have regard to the ascertainable wishes and feelings of the child concerned considered in the light of the child's age and understanding".

Mr. Clappison: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what proportion of families involved in separation and divorce cases were referred to the Children and Family Court Advisory and Support Service in (a) 2001–02, (b) 2002–03 and (c) 2003–04. [194218]

Margaret Hodge: Such information as is available is in the table. It refers to the total number of private law cases referred to the Children and Family Court Advisory and Support Service (CAFCASS) and residence and contact applications to the courts (the cases most commonly associated with divorce and separation).

Number

CAFCASS referrals (financial years)

2001–02 17,352

2002–03 34,761

2003–04 33,803

Private law contact and residence applications (calendar years)

2001 92,382

2002 97,323

2003 106,534

Notes:
1. Family Justice System (FJS) Data obtained from Judicial Statistics 2001–2003, published by the Department for Constitutional Affairs.
2. FJS Statistics are measured by calendar year and CAFCASS statistics are measured by financial year. The two sets of data are not comparable and therefore a proportion cannot be derived. In addition, there is a time lag between application to court and referral to a CAFCASS officer, and there may be more than one application per family.
3. FJS applications are in respect of all tiers of the courts and they show the total number of applications for residence and contact orders, whether or not they are withdrawn or refused.

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	Number
CAFCASS referrals (financial years)
2001–02	17,352
2002–03	34,761
2003–04	33,803

Private law contact and residence applications (calendar years)
2001	92,382
2002	97,323
2003	106,534

Mr. Clappison: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what percentage of cases dealt with by the Children and Family Court Advisory and Support Service (CAFCASS) in (a) 2001–02, (b) 2002–03 and (c) 2003–04 resulted in orders reached by consent following intervention by CAFCASS staff. [194219]

Margaret Hodge: The Children and Family Court Advisory and Support Service does not collect the data requested. CAFCASS's intervention has helped parties to reach agreement in many cases. CAFCASS is aiming to collect such data in the future.

Mr. Clappison: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what role the presumption of co-parenting plays in the policy of the Children and Family Court Advisory and Support Service. [194221]

Margaret Hodge: The Children and Family Court Advisory and Support Service strongly supports the principles of children maintaining a strong relationship with both parents where it is safe for them to do so. Co-operation between parents who separate is critical for the well-being of the children and is encouraged by CAFCASS. The service works to ensure that both parents and wider family members continue to have a real and meaningful relationship with their children through high quality, supported contact arrangements.

Capital Funding

Mr. Hoban: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills pursuant to the answer of 26 October 2004, Official Report, column 1156W, on capital funding, if he will list the specific capital programmes and the expenditure on each for (a) 2001–02, (b) 2002–03, (c) 2003–04, (d) 2004–05 and (e) 2005–06. [194953]

Mr. Miliband: I will write to the hon. Member with the information requested and place a copy of my reply in the Library.

Mr. Hoban: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills pursuant to the answer of 26 October 2004, Official Report, column 1156W, on capital funding, what capital funding was received in (a) 2001–02, (b) 2002–03, (c) 2003–04, (d) 2004–05 and (e) 2005–06 by local education authorities (LEAs) and schools within LEAs taking part in the pilot and wave 1 projects in Building Schools for the Future. [194954]

Mr. Miliband: We do not hold information in the form requested. The following table shows total capital allocations to date to LEAs and schools in wave 1 of Building Schools for the Future (BSF), including pathfinders, from 2001–02 to 2005–06. These figures include specific devolved formula capital allocations to schools. However, since local authorities devolve other funding to schools, and formulaic allocations will include abatements for BSF areas to avoid double funding, actual information of capital received by schools is held locally.

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Capital Allocations to pathfinder and wave 1 LEAs of BSF

£000

LEA name 2001–02 2002–03 2003–04 2004–05 2005–06 1

Bradford 53,480 51,583 20,819 35,284 14,919

Bristol, City of 16,115 13,219 ⁽⁸⁾73,789 16,368 7,369

Gateshead 8,005 7,271 22,804 6,957 ⁽⁸⁾62,903

Greenwich 11,319 9,628 9,051 16,361 10,283

Knowsley 7,728 9,276 7,495 6,688 2,632

Lancashire 29,778 46,470 62,607 44,234 17,790

Leeds 19,377 28,101 28,263 ⁽⁸⁾63,654 ⁽⁸⁾121,912

Leicester 9,950 7,419 12,329 18,259 5,915

Lewisham 7,825 ⁽⁸⁾75,005 16,601 15,070 7,662

Manchester 23,337 21,337 ⁽⁸⁾56,424 24,853 8,331

Newcastle upon Tyne ⁽⁸⁾54,956 8,364 16,280 ⁽⁸⁾70,368 5,082

Newham ⁽⁸⁾38,635 14,093 ⁽⁸⁾50,660 16,028 11,539

Sheffield 20,427 18,705 ⁽⁸⁾58,357 ⁽⁸⁾83,165 15,238

Solihull 7,156 13,733 9,424 9,801 4,407

South Tyneside 4,051 8,063 6,596 ⁽⁸⁾21,922 2,602

Southwark 7,033 12,331 12,593 27,031 17,758

Stoke-on-Trent 10,510 11,598 11,333 14,891 5,211

Sunderland ⁽⁸⁾29,627 15,259 13,436 11,049 4,803

Waltham Forest 8,620 ⁽⁸⁾65,547 10,364 10,260 4,490

Total 367,929 437,002 499,225 512,243 330,846

⁽⁷⁾ Does not include BSF funding, allocations for which are still being finalised.
⁽⁸⁾ Includes PFI credits.

£000
LEA name	2001–02	2002–03	2003–04	2004–05	2005–06 1
Bradford	53,480	51,583	20,819	35,284	14,919
Bristol, City of	16,115	13,219	⁽⁸⁾73,789	16,368	7,369
Gateshead	8,005	7,271	22,804	6,957	⁽⁸⁾62,903
Greenwich	11,319	9,628	9,051	16,361	10,283
Knowsley	7,728	9,276	7,495	6,688	2,632
Lancashire	29,778	46,470	62,607	44,234	17,790
Leeds	19,377	28,101	28,263	⁽⁸⁾63,654	⁽⁸⁾121,912
Leicester	9,950	7,419	12,329	18,259	5,915
Lewisham	7,825	⁽⁸⁾75,005	16,601	15,070	7,662
Manchester	23,337	21,337	⁽⁸⁾56,424	24,853	8,331
Newcastle upon Tyne	⁽⁸⁾54,956	8,364	16,280	⁽⁸⁾70,368	5,082
Newham	⁽⁸⁾38,635	14,093	⁽⁸⁾50,660	16,028	11,539
Sheffield	20,427	18,705	⁽⁸⁾58,357	⁽⁸⁾83,165	15,238
Solihull	7,156	13,733	9,424	9,801	4,407
South Tyneside	4,051	8,063	6,596	⁽⁸⁾21,922	2,602
Southwark	7,033	12,331	12,593	27,031	17,758
Stoke-on-Trent	10,510	11,598	11,333	14,891	5,211
Sunderland	⁽⁸⁾29,627	15,259	13,436	11,049	4,803
Waltham Forest	8,620	⁽⁸⁾65,547	10,364	10,260	4,490
Total	367,929	437,002	499,225	512,243	330,846

Ann Keen: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how much has been spent on the (a) repair and (b) modernisation of school buildings in the London borough of Hounslow in each of the past five years. [192588]

Mr. Miliband: We do not hold this information centrally. The bulk of capital funding is allocated to

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local authorities and schools by formula so that they can decide their priorities for investment in line with locally decided asset management plans. Records of how this funding is used should therefore be held locally.

The following table shows the capital allocations to Hounslow and its schools from 2000–01 to 2004–05.
Capital allocations to Hounslow local education authority £000

Type of funding 2000–01 2001–02 2002–03 2003–04 2004–05

Total 6,426 4,300 6,664 3,6193 9,515

Of which:

LEA formulaic funding for:

Modernisation and condition need 3,121 1,251 2,660 3,781 4,462

New pupil places 779 218 297 488 531

Devolved capital to schools 1,455 1,198 1,816 2,854 3,242

Type of funding	2000–01	2001–02	2002–03	2003–04	2004–05
Total	6,426	4,300	6,664	3,6193	9,515

Of which:
LEA formulaic funding for:
Modernisation and condition need	3,121	1,251	2,660	3,781	4,462
New pupil places	779	218	297	488	531
Devolved capital to schools	1,455	1,198	1,816	2,854	3,242

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