Examination of Witnesses (Questions 100
- 107)
WEDNESDAY 31 MARCH 2004
MR PETER
HOUSDEN, MS
PENNY JONES
AND MR
PETER OPENSHAW
Q100 Valerie Davey: If we were to
look at this, what legislation would have to be repealed? For
example the faith school offer is a free offer for everyone. There
is no ability to pay element within that. That would need repeal
of legislation, would it?
Ms Jones: I am sorry, could I
clarify, you are talking about transport to faith schools, are
you?
Q101 Valerie Davey: Yes, we are talking
about transport. That is absolutely it. At the present time, within
legislation, there is not only the statutory mileage but also
the element which says if you need to go to a faith school you
get free transport.
Ms Jones: Actually, that is not
the situation. Free transport to faith schools is offered by 120
out of 150 local education authorities but there is a small and
growing number who make charges for pupils attending faith schools.
There is no authority which charges pupils eligible for free school
meals. Those which make charges vary from Rutland, which I think
I have quoted, at about £94 a year, up to Windsor and Maidenhead,
which at last count was £565 a year, and that is quite a
lot of money.
Q102 Valerie Davey: Are you able
to think of any other element within the existing legislation
which would need to be changed on the face perhaps of this bill
to bring about the idea—which could be a pilot scheme for
an LEA—of the nature which the Chairman has suggested?
Ms Jones: I think the bill is
broad enough to cover the sort of proposals which the Chairman
was describing.
Q103 Paul Holmes: Is that because
some LEAs, as you say, more and more have withdrawn the free transport
to faith schools—for budgets reasons really rather than
for human rights reasons.
Ms Jones: That is right. We see
two or three every year.
Q104 Valerie Davey: If I may come
back to one detail. Peter mentioned that it is only a small number
of CTCs but my understanding is that here you did have an original
pilot which was to give the money to the individual school and
allow them to use it for transport. Has any evaluation been done
on what happened to the money that went into CTCs for transport?
Mr Housden: Not that I am aware
of, no. I would need to take your question away and give you a
definitive answer.[8].
Q105 Valerie Davey: I would be grateful
if you would. Other staff members have said the same previously,
so if we could get an answer to that I would be very grateful.
Mr Housden: That is specifically
in relation to CTCs.
Valerie Davey: Yes.
Q106 Chairman: I think we have got
a reasonable handle on this bill now. Is there anything you would
like to say in conclusion?
Mr Housden: Not from my point
of view, no.
Q107 Chairman: Happy?
Ms Jones: Yes, we are happy, thank
you.
Chairman: We are reasonably content.
Thank you for your attendance.
8 Note by witness: No evaluation has been done. Back
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