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3 Feb 2005 : Column 1042W—continued
GCSE Scores
Mr. Donaldson: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what the average GCSE points scores for each school type in England excluding GNVQ Part One qualifications and GCSE short courses have been in each year since 2000. [208430]
Mr. Stephen Twigg: The following table shows the average point score of 15-year-old pupils from 2000 to 2004 by school type based on achievements in GCSEs and Full course GNVQs only:
Note:
As standard the results reported relate to pupils aged 15-years at the start of the academic year i.e. 31 August and therefore reaching the end of compulsory education at the end of the school year.
Please note that for 2004 figures are presented on two bases; a new point scoring system developed to allow inclusion of a wider range of approved qualifications and the previous point scoring system.
Identity Cards
Mr. Oaten: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills whether she has conducted a study into the impact of the introduction of identity cards on her Department's business. [209623]
Derek Twigg: The Department for Education and Skills has been working closely with the Home Office to identify where the Identity Cards Scheme will provide benefits. This work is ongoing.
Institute of Assessment
Helen Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what progress has been made in setting up the Institute of Assessment; and if she will make a statement. [213875]
Mr. Stephen Twigg: As part of the exams modernisation programme, the Qualifications and Curriculum Authority is intending to set up an institute to represent the interests of examiners and improve the quality of assessment in general examinations. QCA has just completed a period of consultation with a range of interested parties and plans are still evolving. QCA hope to launch the institute later this year.
Learning and Skills Council
Chris Grayling: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills if she will ensure that letters from the Learning and Skills Council responding to parliamentary questions, which neither contain confidential information nor are excessive in length, are printed in the Official Report; and if she will make a statement. [211580]
Derek Twigg:
I can confirm that under guidance issued by the Leader of the House concerning I will write" replies, when the substantive response has been
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issued, a copy is sent to Hansard for printing in the Official Report in the same way as for other written answers.
Salt
Mrs. Dean: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what actions her Department is taking to mark National Salt Awareness Day on 26 January; and if she will make a statement. [211944]
Derek Twigg: The Department for Education and Skills has not taken any action to mark National Salt Awareness Day. The day was targeted at the over 60 age group, recommending that they cut their salt intake to reduce the risk of heart disease and having a stroke. There was no specific activity targeted at school children.
Special Advisers
Mr. Tyrie: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills (1) if she will list the speeches her special advisers made in an official capacity between 31 March 2003 and 31 March 2004, broken down by date; [210559]
(2) if she will list the occasions between 31 March 2003 and 31 March 2004 when special advisers attended meetings with external representatives at which Ministers were not present. [210534]
Derek Twigg: No speeches were made by the Department's special advisers during this time. Information on meetings during this time period is not held.
All meetings held by special advisers and all speeches given by Special advisers are conducted in accordance with the requirements of the Code of Conduct for Special Advisers".
INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT
Asian Tsunami
Clare Short: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development how much expenditure by his Department in response to the tsunami emergency has been allocated to Ministry of Defence Resources. [213078]
Hilary Benn: The Department for International Development estimates that up to £2.5 million of marginal costs will be incurred by the Ministry of Defence in supporting the emergency response to the Indian Ocean earthquake tsunami. This includes airlift, the deployment of HMS Chatham and RFA Diligence, two Bell helicopters used in Indonesia, and deployment and support of some specialist staff to Indonesia and the Maldives.
The support of Ministry of Defence personnel and assets has been important in responding to specific needs following the disaster. The co-operation between the Ministry of Defence and the Department for International Development has been excellent.
Miss McIntosh: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development if he will make a statement on aid to victims of the Asian tsunami. [214112]
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Hilary Benn: The Department for International Development has committed £75 million towards immediate humanitarian needs. This assistance is being channelled through United Nations agencies, the Red Cross Movement, non-governmental organisations and by DFID direct action. Of this, £40 million has been pledged as the UK contribution to the UN Flash Appeal. As well as this support through the United Nations, DFID continues to make funding allocations to non-government organisations and to provide donations in kind.
DFID will make a significant contribution to the longer-term reconstruction and rehabilitation of the regions devastated by the tsunami. We will follow the lead of the governments concerned in order to ensure that DFID's contribution is part of a properly co-ordinated and effective reconstruction plan and that it meets the needs of the affected governments and those who are in most need of assistance; we are therefore waiting until the governments in question have finalised the needs assessments which they are putting together with the support of the World Bank and others, before planning what assistance we will be offering. DFID will work to ensure that the views of the poorest and most vulnerable are taken into account throughout the process of rehabilitation.
Bangladesh
Tom Brake: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development pursuant to the answer of 10 January 2005, Official Report, column 52W, on Bangladesh, what changes to the Chars Livelihood Programme: concept and management in Bangladesh Maxwell Stamp have requested as a result of the recent tsunami. [213107]
Mr. Gareth Thomas: There has been no request from Maxwell Stamp to change the Chars Livelihood Programme: concept and management as a result of the recent tsunami.
Carbon Capture
Llew Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what projects on carbon capture and storage have been supported by his Department in each year since 1997. [212127]
Hilary Benn: DFID has provided no direct funding for carbon capture and storage projects.
Carbon (dioxide) capture and storage techniques, if they can be developed for use on a large scale, could be one way of reducing the future volume of energy-related carbon emissions to the atmosphere. Such emissions are widely thought to be contributing to global climate change.
The United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) has invited the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) to prepare a report on carbon storage technologies for consideration by the conference of parties. Over 100 authors are involved in writing the report, which is expected to be finalised later this year (2005). The report is expected to include a summary for policymakers. UK
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Government inputs are being provided through the Department for Environment Food and Rural Affairs (Defra).
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