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Further Education

Dr. Vis: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what the funding gap is between school sixth forms and further education colleges in the London North Learning and Skills Council area; and if she will make a statement. [216679]

 
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Dr. Howells: The Department does not have information on what the funding gap is between school sixth forms and further education colleges in the London North Learning and Skills Council area specifically.

However, the main measure the Department has used
 
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to identify the funding gap is the difference in Learning and Skills Council (LSC) national funding rates for an AS/A2 qualification.

In 2002/03 the difference between the AS/A2 base rates was 10.5 per cent. Increased funding to support our Success for All strategy enabled the LSC to deliver a 4.5 per cent. increase in funding rates in 2003/04 for all colleges that agreed development plans. In the same year school sixth form funding rates increased by 3 per cent.—resulting in a narrowing of the funding gap to 9 per cent.

FE colleges that delivered against their plans receive a further 5 per cent. increase in funding rates for 2004/05 compared with a 4 per cent. increase for schools—a further narrowing of the gap to 8 per cent. We expect a similar step in funding rates in 2005/06 reducing the gap to 7 per cent.

Dr. Vis: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what steps she is taking to reduce the funding gap between school sixth forms and further education colleges in the London North Learning and Skills Council area. [217118]

Mr. Stephen Twigg: Government recognise that there are differences in the funding allocated to further education colleges and school sixth forms nationally and has taken action to address this. For the academic year 2003/04, base funding rates per qualification increased by 3 per cent. for school sixth forms and by 4.5 per cent. for further education colleges on a broadly comparable basis. In 2004/05, funding rates for colleges meeting their targets increased by 5 per cent., while those for school sixth forms rose by 4 per cent. This trend will continue in the 2005/06 academic year.

GCSE Results (North Durham)

Mr. Kevan Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what the GCSE results were for students in North Durham in (a) 1997, (b) 2001 and (c) the latest period for which figures are available. [214195]

Mr. Stephen Twigg: The table shows the results of 15-year-old pupils in GCSE and equivalent examinations for North Durham in 1997,2001 and 2004:
Percentage

Percentage achieving:	1997	2001	2004
5 or more grades A*-C	34.7	44.9	47.2
5 or more grades A*-G	86.8	88.8	89.1
Any passes	91.7	93.4	94.1

Notes:
1. As standard the results reported relate to pupils aged 15 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.
2. For 2004 only results incorporate GCSEs, GNVQs and a wide range of other qualifications approved pre-16. Prior to 2004 results are based on GCSEs and GNVQs only.





 
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Increased Flexibility Programme

Mr. Lidington: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what assessment she has made of the Increased Flexibility Programme. [215740]

Mr. Stephen Twigg: The Department engaged the National Foundation for Educational Research to evaluate the Increased Flexibility Programme. A number of evaluation reports have been published, including the report of the evaluation of the first year in February 2004 and the report of the evaluation of the second year in January 2005. The evaluations have covered the experience of implementation and the impact on:

progress towards qualifications;

social skills;

employability skills;

behaviour and attitudes;

attendance;

plans for progression;

partnership working.

A final report of the evaluation is due to be published in August 2005 and will include findings on achievements of young people in the first cohort, and their post-16 participation.

Independent Schools (Pre-registration)

Mrs. Fitzsimons: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many pre-registration independent schools which did not comply fully with regulations 2e and 2d on the first visit complied on the second visit; and how many were non-compliant with regulations 2e and 2d, broken down by faith. [210853]

Mr. Stephen Twigg: The following table gives the figures requested for those schools that have already had two inspections after the new regulations came into force.

Regulation number/visit	Number of schools not meeting the Regulation	Faith (if any)
2(d)
First	1	Christian Brethren
	2	Evangelical Christian
	16	Muslim
	7	None
	26	Total
Second	0	Christian Brethren
	2	Evangelical Christian
	7	Muslim
	3	None
	12	Total
2(e)
First	2	Christian Brethren
	1	Evangelical Christian
	16	Muslim
	5	None
	24	Total
Second	1	Christian Brethren
	1	Evangelical Christian
	9	Muslim
	3	None
	14	Total

 
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International Students

Chris Grayling: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills pursuant to the answer of 21 December 2004, Official Report, column 1701W to the hon. Member for Huddersfield (Mr. Sheerman), on
 
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international students, if she will list the organisations and individuals from which representations have been received. [215460

Dr. Howells: The following table shows details of the representations received by my Department as at 10 February 2005 on the proposed charges for visa extension applications made by international students.
Representations to the Department for Education and Skills on Home Office proposals to increase charges for leave to remain applications as at 10 February 2005

Correspondent	On behalf of:	Organisation
Edward Gamier MP	Sir Marrack Goulding	Warden, St. Antony's College, University of Oxford
Professor Michael Stirling	—	Vice-Chancellor, University of Birmingham
Signed cards from 132 students	—	Universities of Newcastle and Northumbria
Chileya Kasuba and Emma Wodfield (accompanied by 231 signed cards from members of University of Portsmouth SU)	—	Student Support Officer and President, Portsmouth Students Union
Baroness Diana Warwick	—	Chief Executive, Universities UK
Wes Streeting	—	Chair, Aldwych Group and President, Cambridge University Students' Union
John Randall MP	Wes Streeting	President, Cambridge University Students' Union
Anne McIntosh MP	Wes Streeting	President, Cambridge University Students' Union
Tim Boswell MP	John Wrathmell	Universities UK
Tony Worthington MP	Steve Cockburn	President, Edinburgh University Students' Association
David Chidgey MP	Professor Bill Wakeham	Vice-Chancellor, University of Southampton
Michael Martin MP	Steve Cockburn	President, Edinburgh University Students' Association
Chris Grayling MP	—	Shadow Minister for Education
David Rendel MP	—	Liberal Democrat Spokesperson on Higher Education
Gisela Stuart MP	Moataz Attallah	International student
Dr Rudi Vis MP	Mr. David Simons	Principal, Golders Green College
A F Richard	—	Vice Chancellor, University of Cambridge
Graham Allen MP	—	On behalf of Nottingham universities
Dr. John Brennan	—	Chief Executive, Association of Colleges
Professor Sir Andrew Haines	—	London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine
Professor John Craven	—	Vice Chancellor, University of Portsmouth
Brian Lang	—	Principal and Vice-Chancellor, University of St. Andrews
Professor Robert Pearce	—	Vice-Chancellor, University of Wales Lampeter
Professor Graham Upton	—	Vice-Chancellor, Oxford Brookes University
Professor Tim Wilson	—	Vice-Chancellor University of Hertfordshire
Professor Wakeham	—	Vice-Chancellor University of Southampton
Professor Gregson	—	Vice-Chancellor Queens University Belfast
Professor Gordon Marshall	—	Vice Chancellor, University of Reading
Professor Alan Pearman	—	Pro Vice-Chancellor, University of Leeds
Eugene Critchlow	—	Academic Registrar, De Montfort University
Melvyn Cornish	—	University Secretary, University of Edinburgh
Professor David Tidmarsh	—	Vice Chancellor, Anglia Polytechnic University
Professor Geoff Whitty	—	Director, Institute of Education, University of London
Professor Joan K Stringer	—	Principal and Vice Chancellor Napier University
Dr. David Grant	—	Director of Strategic Development, Cardiff University
Professor Ray Cocks	—	Pro Vice-Chancellor, Keele University
Sir Howard Davies	—	Director, LSE
Dr. Ian Johnson	—	Principal and Vice-Chancellor, Glasgow Caledonian University
Brian Summers	—	Registrar and Secretary, University of E. Anglia
Professor Chris Taylor	—	Vice-Chancellor, University of Bradford
Professor C Duncan Rice	—	Vice-Chancellor and Principal, University of Aberdeen
Sir David Wallace	—	Vice-Chancellor, University of Loughborough
Professor John S Brookes	—	Vice-Chancellor, University of Wolverhampton
Professor Paul W Wellings	—	Vice-Chancellor, Lancaster University
Alfred Morris	—	Vice-Chancellor, University of the West of England
Sir Muir Russell	—	Principal, University of Glasgow
Elizabeth Lister	—	Director, Recruitment and Admissions Service, Heriot-Watt University
Professor Patrick Dowling	—	Vice-Chancellor and Chief Executive, University of Surrey
Professor J Drummond Bone	—	Vice-Chancellor, University of Liverpool
Professor Stephen Hill	—	Principal, University of Holloway, London
Professor Tim Wilson	—	Vice-Chancellor, University of Hertfordshire
Professor Brenda Gourley	—	Vice-Chancellor, The Open University
Professor William Stevely	—	Principal and Vice-Chancellor, the Robert Gordon University
Dr. David J Halton	—	Vice-Chancellor, University of Glamorgan
Sir David Watson	—	Vice-Chancellor, University of Brighton
Professor Anthony P Cohen	—	Professor and Vice Patron, Queen Margaret University College
Professor Adrian Smith	—	Principal, Queen Mary University of London
Clare Short MP	James Anthony	University of Birmingham Guild of Students
Nick Palmer MP	Chris Weekes	Vice Principal, Broxtowe College
Jon Owen Jones MP	Louise Casella	Director of Strategic Development, Cardiff University
Professor Robert G Burgess	—	Vice Chancellor, University of Leicester
Professor ADR Dickson	—	Deputy Vice Chancellor, Northumbria University
Kat Fletcher	—	National President, NUS
Christabel Silva	—	National Chair, Council for International Students

 
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