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28 Feb 2005 : Column 932W—continued
Looked-after Children
Mrs. May: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many looked-after children have not had a school place in each year since 1997, broken down by (a) accommodation and (b) age. [217668]
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Margaret Hodge: The information is not collected centrally.
Mrs. May: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what estimate the Government have made of the number of looked-after children that receive lay visitors; and what measures the Government have taken to increase this number. [217669]
Margaret Hodge: The DfES does not collect statistics on the number of looked-after children for whom an independent visitor has been appointed. The Government currently have no plans to collect this information.
Official Residences
Chris Grayling: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills if she will list the official residences for which her Department is responsible; who occupies each one; what the annual cost is of running each property; what contribution the occupants of each make towards running costs; what the total capital and refurbishment expenditure has been on those properties in each of the past five years; how much money was spent in each property on (a) flowers and plants, (b) wine and entertaining, (c) food, (d) telephone bills and (e) electricity and gas in 2003–04; how many (i)domestic and (ii) maintenance staff are employed at each property, broken down by post; and what the total cost of staff employment was in 2003–04. [213561]
Mr. Stephen Twigg: The Department for Education and Skills is not responsible for any official residences.
Primary Teachers
Charles Hendry: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills (1) what financial support is available to students undertaking qualifications to enter teaching at primary education level; [218817]
(2) whether tuition fees support available to students undertaking the Postgraduate Certificate in Education qualification is available to students undertaking work-based primary education degrees; and if she will make a statement. [218847]
Mr. Stephen Twigg: Students on undergraduate courses of initial teacher training are eligible for the same package of financial support as other undergraduates. Students taking Postgraduate Certificate in Education courses currently receive full tuition fee remission and a £6,000 training bursary.
My right hon. Friend has no present plans to extend these incentives to undergraduates.
Departmental Policies
Mrs. Fitzsimons: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills if she will set out statistical information relating as closely as possible to the Rochdale constituency, with effects of her Department's actions and policies on Rochdale since 1997. [217368]
Mr. Stephen Twigg:
The Rochdale constituency lies within Rochdale local education authority. The most recent Key Stage 2 and GCSE and equivalents Achievement for pupils attending schools in Rochdale are given in the following tables.
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(3)Pupils attending schools in Rochdale constituency.
(4)The average for all schools in England (including independent schools)
(5)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.
(6)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
At national level, standards have improved across all key stages. The Primary and Key Stage 3 National Strategies, together with the measures we have taken to help schools in the toughest areas are continuing to deliver better results.
Further information by constituency, is provided within the Department's 'In Your Area' website available at http://www.dfes.gov.uk/inyourarea. Where information is not available at the constituency level it has been provided at local education authority level.
This website allows users to access key facts and local information about education and skills based on postcodes. The data available within the site offer comparisons between 1997 and the latest available year and cover five geographies. These are parliamentary constituency, ward, local authority district, local education authority, Government office region. England figures are also provided.
The information available within the website is grouped in a number of broad categories including Literacy and Numeracy at age 11, Literacy and Numeracy at age 14, GCSE/GNVQ results, Pupils with Special Educational Needs, School Initiatives, School Workforce, School Funding and Resources, Children's Social Services, Early Years, Class Sizes, Post 16, Higher Education and Adult Education
Additional information could be provided only at disproportionate cost. However, my Department is investigating ways in which we can disseminate more information about the effects of our policies at a local level. The In Your Area website will be further developed over the coming months to include additional
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information about Adult Education, School Funding, School Initiatives, School Performance, School Workforce and Post 16.
Schools
Mr. Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how much public funding has been made available for computers for schools in Coventry since 1997. [217689]
Derek Twigg: The Department does not hold information on funding for ICT at constituency level. However, Coventry South is in Coventry LEA and allocations for this authority, since 1998, are detailed in 'Funding for ICT in Schools in England' which is available in the House Library.
Mr. Hoban: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many competitions have been held by local education authorities for the provision of a new school since the powers were introduced. [218481]
Derek Twigg: There have been no competitions for new secondary schools since the requirement for a competition for additional secondary schools was introduced in June 2003. The Education Bill currently before Parliament will extend the requirement for a competition to all new secondary schools, including schools replacing existing schools as a result of reorganisation, unless the Secretary of State agrees that in a particular case the objectives of increasing the quality and diversity of provision could be met by other proposals commanding support in the area.
Mr. Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what the ratio is of students to teachers in the town of Romford. [217145]
Mr. Stephen Twigg: The following table provides pupil and staff information for maintained primary and secondary schools in Romford constituency in January 2004, the latest information available.
| Pupil:Teacher ratio(8) | Pupil:Adult ratio(9) | |
|---|---|---|
| Maintained primary schools(7) | 24.0 | 14.7 |
| Maintained secondary schools(7) | 17.5 | 12.2 |
(7)Includes middle schools as deemed.
(8)Based on the full-time equivalent of qualified teachers.
(9)Based on the full-time equivalent of all teaching and support staff (excluding admin and clerical staff).
Source:
Annual School Census.
Mr. Sheerman: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills if she will make a statement, with statistical information relating as directly as possible to Huddersfield constituency, on the effects on Huddersfield of the Government's programme for capital investment in schools since 1997. [217461]
Mr. Stephen Twigg:
The following table sets out the capital allocation to Kirklees metropolitan council and its schools for the years since 1997 to 1998. Information is not held centrally on allocations at constituency level.
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| £000 | |
|---|---|
| 1997–98 | 3,573 |
| 1998–99 | 4,899 |
| 1999–2000 | 6,808 |
| 2000–01 | 74,020 |
| 2001–02 | 12,187 |
| 2002–03 | 44,421 |
| 2003–04 | 17,253 |
| 2004–05 | 19,324 |
Tom Cox: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many primary schools in the Greater London area she estimates will need to be replaced within the next five years; and if she will make a statement. [218199]
Mr. Stephen Twigg: My Department does not hold information that would be needed to estimate how many primary schools in the Greater London area will need to be replaced within the next five years.
The bulk of schools capital is now allocated by formula to authorities and schools, so that they can address their local priorities. Prioritisation of need should be through an open, rigorous and consultative asset management planning process, based on assessments of the needs of all schools. Where work is needed, there should be consideration of whether repair, remodelling, or replacement is appropriate.
Central Government capital support for investment in schools has increased from under £700 million in 1996–97 to £4.9 billion this year and will rise further to £6.3 billion by 2007–08. Progress is being made year-by-year in improving the quality of the school building stock.
Tom Cox: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many schools in the Greater London area have only outside toilet facilities on their premises; and if she will make a statement. [218200]
Mr. Stephen Twigg: My Department does not hold this information.
In March 1998 the then Secretary of State announced that £35 million had been allocated to address the issue of school toilets which could only be accessed from outside and certain energy management improvements. At that time around 450 projects were supported by the Department, with most local education authorities submitting proposals and over the two years 1998–1999 and 1999–2000 a large proportion of outside toilets (and inefficient boilers) were replaced at a cost of about £70 million. It was, and still is, the responsibility of LEAs to identify needs and to seek funding.
Sarah Teather: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills which schools in Greater London, broken down by London borough, ran a budget deficit in the year ended 31 March 2003; and how much this deficit was for each school. [217541]
Mr. Stephen Twigg:
The information requested has been placed in the Libraries.
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