House of Commons Hansard Written Answers for 10 Oct 2005 (pt 87)

10 Oct 2005 : Column 319W—continued

Education Outside the Classroom

Annette Brooke: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills when she expects to publish the manifesto for Education Outside the Classroom. [14180]

Jacqui Smith: We aim to publish the manifesto in spring 2006. The Department will consult on a vision statement and common goals for the manifesto during the autumn term.

Educational Psychologists

Annette Brooke: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many educational psychologists she expects will qualify during the 2006–07 academic year. [15560]

Bill Rammell: The Department does not make estimates of the number of qualifications obtained in specific subjects.

Fire Safety (School Buildings)

Mr. Clapham: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills when she plans to publish proposals for new guidance on fire safety in school buildings. [15328]

10 Oct 2005 : Column 320W

Jacqui Smith: Draft proposals for new fire safely guidance for schools are currently out for public consultation. These can be viewed on:

www.dfes.gov.uk/consultations

The consultation process began on 1 August and ends on 31 October. Subject to the extent and nature of comments that are received, we expect to be able to publish final guidance by April 2006.

Foster Carers

Annette Brooke: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what assessment she has made of the number of foster carers needed to provide placement choice for children; and if she will make a statement. [15015]

Maria Eagle: At 31 March 2004, there were an estimated 41,600 children in foster placements in England, representing 68 per cent. of all looked-after children. The Department itself does not currently hold information centrally about the number of foster carers. However, assisting local authorities to recruit and retain foster carers is a key priority for my Department, to ensure that placements which meet the needs of children and young people can be found without delay. A number of national initiatives are already in place or planned to encourage greater numbers of people to become and remain foster carers, including a Fostering Publicity Pack designed to help local authorities to run targeted local campaigns to recruit new foster carers for looked-after children.

In addition, work to identify and resolve difficulties in the collection of national data about foster carers is ongoing. Fieldwork involving a sample of local authorities is currently taking place in order to contribute to the development of an informative and workable data collection.

Annette Brooke: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what assessment she has made of adequacy of funding for (a) allowances, (b) fees, (c) training and (d) management and support costs for foster carers; and if she will make a statement. [15016]

Maria Eagle: There has already been significant investment in funding for children's social services; total funding (including Formula Spending Share and Specific Grants) is £4.26 billion in 2005–06—up £300 million (or 8 per cent.) on 2004–05. In terms of future years, formula spending for children's social services is to rise by £500 million between 2005–06 and 2007–08 to a total of £4.5 billion. This funding provision is not ring-fenced, allowing authorities to plan to meet their own priorities—including for fostering services.

It is important to consider funding for fostering services alongside the investment made in related children's social services. Local authorities need to ensure that they have effective strategies in place for planning and delivering provision for all their children and young people who have additional needs, and that they make efficient use of available resources.

Annette Brooke: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills if she will take steps to enable foster carers who make themselves available throughout the year to care for children to be paid fees for 52 weeks of the year. [15200]

10 Oct 2005 : Column 321W

Maria Eagle: We have no plans to standardise the payment of fees to foster carers. However, we are currently developing proposals for a national minimum allowance for foster carers, to cover the costs of caring for a looked after child, and shall be consulting fully on this issue. Research indicates that payment rates—including the payment of fees while placements are empty—are but one of a number of issues of concern to foster carers.

We are therefore taking forward work in parallel to develop good practice guidance for local authorities in order to address wider concerns about the transparency, consistency and efficiency of payment systems. Our intention is both to establish a national minimum allowance rate and to issue guidance in 2006.

Annette Brooke: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills if she will allocate increased funds for foster care services. [15202]

Maria Eagle: Ring-fenced funding of £113 million has been made available from 2003–04 to 2005–06 through the Choice Protects programme to support local authorities in improving placement choice for their looked-after children—in particular through strengthening and expanding their fostering services.

Of this amount, a total of £7.25 million has been retained over the three years of the grant to fund national initiatives, including measures aimed at improving the status, support and training of foster carers. These include, in particular: a national advice line for foster carers, 'Fosterline'; work to improve the

10 Oct 2005 : Column 322W

support given to foster carers who are subject to allegations; as well as work to improve training opportunities for foster carers.

In terms of future years, formula spending for children's social services is to rise by £500 million between 2005–06 and 2007–08 to a total of £4.5 billion. This funding provision is not ring-fenced, allowing authorities to plan to meet local priorities, and will enable further increased investment in fostering services.

Further Education

Susan Kramer: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many pupils aged 16 to 18 have been educated in (a) further education colleges and (b) sixth forms in schools, in England since 2000, broken down by local authority. [15877]

Bill Rammell: Participation estimates of education by local authority are only available for those young people aged 16 and 17.

The number of these people participating in full-time education in further education colleges (including sixth form colleges) and school sixth forms (including independent schools) in each local authority are given in the table. The figures are given as at the end of the calendar year 2000 to 2003 (latest available).

This information is taken from the publication Participation in Education and Training by 16 and 17 Year Olds in Each Local Area in England, 2002 and 2003".
Participation in full-time education of 16 and 17 year-olds by local authority in England, end 2000 onwards Numbers

School sixth forms (including independent)
FE colleges (including sixth form colleges)⁽¹¹¹⁾

2000 2001 2002 ⁽¹¹²⁾2003 2000 2001 2002 ⁽¹¹²⁾2003

North East 17,100 17,000 16,800 16,000 24,100 24,000 23,600 23,200

Hartlepool 300 300 300 300 1,300 1,200 1,200 1,300

Middlesbrough 400 300 300 300 2,300 2,200 2,300 2,300

Redcar and Cleveland 100 100 100 — 2,300 2,100 2,100 2,100

Stockton-on-Tees 800 800 800 700 2,600 2,600 2,600 2,600

Darlington 200 200 300 200 1,400 1,300 1,300 1,300

Durham 3,400 3,400 3,500 3,200 3,900 4,000 4,000 3,900

Northumberland 3,800 3,800 3,800 3,700 1,300 1,300 1,300 1,400

Gateshead 1,600 1,600 1,600 1,700 1,400 1,400 1,400 1,100

Newcastle upon Tyne 3,200 3,100 3,000 2,900 1,100 1,100 1,200 1,100

North Tyneside 1,700 1,700 1,700 1,500 1,500 1,400 1,400 1,400

South Tyneside 400 400 300 300 2,100 2,200 1,900 1,700

Sunderland 1,300 1,300 1,200 1,000 3,100 3,100 3,000 2,900

Northwest 41,200 41,000 40,500 39,800 74,800 73,900 70,900 68,800

Halton 400 400 500 500 2,000 1,800 1,500 1,400

Warrington 1,300 1,300 1,300 1,300 2,000 1,900 1,800 1,800

Cheshire 6,500 6,400 6,300 6,500 5,100 5,400 5,200 5,000

Cumbria 4,800 4,700 4,800 4,600 3,100 3,000 3,100 2,900

Bolton 2,000 2,000 1,800 1,800 2,600 2,700 2.700 2,800

Bury 600 600 600 500 2,800 2,800 2,700 2,500

Manchester 2,200 2,100 2,000 2,000 5,600 5,500 5,000 4,800

Oldham 900 900 900 1,200 3,000 3,000 2,900 2,600

Rochdale 900 900 1,000 800 2,500 2,400 2,200 2,200

Salford 200 200 200 100 2,800 2,800 2,600 2,400

Stockport 800 800 700 600 4,100 4,100 4,000 4,100

Tameside 300 300 300 300 3,200 3,100 3,100 2,900

Trafford 1,700 1,600 1,600 1,700 2,100 2,000 1,800 1,800

Wigan 500 600 600 500 4,100 4,100 3,900 3,800

Blackburn with Darwen 700 700 700 600 2,200 2,200 2,100 2,000

Blackpool 400 400 400 300 1,700 1,500 1,500 1,500

Lancashire 5,100 5,000 5,100 4,800 13,900 13,700 13,300 13,300

Knowsley 700 700 700 300 1,900 1,900 1,900 1,800

Liverpool 4,500 4,500 4,300 4,300 2,900 2,800 2,700 2,500

St. Helens 900 900 900 1,000 2,000 2,000 1,900 1,900

Sefton 2,300 2,400 2,300 2,600 3,000 2,900 2,900 2,900

Wirral 3,700 3,600 3,500 3,400 2,100 2,000 2,100 1,900

Yorkshire and the Number 36,600 36,100 35,500 34,700 44,000 43,200 42,200 40,400

East Riding of Yorkshire 3,000 2,900 2,900 2,900 2,500 2,400 2,200 2,200

Kingston Upon Hull, City of 700 700 700 500 3,400 3,100 3,000 2,700

North East Lincolnshire 500 500 500 400 2,300 2,300 2,200 2,100

North Lincolnshire 300 300 300 300 2,500 2,400 2,300 2,300

York 1,400 1,300 1,400 1,200 1,600 1,600 1,700 1,600

North Yorkshire 5,900 5,800 5,700 6,100 4,200 4,100 4,300 3,500

Barnsley 400 400 400 300 2,600 2,500 2,500 2,400

Doncaster 2,800 2,700 2,600 2,600 1,700 1,800 1,700 1,700

Rotherham 1,500 1,500 1,500 1,800 2,400 2,400 2,300 2.300

Sheffield 2,800 2,600 2,500 2,100 4,600 4,300 4,100 4,200

Bradford 5,900 5,800 5,900 5,200 2,700 2,800 2,600 2,600

Calderdale 2,100 2,100 2,000 2,000 1,100 1,100 1,100 1,100

Kirklees 1,600 1,700 1,800 1,700 4,600 4,600 4,600 4,500

Leeds 6,000 5,900 5,700 6,000 4,700 4,600 4,400 4,100

Wakefield 1,700 1,800 1,700 1,700 3,200 3,200 3,200 3,100

East Midlands 37,700 36,700 38,200 35,600 31,300 31,000 30,200 28,300

Derby 1,700 1,700 1,600 1,500 1,800 1,800 1,800 1,900

Derbyshire 6,000 5,900 5,900 5,700 5,400 5,300 5,100 4,400

Leicester 1,500 1,400 1,300 1,000 4,300 4,200 4,100 3,900

Rutland 700 700 700 600 400 400 400 400

Leicestershire 7,100 6,800 6,900 7,000 3,500 3,500 3,400 3,300

Lincolnshire 5,800 5,500 5,600 5,800 4,500 4,500 4,500 4,000

Northamptonshire 6,900 6,900 6,700 6,600 3,900 3,600 3,500 3,300

Nottingham 1,500 1,400 1,300 1,100 2,600 2,700 2,700 2,600

Nottinghamshire 6,400 6,300 6,200 6,200 5,100 5,000 4,800 4,500

West Midlands 41,700 40,700 40,100 39,100 49,400 48,700 47,300 46,600

Herefordshire 600 700 700 600 2,200 2,100 2,100 2,000

Worcestershire 5,600 5,300 5,300 5,300 4,600 4,500 4,400 4,300

Telford and Wrekin 700 700 600 800 2,000 2,000 1,900 1,900

Shropshire 1,900 2,000 2,000 2,000 3,200 3,000 2,900 3,000

Stoke-on-Trent 500 500 500 300 2,800 2,800 2,800 2,900

Staffordshire 7,900 7,700 7,600 7,500 5,800 5,600 5,800 5,600

Warwickshire 4,500 4,300 4,200 4,200 4,200 4,200 4,000 4,000

Birmingham 7,800 7,800 7,700 7,500 10,000 10,200 9,900 9,600

Coventry 3,300 3,200 3,100 3,000 1,900 2,000 1,900 1,900

Dudley 600 600 600 400 4,100 4,000 3,700 3,700

Sandwell 1,500 1,300 1,200 1,000 3,000 3,100 2,900 2,800

Solihull 1,200 1,200 1,200 1,300 2,400 2,500 2,400 2,300

Walsall 2,700 2,700 2,800 2,700 1,600 1,500 1,400 1,500

Wolverhampton 2,800 2,700 2,700 2,500 1,500 1,400 1,200 1,200

East of England 49,800 49,800 49,000 48,100 41,900 40,100 38,300 38,700

Luton 500 400 400 200 3,100 3,100 2,800 2,900

Bedfordshire 5,000 5,100 4,900 4,800 2,100 2,000 1,800 1,700

Peterborough 1,600 1,700 1,700 2,000 900 900 800 800

Cambridgeshire 4,100 4,200 4,100 3,700 5,600 5,300 5,300 5,200

Southend-on-Sea 1,300 1,300 1,200 1,400 1,200 1,200 1,100 1,200

Thurrock 100 100 100 — 2,000 1,900 1,900 1,800

Essex 10,000 10,000 10,000 9,100 11,300 10,900 10,400 10,800

Hertfordshire 14,500 14,200 13,700 14,400 5,400 5,300 5,300 5,600

Norfolk 5,600 5,700 5,800 5,500 6,100 5,800 5,400 5,500

Suffolk 7,000 7,000 7,100 6,900 4,100 3,800 3,600 3,300

Greater London 67,100 63,900 62,300 58,700 59,800 59,200 56,200 54,700

Inner London 19,800 19,000 18,600 17,100 24,100 23,900 22,500 21,800

Outer London 47,300 44,900 43,700 41,700 35,800 35,200 33,600 32,900

Barking and Dagenham 1,400 1,300 1,300 1,300 1,200 1,100 1,000 1,000

Barnet 4,100 3,900 3,800 4,100 1,900 1,900 1,900 1,800

Bexley 2,400 2,200 2,100 2,000 1,400 1,400 1,400 1,300

Brent 3,200 2,900 2,800 2,300 2,200 2,300 2,200 2,100

Bromley 4,000 3,900 3,800 4,100 1,100 1,200 1,100 1,000

Croydon 3,200 3,000 2,700 2,300 3,600 3,500 3,300 3,300

Ealing 3,400 3,300 3,200 2,300 2,300 2,300 2,200 2,300

Enfield 3,100 3,000 3,100 3,000 2,300 2,300 2,000 2,000

Greenwich 2,300 2,100 2,000 1,700 1,500 1,400 1,400 1,400

Harrow 2,200 2,100 2,000 800 2,800 2,800 2,800 2,700

Havering 1,100 1,000 1,000 1,000 2,700 2,700 2,600 2,600

Hillingdon 2,800 2,800 2,800 2,900 1,600 1,600 1,400 1,300

Hounslow 2,200 2,200 2,100 2,800 1,500 1,500 1,500 1,400

Kingston upon Thames 1,800 1,600 1,600 1,900 900 900 900 900

Merton 1,400 1,400 1,300 900 1,600 1,500 1,400 1,500

Redbridge 3,700 3,500 3,600 4,100 1,400 1,400 1,400 1,200

Richmond upon Thames 1,400 1,300 1,300 1,000 1,600 1,500 1,500 1,400

Sutton 2,200 2,100 2,000 2,600 1,000 1,000 900 1,000

Waltham Forest 1,300 1,300 1,300 800 3,000 2,900 2,700 2,600

South East 73,200 71,800 70,700 70,200 69,200 67,000 64,700 63,200

Bracknell Forest 1,400 1,400 1,400 1,300 800 700 700 700

Reading 1,500 1,500 1,500 1,400 700 600 800 700

Slough 1,200 1,100 1,100 1,100 1,000 1,100 900 800

West Berkshire 2,300 2,200 2,300 2,600 600 700 600 600

Windsor and Maidenhead 2,300 2,200 2,100 2,200 500 600 600 600

Wokingham 2,300 2,100 2,000 1,900 800 900 900 600

Milton Keynes 2,500 2,400 2,400 1,900 1,300 1,200 1,000 800

Buckinghamshire 6,700 6,700 6,400 6,600 2,000 2,100 2,200 2,000

Brighton and Hove 1,500 1,500 1,500 1,600 2,200 2,100 2,100 2,100

East Sussex 3,200 3,100 3,300 3,100 5,300 5,200 4,900 4,800

Portsmouth 400 500 500 500 2,700 2,500 2,300 2,200

Southampton 300 400 400 400 2,600 2,600 2,700 2,500

Hampshire 3,200 3,200 3,200 2,900 19,100 18,200 17,700 17,100

Isle of Wight 1,400 1,400 1,400 1,400 800 800 800 800

Kent 16,900 16,400 16,100 16,100 7,500 7,300 6,800 6,800

Medway 2,900 2,800 2,700 2,800 1,500 1,700 1,600 1,600

Oxfordshire 7,200 7,000 6,900 6,600 3,200 3,000 3,100 3,500

Surrey 10,500 10,500 10,200 10,200 9,100 8,500 8,500 8,200

West Sussex 5,500 5,400 5,300 5,500 7,300 7,100 6,600 6,700

South West 44,500 43,300 42,700 42,200 40,800 40,000 38,400 37,900

Bath and North East Somerset 2,100 2,100 2,200 2,500 1,100 1,000 900 900

Bristol, City of 3,100 3,200 3,000 2,600 3,200 3,000 3,000 2,700

North Somerset 1,500 1,500 1,500 1,500 1,600 1,500 1,500 1,600

South Gloucestershire 2,300 2,200 2,300 2,400 1,600 1,600 1,500 1,500

Cornwall 3,000 3,000 3,000 2,900 5,600 5,700 5,500 5,600

Plymouth 2,900 2,800 2,900 3,100 1,200 1,200 1,100 1,000

Torbay 1,300 1,200 1,200 1,300 700 700 700 700

Devon 5,900 5,700 5,500 4,900 5,900 5,700 5,600 5,700

Bournemouth 1,000 1,000 1,000 1,100 1,200 1,300 1,200 1,200

Poole 1,600 1,500 1,400 1,500 800 900 900 900

Dorset 4,800 4,500 4,500 4,200 2,300 2,400 2,200 2,100

Gloucestershire 6,400 6,200 5,900 6,000 3,700 3,600 3,400 3,400

Somerset 3,700 3,600 3,500 3,400 5,600 5,500 5,400 5,300

Swindon 400 300 400 400 2,800 2,500 2,400 2,200

Wiltshire 4,400 4,400 4,400 4,200 3,400 3,300 3,200 3,100

England 409,000 400,200 393,900 384,400 435,300 426,900 411,700 401,800

⁽¹¹¹⁾Further education colleges will include a small number of 16 and 17 year-olds in HE institutions.
⁽¹¹²⁾Provisional

10 Oct 2005 : Column 325W

	School sixth forms (including independent)	FE colleges (including sixth form colleges)⁽¹¹¹⁾
	2000	2001	2002	⁽¹¹²⁾2003	2000	2001	2002	⁽¹¹²⁾2003
North East	17,100	17,000	16,800	16,000	24,100	24,000	23,600	23,200
Hartlepool	300	300	300	300	1,300	1,200	1,200	1,300
Middlesbrough	400	300	300	300	2,300	2,200	2,300	2,300
Redcar and Cleveland	100	100	100	—	2,300	2,100	2,100	2,100
Stockton-on-Tees	800	800	800	700	2,600	2,600	2,600	2,600
Darlington	200	200	300	200	1,400	1,300	1,300	1,300
Durham	3,400	3,400	3,500	3,200	3,900	4,000	4,000	3,900
Northumberland	3,800	3,800	3,800	3,700	1,300	1,300	1,300	1,400
Gateshead	1,600	1,600	1,600	1,700	1,400	1,400	1,400	1,100
Newcastle upon Tyne	3,200	3,100	3,000	2,900	1,100	1,100	1,200	1,100
North Tyneside	1,700	1,700	1,700	1,500	1,500	1,400	1,400	1,400
South Tyneside	400	400	300	300	2,100	2,200	1,900	1,700
Sunderland	1,300	1,300	1,200	1,000	3,100	3,100	3,000	2,900

Northwest	41,200	41,000	40,500	39,800	74,800	73,900	70,900	68,800
Halton	400	400	500	500	2,000	1,800	1,500	1,400
Warrington	1,300	1,300	1,300	1,300	2,000	1,900	1,800	1,800
Cheshire	6,500	6,400	6,300	6,500	5,100	5,400	5,200	5,000
Cumbria	4,800	4,700	4,800	4,600	3,100	3,000	3,100	2,900
Bolton	2,000	2,000	1,800	1,800	2,600	2,700	2.700	2,800
Bury	600	600	600	500	2,800	2,800	2,700	2,500
Manchester	2,200	2,100	2,000	2,000	5,600	5,500	5,000	4,800
Oldham	900	900	900	1,200	3,000	3,000	2,900	2,600
Rochdale	900	900	1,000	800	2,500	2,400	2,200	2,200
Salford	200	200	200	100	2,800	2,800	2,600	2,400
Stockport	800	800	700	600	4,100	4,100	4,000	4,100
Tameside	300	300	300	300	3,200	3,100	3,100	2,900
Trafford	1,700	1,600	1,600	1,700	2,100	2,000	1,800	1,800
Wigan	500	600	600	500	4,100	4,100	3,900	3,800
Blackburn with Darwen	700	700	700	600	2,200	2,200	2,100	2,000
Blackpool	400	400	400	300	1,700	1,500	1,500	1,500
Lancashire	5,100	5,000	5,100	4,800	13,900	13,700	13,300	13,300
Knowsley	700	700	700	300	1,900	1,900	1,900	1,800
Liverpool	4,500	4,500	4,300	4,300	2,900	2,800	2,700	2,500
St. Helens	900	900	900	1,000	2,000	2,000	1,900	1,900
Sefton	2,300	2,400	2,300	2,600	3,000	2,900	2,900	2,900
Wirral	3,700	3,600	3,500	3,400	2,100	2,000	2,100	1,900

Yorkshire and the Number	36,600	36,100	35,500	34,700	44,000	43,200	42,200	40,400
East Riding of Yorkshire	3,000	2,900	2,900	2,900	2,500	2,400	2,200	2,200
Kingston Upon Hull, City of	700	700	700	500	3,400	3,100	3,000	2,700
North East Lincolnshire	500	500	500	400	2,300	2,300	2,200	2,100
North Lincolnshire	300	300	300	300	2,500	2,400	2,300	2,300
York	1,400	1,300	1,400	1,200	1,600	1,600	1,700	1,600
North Yorkshire	5,900	5,800	5,700	6,100	4,200	4,100	4,300	3,500
Barnsley	400	400	400	300	2,600	2,500	2,500	2,400
Doncaster	2,800	2,700	2,600	2,600	1,700	1,800	1,700	1,700
Rotherham	1,500	1,500	1,500	1,800	2,400	2,400	2,300	2.300
Sheffield	2,800	2,600	2,500	2,100	4,600	4,300	4,100	4,200
Bradford	5,900	5,800	5,900	5,200	2,700	2,800	2,600	2,600
Calderdale	2,100	2,100	2,000	2,000	1,100	1,100	1,100	1,100
Kirklees	1,600	1,700	1,800	1,700	4,600	4,600	4,600	4,500
Leeds	6,000	5,900	5,700	6,000	4,700	4,600	4,400	4,100
Wakefield	1,700	1,800	1,700	1,700	3,200	3,200	3,200	3,100

East Midlands	37,700	36,700	38,200	35,600	31,300	31,000	30,200	28,300
Derby	1,700	1,700	1,600	1,500	1,800	1,800	1,800	1,900
Derbyshire	6,000	5,900	5,900	5,700	5,400	5,300	5,100	4,400
Leicester	1,500	1,400	1,300	1,000	4,300	4,200	4,100	3,900
Rutland	700	700	700	600	400	400	400	400
Leicestershire	7,100	6,800	6,900	7,000	3,500	3,500	3,400	3,300
Lincolnshire	5,800	5,500	5,600	5,800	4,500	4,500	4,500	4,000
Northamptonshire	6,900	6,900	6,700	6,600	3,900	3,600	3,500	3,300
Nottingham	1,500	1,400	1,300	1,100	2,600	2,700	2,700	2,600
Nottinghamshire	6,400	6,300	6,200	6,200	5,100	5,000	4,800	4,500

West Midlands	41,700	40,700	40,100	39,100	49,400	48,700	47,300	46,600
Herefordshire	600	700	700	600	2,200	2,100	2,100	2,000
Worcestershire	5,600	5,300	5,300	5,300	4,600	4,500	4,400	4,300
Telford and Wrekin	700	700	600	800	2,000	2,000	1,900	1,900
Shropshire	1,900	2,000	2,000	2,000	3,200	3,000	2,900	3,000
Stoke-on-Trent	500	500	500	300	2,800	2,800	2,800	2,900
Staffordshire	7,900	7,700	7,600	7,500	5,800	5,600	5,800	5,600
Warwickshire	4,500	4,300	4,200	4,200	4,200	4,200	4,000	4,000
Birmingham	7,800	7,800	7,700	7,500	10,000	10,200	9,900	9,600
Coventry	3,300	3,200	3,100	3,000	1,900	2,000	1,900	1,900
Dudley	600	600	600	400	4,100	4,000	3,700	3,700
Sandwell	1,500	1,300	1,200	1,000	3,000	3,100	2,900	2,800
Solihull	1,200	1,200	1,200	1,300	2,400	2,500	2,400	2,300
Walsall	2,700	2,700	2,800	2,700	1,600	1,500	1,400	1,500
Wolverhampton	2,800	2,700	2,700	2,500	1,500	1,400	1,200	1,200

East of England	49,800	49,800	49,000	48,100	41,900	40,100	38,300	38,700
Luton	500	400	400	200	3,100	3,100	2,800	2,900
Bedfordshire	5,000	5,100	4,900	4,800	2,100	2,000	1,800	1,700
Peterborough	1,600	1,700	1,700	2,000	900	900	800	800
Cambridgeshire	4,100	4,200	4,100	3,700	5,600	5,300	5,300	5,200
Southend-on-Sea	1,300	1,300	1,200	1,400	1,200	1,200	1,100	1,200
Thurrock	100	100	100	—	2,000	1,900	1,900	1,800
Essex	10,000	10,000	10,000	9,100	11,300	10,900	10,400	10,800
Hertfordshire	14,500	14,200	13,700	14,400	5,400	5,300	5,300	5,600
Norfolk	5,600	5,700	5,800	5,500	6,100	5,800	5,400	5,500
Suffolk	7,000	7,000	7,100	6,900	4,100	3,800	3,600	3,300

Greater London	67,100	63,900	62,300	58,700	59,800	59,200	56,200	54,700

Inner London	19,800	19,000	18,600	17,100	24,100	23,900	22,500	21,800

Outer London	47,300	44,900	43,700	41,700	35,800	35,200	33,600	32,900
Barking and Dagenham	1,400	1,300	1,300	1,300	1,200	1,100	1,000	1,000
Barnet	4,100	3,900	3,800	4,100	1,900	1,900	1,900	1,800
Bexley	2,400	2,200	2,100	2,000	1,400	1,400	1,400	1,300
Brent	3,200	2,900	2,800	2,300	2,200	2,300	2,200	2,100
Bromley	4,000	3,900	3,800	4,100	1,100	1,200	1,100	1,000
Croydon	3,200	3,000	2,700	2,300	3,600	3,500	3,300	3,300
Ealing	3,400	3,300	3,200	2,300	2,300	2,300	2,200	2,300
Enfield	3,100	3,000	3,100	3,000	2,300	2,300	2,000	2,000
Greenwich	2,300	2,100	2,000	1,700	1,500	1,400	1,400	1,400
Harrow	2,200	2,100	2,000	800	2,800	2,800	2,800	2,700
Havering	1,100	1,000	1,000	1,000	2,700	2,700	2,600	2,600
Hillingdon	2,800	2,800	2,800	2,900	1,600	1,600	1,400	1,300
Hounslow	2,200	2,200	2,100	2,800	1,500	1,500	1,500	1,400
Kingston upon Thames	1,800	1,600	1,600	1,900	900	900	900	900
Merton	1,400	1,400	1,300	900	1,600	1,500	1,400	1,500
Redbridge	3,700	3,500	3,600	4,100	1,400	1,400	1,400	1,200
Richmond upon Thames	1,400	1,300	1,300	1,000	1,600	1,500	1,500	1,400
Sutton	2,200	2,100	2,000	2,600	1,000	1,000	900	1,000
Waltham Forest	1,300	1,300	1,300	800	3,000	2,900	2,700	2,600

South East	73,200	71,800	70,700	70,200	69,200	67,000	64,700	63,200
Bracknell Forest	1,400	1,400	1,400	1,300	800	700	700	700
Reading	1,500	1,500	1,500	1,400	700	600	800	700
Slough	1,200	1,100	1,100	1,100	1,000	1,100	900	800
West Berkshire	2,300	2,200	2,300	2,600	600	700	600	600
Windsor and Maidenhead	2,300	2,200	2,100	2,200	500	600	600	600
Wokingham	2,300	2,100	2,000	1,900	800	900	900	600
Milton Keynes	2,500	2,400	2,400	1,900	1,300	1,200	1,000	800
Buckinghamshire	6,700	6,700	6,400	6,600	2,000	2,100	2,200	2,000
Brighton and Hove	1,500	1,500	1,500	1,600	2,200	2,100	2,100	2,100
East Sussex	3,200	3,100	3,300	3,100	5,300	5,200	4,900	4,800
Portsmouth	400	500	500	500	2,700	2,500	2,300	2,200
Southampton	300	400	400	400	2,600	2,600	2,700	2,500
Hampshire	3,200	3,200	3,200	2,900	19,100	18,200	17,700	17,100
Isle of Wight	1,400	1,400	1,400	1,400	800	800	800	800
Kent	16,900	16,400	16,100	16,100	7,500	7,300	6,800	6,800
Medway	2,900	2,800	2,700	2,800	1,500	1,700	1,600	1,600
Oxfordshire	7,200	7,000	6,900	6,600	3,200	3,000	3,100	3,500
Surrey	10,500	10,500	10,200	10,200	9,100	8,500	8,500	8,200
West Sussex	5,500	5,400	5,300	5,500	7,300	7,100	6,600	6,700

South West	44,500	43,300	42,700	42,200	40,800	40,000	38,400	37,900
Bath and North East Somerset	2,100	2,100	2,200	2,500	1,100	1,000	900	900
Bristol, City of	3,100	3,200	3,000	2,600	3,200	3,000	3,000	2,700
North Somerset	1,500	1,500	1,500	1,500	1,600	1,500	1,500	1,600
South Gloucestershire	2,300	2,200	2,300	2,400	1,600	1,600	1,500	1,500
Cornwall	3,000	3,000	3,000	2,900	5,600	5,700	5,500	5,600
Plymouth	2,900	2,800	2,900	3,100	1,200	1,200	1,100	1,000
Torbay	1,300	1,200	1,200	1,300	700	700	700	700
Devon	5,900	5,700	5,500	4,900	5,900	5,700	5,600	5,700
Bournemouth	1,000	1,000	1,000	1,100	1,200	1,300	1,200	1,200
Poole	1,600	1,500	1,400	1,500	800	900	900	900
Dorset	4,800	4,500	4,500	4,200	2,300	2,400	2,200	2,100
Gloucestershire	6,400	6,200	5,900	6,000	3,700	3,600	3,400	3,400
Somerset	3,700	3,600	3,500	3,400	5,600	5,500	5,400	5,300
Swindon	400	300	400	400	2,800	2,500	2,400	2,200
Wiltshire	4,400	4,400	4,400	4,200	3,400	3,300	3,200	3,100

England	409,000	400,200	393,900	384,400	435,300	426,900	411,700	401,800

Clive Efford: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what steps she is taking to assist recruitment and retention in further education colleges. [15277]

Bill Rammell: The Government are committed to supporting FE colleges in their efforts to recruit and retain high calibre staff and currently fund two specific programmes of financial incentives to encourage

10 Oct 2005 : Column 326W

teachers to work in colleges. A pilot programme offering bursaries to trainee teachers undertaking a full-time postgraduate certificate of education; a programme offering Golden Hellos" to new college teachers in certain designated shortage subjects. In addition the keyworker living programme offers support to FE teachers in London and the South East in respect of housing costs.

10 Oct 2005 : Column 327W

These financial incentives are currently under review and the outcome of the review will be announced shortly.

Clive Efford: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what assessment she has made of the effect of differential rates of pay between further education colleges' staff and school sixth form colleges on recruitment and retention in each over the last five years. [15278]

Bill Rammell: No such assessment has been made. Pay is a matter for individual colleges as autonomous employers.

Clive Efford: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills if she will make a statement on her policy on further education colleges charging employers for training staff in NVQ level 1 and level 2. [15279]

Bill Rammell: The Government's Skills Strategy, reaffirmed in the White Paper published on the 22 March, sets clear priorities for public funding to support the drive to ensure that employers have the skills they need to be successful, and individuals have the skills they need to be employable and personally fulfilled. Finding a new balance of responsibilities between Government, employers and learners is crucial. My Department's policy is that employers should pay a contribution towards the tuition fee costs for all employees undertaking publicly supported training unless those learners are eligible for free provision eg if the learners are studying for a first full level 2 qualification or undertaking a literacy, numeracy or English language course.

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