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18 Oct 2005 : Column 925W—continued
Tax Evasion (Northern Ireland)
Mr. Peter Robinson: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many (a) individuals and (b) businesses have been investigated for tax evasion in Northern Ireland in each of the last five years. [18148]
Dawn Primarolo: The total number of new full enquiries started in each of the last five years in Northern Ireland is set out in the following table.
These enquiries will have been taken up to tackle non compliance of many types. It is not possible to specify the proportion concerned with tax evasion, as this information is not retained centrally, and can be
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obtained only at disproportionate cost. In addition a number of aspect enquiries are taken up into specific technical aspects of individuals and businesses tax returns each year.
| Individuals | Business– incorporated | Business– unincorporated | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2001–02 | 5,373 | 53 | 1,356 |
| 2001–02 | 4,354 | 50 | 1,389 |
| 2002–03 | 3,459 | 54 | 1,208 |
| 2003–04 | 4,156 | 67 | 1,191 |
| 2004–05 | 2,857 | 85 | 1,121 |
Unemployment (Pudsey)
Mr. Truswell: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make a statement on the levels of long-term (a) adult and (b) youth unemployment in Pudsey since 1997. [18916]
John Healey: The Government have put in place a broad programme of both macroeconomic and microeconomic reform since 1997 designed to improve the economic performance of all parts of the UK. Since these policies were implemented, claimant unemployment in Pudsey has fallen by almost 45 per cent. Over the same period, youth unemployment has fallen by 54 per cent. and long-term unemployment has fallen by over 90 per cent. The labour market in Pudsey is strong with high employment (82.1 per cent.) and low unemployment (3.3 per cent.).
Vehicle Emissions
Dr. Cable: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what change there has been in (a) road transport vehicle carbon dioxide emissions and (b) single occupancy car commuting within the Department in (a) 2003–04 and (b) 2004–05. [15799]
John Healey: Under Sustainable Development target B1, the Treasury aims to reduce its own road transport vehicle carbon dioxide emissions by 10 per cent. by 31 March 2006, compared to a baseline year of 2002–03. The Treasury's delivery plan for this target encourages the use of public transport, alternative transport, and the use of video and telephone conferencing facilities. Vehicle mileage claims in 2004–05 were a reduction of 38 per cent. in the number of miles claimed in 2003–04, and a reduction of 2 per cent. on the number of miles claimed in 2002–03. Six staff are currently granted parking spaces within the building, based on medical, child care or operational need, compared to 11 in 2002–03.
EDUCATION AND SKILLS
Building Schools for the Future Scheme
Paul Rowen: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what schemes have so far been approved for the voluntary aided sector under the Building Schools for the Future scheme; and what the total value of these schemes is. [15289]
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Jacqui Smith: The Government has announced 37 projects in waves 1 to 3 of Building Schools for the Future (BSF), of which 29 have at least one voluntary aided (VA) school within them.
So far 13 project outline business cases have been approved by the Treasury or the Department, and the VA schools that are included in these are listed as follows:
All the BSF projects are currently moving towards procurement, but none have been signed as yet. Funding is not finalised until contracts have been signed, and no details can be released prior to this for commercial reasons.
Bullying
Mr. Hoban: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills (1) what recent discussions she has had with the Anti-Bullying Alliance on the role of punishment in tackling bullying; [18165]
(2) what plans she has to review the guidance issued by the Department on the role of punishment in tackling bullying; [18166]
(3) if she will make a statement on the role of punishment in tackling bullying. [18167]
Jacqui Smith [holding answer 14 October 2005]: My officials have recently held discussions with the Anti-Bullying Alliance (ABA) on this matter. In these discussions the Government's belief that bullying should always be punished has been made clear.
The ABA is re-framing its advice to make it clear that it is exclusion not punishment that should be seen as a last resort.
Bullying is always unacceptable and should always be punished.
The Bullying: Don't Suffer in Silence" packs issued by the Department contain clear guidance on appropriate sanctions to deal with bullying.
Possible sanctions include, removal from the group/class, withdrawal from break and lunchtime privileges, carrying out a useful task in the school, detention, withholding participation in school trips and events not essential to the curriculum, and fixed period exclusion.
Where serious real or threatened violence is involved, the head teacher can permanently exclude the pupil. To further enforce this appeal panels and governing bodies have been advised that they should not normally seek to overrule such a decision on appeal.
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The Department's advice pack, Don't Suffer in Silence, last updated in September 2002, is currently being reviewed to ensure that our advice that bullying should always be punished is sufficiently clear.
Child Care
Mr. Truswell: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many childcare places have been created in Pudsey since 1997. [18933]
Beverley Hughes: The Department is unable to provide details of childcare places for the Pudsey area of Leeds as data collected is only available at local authority level.
From April 1999 to March 2005 Leeds local authority increased the stock of registered childcare places in Leeds by more than 4,500. The OFSTED registered stock of childcare in Leeds in March 2005 was 17,000 places.
Nationally, from April 1999 to March 2005 local authorities have created almost 487,000 registered childcare places. The OFSTED registered stock of childcare nationally at March 2005 was 1,175,275.
City Academies
Mr. Hoban: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what academic criteria are used when determining whether a school should be replaced by a city academy. [17708]
Jacqui Smith: Proposed academy projects are assessed on a case by case basis. In coming to a judgment we use the standard range of academic assessment criteria published in performance tables. In particular we look at the A*-C GCSE rate, performance at KS3 and other performance indicators. We also look at a range of wider information sources including Ofsted judgments.
Mr. Stewart Jackson: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what guidance her Department plans to issue to trustees of city academies with regard to the use of yellow school buses; and if she will make a statement. [18211]
Jacqui Smith: We have no plans to issue guidance on that topic.
Class Sizes
Gregory Barker: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills (1) what representations she has received regarding the effect of child birth rates on class sizes in (a) primary and (b) secondary schools in (i)East Sussex and (ii) England; [18260]
(2) if she will make a statement on the effect of child birth rates on class sizes in (a) primary and (b) secondary schools in (i) East Sussex and (ii)England. [18262]
Jacqui Smith
[holding answer 14 October 2005]: The Secretary of State has not received any representations regarding the effect of child birth rates on class sizes in (a) primary and (b) secondary schools in (i) East Sussex and (ii) England.
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It is for individual schools to determine class size, having regard to capacity and, in the case of primary schools, to infant class-size limits. Children who will reach the ages of five, six or seven within the school year must not be taught in classes larger than 30 pupils to a qualified teacher.
Changes in class size since 1998 are shown in the following table.
(22)Classes as taught during a single selected period in each school on the day of the census in January.
(23)Includes middle schools as deemed
Source:
Annual Schools Census
Nationally births fell from 667.3 thousand in England in 1990 to a low point of 564.0 thousand in 2001, but have since risen to 607.4 thousand in 2004. The recent rise in births reflects a rise in fertility rates since 2001 but it is not known yet whether this is the start of a sustained rise.
Fertility rates in East Sussex are a little lower than the national average but have shown similar trends. There were 5,325 births in East Sussex in 1990 and these fell to a low of 4,530 in 2002. They have since risen to 4,811 in 2004.
Many local authorities are facing falling primary rolls. Funding empty places can represent a poor use of resources particularly where schools with spare places also perform poorly. Working with local authorities and other partners we have developed a toolkit offering practical advice to help local authorities and schools manage falling rolls. The toolkit is available at www.teachernet.gov.uk/falling rolls.
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