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25 Oct 2005 : Column 216W—continued

Pupil Absences

Mike Wood: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what progress has been made in reaching an agreement with travel companies on reducing the cost to families of holidays during school holiday periods to cut pupil absences in term-time; and if she will make a statement. [19657]

Jacqui Smith: The Government are joining forces with the travel industry in a new campaign to encourage parents to book holidays during school holiday periods. Launching in November the Every Lesson Counts"
 
25 Oct 2005 : Column 217W
 
campaign will see the travel industry offer discounts and other incentives, such as free child places, to families making early bookings for the school holiday periods. Early booking holiday deals will be promoted through a dedicated Every Lesson Counts" website which will provide a link to ABTA, Federation of Tour Operators and Visit Britain/Enjoy England sites where their members will be able to provide details of their offers for breaks—both in England and overseas—for the winter season and summer 2006.

We recognise that supply and demand can lead to price differences in periods of peak demand. This is why we have struck this innovative partnership with the travel industry to remind parents that by booking early, families will have more choice, more opportunity to book affordable holidays and more reason to keep their children in school.

Schools

Mr. Hoban: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many school places will be created as a consequence of the allocations of the Targeted Capital Fund announced on 12 October 2005; and how many of these will (a) meet existing demand and (b) create additional capacity for parental choice. [19394]

Jacqui Smith [holding answer 18 October 2005]: Information is not available in the form requested. Capital support for new pupil places is largely allocated to local authorities by formula through the Single Capital Pot. Allocations up to 2007–08 were announced last November, together with other formulaic
 
25 Oct 2005 : Column 218W
 
allocations, relating to modernisation need and the schools access initiative, waves 2 and 3 of Building Schools for the Future, and Targeted Capital projects for 2005–06. Local authorities decide how their formulaic allocations should be joined-up and invested locally, taking account of the priorities identified in their asset management plans.

The Targeted Capital Fund, for which successful projects for 2006–07 and 2007–08 were announced on 12 October, is primarily a competitive bidding round for standards and buildings related projects. However, it does have other elements to it. One of these is a mechanism which allows authorities to apply for additional top-up funding for new pupil places where they can demonstrate that they face exceptional circumstances and that their overall resources are insufficient to meet their needs.

Mr. Hoban: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills pursuant to the answer of 19 October 2005, Official Report, column 1072W when each school went into special measures; and whether she intends to make use of her powers under the Education Act 2005 to intervene in the running of each school. [21691]

Jacqui Smith: The date when each school went into special measures is set out in the following table. The Secretary of State considers the use of her intervention powers in the light of the circumstances of each school. A number of the schools have been subject to radical action following LA proposals approved by the Secretary of State. The schools White Paper will look at options for turning round these schools more quickly.
Schools in special measures for more than one year—October 2005

URN	School	Local authority	Phase	Date into special measures
101240	The Warren Comprehensive	Barking and Dagenham	Sec	13 May 2004
101267	Clitterhouse Junior School	Barnet	Prim	03 February 2004
101285	Hollickwood Primary School	Barnet	Prim	20 July 2004
101360	St Mary's CE High School	Barnet	Sec	22 October 2003
101365	Bishop Douglass School Finchley	Barnet	Sec	13 November 2003
106583	Sandhill Primary School	Barnsley	Prim	08 June 2004
106647	Elmhirst School, The	Barnsley	Sec	21 April 2004
109747	Oak Bank School	Bedfordshire	Spec	24 September 2004
103260	Oldknow Junior School	Birmingham	Prim	08 June 2004
103365	Highters Heath Primary School	Birmingham	Prim	16 June 2004
119754	Darwen Moorland High School	Blackburn	Sec	20 November 2003
133291	Boundary Community Primary School	Blackpool	Prim	07 November 2002
107228	Usher Street Primary School and Nursery	Bradford	Prim	10 July 2003
107312	Windhill CE Primary School	Bradford	Prim	11 February 2004
107364	Rhodesway School	Bradford	Sec	18 December 2002
132219	Immanuel C of E Community College	Bradford	Sec	21 January 2004
107363	Wyke Manor School	Bradford	Sec	10 May 2004
107468	Wedgwood School and Community Nursery	Bradford	Spec	12 October 2004
101536	St Andrew and St Francis C of E Primary School	Brent	Prim	21 April 2004
109275	Portway Community School	Bristol	Sec	14 November 2004
109276	Hengrove School	Bristol	Sec	14 November 2003
107532	Mount Pellon Junior and Infant School	Calderdale	Prim	21 April 2004
111800	St Ives Junior School	Cornwall	Prim	15 February 2003
112006	St Meriadoc C of E Junior School	Cornwall	Prim	21 April 2004
111922	Robartes Junior School	Cornwall	Prim	24 June 2004
101782	Tollgate Primary School	Croydon	Prim	14 January 2004
101746	Winterbourne Nursery and Infants' School	Croydon	Prim	30 July 2004
112241	Morton Park Primary School	Cumbria	Prim	12 November 2003
112387	Wyndham School	Cumbria	Sec	02 March 2004
112723	Moorhead Primary School	Derby	Prim	08 October 2003
112988	Merrill College	Derby	Sec	25 September 2003
132133	Derby City PRU	Derby	PRU	30 July 2004
113130	East-the-Water Community Primary School	Devon	Prim	25 September 2003
106669	Adwick Park Junior School	Doncaster	Prim	28 January 2004
106783	Northcliffe School	Doncaster	Sec	27 November 2003
113715	Portland Tophill Junior School	Dorset	Prim	30 July 2004
103880	The Old Park School	Dudley	Spec	26 April 2004
117976	Flamborough Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary School	East Riding	Prim	14 January 2004
133679	Rawcliffe Pupil Referral Unit	East Riding	PRU	11 February 2004
114589	Seaford Head Community College	East Sussex	Sec	29 January 2004
115066	Holy Trinity C of E VC Primary School	Essex	Prim	19 December 2002
115036	Templars Infant and Nursery School	Essex	Prim	04 November 2003
114811	Vange Primary School and Nursery	Essex	Prim	12 November 2003
114729	Langenhoe Community Primary School	Essex	Prim	27 November 2003
115275	Ashingdon School	Essex	Prim	04 March 2004
115214	St Peter's High School and Technology College	Essex	Sec	03 October 2003
115475	Lexden Springs School	Essex	Spec	20 July 2004
115819	Sandford School	Gloucestershire	Spec	12 February 2004
100181	Bishop John Robinson CE Primary School	Greenwich	Prim	22 September 2004
100263	Holy Trinity CE Primary School	Hackney	Prim	30 September 2004
132825	Halton High School	Halton	Sec	12 July 2004
100361	Hurlingham and Chelsea Secondary School	Hammersmith and Fulham	Sec	04 March 2004
100362	Burlington Danes C of E School	Hammersmith and Fulham	Sec	25 May 2004
116449	Oak Farm Community School	Hampshire	Sec	04 March 2004
132252	Downhills Primary School	Haringey	Prim	02 December 2002
102188	Little Stanmore Nursery, First and Middle School	Harrow	Prim	22 July 2004
111599	Owton Manor Primary School	Hartlepool	Prim	21 June 2004
102347	King's Wood School	Havering	Sec	30 April 2004
116952	Weobley High School	Herefordshire	Sec	08 June 2004
117533	Collenswood School	Hertfordshire	Sec	26 November 2005
102449	Abbotsfield School for Boys	Hillingdon	Sec	07 January 2003
118264	Lawn Primary School	Kent	Prim	03 April 2000
118534	Bromstone Primary School, Broadstairs	Kent	Prim	20 November 2003
118355	Homewood Infant School	Kent	Prim	07 July 2004
118383	George Spurgen Community Primary School	Kent	Prim	12 July 2004
118260	Whitehill Junior School	Kent	Prim	22 July 2004
133663	St Mary of Charity CE (Aided) Primary School	Kent	Prim	22 July 2004
118889	Minster College	Kent	Sec	05 December 2003
133422	Endeavour High School	Kingston Upon Hull	Sec	26 March 2004
107626	Birkby Junior School	Kirklees	Prim	26 March 2003
107620	Rawthorpe Junior School	Kirklees	Prim	29 April 2004
107756	Rawthorpe High School	Kirklees	Sec	28 March 2003
133673	ETHOS Primary Pupil Referral Unit	Kirklees	PRU	10 June 2004
119710	Skerton Community High School	Lancashire	Sec	13 November 2003
108070	Intake High School Arts College	Leeds	Sec	29 April 2004
119998	Queensmead Junior School	Leicester City	Prim	12 November 2002
131945	New College Leicester	Leicester City	Sec	09 December 2003
120566	St Peter and St Paul Church of England Primary School, Burgh-Le-Marsh, The	Lincolnshire	Prim	24 June 2003
120502	Sutton Bridge Westmere Community Primary School	Lincolnshire	Prim	24 February 2004
120550	The Pinchbeck East Church of England Primary School	Lincolnshire	Prim	30 July 2004
109707	Ashcroft High School	Luton	Sec	19 November 2003
109685	Putteridge High School	Luton	Sec	04 March 2004
105614	Meade Hill School	Manchester	Spec	10 March 2004
118556	Warren Wood Community Primary School and Language Unit	Medway	Prim	11 February 2004
132166	Mitcham Vale High School	Merton	Sec	02 July 2004
110532	The Radcliffe School	Milton Keynes	Sec	20 November 2003
121140	Gillingham, St Michael's C of E Voluntary Aided First School	Norfolk	Prim	11 May 2004
133432	Silverdale School	North Tyneside	Spec	06 March 2003
122074	Duston Upper School	Northamptonshire	Sec	18 September 2003
122154	The Orchard School	Northamptonshire	Spec	10 March 2004
133267	Sherwood Hall School and Sixth Form College	Nottinghamshire	Sec	21 March 2003
122848	The Gedling School	Nottinghamshire	Sec	13 November 2003
105717	East Crompton St George's C of E School	Oldham	Prim	21 April 2004
105755	Hardman Fold Community Special School	Oldham	Spec	28 April 2004
123346	Northfield School	Oxfordshire	Spec	26 April 2004
113277	Knowle Primary School	Plymouth	Prim	19 November 2003
133940	Redbridge Junior School	Redbridge	Prim	16 August 2004
102859	Hainault Forest High School	Redbridge	Sec	21 November 2003
105788	Moorhouse Primary School	Rochdale	Prim	12 February 2004
105784	Bullough Moor Primary School	Rochdale	Prim	25 February 2004
106951	Wingfield Comprehensive School	Rotherham	Sec	30 March 2004
133351	Harrop Fold School	Salford	Sec	24 June 2003
105977	Moorside High School	Salford	Sec	23 March 2004
132090	The Albion High School	Salford	Sec	20 September 2004
106011	Irwell Park High School	Salford	Spec	30 April 2003
103984	Rood End Primary School	Sandwell	Prim	02 October 2003
103978	Langley Primary School	Sandwell	Prim	05 November 2003
107014	Shirecliffe Junior School	Sheffield	Prim	08 October 2003
110077	Langleywood School	Slough	Sec	06 November 2003
123687	Middlezoy Primary School	Somerset	Prim	22 July 2004
109045	Severn Beach Primary School	South Gloucestershire	Prim	25 November 2003
115346	Thorpe Bay School	Southend	Sec	10 June 1999
115234	Prittlewell Technology College	Southend	Sec	16 June 2004
100809	Robert Browning Primary School	Southwark	Prim	27 February 2003
100788	Galleywall Primary School	Southwark	Prim	04 March 2003
100782	Cobourg Primary School	Southwark	Prim	08 June 2004
104828	Newton-le-Willows Community High School	St Helens	Sec	15 January 2004
124176	Amington Heath Community School	Staffordshire	Prim	15 October 2003
124215	Springhill Primary School	Staffordshire	Prim	12 February 2004
124409	Nether Stowe High School	Staffordshire	Sec	17 February 2004
124854	Kirkley Middle (Sec) School	Suffolk	Middle	24 June 2003
125063	Watchetts Junior School	Surrey	Prim	02 December 2003
125161	Potters Gate C of E Primary School	Surrey	Prim	24 June 2004
125266	Bishop David Brown School, The	Surrey	Sec	25 November 2003
126242	Seven Fields Primary School	Swindon	Prim	26 February 2004
106235	Micklehurst All Saints C of E Primary School	Tameside	Prim	02 April 2003
106370	Stretford High School Community Language College	Trafford	Sec	22 January 2004
103040	Church Mead Junior School	Waltham Forest	Prim	01 October 2004
111433	Woolston Community High School	Warrington	Sec	12 March 2004
133572	Horizon Centre	Warrington	PRU	24 February 2004
125706	St Francis Catholic Primary School	Warwickshire	Prim	29 July 2004
125768	Queen Elizabeth School	Warwickshire	Sec	05 February 2004
125766	Hartshill School	Warwickshire	Sec	21 April 2004
106548	Two Porches School	Wigan	Spec	07 June 2004
126399	Corsley CE Primary School	Wiltshire	Prim	05 July 2004
116776	Leigh and Bransford Primary School	Worcestershire	Prim	06 August 2004
116928	North Bromsgrove High School	Worcestershire	Sec	04 February 2003
131491	Redgrove School	Worcestershire	Spec	16 June 2004
130993	Kidderminster PRU	Worcestershire	PRU	29 July 2004
116958	Bromsgrove, Catshill Middle (Sec) School	Worcestershire	Middle	22 October 2003

 
25 Oct 2005 : Column 221W
 

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many (a) knives, (b) guns and (c) other weapons were confiscated from schools in England in each of the last 10 years. [20808]

Jacqui Smith: My Department does not collect the number or nature of confiscated items taken from school pupils. The Violent Crime Reduction Bill proposes to give head teachers a power to search for weapons, and we will add to existing guidance on how police, schools and other local agencies can work together, to keep offensive weapons out of our schools.

Mr. Andrew Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what progress has been made on implementing the recommendations of the School Meals Review Panel. [19472]

Jacqui Smith: The recommendations of the School Meals Review Panel are made in their report—Turning the Tables: Transforming School Food.

A public consultation on the Panel's recommendations to improve the nutritional standards of school meals was launched on 3 October 2005. The consultation period runs until 31 December 2005 and responses to the recommendations will be considered after this date.

The final version of the standards will begin to come into force from September 2006.

Alongside the publication of the report, the Government launched a national audit of school food provision in order to assess the progress that is already being made by local authorities and schools. The national audit, which began on 17 October, will cover issues such as how much is being spent on school meals ingredients, how they are provided, whether children get hot or cold meals and the percentage of pupils currently buying school meals.

The Government are also investing £220 million over three years to help schools and local education authorities transform school meals through training and increased hours for cooks, equipment and a minimum spend on ingredients.
 
25 Oct 2005 : Column 222W
 

Some £30 million for this year has already been allocated to local authorities—with a further £100 million over the following two years. £30 million was granted direct to schools as part of their Standards Fund allocations, with a further £60 million over the following two years.

New or upgraded school kitchen facilities, where fresh produce can be prepared and served, will be made a priority as Government rebuilds and refurbishes every secondary school through its Building Schools for the Future programme. £5.5 billion is being spent in 2005–06 rising to £6.3 billion in 2007–08 to improve school buildings. An extra £650 million capital for primary schools were announced in the last Spending Review for 2008–09 and 2009–10.

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