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Child Care

Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many child care places were available in each of the past 30 years. [20318]

Beverley Hughes: We are unable to provide figures for the period requested other than at disproportionate cost. Details of the number of child care places available in England for each year between 1990 and 2005 are given as follows.

(a) Figures from day care facilities surveys, 1990–2001

	Total number of child care places	Childminders	Full day care	Out of school/holiday clubs	Sessional care
1989–90	303,100	205,600	97,500	No figures	416,400
1990–91	339,400	233,300	106,100	No figures	428,400
1991–92	390,900	254,300	116,800	19,800	414,500
1992–93	469,533	300,700	133,800	35,033	396,900
1993–94	549,300	357,500	147,600	44,200	411,300
1994–95	614,000	373,600	161,500	78,900	410,600
1995–96	646,467	376,200	178,300	91,967	397,700
1996–97	654,900	365,200	193,800	95,900	383,700
1997–98	709,967	370,700	223,000	116,267	383,600
1998–99	767,233	336,600	247,700	182,933	347,200
1999–2000	794,967	320,400	264,200	210,367	353,100
2000–01	838,800	304,600	285,100	249,100	330,200

(b) Using data from

i. 1997–2003: Ofsted registered" equivalent statistics generated by Sure Start Unit from local authority returns

ii. 2003—present: Ofsted registrations

	Total child care places	Childminders	Full daycare	Out of school/holiday clubs	Sessional care
1996–97	637730	309,973	283,975	43,782	—
1997–98	643,736	309,918	283,823	48,995	—
1998–99	688,412	309,423	299,078	79,911	—
1999–2000	746,719	304,926	316,021	125,772	—
2000–01	821,537	300,263	337,004	184,270	—
2001–02	892,726	307,485	358,371	226,870	—
2002–03	967,821	300,883	381,550	285,388	280,779
2003–04	1,102,686	319,689	456,298	326,699	274,135
2004–05	1,175,275	316,089	517,975	341,211	249,647

The apparent discrepancies between the two data sets during the period 1996–97 to 2000–01 reflect different data collection methodologies. For instance, the Daycare Facilities Survey (DCFS) treats Out of School/Holiday Club places in a different manner to the Ofsted/LA figures. The DCFS counted a Holiday Club place that is available during each school holiday as three places (one at Easter, one in the summer, and one at Christmas) whereas the Ofsted/LA figures would consider it as just one place. The DCFS childminder places count methodology itself underwent major revision between 1991–92 and 1992–93, which explains the sudden leap in the figures there.

Since 2003 the Sure Start, Extended Schools and Families Group has used quarterly registration data from Ofsted to measure the stock of, and fluctuations in, childcare place. Prior to that figures were generated from comparable data included within local authorities' annual returns to the Early Years and Childcare Unit (now part of the Sure Start, Extended Schools and Families Group). These administrative data figures have less statistical validity than the Daycare Facilities Survey, which were published as National Statistics.

Departmental Property

Mr. Hollobone: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what property her Department owns in the Kettering constituency. [24131]

Maria Eagle: The Department does not own any property in Kettering.
 
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Departmental Staff

Mr. Gibb: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills (1) what assessment she has made of the (a) literacy and (b) numeracy skills of new recruits to her Department; [21012]

(2) what training in (a) literacy and (b) numeracy is offered to employees of her Department. [21112]

Maria Eagle: My Department has a Skills For Life (basic skills) framework which sets out how we support staff with basic skills needs.

The Department provides advice and guidance to any member of staff who wants to enhance their literacy and numeracy skills, and can arrange for screening and diagnostic assessment.

Earlier this year the Department ran an in-house basic skills course for staff. The programme gave people with an identified skills need three hours tuition per week, delivered by tutors from the local adult education
 
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service. The tutor is still on-site for three hours per week to provide additional learning support to participants to help them enhance their skills.

In 2002, the last time the Department undertook a large recruitment of administrative staff, candidates were assessed via a selection process, which included written tests for numeracy and literacy.

Departmental Consultation

Mr. Peter Ainsworth: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills if she will list formal consultations being sponsored by her Department and its agencies; and what the (a) commencement date and (b) deadline for responses is in each case. [22566]

Maria Eagle: My Department is sponsoring 13 formal consultations. These are in the following list with corresponding commencement dates and deadlines for responses.

My Department has no agencies.
Department for Education and Skills

Title of consultation	Commencement date	Deadline for responses
Consultation on Proposals to Extend the Streamlined Route for Schools to Acquire Foundation Status to Primary Schools	5 July 2005	8 November 2005
Youth Matters	18 July 2005	4 November 2005
Somewhere To Go, Something To Do	18 July 2005	4 November 2005
A Single Inspectorate for Children and Learners	29 July 2005	4 November 2005
New Fire Safety Guidance for Schools	1 August 2005	18 November 2005
Cross Government Guidance—Sharing Information on Children and Young People	23 August 2005	15 November 2005
European Qualifications Framework	31 August 2005	23 November 2005
Review of the Regulations Governing the Registration of Pupils in Schools	1 September 2005	14 December 2005
Improving the HE Applications Process	9 September 2005	5 December 2005
Turning the Tables—Transforming School Food—Recommendations for the Development and Implementation of Revised School Lunch Standards	3 October 2005	3 December 2005
Consultation on the Disability Discrimination Act 1995 (Amendment) (Further and Higher Education) Regulations 2006	5 October 2005	30 December 2005
Consistent Financial Reporting Framework 2006/7	13 October 2005	5 January 2006
Draft Standards for Support and Outreach Services	24 October 2005	27 January 2006

Education Maintenance Allowance

Mr. Andrew Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many students in Oxfordshire were in receipt of education maintenance allowance (a) in total and (b) at the rate of (i) £30, (ii) £20 and (iii) £10 per week in the last year for which figures are available. [18040]

Maria Eagle: This is a matter for the Learning and Skills Council, who operate Education Maintenance Allowances for the DfES and hold the information about take-up of the scheme. Mark Haysom, the Council's Chief Executive, will write to the hon. Gentleman with the information requested and a copy of his reply will be placed in the Library.

Letter from Mark Haysom to Mr. Andrew Smith, dated 25 October 2005:

I am writing in response to your Parliamentary Question that asked how many students in Oxfordshire were in receipt of education maintenance allowance (a) in total, (b) as the rate of (i) @30, (ii) @20 and (iii) @10 per week in the last year for which figures are available."

During Academic Year 2004/05 the number of young people who had received one or more EMA payments in Oxfordshire Local Authority area was 1,410.

EMA is awarded in three defined payment bands of £30, £20 and £10, depending on household income. In Oxfordshire Local Authority area the take-up of EMA by payment band is split as follows: 72% on £30 per week, 13% on £20 per week and 15% on £10 per week.

I hope this information is helpful and addresses your question. If you would like further details please contact Chris Bradley at the LSC National Office on 0114 207 4512 or christopher.brad [e-mail]

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