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Written Answers to Questions
Wednesday 23 November 2005
PRIME MINISTER
Child Support Agency
Mr. Andrew Turner: To ask the Prime Minister pursuant to the oral answer of 16 November 2005, Official Report, column 964, what the evidential basis is for his statement that (a) the administrative costs of the Child Support Agency (CSA) outweighed the money it took in 1997 and (b) in the majority of CSA cases the child concerned is not the product of either a married or stable relationship. [31234]
The Prime Minister: I refer the hon. Member to the Child Support Agency's (CSA) Annual report and accounts for the financial years 1995–96 and 1996–97. Copies of this are available in the Library of the House.
The majority of the workload dealt with by the CSA is generated by the more difficult cases, in particular where there is no previous stable relationship between the parents.
In addition, results from a national survey of CSA clients (Wikely N et al, 2001) (carried out in 1999 prior to the recent reforms) allow comparative analysis of the characteristics of compliant and non-compliant non-resident parents. Previously married and cohabiting non-resident parents were, respectively, five and three times more likely to comply with the CSA than those in less stable relationships.
Social Office
Mr. Tyrie: To ask the Prime Minister (1) if he will list each person employed by the Number 10 Social Office since May 1997; [30252]
(2) whether the Number 10 Social Office has a logo; [30253]
(3) whether the remit of the operation of the Number 10 Social Office is limited solely to arranging events which take place in Downing street; [30255]
(4) whether work is undertaken by members of the Social Office which is not directly related to the Prime Minister's official duties. [30256]
The Prime Minister: There is no such office within the Prime Minister's Office.
The Events and Visits Office manage all official events, domestic and international visits for the Prime Minister's Office.
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Mr. Tyrie: To ask the Prime Minister whether members of the Number 10 Social Office have accompanied the spouse of the Prime Minister on (a) official and (b) unofficial engagements (i) in the UK and (ii) overseas. [30254]
The Prime Minister: When the spouse of the Prime Minister travels in an official capacity she is provided with administrative support from the Events and Visits Office as necessary.
CHURCH COMMISSIONERS
Synods (Armed Forces)
Robert Key: To ask the hon. Member for Middlesbrough, representing the Church Commissioners what relationship the General Synod of the Church of England has with (a) the Forces Synodical Council and (b) the Army Archdeaconry Synod; and if he will make a statement. [29656]
Sir Stuart Bell: The information is as follows:
(a) The Forces Synodical Council has an enhanced representation on General Synod from this year and can now appoint up to seven members of the General Synod (not more than one bishop, not more than four persons who are in holy orders elected or chosen from among service chaplains and not more than four elected or chosen lay people). In the present Synod the Council has appointed one bishop and elected three service chaplains and three lay people.
(b) The Army Archdeaconry Synod forms part of the Forces Synodical Council and, as such, has no formal relationship with the General Synod.
ELECTORAL COMMISSION
Electoral Commission
Mr. Kemp: To ask the hon. Member for Gosport, representing the Speaker's Committee on the Electoral Commission how many people are employed by the Electoral Commission. [29835]
Peter Viggers: The Commission informs me that it currently employs 155 people.
Mr. Kemp: To ask the hon. Member for Gosport, representing the Speaker's Committee on the Electoral Commission what the total annual expenditure for the Electoral Commission was in each year for which figures are available. [29836]
Peter Viggers: The Commission informs me that its outturn expenditure in each of the years concerned is as set out in the following table.
| Outturn expenditure (£ million) | |
|---|---|
| 2001–02 | 6.066 |
| 2002–03 | 18.160 |
| 2003–04 | 18.635 |
| 2004–05 | 24.824 |
| 2005–06 | (1)23.974 |
| (1) (estimated) |
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NORTHERN IRELAND
Schools
6. Rosie Cooper: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what action is being taken to improve performance in schools in Northern Ireland. [29669]
Angela E. Smith: We are committed to driving up performance in schools in Northern Ireland by taking forward a wide range of initiatives aimed at raising standards, tackling under achievement and targeting funding at those areas of greatest social need.
Mrs. Iris Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland when he expects that a decision will be taken on whether Brooklands Primary School will be in a position to replace the school patrol-crossing man; and if he will make a statement. [30282]
Angela E. Smith: The South-Eastern Education and Library Board has agreed to the employment of a temporary School Crossing patrol at Brooklands Primary School until such time as a further review of the patrol point can be undertaken, using the regionally agreed assessment criteria. The Board has also undertaken to initiate discussions urgently with the school, and other agencies, to seek ways of improving road safety generally in the vicinity of the school entrance.
Mr. Laurence Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland when he last visited a grammar school in Northern Ireland; and if he will make a statement. [29549]
Angela E. Smith: My right hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, was the guest speaker at the Politics Society of Bangor Grammar School on 8 November. He has recently visited a number of schools in order to gain first hand experience of the Northern Ireland education system.
Dr. McCrea: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what assessment has been made of the requirement for school building repairs in the North Eastern education and library board area. [30201]
Angela E. Smith:
The chief executive of the north Eastern education and library board (NEELB) has advised me that at 31 March 2005 there was a backlog of £37 million maintenance for the schools in the
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NEELB area. The Board anticipates that £1.5 million will be spent on response maintenance for the controlled and maintained schools in the 2005–06 financial year.
Mr. Dodds: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what funding is available to primary schools in Northern Ireland in 2005–06 in respect of (a) Head and Clerical, (b) Professional and other, (c) Primary School Allowances, (d) Delegated Schools Standards Grant, or equivalent, (e) All Revenue Standards Fund Allocation, or equivalent, (f) Devolved EIC Grant allocation, or equivalent and (g) Devolved Capital Standards Fund allocation, or equivalent. [27716]
Angela E. Smith: Funding for Northern Ireland primary schools is not allocated under the arrangements described and information is not therefore available on the basis requested.
Dr. McCrea: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many children are eligible for free school meals in each board area within Northern Ireland. [30204]
Angela E. Smith: The requested information is as follows:
(1) For nursery pupils and children in voluntary and private pre-school centres, the number of children with 'a parent, or parents, in receipt of Income Support or Job Seeker's allowance' was used as a proxy for free school meal entitlement.
Note:
Figures relate to pupils at voluntary and private pre-school centres, nursery schools, primary schools and post-primary schools. Figures for pupils at special schools entitled to free school meals are not collected.
Mr. Peter Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many (a) school and (b) library facilities are planned for closure in each of the education boards in Northern Ireland. [28867]
Angela E. Smith: The following school closures and amalgamations are currently planned in each of the Education and Library Board areas.
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In addition, there are two current development proposals for amalgamations in the North Eastern Education and Library Board area involving two post-primary schools and three special schools on which decisions have not yet been taken.
At the present date, the North Eastern Education and Library Board is reviewing the future of three branch libraries. This issue will be discussed at the Board's library committee meeting in December. Currently no decisions have been made by any of the other Boards about further library closures.
Dr. McCrea: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland when he expects the new build programme for schools in Northern Ireland for the 2005–06 financial year to be announced. [30203]
Angela E. Smith: It is expected that an announcement on the 2005 schools' major capital allocations will be made in the next few weeks.
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