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Warm Front Scheme

Mr. Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many households were helped by the Warm Front programme in the latest year for which figures are available. [30830]

Mr. Morley: During 2004–05 some 187,940 households received assistance from the Warm Front scheme.

Water Supply (Coventry)

Mr. Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will make a statement on the quality of the water supply in Coventry. [31095]

Mr. Morley: Drinking water is supplied to the constituency of Coventry South by Severn Trent Water. The water supply is made up of two water supply zones for monitoring purposes—the Coventry City Centre and Whitely Zone and the Tile Hill, Balsall Common and Knowle Zone.

The independent Drinking Water Inspectorate has scrutinised the results of the 3,812 tests of samples of drinking water collected in these two zones between 1 January and 31 August 2005. I am advised by the Chief Inspector of Drinking Water that all these tests (most taken at consumers kitchen taps) met the very strict European and national drinking water quality standards.

Severn Trent Water is required by the health authority to artificially fluoridate drinking water in the constituency of Coventry South. The Drinking Water Inspectorate have advised that tests in 2005 show that the drinking water health standard for fluoride (1.5 mg/l) has not been exceeded and the dental health fluoride dosing target value (1.0 mg/l) has been achieved.

WALES

Departmental Assets

Mike Penning: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will list the 10 most valuable (a) movable and (b) immovable assets owned by his Department. [27384]

 
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Mr. Hain: The Wales Office movable assets are its furniture pool, with a net book value (NBV) of £61,904 as of 31 March 2005. The only immovable asset is Gwydyr House and surrounding grounds based on Whitehall. The net book value as of 31 March 2005, is shown as £2,950,000.

Ministerial Travel

Mike Penning: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will list, for each year since 1995, the number of flights, including helicopter flights, taken by Ministers within his Department for UK and overseas visits; on how many occasions (a) charter flights were used and (b) first and club class tickets were obtained; and if he will indicate who accompanied the Ministers on each trip. [27808]

Mr. Hain: All ministerial travel is undertaken in accordance with the rules set out in the Ministerial Code and Travel by Ministers, copies of which are available in the Libraries of the House.

In respect of overseas travel by Ministers, since 1999 the Government have published an annual list of all visits overseas undertaken by Cabinet Ministers costing £500 or more during each financial year. The list indicates when non-scheduled flights were used, (and shows how many officials accompanied Ministers in those circumstances). The Government have also published on an annual basis the cost of all Ministers' visits overseas. Copies of the lists are available in the Libraries of the House. These report information reaching back to 1995–96. Information for 2005–06 will be published after the end of the financial year.

Since the Wales Office was established in July 1999 we have never used helicopters.

Detailed information requested in respect to the number of flight taken by Ministers can be provided only at a disproportionate cost, for the years 1999 to 2003–04.

(a) No charter flights were taken during financial year 2004–05.

(b) A total of four first class tickets were purchased during period 2004–05, to Hong Kong where two officials and one special adviser accompanied the Minister.

NHS Complaints

Bill Wiggin: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what discussions he has had in Cabinet concerning complaints made by patients about the NHS in Wales. [31488]

Mr. Hain: The management of patient complaints in Wales is the responsibility of the Welsh Assembly Government. In my role as Secretary of State for Wales, I discuss issues relating to health service delivery regularly with the First Minister.

I also regularly discuss matters relating to health services in Wales with my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Health. For example, in the current Session, my right hon. Friend has introduced two Bills, the Health Bill and the NHS Redress Bill, which contain provisions relating to Wales.

I will continue to raise such matters with Cabinet colleagues when it is appropriate to do so.
 
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NHS Finance

Bill Wiggin: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what discussions he has had in Cabinet regarding budget deficits of Welsh (a) NHS trusts and (b) health boards. [31487]

Mr. Hain: The financial management of NHS trusts is the responsibility of the Welsh Assembly Government. In my role as Secretary of State for Wales, I discuss issues relating to health service delivery regularly with the First Minister, including NHS trust finances.

I also regularly discuss matters relating to health services in Wales with my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Health and my hon. Friend the Under-Secretary of State for Wales, recently met the Assembly Minister for Health and Social Services to discuss this particular issue.

EDUCATION AND SKILLS

Adult Learning

12. Jeff Ennis: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what steps she is taking to target the engagement of adult learners in former coalfield areas. [31320]

Phil Hope: Our priorities for adult learners in former coalfield areas are to help them gain skills for life through improving their literacy, language and numeracy skills; and a platform of skills for employability through a first full level 2 qualification. We are targeting the engagement of low skilled individuals wherever they live, through a range of measures in the Skills Strategy such as the Skills for Life provision and the Level 2 Entitlement.

Bullying

13. Philip Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills if she will make a statement on the level of bullying in schools. [31321]

Beverley Hughes: Statistics on bullying across the country are not available and we think it would be unwise to make an estimate. While cases now appear to be reported more often, we have no hard evidence that bullying is increasing or that it is affecting more children. As children and young people become increasingly confident that bullying will not be tolerated, we would expect an increase in the number of incidents recorded.

Secondary Schools (Wellingborough)

14. Mr. Bone: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills whether the Government plan to fund the building of a new secondary school in the Wellingborough constituency. [31322]

Phil Hope: Planning for school buildings is undertaken locally by authorities. We are allocating Northamptonshire schools over £78 million of capital over the next three years, and expect this to be used for its priority needs. In the longer term, Building Schools for the Future (BSF) will support investment in all secondary schools in Northamptonshire, including new
 
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schools, where there is need. The Wellingborough area of Northamptonshire is prioritised in BSF towards the end of the programme.

Specialist Teachers

15. David Taylor: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what steps she is taking to address shortages in specialist teachers. [31323]

Jacqui Smith: Since 2000, we have provided £6,000 bursaries to PGCE trainee teachers in a range of priority subjects. We have also provided them with a £4,000 Golden Hello". From September 2005 the bursary for mathematics and science trainees rose to £7,000, and from September 2006 it will increase to £9,000 for all priority subject trainees. Mathematics and science teachers will also be provided with an increased Golden Hello" of £5,000 (£2,500 for other priority subjects).

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