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Policy Framework

Mr. Stephen O'Brien: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what progress has been made towards implementing the initiative set out in Information, Advice and Guidance for Adults: The National Policy Framework and Action Plan. [36195]

Phil Hope: My Department has made good progress in implementing the National Policy Framework, working with the Learning and Skills Council and Ufi learndirect:

(i) Every adult in England can access a free, integrated information and advice service on learning and work through the national learndirect telephone and on-line advice service, and 47 local nextstep partnerships providing face-to-face information and advice;

(ii) The services which the integrated service provides to users, including the priority for advice services for those who do not have a full level 2 qualification, are clearly defined in a national customer entitlement leaflet;

(iii) All integrated service providers have achieved the national matrix quality standard, or are working towards achieving this. From January 2006, they will also be inspected by the Adult Learning Inspectorate; and

(iv) Availability of on-line labour market information has improved through Directgov, and a continuous professional development strategy is in place for service practitioners and managers.

School Nurses

Ed Balls: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many schools within Normanton constituency have a school nurse providing practical advice on preventing and dealing with teenage pregnancy; and whether she plans to increase the number of schools with such nurses. [35416]

 
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Beverley Hughes: All four mainstream high schools within Normanton constituency (Normanton Freeston high school, Ossett Technology college, Outwood Grange college of technology, and Horbury school), the hospital school (Pinderfields and Pontefract hospital school), and the special school for students of secondary school age (Highfield school), have access to a school nurse for approximately half a day a week.

The recent Public Health White Paper: Choosing Health", recognises the important contribution that school nurses can play in improving young people's health and calls for a new and relevant role for school nurses on a wider scale than in recent years.

We are, therefore, providing new funding so that by 2010 every primary care trust (PCT)—working with children's trusts and local authorities—will be resourced to have at least one, full-time, year round, qualified school nurse working with each cluster of primary schools and their related secondary school, taking account of health needs and school populations.

Schools Finance

Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what the average amount spent on (a) primary and (b) secondary school pupils was in each of the last 30 years at today's prices. [36912]

Jacqui Smith [holding answer 12 December 2005]: The available information is contained within the following table. We do not have comparable information for earlier years:
School based expenditure1, 2, 3 per pupil⁽³³⁾ in local authority maintained primary and secondary schools

£ per pupil
	Primary(35)	Pre-primary/primary(35)	Secondary
2003–04	2,810	n/a	3,620
2002–03(34)	2,650	n/a	3,380
2001–02	2,690	2,780	3,410
2000–01	2,450	2,520	3,130
1999–2000(35)(5508530036)	2,250	2,300	2,930
1999–2000(35)(5508530036)	2,250	2,300	2,930
1998–99(37)	n/a	2,140	2,800
1997–98(37)	n/a	2,040	2,780
1996–97	n/a	2,100	2,840
1995–96	n/a	2,120	2,880
1994–95	n/a	2,140	2,930
1993–94	n/a	2,110	2,930
1992–93	n/a	2,090	3,030

n/a = Figures are not available.
⁽³²⁾ School based expenditure includes only expenditure incurred directly by local authority schools. This includes the pay of teachers and school-based support staff, school premises costs, books and equipment, and certain other supplies and services, less any capital items funded from recurrent spending and income from sales, fees and charges and rents and rates. This excludes the central cost of support services such as home to school transport, local authority administration and the financing of capital expenditure.
⁽³³⁾ The expenditure data to 1998–99 are drawn from the annual RO1 spending returns which local authorities submitted to the ODPM. Figures for 1999–2000 to 2001–02 are drawn from Section 52 (Table 3) Outturn statements which local authorities submitted to the DfES. Figures for 2002–03 onwards are taken from Section 52 (Table A) Outturn statements. The change in sources is shown by the blank row. The pupil data are drawn from the DfES Annual Schools Census adjusted to be on a financial year basis.
⁽³⁴⁾ From 2002–03 the calculation is broadly similar to the calculation in previous years. However, 2001–02 and earlier years includes all premature retirement compensation (PRC) and Crombie payments, mandatory PRC payments and other indirect employee expenses, while from 2002–03 only the schools element of these categories is included. In 2001–02 this accounted for approximately £70 per pupil of the England total, while the schools element of these categories accounted for approximately £50 per pupil of the England total in 2002–03. Also, for some LAs, expenditure that had previously been attributed to the school sectors was reported within the LA part of the form from 2002–03 and would therefore be excluded, though this is not quantifiable from existing sources.
⁽³⁵⁾ Expenditure was not distinguished between the pre-primary and primary sectors until the inception of Section 52 for financial year 1999–2000.
⁽³⁶⁾ The expenditure data for 1999–2000 onwards reflect the return of grant maintained schools to local authority maintenance.
⁽³⁷⁾ Spending in 1997–98 reflects the transfer of monies from local government to central Government for the nursery vouchers scheme. These were returned to local government from 1998–99.
Notes:
1. Cash figures are adjusted to 2004–05 prices using December 2005 Gross Domestic Product Deflators.
2. Figures are as reported by the LEA in real terms (2004–05 prices) and rounded to the nearest £10.





 
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Secondary Schools (Storage)

Mr. Graham Stuart: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many secondary schools in England have failed to reach the minimum standards regarding the provision of storage facilities in each of the last five years. [36818]

Jacqui Smith: The Department for Education and Skills does not set minimum standards for storage facilities in secondary schools. It does, however, in Building Bulletin 98: Briefing framework for Secondary School Projects" (BB98), offer guidance on storage areas for secondary schools.

No comparison has been made, within the last five years, between the existing amount of storage in secondary schools and that recommended in BB98.

Mr. Graham Stuart: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what measures she is taking to improve the provision of storage facilities at secondary schools in England. [36819]

Jacqui Smith: The Department has produced guidance in the form of Building Bulletin 98: Briefing Framework for Secondary School Projects" (BB98) that gives recommended standards for the provision of storage in secondary schools.

The Department's Asset Management Plan, Suitability Assessment Method, enables the reporting and prioritising of any shortfall of storage where it has a direct impact on education, health and safety or security.

The Department's Net Capacity Assessment Method records all spaces in schools including stores. With this data it is possible for schools and local authorities to compare existing storage areas with those recommended in BB98.

The unprecedented level of funding being made available for secondary schools through Building Schools for the Future, Targeted Capital and other
 
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funding programmes should ensure that any identified shortfall in the provision of storage facilities in secondary schools can be rectified.

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