| Previous Section | Index | Home Page |
14 Dec 2005 : Column 2070W—continued
Ukraine
Mr. Maude: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent discussions he has had on Ukraine joining the European Union. [35190]
Mr. Douglas Alexander: My right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary discussed Ukraine's European aspirations with the Ukrainian Foreign Minister, Borys Tarasyuk, when they last met in London on 17 October.
World Trade Organisation (Hong Kong)
Mr. McGrady: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will continue to press for trade justice at the World Trade Organisation meeting in December in Hong Kong. [36789]
Mr. Douglas Alexander: Yes. I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave him on 23 November 2005, Official Report, column 2136W.
EDUCATION AND SKILLS
Academy Schools
Mr. Austin Mitchell: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many pupils excluded by other schools were at each academy (a) when it was granted that status and (b) at the latest available date. [35328]
Jacqui Smith: This question can be answered only at disproportionate cost.
Consultants
Mr. Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what progress her Department has made in monitoring its use of consultants since the National Audit Office and her Department's internal audit report in March 2005. [36859]
Bill Rammell: Since the issue of the joint Internal Audit /National Audit Office report dated March 2005, steps to enhance the future monitoring of use of consultants have been taken. Enhancements include better arrangements to collect information on the number of consultants engaged, what they are doing and that a sound and properly approved business case is in place. In addition, accounting arrangements have been enhanced to ensure costs against both programme and running cost expenditure can be identified.
Mr. Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills if she will publish the final report and action plan of the National Audit Office and her Department's internal audit report in March 2005 on engagement and use of consultants in her Department. [36860]
Jacqui Smith: Internal audit reports are produced for internal management purposes and are not published.
As part of this audit, which was carried out jointly with the National Audit Office, a good practice guide on the engagement and use of consultants was prepared. This has been distributed to all divisions in the Department. A copy of this guide has been placed in the House Libraries.
14 Dec 2005 : Column 2071W
Mr. Austin Mitchell: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills when the National Audit Office and Department for Education and Skills internal audit report, compiled in March, entitled Engagement and use of consultants in the DfES will be published; and if she will place a copy in the Library. [37369]
Jacqui Smith: Internal audit reports are produced for internal management purposes and are not published.
As part of this audit, which was carried out jointly with the National Audit Office, a good practice guide on the engagement and use of consultants was prepared. This has been distributed to all divisions in the Department. A copy of this guide has been placed in the House Library.
Correspondence
Sir Gerald Kaufman: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills when she will reply to the letter dated 4 November 2005 from the right hon. Member for Manchester, Gorton with regard to John Byenx. [37151]
Jacqui Smith: I replied to my right hon. Friend's letter on 11 December.
Mr. Binley: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills when she will reply to the letter of 1 November 2005 from the hon. Member for Northampton, South regarding the National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children 'Talk 'til it stops' campaign against child abuse. [35426]
Maria Eagle: I responded to the hon. Member's letter on 7 December.
Criminal Offences
Simon Hughes: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills if she will list criminal offences created in legislation sponsored by her Department since May 1997, broken down by Act. [26702]
Maria Eagle: I refer the hon. Member to the reply given on 11 January 2005, Official Report, column 450W, which gave details of criminal offences created in legislation sponsored by this Department in the 2002–03 and 2003–04.sessions.
Before the 2002–03 session nine new offences were created in legislation sponsored by this Department.
14 Dec 2005 : Column 2072W
Seven of the offences relate to obstruction of an inspection. These are:
Paragraph 18(4) of Schedule 26 to the School Standards and Framework Act 1998; obstructing an inspection of nursery education;
Section 57(6) of the Learning and Skills Act 2000; obstructing an inspection by the Adult learning Inspectorate;
Section 63(5) of the Learning and Skills Act 2000; obstructing an Ofsted inspection of further education;
Section 79(5) of the Learning and Skills Act 2000; obstructing an ESTYN inspection of further education in Wales;
Section 118(7) of the Learning and Skills Act; obstructing an Ofsted inspection of the Connexions Service;
Section 122 of the Learning and Skills Act 2000; obstructing an Ofsted inspection of the careers service;
Section 119(5) of the Learning and Skills Act 2000; unauthorised disclosure of social security information provided in connection with the Connexions service;
Section 19(1) of the Special Educational Needs and Disability Act 2001; failure to comply with a requirement relating to disclosure or inspection of documents in connection with the proceedings of the Special Educational Needs and Disability Tribunal or failing to attend the tribunal to give evidence.
In the 2004–5 session two new criminal offences have been created in legislation sponsored by this Department, in sections 109 and 111 of the Education Act 2005.
Both of these offences relate to unauthorised disclosure of information. The Education Act 2005 introduced provisions to allow tax and social security information to be shared for the purpose of deciding on or checking eligibility for education maintenance allowances and free school meals. Provision is then made for unauthorised disclosure of such information to be an offence.
Departmental Estate
Lynne Featherstone: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what (a) land and (b) property her Department (i) owns and (ii) rents in each constituency; and if she will make a statement. [33261]
Maria Eagle: The following table lists the properties and land that the Department for Education and Skills (i) owns and (ii) rents in each constituency.
14 Dec 2005 : Column 2073W
| Next Section | Index | Home Page |