House of Commons Hansard Written Answers for 20 Dec 2005 (pt 25)

20 Dec 2005 : Column 2742W—continued

School Standards and Framework Act

Dr. Kumar: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what assessment she has made of the operation of the School Standards and Framework Act 1998. [37778]

Jacqui Smith: The School Standards and Framework Act 1998 has had a very significant impact. In 1997, a third of children left primary schools without having mastered the basics in English and maths. Now three-quarters achieve in maths and even more in English. Many 5 to 7-year-olds were in classes of more than 30. That experience is a thing of the past.

There have been sustained and substantial improvements in attainment at 14,16 and 18. There are many fewer failing schools. In 1998, 616 secondary schools secured 5 A*-Cs at GCSE for fewer than 25 per cent. of their pupils. Now that figure is 131. These achievements are important but we must now go further. Our White Paper Higher Standards, Better Schools For All" sets out our plans to do so.

Schools (Fire Risks)

Mark Williams: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills when she plans to publish the findings of the public consultation on building bulletin 100, Designing and Managing Against the Risk of Fires in Schools". [39344]

Jacqui Smith: Public consultation on the draft guidance Building Bulletin 100 (BB 100), Designing and Managing Against the Risk of Fire in Schools", concluded on 18 November 2005. An analysis of the responses to the consultation is under way and we expect to publish the findings on the Department's website by 31 March 2006. We anticipate publishing the final, agreed version of BB 100 in the summer of 2006.

Schools White Paper

Judy Mallaber: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills pursuant to the Schools White Paper, if she will ensure that local authorities will in future be able to provide services to (a) community schools, (b) trust schools, (c) foundation schools, (d) academies, (e) voluntary-controlled schools and (f) voluntary-aided schools. [38389]

Jacqui Smith: Local authorities will retain their ability to offer services to all categories of maintained schools and academies under the White Paper proposals.

Skills for Life

Mr. Boswell: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what recent assessment she has made of (a) the Skills for Life programme and (b) the report of the Adult Learning Inspectorate on the programme. [36731]

Phil Hope: The Adult Learning Inspectorate Chief Inspector's report published on 7 December highlighted the need to improve the quality of adult basic skills provision. The Department is already tackling the issues raised through a coherent Quality Initiative which includes teaching training, workforce development and initiatives which will increase the quality of teaching and

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learning. This will form part of the Quality Improvement Strategy lead by the Quality Improvement Agency. Recent ALI and Ofsted reports have highlighted improvements in quality, eg improved diagnostic assessment and better use of teaching and learning materials. The number of unsatisfactory or weak inspections in further education colleges has halved in the last year. Two colleges have now been awarded beacon status for Skills for Life.

Since the launch of the strategy in 2001, 3.7 million learners have taken up 7.8 million learning opportunities, and 1,130,000 of these learners went on to achieve at least one first literacy, language or numeracy qualification. We are on track to meet our PSA target to help 2.25 million learners achieve qualifications by 2010.

A report by the National Audit Office, published December 2004, reported that

The Department has led the development of lasting improvements in literacy, language and numeracy learning. There are more ways for people to improve their skills and the Department has raised awareness by advertising and working with other Government Departments to reach their clients".

Spin-off Companies

Mr. Iain Wright: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what recent assessment she has made of the effects on the UK economy of spin-off companies from English universities. [36203]

Barry Gardiner: I have been asked to reply.

For the years 1999 to 2003 the total number of spin-outs from English universities is 726. There was an initial huge increase though this has now levelled off, and in the 2002–03 year, the number of spin-outs reported was 158.

Spin-out companies from English universities have reported £252 million in turnover and over 10,000 FTE staff, in 2002–03.

In the past two years, 20 spin-outs from UK universities have floated on stock exchanges in the UK and USA, with a combined IPO value of over £1 billion.

This information is gathered by University Companies Organisation on a UK- wide basis, and the England only figures, are not easily obtainable.

Teachers' TV Channel

Derek Wyatt: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what the average hourly cost of providing programming on the Teachers' TV channel has been since its launch. [38691]

Jacqui Smith [holding answer 19 December 2005]: Teachers' TV was successfully launched on 8 February 2005. It aims to help raise standards in classrooms by helping to share good practice, support continuing professional development, offer classroom resources, and provide education news and information.

The channel has a high 'repeat rate' where the same hours programming is broadcast a number of times within the schedule. The average cost for each commissioned programming hour is £2,819.

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Derek Wyatt: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how much has been spent on the Teachers' TV channel since its launch. [38692]

Since its launch, the Department has spent £17.8million on Teachers TV.

Derek Wyatt: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what the average hourly viewing figures for Teachers' TV have been in each month since its launch. [38693]

Jacqui Smith [holding answer 19 December 2005]: We currently estimate that 240,000 households watch Teachers TV on a monthly basis. Of these, almost 90,000 are from the school work force. At least 637,000 people watched Teachers' TV (on digital TV) between launch and the end of July 2005. Channel viewers watch 40 to 50 minutes on average (which equates to roughly three programmes that can help support their continuing professional development) each week.

Trust Schools

Helen Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills (1) what arrangements she plans to put in place to dispose of the assets of a trust school if such a school should close; [38056]

(2) whether assets will be transferred from local authority control to the control of a trust when a trust school is set up. [38061]

Jacqui Smith [holding answer 19 December 2005]: I can confirm that all land and buildings held by a local authority for the purposes of a school becoming a trust school would normally transfer to and vest in the trust. The trustees would need to notify the school's maintaining local authority if they wished to dispose of any non-playing field land and, in the case of playing field land, they would need to obtain the prior consent of the Secretary of State for Education and Skills before disposing, or changing the use, of such land.

The existing arrangements that deal with land issues when a foundation or voluntary school closes will also apply to trust schools. They will require the trustees of a closing trust school to apply to the Secretary of State for Education and Skills to exercise her powers and direct that the land either be returned to the local authority or to pay her or the authority the whole or part of the value of the land. Where the discontinuance of a trust school is connected with proposals for the establishment of a new school she may direct that the land transfer to and vest in the governing body or trustees of the new school.

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