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20 Jan 2006 : Column 1625W—continued

Sex Offenders

Mr. Willetts: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many people on the list of registered sex offenders have been employed in schools in each year since 1997. [41416]

Ruth Kelly [holding answer 12 January 2006]: My statement and accompanying report explain the work under way to establish how many people on the list of registered sex offenders are currently employed in schools. We are carrying out follow up work with local Multi-Agency Protection Panels, which include the police.

Mr. Willetts: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many people on the register of sexual offenders have been allowed to work in schools under each successive Secretary of State since 1997. [42558]

Ruth Kelly: My statement and accompanying report explain the work under way to establish how many people on the list of registered sex offenders are currently employed in schools. We are carrying out follow-up work with local Multi-Agency Protection Panels, which include the police.

Greg Mulholland: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many people who (a) are working for and (b) have worked for her Department in the Leeds Metropolitan area in the last 10 years (i) are on and (ii) have been on the sex offenders register. [43931]

Tim Farron: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many people have been employed in schools on a (a) temporary, (b) permanent and (c) contracted basis in Westmorland and Lonsdale constituency who are, or have at any time in the past, been on the Sex Offenders Register in each year since 1997. [44267]

Ruth Kelly: My statement and the accompanying report explain the work under way to establish how many people on the list of registered sex offenders are currently employed in schools in England and Wales.

It is not the Government's policy to reveal publicly information that may lead to the identification and whereabouts of any individual on the Sex Offenders Register. Identifying individuals in this way does not enhance child protection.
 
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Mrs. Villiers: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills if she will list people working in schools in Chipping Barnet who are on the Sex Offenders Register, broken down by school. [44500]

Ruth Kelly: My statement and the accompanying report explain the work under way to establish how many people on the list of registered sex offenders are currently employed in schools in England and Wales. We are carrying out follow-up work with local Multi Agency Protection Panels, which include the police.

Subcontractors (Checks)

Tim Farron: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what checks are carried out on workers sub-contracted to carry out work on school premises in Westmorland and Lonsdale constituency. [44257]

Ruth Kelly: We do not collect information about the precise arrangements for checking sub-contractors in Westmorland and Lonsdale.

Safeguarding Children: Safer Recruitment and Selection in Education Settings guidance issued in June 2005 states that:

"Local authorities, schools, and further education institutions should ensure that the terms of any contract they let that requires the contractor to employ staff to work with, or provide services for, children for whom the LA, school or FE institution is responsible also requires the contractor to adopt and implement the measures described in this guidance. They should also monitor the contractor's compliance."

Among other things the measures described include pre-appointment checks of List 99 and CRB disclosures—copy at www.teachernet.gov.uk/childprotection

Teaching Staff (Checks)

Mr. Davey: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what background checks (a) community schools, (b) voluntary-aided schools, (c) foundation schools, (d) city technology colleges and (e) academies are (i) legally required and (ii) recommended to make when recruiting teaching staff. [44544]

Ruth Kelly: My statement, and the accompanying report, of 19 January set out clearly the Government's analysis of, and response to, issues concerning child protection and List 99, together with the action we are currently taking.
 
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My Department's guidance on safer recruitment, published in June 2005, aims to assist all schools, further education institutions and local education authorities to review and, where appropriate, modify their practice and procedures to strengthen safeguards for children, by helping to deter and prevent abuse.

William Gibson

Mr. Gibb: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills whether the (a) head teacher and (b) governing body of Hebburn Comprehensive School on Tyneside knew that before his appointment William Gibson had a conviction for indecently assaulting a girl of 15 years of age and a conviction for fraud, forgery and theft. [43402]

Ruth Kelly: We understand that the head teacher at St. Joseph's school in Hebburn was not aware of Mr. Gibson's convictions when he started work as a supply teacher, but that a subsequent Criminal Records Bureau check provided information about all his convictions, which led to Mr. Gibson leaving the school. We do not know whether the governing body was aware of Mr. Gibson's convictions before his appointment.

Mr. Gibb: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills which (a) Minister and (b) official (i) advised and (ii) signed the letter in relation to the decision on the List 99 determination in the case of William Gibson. [43404]

Ruth Kelly: This decision, as with all such cases, was a decision taken in the name of the Secretary of State. In such cases, the Department does not disclose the identity of any Minister involved or the names of officials who advise the Secretary of State or who sign letters to individuals on her behalf.

WALES

Audible Fire Alarms

Bob Spink: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what proportion of the premises occupied by his Department is fitted with audible fire alarms. [42868]

Nick Ainger: All rooms/areas occupied by the Wales Office are fitted with audible fire alarms.

Council Tax Revaluation

Mrs. Spelman: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales when he expects the next council tax revaluation in Wales will take place. [42592]

Nick Ainger: The timing of council tax revaluation's in Wales is a matter for the National Assembly to determine, subject to the requirements of the Local Government Finance Act 1992.

Mrs. Spelman: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales whether (a) aerial and (b) satellite photography was used as part of the council tax revaluation in Wales. [42957]

Nick Ainger: Neither aerial nor satellite photography were used by the Valuation Office Agency in conducting the revaluation exercise in Wales.
 
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Departmental Assets

David T.C. Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will list the items valued at over £100 that have been reported as stolen from Welsh Office buildings in the past 12 months. [43443]

Nick Ainger: The Wales Office have had no items stolen in the past 12 months.

Departmental Expenditure

Mr. Spellar: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how much his Department spent on bottled water in 2004–05. [40322]

Nick Ainger: In financial year 2004–05, the Wales Office spent £35.19 on bottled water for meetings or receptions.

EU Funding

Peter Law: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what assessment he has made of the likely effects of the agreement at the European Council on 17 December 2005 on the EU financial perspective 2007–13 on the economic regeneration of the South East Welsh Valleys. [41539]

Nick Ainger: As part of the agreement reached by member states on the EU budget for 2007–13, the West Wales and the Valleys region will remain eligible for full Objective One funding (re-branded "Convergence" for the period 2007–13). It is expected that West Wales and the Valleys will receive funding similar in size to the current Objective One programme.

The South East Welsh Valleys therefore stand to gain significantly from this new deal, which will build on the economic regeneration in the area currently under way.

The Welsh Assembly Government are responsible for distributing the funding to different programmes and monitoring and evaluating them. Work is already well under way to prepare the new round of programmes, which are due to commence in January 2007.

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