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EDUCATION AND SKILLS
Academies
Mr. Marsden: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many academies are supported by organisations which incorporate or adhere to a faith or religious ethos in their (a) curricula and (b) admissions policies. [53910]
Jacqui Smith: Only Academies which have been designated as having a religious character may incorporate a faith or religious ethos in their curricula and admissions policies. Of the 27 Academies which are currently open eight have been designated as having a religious character. All of the eight open Academies which have been designated as having a religious character operate a curriculum which reflects the ethos of the tenets of their chosen faith. However, religious designation does not require an Academy to operate a faith based admissions policy, and only three Academies do this.
Arson
Mr. Gibb: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what estimate she has made of the cost of losses of buildings used for education caused by arson in each year since 1996. [53552]
Jacqui Smith: The Department does not have figures or estimates for the costs of arson in educational buildings over that period and nor does the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister (ODPM), the department with the policy lead on arson. ODPM does have figures for 2003. These show that in England and Wales there were 792 deliberate fires in schools and 118 deliberate fires in further education establishments that year—910 such fires in total. ODPM's Cost of Fire Estimates for 2003 show that the average cost of property damage for public sector buildings, which includes educational premises, was £45,410 in England and Wales. Using these figures, the cost of fire losses due to arson in schools and further education colleges that year were estimated to be £41,323,100.
Canvey Junior School
Bob Spink: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills if she will name the teacher who resigned from Canvey Junior School in 2004 after receiving a police caution for having indecent images of children; whether this person (a) is and (b) has since their resignation been working with children; and if she will make a statement. [48905]
Ruth Kelly [holding answer 6 February 2006]: In accordance with its obligations under the Data Protection Act, the Department does not disclose personal information in the detail of individual cases.
Chicken Farming
Mrs. Gillan: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills if she will make representations to the Deputy Prime Minister to prevent planning permission from being granted to chicken farms being opened in close proximity to schools. [44261]
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Jacqui Smith [holding answer 20 January 2006]: We will not be making any representations to the Deputy Prime Minister. It is a matter for local planners to decide the locations of chicken farms taking into account any relevant guidance from the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister. The Government are working closely with key stakeholders on all issues related to the protection of human health during a possible outbreak of avian influenza.
Child Protection
Mr. Gibb: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many Criminal Records Bureau checks were requested by (a) schools, (b) local authorities and (c) her Department in each year since 2002. [47274]
Ruth Kelly: The Information required is not available in the format requested.
However, the Criminal Records Bureau confirms that since its launch in 2002, over 8 million disclosures have been issued.
Mr. Gibb: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills whether a Criminal Records Bureau check was requested on Paul Reeve by (a) Norfolk county council and (b) the head teacher or other authorised staff member at the Hewett School in Norwich. [47275]
Ruth Kelly: My Department has made it clear in successive guidance that CRB checks are strongly recommended as part of the appointment process for anybody who will be working in a school, further education institution or LEA education service.
'Safeguarding children in education' (September 2004) emphasises the wider responsibilities on employers, including adopting recruitment practices which involve scrutinising applicants, verifying any qualifications, obtaining references, checking previous job history as well as a check of List 99 and CRB check where appropriate.
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The changes I announced in my statement of 19 January will mean that existing arrangements become compulsory for schools through proposed amendments to regulations to be made under sections 35 and 36 of the Education Act 2002 (and section 72 of the School Standards and Framework Act (SSFA) 1998)—this will affect amendments to the current School Staffing (England) Regulations 2003 and will make an 'on appointment' CRB check compulsory for all new appointments to the schools workforce.
The Department does not know whether a Criminal Records Bureau check was requested on Paul Reeve.
Mr. Gibb: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many people are employed in the Children's Safeguards Unit in Darlington. [47278]
Ruth Kelly: As of 31 January 2006 there were 96 people (86.9 full time equivalent posts) employed in the Safeguarding Children Unit. Staff in this unit work on a number of different areas of policy, operations and casework.
Mr. Gibb: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills who is the head of the Children's Safeguard Unit. [47279]
Ruth Kelly: It is my Department's policy not to reveal the names of individuals who are working within the Safeguarding Children Unit or any other unit.
Class Sizes
David Davis: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what the size of each class is in each (a) primary and (b) secondary school in Haltemprice and Howden. [49052]
Jacqui Smith: Information on class sizes in primary and secondary schools in Haltemprice and Howden is shown in the following table.
(50) Includes middle schools as deemed
(51) One teacher classes
(52) Classes as taught during one selected period on the day of the census in January
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