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9 Mar 2006 : Column 1707W—continued

Extended School Hours

Mr. Dismore: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what funding has been given to Barnet for extended school hours initiatives; and if she will make a statement. [56991]

Beverley Hughes: Over 2005–08 we are making available £790 million to support the development of extended services accessed in or through schools. £110 million of this was allocated in 2005–06 and Barnet local authority received £561,891. Of the £680 million to be allocated across 2006–08, £250 million will go direct to schools through the School Standards Grant and the formula for announcing each school's allocation for 2006–07 was announced on 7 December. The remaining £430 million will be distributed to local authorities through the Standards Fund and the General Sure Start Grant. Of this, Barnet local authority will receive £964,178 in 2006–07 and £1,196,661 in 2007–08. Funding will be released to schools in accordance with each local authority's strategy for extended services.

Free Nursery Education

Mr. Paul Goodman: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills when she will publish a summary of findings and recommendations following the
 
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consultation in the code of practice on the provision of free nursery education places for three and four-year-olds. [56793]

Beverley Hughes: The code has been revised in the light of views expressed during consultation and. is now available on the Sure Start website at www.surestart.gov.uk. It was e-mailed to local authorities on Wednesday 22 February and hard copies are being despatched to early years providers delivering the free entitlement for three and four-year-olds. Copies will also be placed in the House of Commons Library. The code will come into force with effect from 1 April. A detailed report on the consultation, including a summary of responses, is currently being finalised and will be placed on the Sure Start website shortly.

Learning Outcomes

Mr. Boswell: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what progress her Department has made in consultation with professional interests in improving the transparency and recognition of learning outcomes (a) within the EU and (b) in the wider international community. [56337]

Bill Rammell: The Department for Education and Skills consults with professional interests in improving the transparency and recognition of learning outcomes on a number of EU initiatives.

(i) Mutual recognition of professional qualifications in the regulated professions

(ii) UK National Reference Point

(iii) Europass

(iv) NARIC

(v) Bologna Process

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(vi) Commission consultation on a European Qualifications Network

There are no similar initiatives in the wider international community.

List 99

Bob Spink: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills on how many occasions people on List 99 have been allowed to teach children in each of the last 10 years. [43930]

Ruth Kelly: Anyone who is on List 99 on the grounds that they are unsuitable to work with children is barred from working in any school.

Mr. Gibb: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills pursuant to paragraph 27 of her Review of the List 99 decision-making process and policy implications document published on 19 January, whether the view of the police that Paul Reeve does not pose a current risk takes into account the concern expressed by Chief Constable Carole Howlett in her letter to the Home Office of 12 December 2005. [46627]

Ruth Kelly: As paragraph 27 of the referenced document made clear, none of the individuals referred to in that paragraph is judged by the police to pose a current risk. The police judgment was based on the very latest intelligence gathered by police through a range of enquiries and personal visits to each individual. Local risk assessment mechanisms remain in place, and further action would be triggered if the police judgment changed.

Protection of Children Act

Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what criteria are used to decide who is (a) placed on and (b) removed from the Protection of Children Act List; who is responsible for deciding who is placed on it; and if she will make a statement on the operation of the list. [44812]

Ruth Kelly: The Protection of Children Act list is a referrals-based system. Following disciplinary action for misconduct, if certain conditions are satisfied, child care organisations must refer the names of individuals employed in child care positions to the Secretary of State (these are usually employers but a small number of other organisations have the power to refer names). To place
 
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an individual on the Protection of Children Act List providing I am satisfied that the referral is a valid one, my Department must form the opinion that:

Individuals who are confirmed on the Protection of Children Act List have the right of appeal to the Care Standards Tribunal if they do so within three months of the date of that decision. The Secretary of State has discretionary powers to remove names from the PoCA List in limited circumstances (for instance where a conviction has been quashed on appeal or where a malicious referral is uncovered following the production of new evidence).

Sex Offenders

Mr. Rob Wilson: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills whether any registered sex offenders have been approved by her Department to work in Wokingham local education authority schools. [46493]

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.

My Department does not approve" people to work in schools. These decisions are a matter for the employer having taken into account the relevant CRB check.


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