| Previous Section | Index | Home Page |
18 Apr 2006 : Column 572W—continued
VED (Low Emission Vehicles)
John Penrose: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what criteria he used in deciding that cars with carbon dioxide emissions below 100g/km, and motorcycles with carbon dioxide emissions below 100g/km would attract a different rate of vehicle excise duty. [63427]
John Healey: The Chancellor considers all relevant environmental, social and economic factors when setting VED rates. Car VED bands are currently structured by CO 2 emissions with six VED bands for cars registered after March 2001 (Band A-F) and seven VED bands for cars registered after March 2006 (Band A-G). Motorcycle VED rates are set according to the engine size. CO 2 emissions data is currently not available for motorcycles at first registration.
Wildlife Souvenirs
Mr. Hancock: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many wildlife souvenirs have been seized by Her Majesty's Revenue and Customs in each year since 2000, broken down by (i) item, (ii) species from which the item was derived and (iii) country of origin. [63592]
Dawn Primarolo: I refer the hon. Gentleman to the answer I gave to my hon. Friend the Member for Stoke-on-Trent, North (Joan Walley) on 28 March 2006, Official Report, column 978W.
EDUCATION AND SKILLS
Academic Staff (Earnings)
Hugh Bayley: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what the average annual earnings of full-time members of the academic staff of (a) universities in England, (b) the University of York and (c) the University College of York St. John was in (i) cash and (ii) real terms in (A) 1997 and (B) the latest year for which figures are available. [54836]
18 Apr 2006 : Column 573W
Bill Rammell:
The latest information, showing the changes between 1997/98 and 2002/03, is given in the following table. Significant changes were made to the content, structure, coverage and definitions of the
18 Apr 2006 : Column 574W
source data in 2003/04 which means that the figures for 2004/05 are not directly comparable with those for earlier years.
(255) The HESA Staff Record changed markedly in structure, coverage and content in 2003/04. In addition, the definition of salary changed. This means that average salaries for 2003/04 and later years are not directly comparable with those for earlier years. For the years up to 2002/03, salary represented the monies received in respect of institutional duties actually being paid on the date of the HESA staff count (31 July) or for those who have left during the year, the salary on leaving, including any regular payments for additional duties, responsibility allowances or honoraria regardless of their source. In 2003/04, the salary represented the gross basic salary per annum, in pounds sterling as stated in the contract at the reference date of HESA's staff count or at the end date of the contract if earlier, excluding any regular payments for additional duties, responsibility allowances or honoraria, regardless of their source. Figures have been rounded to the nearest 100.
(256) The real terms change has been derived by uprating the 1997/98 actual salary to 2002/03 values (by using the Retail Price Index (RPI), excluding mortgage interest payments, for September 2002), and then comparing this with the actual salaries in 2002/03.
Source:
The Higher Education Statistics Agency (HESA)'s Staff Record.
Age Weighted Pupil Unit
Natascha Engel: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what the most recent level was of the Age Weighted Pupil Unit for three and four year olds funded by her Department to schools. [63420]
Bill Rammell: The Department does not set an Age Weighted Pupil Unit (AWPU) for three and four year olds. Within the formula for School Formula Spending Shares for 2005–06, the basic unit of funding for each full time equivalent three or four year old was £2,892. There is no separate unit of funding for children under five within the formula used to allocate Dedicated Schools Grant for 2006–07 and 2007–08—all pupils in a local authority attract the same unit of funding. It is for local authorities to decide, in consultation with their Schools Forums, how to allocate funding for three and four year olds from their Schools Budget—in doing so, the Government encourages them to fund all providers fairly, transparently and equitably. Where three and four year olds are in nursery provision in maintained schools, local authorities will fund them through their schools funding formula, and will therefore set an AWPU for them.
Autistic Spectrum Disorders
David Howarth: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what steps she is taking to ensure a sufficient supply of teachers specially trained to support pupils with autistic spectrum disorders. [64172]
Bill Rammell: The Department projects the overall demand for new teachers using the Teacher Supply Model which takes into account a wide range of factors such as projected pupil numbers, teacher wastage, retirements and new curriculum pressures. The number of places for initial teacher training (ITT) made available each year is informed by this model. The number of places allocated for 2006/07 is 32,800 and 31,300 for 2007/08. In addition, we expect that recruitment to employment based routes will be in approximately 7,000. The Department also provides a number of financial incentives to encourage more graduates to enter the teaching profession.
In order to be awarded Qualified Teacher Status (QTS), all trainee teachers must demonstrate that they understand their responsibilities under the statutory Special Educational Needs (SEN) Code of Practice, know how to seek advice from specialists where necessary, and can differentiate their teaching to meet the needs of pupils, including those with SEN.
The National Standards for QTS and for the Induction Programme for Newly Qualified Teachers both cover SEN, which would include Autistic Spectrum Disorders (ASDs). NQTs are required to demonstrate that they can plan effectively to meet the needs of pupils in their class with SEN, with or without a statement, and in consultation with the school's SEN Co-ordinator, contribute to the preparation and implementation of individual pupils' education plans or the equivalent.
The Department is working with the Training and Development Agency for Schools to take forward a range of specific initiatives designed to improve the skills and confidence of trainee, newly qualified, and established teachers in supporting pupils with SEN and disabilities. In addition, all schools have a School Development Grant that they can use, among other things, for the purposes of supporting the continuing
18 Apr 2006 : Column 575W
professional development of teachers in relation to their understanding and knowledge of SEN and disability issues. A wide variety of courses are available covering SEN, including ASDs, ranging from awareness-raising through to in-depth studies leading to specific qualifications. It is, however, a matter for individual teachers and their schools to determine their own particular training and development needs.
In 2002 we issued, in partnership with the Department of Health, Autistic Spectrum Disorders Good Practice Guidance, which offered a series of pointers to good practice aimed at schools, teachers and SENCOs.
Child Care
Mrs. Maria Miller: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many child care places (a) became available and (b) were lost in each year since 1997, broken down by (i) source of place and (ii) cause of loss. [63948]
18 Apr 2006 : Column 576W
Bill Rammell: The following tables show the number and types of child care places that have opened and closed each year in England since 1998. Data prior to 1998 are not available. Data on the causes of closure are not available.
The data provided are drawn from two data sets. From 1998 to 2003 data are derived from local authority returns covering both registered and unregistered provision. From March 2003 data have been provided by Ofsted. The two sets of data are not on a consistent basis as Ofsted data cover registered provision only.
Ofsted data on closures include registered places in settings which are transferring ownership, and in settings which move from one Ofsted category to another, not just in those which are ceasing trading. For example, if a full daycare provider moved to offering sessional provision, this would be recorded as a 'closed' full daycare setting and an 'opened' sessional daycare setting. The Ofsted data therefore exaggerates the true extent of turnover.
(257) The Net Steady State change refers to existing registered providers who change the number of places for which they are registered, either through opening or closing. Ofsted only provides the Department with the net outcome of these Steady State changes We are therefore unable to say how many places opened and closed to produce the net outcome figure.
| Next Section | Index | Home Page |