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Alcohol (Young Adults)

Anne Snelgrove: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what plans he has to help educators encourage responsible alcohol consumption in young adults. [74118]

Beverley Hughes: Educating pupils about the effects of alcohol and how to reduce alcohol related harm is an important priority for all schools. The Department therefore expects all schools to reflect this within their drug education programmes and this is set out in ‘Drugs: Guidance for Schools 2004’.

Drug education which includes alcohol and tobacco is compulsory at key stages 1 to 4 as part of the National Curriculum in Science but is most commonly delivered through Personal, Social and Health Education (PSHE). Through the PSHE certificate for teachers we are training teachers to deliver better PSHE including alcohol education. DfES has also issued guidance to schools on drugs which emphasizes
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the importance of addressing alcohol as part of a comprehensive programme.

We also commissioned DrugScope to produce guidance for drugs and alcohol education in FE colleges, which can be found on their website.

Children's Commissioner for England

Mr. Paul Goodman: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what (a) the start-up costs are and (b) first year’s budget is for the Office of the Children’s Commissioner for England. [75192]

Beverley Hughes: We are not able to quantify the start-up costs for the Office of the Children’s Commissioner as much of the costs—such as the administrative support for the Children Act 2004, the recruitment costs for the Commissioner himself and initial support for his office—fall under the general administration of the Department for Education and Skills. The first year’s (2005-06) budget for the Children’s Commissioner was £3 million. The Children’s Commissioner’s Annual Report and accounts for 2005-06 must both be laid before Parliament, these will give more detail on the Commissioner’s expenditure.

Contraceptive Pill

Mr. Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what guidance he has given to schools since 1997 regarding the potential liability of school governors in the event of (a) a fatality, (b) stroke and (c) other adverse reaction to a pupil aged under 16 years as a direct consequence of taking the emergency hormonal contraceptive pill (i) where the drug has been supplied on school premises with the sanction of the governors, (ii) where the drug has been supplied on school premises without the sanction of the governors and (iii) where the drug has been supplied off school premises but as a result of a referral by a school nurse on school premises without the sanction of the governors. [72133]

Beverley Hughes: No specific guidance has been issued to schools on this issue. The liability for the actions of health professionals working on school sites rests with the primary care trust (PCT), or NHS trust which employs them. School governors are responsible for ensuring that the school has consulted parents on the nature and scope of any health services available in the school; and ensuring that a protocol exists with the PCT/trust that makes clear which services will be delivered by PCT/trust staff working on the school site.

In terms of the individual scenarios described in the question:

(i) where the drug has been supplied on school premises with the sanction of the governors, the nurse will be personally accountable for their practice, but the employer (PCT/trust) may also be held vicariously responsible for the nurse's actions.

(ii) where the drug has been supplied on school premises without the sanction of the governors, the nurse will be personally accountable for their practice, but will still have vicarious liability protection with their employer (PCT/trust) if acting with their consent.

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(iii) where the drug has been supplied off school premises but as a result of a referral by a school nurse on school premises, without the sanction of the governors, the nurse will be personally accountable for their practice, but will still have vicarious liability protection with their employer (PCT/trust) if acting with their consent.

Emergency hormonal contraception (EHC) is a ‘prescription-only’ medicine, prescribed by GPs, qualified nurse independent prescribers and nurses and pharmacists working under a patient group direction (PGD). A PGD is where a doctor has delegated authority and the supply will therefore always be under medical supervision. The safety profile of EHC for under-16s is considered to be similar to that for older women. Fatalities and strokes are not associated with use of EHC.

Correspondence

Derek Conway: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills when the Minister of State for Schools and 14 to 19 learners will reply to the letters dated 17 January 2006 and 22 March 2006 from the hon. Member for Old Bexley and Sidcup (Derek Conway). [67446]

Phil Hope: The hon. Member received responses to both letters in April.

Free School Meals

Jim Cousins: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many pupils were enrolled at each maintained school in the city of Newcastle upon Tyne in January (a) 2004, (b) 2005 and (c) 2006; and how many and what percentage of pupils in each school were (i) eligible for and (ii) receiving free school meals. [75247]

Jim Knight: The information requested has been placed in the Library.

Higher Education

Jim Cousins: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what the rate of participation in higher education by 18-year-olds was in each region in England in (a) 2004-05 and (b) 2005-06. [75291]

Bill Rammell: The current measure of higher education initial participation is the Higher Education Initial Participation Rate (HEIPR), which is used to measure progress against the Government’s target of increasing participation towards 50 per cent. of those aged 18 to 30 by 2010. This covers English-domiciled 17 to 30-year-old first time entrants to HE courses, at UK HEIs and English FECs, who remain on their course for at least six months. The figure is expressed as a proportion of the 17 to 30-year-old population of England. The HEIPR cannot be disaggregated by smaller areas. The provisional 2004/05 figure for England is 42 per cent., and the 2005/06 figure will be available in March 2007.

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The latest available figures on participation by region were published by the Higher Education Funding Council for England (HEFCE) in January in “Young Participation in England”, which is available from their website at: http://www.hefce.ac.uk/pubs/hefce/2005/05 _03/. HEFCE has calculated a Young Participation Rate (YPR (A)), which is the proportion of young people in a given area who go on to enter full-time higher education at age 18 or 19. This measure covers the period 1997-2000. This proportion is disaggregated by Government office region, and the figures for England are shown in the following table.

Young participation rate (YPR (A))
Percentage
	Year cohort aged 18 in:
	1997/98	1998/99	1999/2000	2000/01
England	29.2	28.8	29.2	29.9
of which:
North East	24.2	23.4	24.0	24.0
North West	27.4	27.5	27.6	28.2
Yorkshire and the Humber	25.6	24.6	25.2	25.6
East Midlands	27.7	27.2	27.5	27.9
West Midlands	27.3	27.1	27.7	28.1
East of England	29.2	28.6	28.6	30.1
London	33.1	34.2	35.0	36.4
South East	33.2	32.2	32.7	33.3
South West	30.7	29.1	29.1	30.0
Source: HEFCE “Young Participation in Higher Education”.

Independent Children's Homes

Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many independent children's homes are registered. [69335]

Mr. Dhanda: I understand from the Chair of the Commission for Social Care Inspection that as at 21 March 2006 there were 1,388 independent children’s homes registered with the Commission. These include 1,257 homes run by private providers and 131 homes run by voluntary providers.

Independent Schools

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills (1) what estimate he has made of the cost to individual schools if the draft regulations for registration and monitoring of independent schools are implemented; [75444]

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(2) what discussions he has had with Ofsted on the draft regulations for registration and monitoring of independent schools; [75445]

(3) what discussions he has had with (a) individual independent schools, (b) the Headmasters Conference and (c) other bodies representing the independent schooling sector on the draft regulations for registration and monitoring of independent schools. [75447]

Jim Knight: Regulations relating to the registration and monitoring of independent schools were made in 2003. No new regulations have been, or are being, drafted.

Munchausen's Syndrome by Proxy

Damian Green: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many cases of fabricated or induced illness in children were notified to the Department in (a) 2005, (b) 2004 and (c) 2003 in each local authority area; and if he will make a statement. [74988]

Beverley Hughes: The information requested is not collected centrally.

Non-Civil Service Staff

Mr. Hayes: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many non-civil servant staff are working in (a) her Department and (b) each of its agencies; and what the pay levels are in each case. [68630]

Mr. Dhanda: The information requested is not held centrally and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

Overseas Students

Jim Cousins: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many overseas students there were in each higher education institution in 2005-06; and what proportion of the student body this represented in each case. [75254]

Bill Rammell: The latest available information is shown in the table.

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Overseas students at English Higher Education Institutions 2004/05
		Of which:
		EU domiciles		Overseas domiciles		Domiciles (EU & non-EU)
	Total enrolments	Number	Percentage	Number	Percentage	Number	Percentage
University of Buckingham	690	45	7	475	69	520	76
London Business School	1,625	265	16	775	48	1,040	64
London School of Economics and Political Science	8,815	1,495	17	3,965	45	5,455	62
London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine	970	125	13	440	45	565	58
School of Oriental and African Studies	4,300	605	14	1,355	31	1,960	46
Royal College of Music	610	135	22	135	22	270	44
Royal Academy of Music	735	115	16	205	28	320	44
Institute of Cancer Research	155	30	18	30	21	60	39
Cranfield University	4,600	950	21	815	18	1,765	38
Royal College of Art	865	200	23	130	15	330	38
University of London (Institutes and activities)	445	60	14	95	22	155	35
Imperial College of Science, Technology & Medicine	12,185	1,410	12	2,835	23	4,250	35
Courtauld Institute of Art	400	50	13	85	22	140	34
University of the Arts, London	12,720	1,475	12	2,775	22	4,245	33
Trinity College of Music	795	165	21	90	12	260	33
University of Essex	10,830	1,025	9	2,280	21	3,305	31
University of Luton	11,815	1,135	10	2,415	20	3,550	30
University College London	19,590	1,835	9	3,805	19	5,640	29
University of Bradford	12,660	675	5	2,820	22	3,490	28
University of Surrey	15,925	1,490	9	2,900	18	4,390	28
Royal Holloway and Bedford New College	7,655	690	9	1,335	17	2,025	26
University of Warwick	29,795	1,995	7	5,535	19	7,530	25
Conservatoire for Dance and Drama	1,005	160	16	90	9	250	25
Birmingham College of Food, Tourism and Creative Studies	3,530	170	5	700	20	870	25
Queen Mary and Westfield College	11,005	575	5	2,130	19	2,705	25
Royal Northern College of Music	555	45	8	90	16	135	24
London Metropolitan University	29,400	2,030	7	5,055	17	7,085	24
Middlesex University	24,885	1,205	5	4,790	19	6,000	24
University of Oxford	22,640	1,630	7	3,775	17	5,405	24
City University	23,925	1,805	8	3,635	15	5,440	23
University of Cambridge	25,595	1,735	7	3,955	15	5,690	22
Kent Institute of Art and Design	2,225	220	10	265	12	490	22
Aston University	8,475	400	5	1,440	17	1,840	22
University of Bath	14,565	965	7	2,170	15	3,130	22
University of Westminster	26,775	1,865	7	3,790	14	5,650	21
Brunei University	15,450	1,175	8	1,995	13	3,170	21
University of Newcastle-upon-Tyne	18,510	880	5	2,750	15	3,630	20
Loughborough University	16,270	565	3	2,585	16	3,145	19
University of East London	16,360	950	6	2,185	13	3,140	19
University of Greenwich	22,275	970	4	3,175	14	4,140	19
University of Leicester	16,180	645	4	2,355	15	3,000	19
University of York	12,625	695	6	1,635	13	2,330	18
King's College London	21,965	1,565	7	2,485	11	4,050	18
University of Birmingham	30,520	1,220	4	4,330	14	5,550	18
University of Portsmouth	20,810	1,320	6	2,450	12	3,770	18
University of Nottingham	32,620	1,025	3	4,860	15	5,885	18
Goldsmiths College	7,270	560	8	750	10	1,310	18
University of Kent	17,060	1,190	7	1,870	11	3,060	18
School of Pharmacy	1,400	60	4	190	14	250	18
University of Sunderland	18,635	740	4	2,570	14	3,310	18
Oxford Brookes University	18,570	945	5	2,340	13	3,280	18
University of Manchester	39,985	1,650	4	5,400	14	7,055	18
University of Sheffield	26,055	865	3	3,600	14	4,465	17
University of Sussex	12,205	950	8	1,110	9	2,055	17
University of Hertfordshire	23,030	540	2	3,335	14	3,875	17
Royal Veterinary College	1,440	85	6	155	11	240	17
Institute of Education	6,770	345	5	795	12	1,140	17
University of Bristol	23,360	1,070	5	2,740	12	3,810	16
University of Durham	16,980	625	4	2,045	12	2,670	16
University of Southampton	23,500	1,075	5	2,610	11	3,685	16
London South Bank University	21,155	980	5	2,320	11	3,305	16
University of Reading	14,355	720	5	1,510	11	2,230	16
University of Leeds	36,205	1,130	3	4,400	12	5,530	15
Coventry University	19,455	1,060	5	1,900	10	2,960	15
University of Hull	21,765	740	3	2,560	12	3,300	15
University of Exeter	14,570	645	4	1,540	11	2,185	15
Wimbledon School of Art	655	45	7	50	7	95	15
University of Lancaster	17,340	815	5	1,695	10	2,510	14
Central School of Speech and Drama	970	65	7	75	8	140	14
Royal Agricultural College	805	20	3	95	12	115	14
University of Wolverhampton	23,560	845	4	2,425	10	3,275	14
Staffordshire University	14,995	825	6	1,255	8	2,080	14
Rose Bruford College	865	55	6	65	8	120	14
University of Northumbria at Newcastle	25,535	730	3	2,790	11	3,520	14
Kingston University	20,525	1,125	5	1,680	8	2,805	14
Ravensboume College of Design and Communication	1,105	55	5	95	8	150	14
University of Brighton	20,015	1,405	7	1,255	6	2,660	13
Thames Valley University	20,015	1,000	5	1,625	8	2,625	13
Liverpool Hope University	7,670	285	4	720	9	1,000	13
University of East Anglia	14,325	550	4	1,315	9	1,865	13
University of Liverpool	21,210	670	3	2,075	10	2,750	13
University of Salford	20,100	690	3	1,910	10	2,605	13
Writtle College	1,170	50	4	95	8	145	12
Buckinghamshire Chilterns University College	9,305	255	3	900	10	1,155	12
Leeds Metropolitan University	28,035	730	3	2,630	9	3,360	12
Liverpool John Moores University	22,955	875	4	1,800	8	2,670	12
Cumbria Institute of the Arts	1,045	105	10	15	1	120	11
Darlington College of Arts	595	45	7	25	4	70	11
Surrey Institute of Art and Design. University College	2,755	135	5	175	6	310	11
University of Keele	11,840	300	3	1,000	8	1,300	11
Bournemouth University	15,300	475	3	1,175	8	1,650	11
Southampton Solent University	11,250	390	3	790	7	1,180	10
Arts Institute at Bournemouth	1,490	65	4	90	6	150	10
University of Bolton	7,475	150	2	605	8	755	10
Roehampton University	7,955	325	4	445	6	770	10
Sheffield Hallam University	28,085	505	2	2,140	8	2,650	9
Anglia Polytechnic University	26,850	1,235	5	1,235	5	2,475	9
St. Mary's College	3,500	290	8	10	0	300	9
University of Central Lancashire	26,725	605	2	1,675	6	2,285	9
University College Falmouth	1,960	55	3	100	5	155	8
University of Lincoln	13,045	585	4	445	3	1,030	8
University of Central England in Birmingham	23,070	450	2	1,260	5	1,710	7
University of the West of England, Bristol	27,225	800	3	1,215	4	2,020	7
University of Derby	13,975	515	4	510	4	1,025	7
University College Northampton	10,445	150	1	595	6	745	7
Manchester Metropolitan University	32,215	825	3	1,470	5	2,290	7
University of Huddersfield	17,935	450	2	810	5	1,260	7
De Montfort University	22,785	415	2	1,090	5	1,500	7
Norwich School of Art and Design	820	25	3	30	3	55	7
St. George's Hospital Medical School	3,510	85	2	145	4	230	7
University of Plymouth	28,980	705	2	1,145	4	1,850	6
Nottingham Trent University	26,540	555	2	1,080	4	1,635	6
University of Teesside	20,430	590	3	615	3	1,210	6
University of Gloucestershire	8,620	125	1	360	4	485	6
Birkbeck College	14,905	300	2	500	3	800	5
Harper Adams University College	1,745	60	3	35	2	95	5
University College Chichester	5,160	145	3	125	2	265	5
College of St. Mark and St. John	4,630	45	1	185	4	230	5
Bath Spa University	6,275	100	2	160	3	260	4
Canterbury Christ Church University	14,630	250	2	355	2	605	4
University of Chester	12,510	210	2	250	2	460	4
York St. John College	5,720	25	0	180	3	205	4
Royal College of Nursing	880	5	1	25	3	30	4
Newman College of Higher Education	2,385	75	3	10	0	85	3
University College Worcester	7,595	130	2	125	2	255	3
University of Winchester	4,940	35	1	95	2	135	3
Trinity and All Saints College	2,500	30	1	35	1	65	3
St. Martin's College	12,355	205	2	90	1	295	2
Edge Hill College of HE	14,620	90	1	50	0	140	1
Homerton College	2,765	5	0	20	1	25	1
Bishop Grosseteste College	1,500	0	0	0	0	5	0
Open University	173,015	5	0	5	0	5	0
Total English HE institutions	1,895,825	79,525	4	188,770	10	268,300	14
Notes: 1. Figures are on a HESA standard registration population basis and are rounded to the nearest 5, <3 denoted 0. 2. Figures do not include incoming and visiting exchange students. In 2004/05 there were 19,925 non-UK domiciled incoming and visiting exchange students at English HE institutions.

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