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11 Jan 2007 : Column 723W—continued


11 Jan 2007 : Column 724W

It is up to local authorities—in conjunction with their schools forum—to decide how to allocate their DSG between age groups and types of setting.

The current review of school funding will consider the funding of the free entitlement for nursery education. Following on from that, we will be issuing a consultation document in the spring.

Free Fruit

Mr. Iain Wright: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many pupils received free fruit in the Hartlepool constituency in each year since 1995. [107245]

Caroline Flint: I have been asked to reply.

We supply Hartlepool local authority schools (rather than Hartlepool constituency) and all 31 eligible schools participate in the school fruit and vegetable scheme. Supply of fruit commenced after Easter 2004 and 4,421 pupils aged four to six years took part. The numbers of pupils participating have stayed relatively stable. This term 4,168 pupils are currently receiving free fruit.

Integrated Children's System Report

Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills if he will publish the report commissioned by his Department on The Integrated Children’s System: An Evaluation of the Practice, Process and Consequences of the ICS in CSSRs. [114451]

Beverley Hughes: Yes. The draft of this report is currently being peer-reviewed, and it will be published once the report has been completed.

Learning and Skills Council

Daniel Kawczynski: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how much was spent on travel expenses for staff by the Learning and Skills Council in (a) 2005 and (b) 2006. [110138]

Bill Rammell: The payment of travelling expenses to the Learning and Skills Council’s staff is an operational matter. Mark Haysom, the Chief Executive of the Learning and Skills Council, has write to the hon. Member with the information requested and a copy of his reply has been placed in the House Library.

Letter from Mark Haysom, dated 9 January 2007:


11 Jan 2007 : Column 725W
Description 1 April 2005 to 31 March 2006 (12 Months) 1 April 2006 to 30 November 2006 (8 Months)

Total staff travel and subsistence expenses (£ million)

(1)7.999

5.363

Number of expense claims therein

26,406

13,765

Average number of claims per month

2,200

1,720

Average claim amount (£)

144

148

(1)As per note 7a of the LSC’s financial statements’ travel and subsistence-staff expenses

Nursery Schools: Coventry

Mr. Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many mainstream nursery providers there were in the Coventry area in (a) 1997 and (b) 2005. [112765]

Beverley Hughes [holding answer 8 January 2007]: Information is not collected in the form requested.

The available information on child care providers is shown in tables 1 and 2.

Table 1: Number( 1) of registered child care providers for children under eight years of age by type of care—Coventry local authority area—position at 31 March 2005
Type of care 2005

Full day care

90

Sessional day care

40

Child minders

500

Out of school day care

50

Crèche day care

40

(1) Figures are rounded to the nearest 10 if under 100, and to the nearest 100 if over 100.
Source:
Ofsted

Table 2: Number( 1) of day care providers for children under eight years of age by type of provider—Coventry local authority area—position at 31 March 1997
Type of provider 1997

Day nurseries

90

Playgroups and pre-schools

100

Child minders

700

Out of school clubs

10

Holiday schemes

10

(1) Figures are rounded to the nearest 10 if under 100, and to the nearest 100 if over 100.
Source:
Children’s Day Care Facilities Survey.


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Table 3: Number( 1) of registered child care places for children under eight years of age by type of care—Coventry local authority area—position at 31 March 2005
Type of care 2005

Full day care

3,600

Sessional day care

1,100

Child minders

2,500

Out of school day care

1,700

Crèche day care

500

(1) Figures are rounded to the nearest 10 if under 100, and to the nearest 100 if over 100.
Source:
Ofsted

Table 4: Number( 1) of day care places for children under eight years of age by type of provider—Coventry local authority area—position at 31 March 1997
Type of provider 1997

Day nurseries

2,200

Playgroups and pre-schools

2,300

Child minders

2,300

Out of school clubs

200

Holiday schemes

400

(1) Figures are rounded to the nearest 10 if under 100, and to the nearest 100 if over 100.
Source:
Children’s Day Care Facilities Survey.

However, it is also important to take in to account change in the numbers of places available. The information is given in tables 3 and 4.

Local authorities were responsible for the registration and inspection of children’s day care facilities until these responsibilities were transferred to Ofsted in September 2001. The figures for 2005 were derived from the Ofsted database of registered child care providers. The figures for 1997 were derived from the Children’s Day Care Facilities Survey, which was discontinued in 2001. Therefore the figures for child care providers for 2005 are not directly comparable with the day care figures for 1997.

With the introduction of the National Day Care Standards and the transfer of responsibilities for registration and inspection of child care providers from local authority social service departments to Ofsted in September 2001, child care places were classified according to the type of day care provided: full day care, sessional day care, child minder, out of school day care or crèche day care. Ofsted has produced figures based on this classification on a quarterly basis from March 2003. Its latest figures were published in its report “Registered Childcare Providers and Places, September 2006”, which is available on its website:

Up until March 2001, child care providers were classified according to the type of provider: day nurseries, playgroups and pre-schools, child minders, out of school clubs and holiday schemes. Figures based on this classification were published in a series of Statistical Bulletins, which are available from the Department’s website:

Respite Care Placements

Mark Hunter: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what percentage of disabled children in (a) Stockport and (b) England used respite care home placements in (i) 2000 and (ii) 2005. [114291]

Mr. Dhanda: This information is not collected centrally.


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Serious Case Reviews

Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many serious case reviews were conducted in each year since 1996. [114449]

Beverley Hughes: The Child Protection Database, maintained by the Commission for Social Care Inspection, indicates that in 2003-04, 78 cases were the subject of a serious case review (SCR). In 2004-05 there were 82 cases. Data for 2005-06 are not yet available. Data for 2000-03 are being obtained from the Commission and I shall write to the hon. Member when these have been received. Comparable data are not available prior to 2000.

Specialised Diplomas

Mr. McGovern: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what plans he has to encourage the taking of courses leading to specialised diplomas in schools, higher education institutions and colleges; and what steps he is taking to improve the acceptability of such qualifications to employers. [114153]

Alan Johnson: Schools, colleges, higher education institutions and employers, have all been involved in the design of Diplomas, through the Diploma Development Partnerships, and will continue to be critical to the success of the roll-out.

My Department has a comprehensive programme of communications about Diplomas, targeting employers, schools and colleges, training providers, Higher Education institutions as well as young people and parents.


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In November we announced the appointment of Diploma Champions to promote this development in the sectors where they have expertise; industry, schools and Higher Education.

Youth Opportunity Card

James Brokenshire: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills if he will make a statement on progress on the establishment of the Youth Opportunity Card. [114482]

Beverley Hughes: Good progress is being made in establishing the Youth Opportunity Card pilots. We have been working closely with the 10 pilot local authorities to develop a workable delivery model and to identify what can be achieved and by when. We will be clearer about what our next steps will be once this work is complete early this year.

Trade and Industry

BAE Systems

Dr. Cable: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry which BAe Systems export contracts have been guaranteed by the Export Credits Guarantee Department since 1997; and what the (a) country of destination, (b) sums insured and (c) product or programme was in each case. [112885]

Mr. McCartney [holding answer 8 January 2007]: ECGD has provided support in respect of the following export contracts won by BAE Systems since it was formed as a company in November 1999:

Market Project Name ECGD product type and sum insured

2000

Saudi Arabia

Al Yamamah

Contract of indemnity

South Africa

South African defence package (SADP)

Buyer credit, £l,679.9 million

2001

Saudi Arabia

Al Yamamah

Contract of indemnity

2002

Romania

Surveillance Vehicles

Buyer Credit, £4.3 million

Saudi Arabia

Al Yamamah

Contract of indemnity

2003

Romania

Refurbishment of frigates

Buyer credit, £106.03 million

Saudi Arabia

Al Yamamah

Contract of indemnity

2004

Saudi Arabia

Al Yamamah

Contract of indemnity

2005

Saudi Arabia

Al Yamamah

Contract of indemnity

2006

Saudi Arabia

Al Yamamah

Contract of indemnity


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