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30 Jan 2007 : Column 223W—continued
Specialised Diplomas
Helen Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what procedures will be put in place to assess how specialised diplomas are working after their introduction in 2008. [111342]
Phil Hope: Each one of the 14 diploma lines of learning will be evaluated over a three year period. The evaluation will assess how local partnerships are delivering the diplomas, how well they meet the needs of learners and how they contribute to the increased participation and achievement of young people in the 14-19 phase of learning. The evaluation will also consider the value of diplomas to employers, learners, higher education institutions schools and colleges.
Helen Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what representations he has received on the timescale of the introduction of specialised diplomas. [111344]
Phil Hope [holding answer 25 January 2007]: We have held a wide range of events for stakeholders and partners as we have taken forward diploma development, and their views have contributed to the development of the implementation and delivery plans.
Since the publication of the 14-19 Education and Skills White Paper in February 2005, we have had a small number of representations specifically related to the timescale of the introduction of specialised diplomas.
Helen Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what guidance has been given to local authorities on the co-ordination of school and college timetables prior to the introduction of specialised diplomas. [111481]
Phil Hope: Successful implementation and delivery of the 14-19 reforms depends on, among other things, wide dissemination of good practice. That is why we are making the lessons learned from the 14-19 Pathfinder Programme on the co-ordination of school and college timetables widely available through the Learning Visits Programme. Some 115 local authority areas have already attended at least one visit, and, following demand, we are planning this term a programme of learning visits particularly focused on common timetabling. In addition, following the 14-19 Regional Conferences last October, we made available information about how the how the diplomas would fit with existing curriculum requirements, including an example on how one 14-19 Partnership was proposing to do this.
Tamworth Pupils
Mr. Jenkins: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many pupils (a) began year 7 and (b) finished year 11 in Tamworth constituency in each of the last 10 years. [111363]
Jim Knight: The available information is shown in the table.
Information on pupils by year group is available from 2003. For previous years age has been used as the closest available alternative to year group data.
| Maintained secondary schools( 1) : Number of pupils aged 11 and 15 or in year group 7 and 11( 2) , 1997-2006, position in January each year—Tamworth parliamentary constituency | ||||
| Number of pupils aged 11 | Number of pupils aged 15 | Number of pupils in year group 7 | Number of pupils in year group 11 | |
| (1) Includes middle schools as deemed. (2) Age as at 31 August in the previous year. (3) Not available. Source: Schools Census | ||||
Unauthorised Absences
Mr. Evans: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many unauthorised absences from schools in (a) Ribble Valley and (b) Lancashire there were in each year since 1997. [111013]
Jim Knight [holding answer 24 January 2007]: The percentage of half days missed due to unauthorised absence in Ribble Valley parliamentary constituency and Lancashire local authority in each year since 1997 are shown as follows.
| Percentage of half days missed in Maintained Primary Schools( 1) due to unauthorised absence( 2,3) | |||
| Ribble Valley | Lancashire | England | |
| Percentage of half days missed in Maintained Secondary Schools( 1) due to unauthorised absence( 2,3) | |||
| Ribble Valley | Lancashire | England | |
| (1) Includes middle schools as deemed. (2) Due to Local Government Reorganisation, regional figures are not available prior to 1998. (3) Figures for Ribble Valley are available to 1 decimal place. Figures for Lancashire local authority are available to 1 decimal place prior to 2001/02 and two decimal places from 2001/02 onwards. | |||
Unauthorised absence is absence without leave from a teacher or other authorised representative of the school. This includes all unexplained or unjustified absences, such as lateness, holidays during term time not authorised by the school, absence where reason is not yet established and truancy.
University of Cumbria
Mr. Jamie Reed: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what assessment he has made of the economic effect upon Cumbria of the formation of the University of Cumbria. [111386]
Bill Rammell:
An economic benefits analysis, as part of the second draft of its business plan, is to be submitted by the University of Cumbria Project Board to the Higher Education Funding Council for England
(HEFCE) and the North West Development Agency (NWDA) by the end of January 2007. This analysis, in accordance with standard appraisal methodology, will indicate the full economic benefits of the formation of the University of Cumbria.
Young Carers
Dr. Francis: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills if he will issue guidance to local authorities considering putting out to tender statutory assessments of young carers. [116874]
Mr. Dhanda: The Department does not instruct local authorities to put out to tender either statutory assessments of young carers made under the Children Act 1989 or other statutory children in need assessments. There are no plans to issue specific guidance on this subject.
Annette Brooke: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what representations he has received on the content of local authorities’ Children and Young People’s Plans in respect of young carers; and if he will make a statement. [117004]
Mr. Dhanda [holding answer 19 January 2007]: The Secretary of State for Education and Skills has not received any representations on the content of Children and Young People’s Plans in respect of young carers. Recent research undertaken by the National Foundation for Educational Research found that 24 per cent. of Children and Young People’s Plans, from a representative sample of 75 local authorities, make specific reference to young carers.
Treasury
British Food
Mr. Paice: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what proportion of food served in buildings occupied by his Department was of British origin in (a) 2005 and (b) 2006. [111117]
John Healey: The Treasury’s catering service is provided by Charlton House, whose policy is to source UK products where this offers the best value for money. Information is only readily available about estimated produce sourced from the UK during 2006. This is as follows:
| Product group | Percentage of total |
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