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19 Apr 2007 : Column 727W—continued
Special Educational Needs
Mr. Willetts: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what the minimum qualification requirements are for special educational needs co-ordinators. [132578]
Mr. Dhanda: There are no specific minimum qualification requirements in relation to special educational needs co-ordinators. School-based SENCOs are selected and appointed by head teachers, and the expectation is that heads will appoint someone with a proven track record of working successfully with children with SEN and disabilities. Training arrangements for SENCOs are currently determined locally, having regard to the knowledge, skills and experience of the person concerned, and the range and complexity of SEN and disabilities represented within the school.
The Department’s SEN Code of Practice, published in November 2001, contains guidance on the role and responsibilities of SENCOs. The Teacher Training Agency, now the Training and Development Agency for Schools, also published a set of National Standards for SENCOs in 1998.
In our response to the Education and Skills Committee report on SEN, published 11 October 2006 (Cm 6940), we declared our intention to require, through regulations, all newly appointed SENCOs to undertake nationally accredited training. These regulations would be made pursuant to section 173 of the Education and Inspections Act 2006.
The TDA are undertaking associated development work, beginning with establishing a clear statement of the key components of the role, knowledge, skills and experience required of those leading SEN and disability provision in schools.
Special Educational Needs and Disability Tribunal
Mr. Willetts: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what guidance was issued by his Department to the Special Educational Needs and Disability Tribunal in each year since 1997; and if he will place in the Library copies of that guidance. [132381]
Mr. Dhanda: Apart from the usual financial and administrative guidance that is given to non-departmental public bodies by central Government Departments and guidance that is available to all those who have duties under the special educational needs (SEN) statutory framework, such as the SEN Code of Practice and “Inclusive Schooling”, the Department published Stage 1 of a “Quinquennial Review of the Special Educational Needs Tribunal” in August 2000. This included recommendations to the tribunal. Stage 2 of the review was a Financial Management Survey. Again recommendations were made to the tribunal. Copies of Stages 1 and 2 have been placed in the Library. No other formal guidance has been given to the tribunal.
Responsibility for the Special Educational Needs and Disability Tribunal transferred to the Department for Constitutional Affairs on 1 April 2006.
Teachers: Pay
Sarah Teather: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what the average starting salary is for a teacher in an (a) maintained primary school, (b) maintained secondary school and (c) academy. [131607]
Jim Knight: The average salary of newly qualified teachers in full-time regular service in local authority schools in England in March 2005 was £19,550 in nursery and primary schools and £19,930 in secondary schools. This is the latest information available. Teachers included are those who attained qualified teacher status in 2004.
No information is available for academies.
Sarah Teather: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many maintained schools paid their head teachers (a) more than £80,000, (b) more than £90,000 and (c) more than £100,000 in the latest year for which figures are available. [131608]
Jim Knight: Information is not available in the format requested.
The following table provides the number of local authority maintained school leadership teachers paid more than £80,000, £90,000 and £100,000 in March 2005 the latest information available.
| Local authority maintained schools leadership( 1) teachers by annual salary, in England and Wales, March 2005( 2) | |
| Leadership g roup | |
| (1) Includes Head, Deputy and Assistant head teachers (2) Provisional Note: Figures are rounded to the nearest 10. Source: Database of Teacher Records | |
Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
Environmental Policies
2. Kitty Ussher: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what assessment he has made of the contribution that supermarkets can make to helping reduce carbon dioxide emissions by adopting more stringent environmental policies. [132353]
David Miliband: We have recently consulted on cost-effective ways to reduce carbon dioxide emissions from large, non-energy intensive commercial and public sector organisations, including supermarkets. The results will be published shortly.
In addition, work is already being done to improve the environmental performance of products sold by supermarkets, for example through the development of milk, fish and clothing roadmaps, a ‘green standard’ for food, encouraging supermarkets to reduce waste, and promoting energy efficiency products.
Tax Changes
3. Mr. Clifton-Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what representations he has received from environmental organisations in response to tax changes announced in the Budget. [132355]
David Miliband: We have received no specific representations from environmental organisations on this matter. However, we are in regular contact with such organisations on this and a range of other issues.
Agriculture: Subsidies
Bill Wiggin: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs pursuant to the answer of 8 March 2007, Official Report, columns 2181-82W, on agriculture subsidies, (1) what definition he uses of the UK’s interests; [127969]
(2) when he expects a figure for disallowances of payments made by his Department to be available; [127970]
(3) when he expects the European Commission to complete its audit of the 2005 Single Payment Scheme. [128050]
Barry Gardiner: If the European Commission’s audit of the 2005 Single Payment Scheme (SPS) in England follows normal patterns, we would expect to be informed of the final conclusions relating to it during the course of 2008. Only at that point will a definitive figure on disallowance, if any, be available. In the intervening period, the Department will, through its contacts with the Commission, continue to defend the UK's interests with the aim of ensuring that any disallowance proposals are minimised to the fullest possible degree.
Bill Wiggin: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (1) what estimate he has made of the contingent liabilities for disallowances arising from Common Agricultural Policy schemes in each month since January 2006; and if he will make a statement; [128047]
(2) pursuant to the answer of 8 March 2007, Official Report, column 2181W, on agriculture subsidies, to which years the estimated £305 million for disallowance arising from Common Agricultural Policy schemes applies; when the final disallowance will be (a) finalised and (b) announced in public; and if he will make a statement; [129660]
(3) what estimate he has made of the disallowance arising from Common Agricultural Policy schemes, with particular reference to the single farm payment and related contingent liabilities for each month since January 2006; and when he was first informed that the total disallowance in this respect may be up to £305 million; [129661]
(4) what definition he uses of a prudent and reasonable estimate, in the context of the claim on the reserve to cover provision for disallowance arising from Common Agricultural Policy schemes and the single farm payment and the possible financial correction the European Commission may apply; [130095]
(5) what his most recent estimate is of the disallowance resulting from Common Agricultural Policy schemes. [130944]
Barry Gardiner: The level of potential disallowance relating to all CAP schemes and all UK Paying Agencies is subject to ongoing review by officials and is based on an assessment of the payments process, communications received from, and negotiations with, the European Commission. These prudent, i.e. careful and cautious, assessments are brought together and reported to Ministers as necessary, as was the case for the provisions made in the Department’s Resource Accounts for 2005-06 and for the claim on the reserve included in the Spring Supplementary Estimate for £305 million estimate cover, which related to potential provisions in respect of SPS 2005, SPS 2006 and other CAP schemes dating back to 2004. In each case, the overall estimates were based on the latest assessment of potential disallowances at the time. An exercise will be undertaken in relation to the Department’s Resource Accounts for 2006-07, at which time a revised assessment will be made of the level of provisions required and what disclosures need to be made in respect of contingent liabilities.
Detailed discussions will take place with the Commission over a number of years before a final figure is reached on any disallowances and the outcome will be disclosed in the Department’s Resource Accounts in the year in which they are imposed.
Daniel Kawczynski: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what assessment he has made of the conclusions and recommendations of the report by the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Committee on the Rural Payments Agency and the implementation of the Single Payment Scheme. [132358]
David Miliband: I am grateful to the right hon. Member for Fylde (Mr. Jack) and his colleagues on the EFRA Committee for their work to produce this report. My Department is currently considering it and will publish a response in the usual way in due course.
Carbon Emissions
Richard Ottaway: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what progress is being made in meeting the Government’s environmental targets for the reduction of carbon dioxide emissions. [132360]
Ian Pearson: Emission of carbon dioxide fell by 6.4 per cent. between 1990 and 2005. Adjusted to include the European Union Emission Trading Scheme UK carbon dioxide emission in 2005 were approximately 11 per cent. lower than 1990 levels.
Provisional 2006 figures indicate that carbon dioxide emissions were about 5.25 per cent. below their 1990 level. This does not include the effect of the EU Emissions Trading Scheme.
Climate Change
Ms Katy Clark:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what steps his
Department is taking to communicate to the public the causes of climate change and the actions that can be taken to tackle it. [132369]
David Miliband: We are supporting a range of communications activities and campaigns to enable individuals to think about changing their behaviours to adopt lower carbon lifestyles and help tackle climate change.
Coal Fired Power Stations
Tom Brake: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what recent discussions his Department has had with the Department of Trade and Industry on the environmental impact of new coal-fired power stations. [132359]
Ian Pearson: DEFRA Ministers and officials regularly meet their DTI colleagues to discuss a wide range of energy and environmental issues, including the greenhouse gas impact of different forms of power generation.
Departments: Advertising
Mr. Heald: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how much his Department spent on (a) sponsoring newspaper and publication supplements and (b) funding advertorials in newspapers or publications in the last year for which figures are available; and what the topic was of each. [130011]
Barry Gardiner: During the financial year 2006-07, DEFRA’s Communications Directorate has spent £42,316 on advertorials in newspapers and other publications. All this expenditure has been in relation to the Department’s Personal Food Imports campaign.
During the financial year 2006-07, DEFRA’s Communications Directorate has not spent any funds sponsoring newspaper or publication supplements. However we have spent £26,213 on including our own supplements or inserts with newspapers or magazines (£15,000 on a DEFRA supplement with Farmers Weekly, and £11,213 on a DEFRA insert with Fishing News).
Detail of any expenditure incurred by the wider Department is not available.
Departments: Postal Services
Mr. Fraser: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs which postal companies handle mail dispatched by his Department and its agencies. [128243]
Barry Gardiner: Royal Mail handle mail dispatched by DEFRA and its agencies.
Environment Agency
Mr. Leigh: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what assessment he has made of the Environment Agency’s cost data from its management information systems. [132367]
Ian Pearson: The Agency uses these data to generate monthly reports, which are monitored by the EA Board. The same information is used to produce the Agency’s annual accounts, and these are audited by the National Audit Office.
Marine Environment
Mrs. Moon: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what discussions he has had with the devolved Administrations on the drafting of legislation to protect the UK’s marine environment. [132376]
Mr. Bradshaw: Ministers and officials have held very constructive discussions with the devolved Administrations. I hope the Administrations in Wales and Scotland after the forthcoming elections are equally committed to the marine environment.
Recycling
Sarah McCarthy-Fry: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what recent discussions he has had with the Local Government Association on the setting of targets for recycling. [132356]
Mr. Bradshaw: We have regular discussions with representatives of local government and others to discuss recycling and other waste matters.
The Local Government Association submitted a formal response to our consultation on a revised Waste Strategy for England. We are planning to publish the strategy shortly.
Foreign and Commonwealth Office
Bangladesh
Mr. Clifton-Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what reports she has received on recent bombings in Bangladesh co-ordinated by Jamaatul Mujahideen Bangladesh. [132567]
Dr. Howells: We are not aware of any bomb attacks in recent months which have been confirmed as having been co-ordinated by Jamaatul Mujahideen Bangladesh.
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