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27 Apr 2007 : Column 1340W—continued
An estimate of the number of pupils that were attending each school is shown as follows. The figures have been estimated using the current average number of pupils in each type of school.
| Primary | Secondary | Special | PRU | Total | |
Schools: Wycombe
Mr. Paul Goodman: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many schools in Wycombe constituency have received Excellence in Cities money since 2001; and how much funding each school received. [127372]
Jim Knight [holding answer 13 March 2007]: The High Wycombe Excellence Cluster initially consisted of 14 schools and has received over £3.3 million in Excellence in Cities funding since 2002.
The final decisions on funding allocations to schools were made locally, (by the headteachers and local authority acting in partnership), to ensure that local knowledge informed the targeting of the resources. As the Department does not keep records of individual school allocations, we are unable to say precisely how much funding schools received.
Schools: Yorkshire
David Davis: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many incidents of (a) pupil on pupil and (b) pupil on teacher violence occurred in each of the state secondary schools in Yorkshire in each of the last two years. [129711]
Jim Knight: The number of incidents of violence towards staff and pupils in schools is not collected centrally.
From the academic year 2003/04, information is available on the reasons for pupil exclusions. These reasons include ‘physical assault against a pupil’ and ‘physical assault against an adult’.
A summary table shows the number of permanent and fixed period exclusions from maintained secondary schools in the Yorkshire and Humber region for physical assault against a pupil or an adult. In addition a school level table has been placed in the Library.
Teachers: Qualifications
Mr. Hoyle: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many (a) primary and (b) secondary schools in Chorley constituency have a teacher with a formal music qualification. [125250]
Jim Knight: The information requested is not collected centrally.
In 2002 an estimated 6,300 full-time teachers were, teaching music in maintained schools in England. Of these, an estimated 87 per cent. (4 percentage points) held a Post A level qualification in music. The source of this information is the 2002 Secondary School Curriculum and Staffing Survey and is the latest available.
Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
Air Pollution: Population
Mr. Francois: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs pursuant to the principal population projections of the Government Actuary’s Department for 2031, what estimate he has made of the effect of the expected increase in the UK's population on UK carbon emissions; and if he will make a statement. [133238]
Ian Pearson: UK carbon dioxide emissions projections include the impact of predicted population growth. Updated projections will be available shortly in the forthcoming Energy White Paper.
Biofuels: Subsidies
Chris Huhne: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if he will list the subsidies which are paid to encourage the growing of biofuels. [132772]
Ian Pearson: The EU’s annual €45/ha Energy Aid payment is available to farmers for purpose-grown biofuel crops grown on non set-aside land. Farmers can also receive the Single Payment for purpose-grown biofuel crops on set-aside or where the EU’s €45 per hectare energy aid payment is claimed for crops on non set-aside land.
Support for energy crops is also provided by Research and Development funding from DEFRA to increase yields and reduce inputs.
Domestic Wastes: Waste Disposal
Mr. Sheerman: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (1) what consultations he has had with public health experts on the possible health impact associated with the reduction of waste bin collection from domestic residences from once a week to once a fortnight or longer intervals; [133670]
(2) what assessment he has made of the possible health implications of the reduction of the domestic residence waste bin collection system from a weekly to a two or three weekly basis. [133671]
Mr. Bradshaw: An independent, DEFRA-funded research study, carried out by Enviros Consulting and Cranfield University, identified no evidence of adverse health impacts resulting from alternate weekly collection (AWC) of household waste.
Waste management, inside and outside the home, carries small health risks. Simple precautions mitigate these risks and there is no evidence that they are increased by AWC of household waste.
Electronic Equipment: Recycling
Mr. Rogerson: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what estimates his Department has made of the likely effect of implementation of the Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment Directive on recycling levels of the relevant materials. [134383]
Mr. Bradshaw: The Government expects the Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE) Regulations, which transpose the WEEE Directive, to lead to an increase in the recycling of metals, plastics and other materials found in WEEE. However, DEFRA has not carried out an assessment to quantify the expected increase.
The Department of Trade and Industry lead on the implementation of the WEEE Directive.
Flood Control: Finance
Mr. Jenkins: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how much he estimates his Department will need to spend on flood defences in (a) Tamworth constituency, (b) Staffordshire and (c) England in each of the next five years. [133416]
Ian Pearson: DEFRA has policy responsibility for flood risk management in England only. The Environment Agency (EA) is the principal operating authority and estimates spending of £5.6 million on the Tamworth Flood Alleviation Scheme. The EA’s five-year capital works programme also includes the Scotch Brook - Stone scheme at an estimated cost of £1.7 million. A number of other potential schemes have also been identified in Staffordshire but have yet to be evaluated. In addition to its capital programme, the EA has allocated £892,000 in 2007-08 for work on non-routine projects within the county to be funded by levies on local authorities or revenue.
DEFRA grant to all operating authorities in 2007-08 will be in excess of £500 million including grant for local authority coast protection projects which often provide significant flood risk benefits. Future departmental funding for flood risk management is being considered in the 2007 comprehensive spending review.
Flood Control: Sea Defences
Mr. Whittingdale: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs when the Environment Agency expects to publish guidance to landowners on the maintenance of sea defences. [132794]
Ian Pearson: The Environment Agency plans to publish guidance to landowners on the maintenance of sea defences in June.
Home Energy Efficiency Scheme
Harry Cohen: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how individuals may obtain a home energy check; how much such a check costs; and if he will make a statement. [133283]
Ian Pearson: The Energy Saving Trust provides home energy checks to householders. These can be completed on the Trust’s website or by calling into one of its local Energy Efficiency Advice Centres, which provide impartial advice on saving energy in the home. Home energy checks are free to householders.
Julia Goldsworthy: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what steps the Government are taking to ensure that the Warm Front scheme targets hard-to-reach and hard-to-treat households. [134610]
Ian Pearson:
DEFRA closely monitors Eaga plc’s activities regarding the delivery of the Warm Front Scheme including activities for those living in homes which are hard to treat or who are harder to reach. For
example, Eaga plc work closely with a range of community and voluntary organisations at a local level to help reach vulnerable households.
My Department is currently considering what additional measures can be provided for those who live in homes which cannot be assisted with the range of energy efficiency and heating measures currently offered by the scheme.
Members: Correspondence
Sir Michael Spicer: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs when the Minister of State expects to reply to the letter from the hon. Member for West Worcestershire of 15 March 2007, on the Sahara Desert and energy. [134606]
Ian Pearson: The hon. Member’s letter has been transferred to the Department of Trade and Industry which has policy responsibility for the energy issue.
Recycling
Jo Swinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many local authorities are in compliance with the requirement of the Household Waste Recycling Act 2003 to collect at least two types of recycled material. [130644]
Mr. Bradshaw: Under the Household Waste Recycling Act 2003, all local authorities in England are required to collect at least two types of recyclable waste from all households in their area by the end of 2010.
The latest results from the Audit Commission’s Best Value Performance Indicator (BV 91b) for 2005-06 show that 125 authorities (35 per cent. of the 354 with a waste collection responsibility) provided a collection service of two or more materials for recycling from all of their households. 75 per cent. of authorities provided this service to at least 90 per cent. of their households.
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