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1 May 2007 : Column 1575W—continued
Secondary Education: Curriculum
Mr. Gibb: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what plans he has to pilot the new National Curriculum programmes of study being proposed by the Qualifications and Curriculum Authority secondary curriculum review. [122036]
Jim Knight: There are no plans to pilot the programmes of study being proposed by the Qualifications and Curriculum Authority secondary curriculum review. There will be a phased roll out beginning with all Year 7 pupils in September 2008.
The programmes of study have been developed in consultation with teachers, academics, subject specialists and a wide range of curriculum experts. They take into account best practice developed in schools and current research on the principles of effective teaching. They will be further informed by the results of the national consultation.
The impact of the programmes of study will be monitored by Ofsted as part of its regular school inspections, and by the Qualifications and Curriculum Authority as part of its ongoing curriculum monitoring activity.
Mr. Gibb: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills pursuant to the answer of 26 February 2007, Official Report, column 1025W, on secondary education: curriculum, on what occasions the Qualifications and Curriculum Authority met (a) teachers and head teachers, (b) officers from local authorities and (c) parents, governors and pupils in developing the new secondary curriculum. [124853]
Jim Knight: In developing the revised secondary curriculum, the Qualifications and Curriculum Authority (QCA) held 13 conferences and subject seminars for teachers, head teachers and officers from local authorities. QCA has an ongoing programme of events to engage with parents, governors and pupils on a range of issues, including the secondary curriculum review.
Teachers: Foreigners
Mr. Jenkins: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many non-EU nationals were employed as (a) primary school and (b) secondary school teachers in England in each of the last five years. [132863]
Jim Knight: The information requested is not collected centrally.
Home Department
Community Development: Grants
Mr. Watson: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) how many community groups have applied for a Connected Fund Round 6 grant; [135144]
(2) how much he expects to be allocated in grants from the Connected Fund in each of the next two financial years; [135145]
(3) what plans his Department has to increase publicity for the Connected Fund in future years; [135146]
(4) when the application process will open for grants in the Connected Fund Round 7; [135147]
(5) what assessment he has made of the effectiveness of Connected Fund grants in reducing the levels of gun crime in areas where grants have been made. [135148]
Mr. Coaker: 363 applications for grants have been received under Round six of the Connected Fund. An Assessment Panel will assess these applications on 3-4 May. A further Round may be held later this year, but a firm decision on this has not yet been taken.
Budgets for 2008-09 and 2009-10 have not yet been confirmed, so it is not possible to give any figures on funding that may be allocated to the Connected Fund in these years at this stage.
We publicise the Fund through direct mailing to community groups, through the Government Offices for the Regions, and through local media reporting. This has worked well, with each round of the Fund substantially over-subscribed.
The Home Office is currently developing an evaluation of the effectiveness of project funding on guns, gangs and knives, covering both the Connected Fund and wider project funding. The Fund supports one part of our strategy to tackle gun crime, which focuses on policing, powers and prevention. Many of the grants from the Connected Fund are for projects to support young people as part of the long-term prevention strand.
Figures released on 26 April show a reduction of 16 per cent. in overall gun crime in England and Wales in the 12 months to December 2006.
Corporate Manslaughter and Corporate Homicide Bill
Mr. Dai Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what recent representations he has received on the Corporate Manslaughter and Corporate Homicide Bill. [134191]
Mr. Sutcliffe: As the Minister responsible for the Corporate Manslaughter and Corporate Homicide Bill, I discuss the Bill with a wide range of colleagues in Government and in Parliament and with stakeholders. The Department also receives a range of correspondence relating to the Bill.
DC Stephen Oake
Mr. Watson: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will recommend DC Stephen Oake for a posthumous George Cross. [107856]
John Reid [holding answer 7 December 2006]: I was deeply saddened by the tragic circumstances of DC Oake’s death. His courage will inspire officers young and old for years to come. The sacrifice he made in the line of duty is appreciated by us all, especially me.
There are a range of honours to recognise bravery. Recommendations on a George Cross are made by the senior officials on the George Cross Committee and not by the Home Secretary or any other Minister. Any recommendations by the George Cross Committee to award a George Cross is submitted to Her Majesty the Queen by the Prime Minister.
Departments: Contracts
Mr. Hoban: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what the value of contracts signed by his Department with Mapeley Abi was in each of the last three years. [125936]
Joan Ryan: A contract has been signed with Mapeley Abi Provider Ltd. to provide IPS with premises and facilities management services. The contract value is £55 million for a contract period of three years.
Dispersal Orders
Mr. Vara: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many dispersal orders were issued by each police force in each year since they were introduced. [134215]
Mr. Coaker: Data provided by police forces shows that between 1 January 2004 and 31 March 2006 1,065 areas were designated with dispersal powers in England and Wales. The following table provides a breakdown of this total by police force. Data for the period since 1 April 2006 are not yet available.
| Designated dispersal orders: January 2004 to 31 March 2006 | |
| Force | Number of areas designated |
| (1) No areas designated. (2) No data provided. | |
Entry Clearances
Tony Baldry: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when his Department expects to issue entry clearance to Mr. Mohammed Shabir (reference S1329282). [134298]
Dr. Howells: I have been asked to reply.
According to our High Commission in Islamabad a letter inviting Mr. Shabir to submit his passport was sent out on 27 April. As soon as the passport has been received the entry clearance can be issued.
Milan Spanovic
Mr. Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department for what reasons Milan Spanovic has not been extradited to Croatia; and if he will make a statement. [134970]
Joan Ryan: On 20 March 2007, Mr. Spanovic was discharged from extradition proceedings by a District Judge at City of Westminster Magistrates Court. This was entirely a matter for the court. The Crown Prosecution Service has lodged an appeal on behalf of the Government of Croatia. As the matter remains before the courts, I cannot comment further.
Miscarriages of Justice
Dr. Kumar: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what support is provided to persons released from prison after a successful appeal in court. [134805]
Mr. Sutcliffe: The Home Office established in 2003 the Royal Courts of Justice advisory service to help those who have been successful on appeal. Help is provided on things like documents to establish identity, finding accommodation, signing up for social security benefits, getting onto a GP’s list, how to obtain legal assistance as well as practical advice on day-to-day matters, such as obtaining a bank account. In some cases the service also provides longer term casework support and counselling. Successful appellants may also be able to claim compensation from the Home Secretary depending on the circumstances of the case.
Offences
Mr. Harper: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department pursuant to the answer of 16 April 2007, to Question 131083, on Leyhill Open Prison, for what reasons it was not possible to provide the same level of information on offence details as that given in the answer of 13 June 2006, Official Report, column 1134W, on prisons. [133136]
Mr. Sutcliffe: Since answering the hon. Gentleman’s PQ in June 2006 the Prison Service has adopted new procedures to provide such statistics. These procedures employ a smaller data set which is validated more rigorously. This follows errors in some figures supplied last year. These data do not include offence details which could be provided now only at disproportionate cost.
Offenders: Rehabilitation
Mr. Garnier: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what accredited alcohol treatment programmes with ring-fenced funding there are in prisons in England and Wales. [133974]
Mr. Sutcliffe: NOMS is piloting two alcohol treatment programmes in prisons with a view to accreditation. While no accredited programmes targeted solely at alcohol misuse are currently in place, prisons deploy a range of measures to support those with an alcohol problem:
detoxification is available in all local and remand prisons;
where alcohol is part of a wider substance misuse problem the full range of drug interventions are available;
Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) run groups in about 50 per cent. of prisons;
some prisons run alcohol awareness courses;
an alcohol information pack and awareness video is available for all prisoners; and
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