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5 July 2007 : Column 1126W—continued
Primary Education: Teaching Methods
Mr. Hoban: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families pursuant to the answer of 13 June 2007, Official Report, column 1158W, on primary education: teaching methods, (1) how much has been allocated to provide one-to-one tuition for 300,000 pupils in (a) English and (b) mathematics over the comprehensive spending review period; [147162]
(2) what the Department’s planned trajectory is for the provision of one-to-one tuition in (a) English and (b) mathematics to 300,000 pupils by 2010-11. [147164]
Jim Knight: In the CSR it was announced that, by 2010-11, 300,000 pupils across both primary and secondary will be receiving one-to-one tuition in English and a further 300,000 pupils in maths.
The Department will make further announcements on the allocation of its CSR settlement, and on the planned trajectory for the provision of one-to-one tuition, in due course.
Pupils: Per Capita Costs
Ms Dari Taylor: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families how much has been spent per pupil in Stockton-on-Tees in each year since 1997. [147289]
Jim Knight: The revenue funding figures per pupil in Stockton-on-Tees in each year since 1997 are provided in the following table:
| £ | |
| Year | Funding per pupil |
| Notes: 1. The combined LA and school based expenditure includes all expenditure on the education of children in LA maintained establishments and pupils educated by the LA other than in maintained establishments. This includes both school based expenditure and all elements of central LA expenditure except youth and community and capital expenditure from revenue (CERA). A sector breakdown for combined LA and school based expenditure is not available from 2002-03 and consequently this table shows the total LA recurrent expenditure (except youth and community) per pupil by LA since 1995-96. 2. 1999-2000 saw a change in data source when the data collection moved from the RO1 form collected by the ODPM to the Section 52 Outturn forms collected by the DfES. 2002-03 saw a further break in the time series following the introduction of Consistent Financial Reporting (CFR) and the associated restructuring of the Outturn tables. The change in sources is shown by the line. 3. Pupil figures include all pre-primary pupils, including those under 5s funded by the LA and being educated in private settings, pupils educated in maintained mainstream schools and other LA maintained pupils. The pupil data for pupils attending maintained mainstream schools and other LA maintained pupils. The pupil data for pupils attending maintained nursery, primary, secondary and special schools are taken from the DfES Annual Schools Census. Private voluntary and independent (PVI) under 5 pupil numbers are taken from the Early Years census but are only included for 1999-2000 onwards. For 1998-99 onwards other LA maintained pupils are included in the pupil count. This includes all pupils attending schools not maintained by the authority for whom the authority is paying full tuition fees, or educated otherwise than in schools and pupil referral units under arrangements made by the authority drawn from Form 8b submitted to the DfES. Also included as other LA maintained pupils are all pupils attending pupil referral units who are not registered at a maintained school drawn from the DfES Annual School Census. All pupil numbers are adjusted to be on a financial year basis. 4. Figures are rounded to the nearest £10 and are subject to change by the LA. | |
Pupils: Qualifications
Mr. Gibb: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families (1) to how many GCSEs (a) a CACHE Foundation Award in Caring for Children and (b) a CACHE Level 2 Certificate in Child Care and Education are considered to be equivalent for the purposes of GCSE performance tables; [147307]
(2) to how many qualifications included in the secondary school (GCSE and equivalent) performance tables are considered to be equivalent to (a) three, (b) four and (c) five or more GCSEs. [147308]
Jim Knight: Information on the equivalence of all qualifications used in the achievement and attainment tables is published by the Qualifications and Curriculum Authority in the National Database of Accredited Qualifications at:
Runaway Children
Helen Southworth: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families what the outcome was of the review of refuge for runaway children; and when he will publish the report of the review. [147419]
Kevin Brennan [holding answer 3 July 2007]: This review was carried out by Barnardo's. Their report on the six community-based refuge pilots, and a separate “Lessons Learned” summary, will be published shortly. Officials are working closely with Barnardo's to finalise the report, including updating the text to reflect the Department's new name. Copies of the final versions will be placed in the House Library.
Schools: Sport
Hugh Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families what the allocated budget is for school sport at non-specialist sports colleges. [147264]
Jim Knight [holding answer 3 July 2007]: Every school in England receives funding to deliver the Physical Education National Curriculum as part of their core funding through the Dedicated Schools Grant—£28.3 billion in total in 2007-08. In addition, investment in the National School Sport Strategy has been £978.5 million in the five years to 2008, covering every maintained school in England. It is for schools and School Sport Partnerships to decide how they allocate their funding.
Teachers: Stockton-on-Tees
Ms Dari Taylor: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families how many (a) teachers and (b) teaching assistants were employed in (i) primary and (ii) secondary schools in Stockton-on-Tees in (A) 1997 and (B) at the latest date for which figures are available. [147292]
Jim Knight:
The following table provides the full-time equivalent number of teachers and teaching assistants employed in Stockton-on-Tees local
authority maintained nursery/primary and secondary schools in January 1997 and 2006, the latest year for which figures are available.
Local authority level information for 2007 is due to be published in September on the Department’s website.
| Full-time equivalent number of regular teachers and teaching assistants in service in nursery/primary and secondary schools in Stockton-on-Tees local authority, January 1997 and 2006 | ||||
| Teachers( 1) | Teaching assistants | |||
| Nursery/primary | Secondary | Nursery/primary | Secondary | |
| (1) Excludes occasional teachers. Note: Figures are rounded to the nearest 10. Source: Annual survey of teachers in service and teacher vacancies 618 g (teacher numbers), School Census (teaching assistants). | ||||
Communities and Local Government
Allotments: Durham
Mr. Kevan Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government if she will list all (a) consents and (b) refusals of consent since 1 May 1990 under the Allotments Act 1925 for the disposal of allotment land or its use for other purposes, involving allotment sites in the district of Derwentside. [147414]
Mr. Iain Wright [holding answer 3 July 2007]: Derwentside district council has not submitted any applications to the Secretary of State under the Allotments Act 1925 for the disposal of allotment land in their area since 1 May 1990.
Council Tax: Students
Janet Anderson: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what the liability for council tax is of a full-time student sharing one dwelling with three others. [148285]
John Healey: Properties occupied wholly by students, who meet the criteria set out in the Council Tax (Discount Disregards) Order 1992, are exempt from council tax under Class N of the Council Tax (Exempt Dwellings Order) 1992.
Where a property is shared by students and non-students then the students are disregarded under the provisions of the Council Tax (Discount Disregards) Order 1992 for the purpose of calculating whether a single person discount should apply. By virtue of section 6(4) of the Local Government Finance Act 1992, as amended by section 74 of the Local Government Act 2003, the students are not jointly and severally liable for any council tax bill, but it is a matter for the occupiers to determine how any council tax costs should be shared.
Liability for any council tax due on a property occupied in part by students will fall to the landlord, rather than occupants who are not students, if the property is deemed to be a house in multiple occupation within the meaning of Class C of the Council Tax (Liability for Owners) Regulations 1992.
Local Government: Somerset
Mr. Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what representations of (a) support and (b) opposition have been received for the unitary bid for Somerset local government from (i) hon. Members, (ii) district councils in Somerset, (iii) parish councils, (iv) the public through polls or opinion surveys, (v) businesses and (vi) other organisations in Somerset; and if she will make a statement. [146608]
John Healey: Our stakeholder consultation ended on 22 June and we are now analysing the responses received. All representations will be taken into account before decisions are made on which proposals should proceed towards implementation. The Government will publish a summary of consultation responses and copies will be placed in the Library of the House.
Voluntary Organisations
Mr. Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what plans she has to support Local Sector Independence Day on 4 July. [147214]
John Healey [holding answer 3 July 2007]: The Department has updated information about the third sector on our website, with a link to the Commission for the Compact website and information about Local Sector Independence Day.
We have worked with Compact Voice in preparing a third sector strategy discussion document, on which we are inviting comment by 20 September 2007, which recognises the importance of effective local relationships with an independent voluntary and community sector. As part of this approach Compact Voice are running a workshop for departmental officials on local Compacts.
Culture, Media and Sport
Gambling: Licensing
Janet Anderson: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how his Department plans to discharge its commitment to review the premises licence fees charged by local authorities under the Gambling Act 2005; and if he will make a statement. [148283]
Mr. Sutcliffe: We are currently collating the information from licensing authorities on the fees they have set under the Gambling Act 2005 and associated statutory instruments. We intend to publish this information in due course.
This will help the Department reach a view on whether the maxima have been set at the right level and whether they need to be adjusted, up or down, before the next financial year.
Janet Anderson: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what his Department's estimate is of the average premises licence fee charged by local authorities under the Gambling Act 2005; and what the maximum fee level is. [148284]
Mr. Sutcliffe: We are currently collating the information from licensing authorities on the fees they have set under the Gambling Act 2005 and associated statutory instruments. We intend to publish this information in due course.
Maximum fees levels were set in the Gambling (Premises Licence Fees) (England and Wales) Regulations 2007.
Defence
Afghanistan: Peacekeeping Operations
Mr. Clifton-Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what reports he has received on recent conflict in the Myanishen district of Kandahar province; whether the Taliban is in control of this district; and if he will make a statement. [145100]
Des Browne: Myanishen district centre is under Afghan Government control after a short period of Taliban occupation.
Mr. Harper: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many helicopters are dedicated for medical lift in Afghanistan. [145197]
Des Browne [holding answer 25 June 2007]: The UK does not fit helicopters specifically for the medical role but rather has dedicated and fully equipped specialist medical teams that can use any helicopter. There is always a helicopter available to deploy these teams in an emergency. In addition UK forces have access to the medical evacuation capabilities of ISAF and coalition partners in Afghanistan.
Mr. Harper: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what estimate he has made of the average time for medical evacuations in (a) Iraq and (b) Afghanistan. [145198]
Des Browne [holding answer 25 June 2007]: The time taken to give treatment to wounded soldiers is more relevant than evacuation time as some life saving treatment can be delivered before an evacuation takes place. The Department is undertaking an audit on the time taken to deliver treatment in accordance with UK and NATO guidelines which are as follows:
Battlefield advanced trauma life support within one hour of injury.
Damage control surgery should be started within two hours of injury.
Primary surgery should be started within four hours of injury.
I will write to the hon. Member once the result of this audit is available and place a copy of my letter in the Library of the House.
Mr. Harper: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what assessment he has made of the capacity of medical facilities and supplies in Afghanistan to respond to an event with significant numbers of casualties. [145199]
Des Browne [holding answer 25 June 2007]: The medical planning undertaken by UK forces has put in place appropriate procedures and sufficient resources in Afghanistan to handle incidents producing significant numbers of casualties.
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