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29 Jan 2008 : Column 284W—continued
Teachers: Criminal Investigation
Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families whether any criminal allegations have been made against teachers acting in their capacity as such in the London borough of Havering in the last 12 months. [181562]
Jim Knight: The requested information is not collected centrally.
Teachers: Sign Language
Sarah Teather: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families (1) what standard of British Sign Language attainment is required of teachers of the deaf; [181230]
(2) what comparative assessment he has made of the educational progress of deaf children taught using British Sign Language and those taught using total communication. [181231]
Kevin Brennan: Where qualified teachers wish to specialise in teaching children with a sensory impairment, including a hearing impairment, they must obtain an additional mandatory qualification (MQ). The current specification for MQ courses includes the expectation that participants successfully completing the MQ for teachers of pupils with hearing impairment should have a minimum competence in signing, equivalent to the CACDP (Council for the Advancement of Communication with Deaf People) Stage 1 qualification. The Training and Development Agency for Schools is currently reviewing the MQ specification, which has included detailed consultation with the approved MQ providers and a range of other interested parties. The Department has made no comparative assessment of the educational progress of deaf children taught using British Sign Language and those taught using total communication.
Teaching: Hearing Impaired
Michael Gove: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families (1) what research his Department has commissioned on effective teaching for deaf and hearing impaired pupils in the last 10 years; [178674]
(2) what guidance his Department gives to local authorities on the placement of deaf and hearing-impaired children. [183288]
Kevin Brennan: In July 1998, the then Department for Education and Employment commissioned a review of the literature on the educational achievements of deaf children and young people. While the report suggested that deaf and hearing impaired learners do lag behind their hearing peers in their achievements in mathematics and reading it also found that the presence of additional child difficulties, language used in the home and socio-economic status, appear to be more stable predictors of exam success than the degree of hearing loss. The report also found that in many studies, degree of hearing loss itself does not correlate with educational achievement. In those studies where there is a relationship between the two, the correlation may well be attributable to other, latent factors. However, the Government are committed to narrowing the attainment gap between deaf children and their peers. We are currently working with the National Deaf Children's Society and the Royal National Institute for Deaf People to improve the availability of data in order to establish an accurate picture of this attainment gap and take steps to reduce it.
Regarding guidance the Department gives to local authorities on the placement of deaf and hearing-impaired children, the SEN code of practice provides practical advice to all local authorities, maintained schools, early education settings and others on carrying out their statutory duties to identify, assess and make provision for children's special educational needs. All these parties are required to have regard to the code.
Teenage Pregnancy Unit
Mrs. May: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families (1) whether the Teenage Pregnancy Unit has responsibility to develop measures to combat, or respond to, incidents of violence against women; [182736]
(2) what research the Teenage Pregnancy Unit has conducted into the proportion of pregnant teenagers who are victims of (a) rape and (b) domestic violence. [182737]
Beverley Hughes: The Teenage Pregnancy Unit in the Department does not have responsibility to develop measures to combat, or respond to, incidents of violence against women generally. This is the responsibility of my right hon. Friend the Home Secretary.
No research has been commissioned by the Department for Children, Schools and Families specifically into the proportion of pregnant teenagers who are the victims of rape and domestic violence. However, we know from research that the Teenage Pregnancy Unit in the Department has done those teenagers experiencing coercive and exploitative relationships are at much greater risk of early pregnancy. That is why in ‘Teenage Pregnancy Next Steps: Guidance for Local Authorities and Primary Care trusts on Effective Delivery of Local Strategies’ published by DFES in 2006 we emphasised that LAs should have mechanisms in place to identify the young woman most at risk of such relationships and early pregnancy.
Truancy: Fines
Mr. Hoban: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families how many parents have been fined for failing to ensure their children attend school in each of the last 12 months; what the total amount of fines for each of these months was; and what the (a) maximum and (b) minimum fine was. [182765]
Kevin Brennan: The information is not available in the form requested.
The Department collects data on the number of penalty notices issued by local authorities to parents in respect of the offence of failing to ensure regular school attendance. The latest available data (for the school year 2006-07) show that 14,625 parents were issued with penalty notices. The penalty is £50 if paid within 28 days rising to £100 if paid after 28 days but within 42 days.
The Ministry of Justice also collects data on the number of parents prosecuted under sections 444(1) and 444(1A) (the aggravated offence of parents knowing that their children are not attending school regularly) of the Education Act 1996. In 2006, there were 2,952 parents who received fines from the courts after being found guilty of the offence. We do not collect information on the amount of the fines imposed by the courts.
Young People
Mr. Hayes: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families what steps his Department has taken pursuant to the conclusions of the March 2007 European Council on the further development of policies to promote the role of young people during their transition from school to working life. [181037]
Mr. Lammy: I have been asked to reply.
The conclusions of the March 2007 European Council are consistent with the considerable work we are doing domestically to help young people with their transition from school to working life and prepare them to succeed in work and to make a productive contribution to society.
Some of the key measures we are taking forward domestically are: a new set of employer-designed diplomas, providing a platform to acquire all the skills needed for successful employment, the Personal, Social and Health Education framework giving teachers a coherent structure within which to develop children’s social and moral development and integrated information, advice and guidance and access to personal development opportunities for all 13 to 19-year-olds to help remove barriers to learning and progression and ensure that young people make a smooth transition to adulthood and working life.
Prime Minister
Chequers
Norman Lamb: To ask the Prime Minister which individuals he has invited to Chequers to meet him in his capacity as Prime Minister since 27 June 2007. [182817]
The Prime Minister: Information for 2007-08 will be published as soon as it is ready after the end of the financial year.
China
Mr. Andrew Mitchell: To ask the Prime Minister (1) what discussions he held with the Chinese Government on Burma on his recent trip to China; [183039]
(2) what discussions he held with the Chinese Government on Sudan on his recent trip to China. [183040]
Sir Robert Smith: To ask the Prime Minister what discussions he had with the Government of China during his recent visit to that country on the political situation in Burma. [178706]
The Prime Minister: I refer the hon. Members to the answer I gave the hon. Members for Orkney and Shetland (Mr. Carmichael) and for Southend, West (Mr. Amess) on 25 January 2008, Official Report, column 2280W.
Departmental E-mail
Mr. Hoban: To ask the Prime Minister pursuant to the answer to the right hon. Member for Horsham (Mr. Maude) of 18 December 2007, Official Report, column 1229W, on departmental e-mail, how many email accounts he has for official purposes. [179636]
Mr. Maude: To ask the Prime Minister pursuant to the answer of 18 December 2007, Official Report, column 1229W, on departmental e-mail, whether he uses an e-mail account to send e-mail to civil servants and ministerial colleagues in the course of his duties. [181336]
The Prime Minister: I am in regular contact with ministerial colleagues and civil servants either directly or through my office.
Departmental Freedom of Information
Norman Baker: To ask the Prime Minister what percentage of Freedom of Information requests received by his Office have given rise to responses that have been published by his Office. [180224]
The Prime Minister: I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to him by my hon. Friend the Secretary, Cabinet Office (Mr. Watson) today.
Departmental Information Officers
Mr. Jeremy Browne: To ask the Prime Minister how many (a) press and (b) communications officers the Prime Minister’s Office employed in each of the last 10 years. [182510]
The Prime Minister: I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave the hon. Members for Epsom and Ewell (Chris Grayling) and for Fareham (Mr. Hoban) on 15 October 2007, Official Report, column 819W.
For previous years, I refer the hon. Member to the answers given by my predecessor the right hon. Tony Blair on 30 November 2006, Official Report, columns 895-96W, and 22 March 2004, Official Report, columns 559-60W.
Interception of Communications Commissioner
Mr. Maude: To ask the Prime Minister (1) what the timetable is for the publication of the annual report of the Interception of Communications Commissioner for 2006; and if he will make it his policy to publish such reports within 28 days of receipt; [181280]
(2) what the timetable is for the production of the annual report of the Intelligence Services Commissioner for 2006; and if he will make it his policy to publish such reports within 28 days of receipt. [181301]
The Prime Minister: I refer the right hon. Member to the written statement I made on 28 January, Official Report, column 3-4WS.
Members: Correspondence
Sir Gerald Kaufman: To ask the Prime Minister when he plans to answer the letter to him dated 10 December 2007 from the right hon. Member for Manchester, Gorton on police pay. [181770]
The Prime Minister: I replied to my right hon. Friend today.
Ministerial Powers
Mr. Bone: To ask the Prime Minister what the contingency arrangements are for (a) leadership of the Government and (b) control of the UK nuclear deterrent in circumstances of the unforeseen incapacity or death of the Prime Minister; and if he will make a statement. [183096]
The Prime Minister: I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave him on 12 September 2007, Official Report, column 2103W.
Treasury
Capital Gains Tax: Housing
Julia Goldsworthy: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what estimate he has made of the likely effect of his capital gains tax proposals on the second homes housing market. [183068]
Jane Kennedy: I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave the hon. Member for Carmarthen, East and Dinefwr (Adam Price) on 25 January 2008, Official Report, columns 2339-40W.
Care Homes: Stamp Duties
Lembit Öpik: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) if he will review the levels of stamp duty charged on care home leases; and if he will make a statement; [181926]
(2) whether there is an upper limit to the level of stamp duty which may be levied on individual care home leases; and if he will make a statement; [181927]
(3) what assessment he has made of the relationship between the cost of residential care home provision and the level of stamp duty levied on care home leases; and if he will make a statement. [181928]
Jane Kennedy: Stamp duty land tax on the grant of a new lease is charged separately on any premium and on the rent payable under the lease. The charge on the rent is 1 per cent. of the amount by which the discounted net present value of the rent payable exceeds the stamp duty land tax threshold. Stamp duty land tax on the premium is based on the amount of premium paid. Details of stamp duty land tax rates and thresholds can be found at:
No assessment has been made of the relationship between the cost of residential care home provision and the levels of stamp duty land tax levied on care home leases. But stamp duty land tax, like all other taxes, is kept under constant review as part of the Budget process.
Crown Lands and Estates: Wind Power
Mr. Carmichael: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what income the Crown Estate derived from wind powered electricity generating installations situated offshore in each financial year since 2001-02. [178653]
Angela Eagle: The information is as follows:
| Year end | Revenue (£) |
Departmental Information Officers
Mr. Jeremy Browne: To ask Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) how many (a) press and (b) communications officers his Department employed in each of the last 10 years; [182505]
(2) how much his Department paid in bonuses to press and communication officers in each of the last 10 years; and what the (a) highest and (b) lowest such bonus was in each of those years. [182711]
Angela Eagle: This information can be provided only at disproportionate cost.
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