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4 Feb 2008 : Column 928W—continued
Departmental Public Consultations
Mr. Hoban: To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster pursuant to the answer of 20 November 2007, Official Report, column 682W, on departmental public consultations, if he will place copies in the Library of the (a) summary and (b) full findings of each such internal survey undertaken since 1 March 2007. [180457]
Mr. Watson: The Department’s annual People Survey is an extensive survey and covers all staff. Reports of these annual surveys from 2005 and 2006 are available in the Library and the civil service website at:
A report on the 2007 annual survey, carried out in December 2007, will be published in due course.
In the run-up to the annual survey the Department conducted short internal surveys of a small sample of staff. These surveys were purely for internal management purposes only and are not for publication.
Innovation, Universities and Skills
Departmental ICT
Susan Kramer: To ask the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills how many (a) male and (b) female members of staff in his Department were issued with personal digital assistants in each year since 2001; and if he will make a statement. [181359]
Mr. Lammy: DIUS was created in July 2007 by the amalgamation of elements from BERR (formerly DTI) and DCSF (formerly DFES). As a consequence it has not existed for the time scale specified.
There are currently 50 males and 48 females who have been issued with personal digital assistants in DIUS.
English Language: Education
Mark Williams: To ask the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills at which institutions English for Speakers of Other Languages approved courses were delivered in the latest period for which figures are available; and at what level each provided courses. [181559]
Mr. Lammy: The latest set of data is from 2005/06 for those enrolled with a learning aim of English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) and is collected across nine Learning and Skills Council (LSC) regional locations. This is as follows:
| ESOL 2005/06 | |||||
| All levels | Entry level | Level 1 | Level 2 | ( 1) Unknown | |
| (1) Unknown: where the provider has not stipulated a level, often as the course can be tailored to meet different levels. | |||||
European Youth Pact
Mr. Hayes: To ask the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills what steps his Department has taken in consequence of the European Youth Pact. [181087]
Bill Rammell: The European Youth Pact calls on member states to equip young people with the necessary knowledge, opportunities, skills and competencies to ensure that they can contribute to the achievement of Lisbon goals of boosting jobs and growth. The United Kingdom implements the pact as part of its wider National Reform Programme (NRP) to meet these Lisbon goals.
The NRP involves a co-ordinated approach by a number of Government Departments and DIUS has a crucial role to play, particularly on skills. The Education and Skills Bill, which will bring in the legislative changes needed to implement key elements of the Leitch review, will increase participation in learning for young people and adults driving towards the Government's aim of a country with world class skills by 2020.
Flags
Mr. Hayes: To ask the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills if he will make a statement on his policy on the flying of EU flags by establishments for which his Department is responsible. [181702]
Mr. Lammy: The Department adheres to Government policy on the flying of EU flags on Government buildings. This policy states that the EU flag can be flown once a year on Europe Day (9 May), provided that the building has two or more flagpoles and that the Union flag is also flown in a superior position. Individual local authorities, and the educational establishments for which they are responsible, can choose to fly any flag of their choice.
Further Education: Higher Education
Mr. Hayes: To ask the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills how many students were studying for a higher educational qualification in a further education college in each of the last five years. [172277]
Bill Rammell: The latest available information is given in the following table.
| Higher education enrolments at English further education colleges( 1) —academic years 2001/02 to 2005/06 | |
| Academic year | Enrolments |
| (1) Birmingham College of Food, Tourism and Creative Studies transferred to the Higher Education sector in 2002 and Leeds College of Music transferred in July 2005. Note: Figures are on a DIUS whole year count basis, which counts students enrolled at any point in the academic year, and have been rounded to the nearest five. Source: Learning and Skills Council (LSC) Individualised Learner Record | |
The changes in the number of Higher Education Enrolments at Further Education Colleges will have been affected by the transfer of institutions from the Further Education sector to the Higher Education sector. In addition, changes in the reporting methods used to record franchising arrangements between Higher Education Institutions and Further Education Colleges may have contributed to the changes in numbers. Franchising is a process where students take a course delivered by an institution on behalf of another institution and this often occurs between Higher Education Institutions and Further Education Colleges.
Higher Education: Essex
Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills what percentage of school leavers went on to higher education in (a) Romford, (b) Essex and (c) Greater London in 2007. [181690]
Bill Rammell: This information is not held centrally.
The main measure for tracking progress on increasing participation in higher education is currently the higher education initial participation rate (HEIPR). This is the sum of the HE initial participation rates for individual ages between 17 and 30 inclusive. It covers English-domiciled first time entrants to HE courses, which are expected to last for at least six months, at UK higher education institutions and English, Scottish and Welsh further education colleges, and who remain on their course for at least six months. The latest available figure is 42.8 per cent. for 2005/06.
The equivalent figure for 18-year-olds only is 21.3 per cent. for 2005/06.
Figures for 2006/07 will become available in 2008. The HEIPR is not disaggregated below national level.
Higher Education: Student Wastage
Mr. Hayes: To ask the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills how many applicants accepted onto higher education courses did not commence those courses as first time students in (a) 2004-05, (b) 2005-06 and (c) 2006-07. [175790]
Bill Rammell: The available information, showing the number of students who obtained a place but opted to defer entry, is given in the table. The most recent information published by UCAS for 2007 entry shows that accepted applicants from England rose to 306,960, the highest ever figure.
| English domiciled students accepted for entry to full-time undergraduate courses at UK HE institutions | ||
| Year of entry | All accepted applicants | Of which: Those deferring entry |
| Source: Universities and Colleges Admissions Service (UCAS). Figures cover students who were accepted to first degree, foundation degree, HND and Dip HE courses, at UK HE institutions and at a small number of FE colleges. | ||
Investors in People: Finance
Mr. Hayes: To ask the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills what the sum revenue accrued from businesses by Investors in People UK was in the latest period for which figures are available. [181699]
Mr. Lammy: I can confirm that the sum revenue accrued from businesses by Investors in People UK for the year ended 31 March 2007 is £692,087, according to their published accounts.
Music: Internet
Mr. Amess:
To ask the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills what steps he has (a) taken and (b) plans to take to prevent the illegal downloading of (i) music and (ii) films from the internet; what discussions (A) he, (B) Ministers in his Department and (C) officials have had with representatives of the music and film industry on the
matter since June 2007; what the (1) location and (2) duration of each meeting was; whether a record of each meeting was kept; who attended each meeting; and if he will make a statement. [177119]
Ian Pearson: Ministers from the Department for Innovation Universities and Skills work regularly with other Ministers across Government. They have regular contact with representatives of the music and film industries, as have officials, to discuss a range of IP related issues including those relating to the protection of copyright.
The illegal downloading of copyright protected music and films from the internet is a serious issue and through the UK Intellectual Property Office DIUS works to tackle these issues, by ensuring that the legal framework for copyright is effective and by taking action on enforcement, for example through the National IP Crime Strategy. In addition we work with right holders and other stakeholders to improve awareness and respect for IP among users—to try and reduce demand for, and supply of, illegal content.
Ministers and officials from the UK-IPO meet regularly with representatives of the music and film industries as well as other stakeholders, such as other types of rightsholders, technology companies and users of copyright materials. Meetings often cover a diverse range of topics relating to copyright issues and in many instances will involve discussions on key issues such as the illegal downloading of online materials. A detailed inspection of the records shows that during the period in question meetings took place with a variety of organisations representing the music and film industries. Ministers and/or senior officials met with organisations such as British Music Rights, BPI, EMI, the Musicians’ Union, the British Copyright Council, the British Screen Advisory Council, the UK Film Council, Time Warner, and the Alliance against IP Theft. These meetings generally took place in either Government premises or at the offices of the organisation concerned, and commonly lasted for an hour or so. The extent of any records kept, including records of who attended, depends on the subject matter—in many instances these meetings were introductory meetings which covered a large number of topics. It is not known to what extent non-governmental attendees may have made their own records.
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