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10 July 2008 : Column 1800W—continued
Transplant Surgery
Mr. Stephen O'Brien: To ask the Secretary of State for Health on how many occasions has a donor organ or donor tissue has been available but an intended transplant procedure not taken place as a result of insufficient intensive care facilities in NHS hospitals in the last three years. [216221]
Ann Keen: This information is not held centrally.
Children, Schools and Families
Apprentices
Michael Gove: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families (1) what his Department's responsibilities are in relation to apprenticeships; and which Minister has those responsibilities; [217053]
(2) if he will place in the Library a copy of the written agreement between his Department and the Department for Innovation, Universities and Skills on the policy of handling and funding of apprenticeships. [217054]
Jim Knight:
There is a single apprenticeship programme. My Department and the Department for Innovation, Universities and Skills have shared responsibilities for apprenticeships. Significant policy decisions affecting apprenticeships for both young people and adults are
taken, with my Department leading on policy affecting apprentices under age 19 and the Department for Innovation Universities and Skills leading for apprentices post-19. The responsibility for apprenticeships was outlined in the Machinery of Government: Departmental Organisation paper published last summer and available in the Library. Funding for apprenticeships is detailed in a joint grant letter to the Learning and Skills Council from both Departments. ‘World-class Apprenticeships’, published in January 2008, set out our plans for the expansion of apprenticeships and for the new National Apprenticeship Service. I have arranged for our agreed policy document to be placed in the Library.
Children: Day Care
Mrs. Maria Miller: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families pursuant to the answer of 10 June 2008, Official Report, column 235-36W, how much of the £232 million from the Graduate Leader Fund dedicated to supporting settings to employ graduates will be spent on staff salaries. [213475]
Beverley Hughes: The Department does not specify what proportion of the £232 million Graduate Leader Fund, allocated to local authorities, is for graduate salaries. The Graduate Leader Fund is designed to incentivise the recruitment, employment and retention of graduates in private, voluntary and independent sector full day care settings. A condition of funding is that settings commit to employing graduate early years professionals and local authorities, in consultation with local providers, determine how to use this funding to secure that aim.
Mrs. Maria Miller: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families pursuant to the answer of 24 June 2008, Official Report, column 274W, on children: day care, how many and what proportion of local authorities have identified a shortfall in sufficiency of child care provision through the child care sufficiency assessment required by section 11 of the Childcare Act 2006. [217493]
Beverley Hughes: Child care sufficiency assessments had to be completed before the new duty on local authorities to secure sufficient child care for working parents came into force. The purpose of requiring all local authorities to undertake such assessments was to ensure that they have a better knowledge of supply, demand and the gaps between the two than had previously been the case, so that they are able to prioritise appropriately as they pursue their duty to secure sufficient child care for working parents. Every local authority will need actively to manage its child care market if it is to secure and sustain sufficient child care in both the short and the longer term.
Mrs. Maria Miller: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families (1) by what means his Department monitors local authority performance in increasing the levels of qualification among childcare staff employed by local government bodies; [217496]
(2) pursuant to the answer of 24 June 2008, Official Report, column 273W, on children: daycare, what evaluation mechanisms are in place to access the
effectiveness of the Sure Start early years and childcare grant in increasing the level of qualifications amongst childminders. [217565]
Beverley Hughes: The Childcare and Early Years Providers Survey collects information on qualifications held by staff working in child care and early years providers, including child minders. In addition the survey collects information on qualifications that staff are working towards and details of the ownership of the provision. The time series that this survey provides allows an assessment to be made of how qualifications are changing over time.
Data is not available at a local authority level. Data is not available on whether it is specifically the Sure Start early years and child care grant that has led to changes in qualifications.
Children’s Centres: Voluntary Organisations
Mrs. Maria Miller: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families pursuant to the answer of 16 May 2008, Official Report, column 1795W, on Sure Start: voluntary organisations, how many and what proportion of Sure Start children’s centres were run by voluntary organisations in each year since records have been available. [210028]
Beverley Hughes: Pursuant to the answer of 16 May 2008, Official Report, column 1795W, annual information on how many and what proportion of Sure Start children’s centres are run by voluntary organisations is not collected centrally. Our Sure Start children’s centres phase 3 planning and delivery guidance, issued November 2007, encourages local authorities to draw on the relevant and valuable expertise within the voluntary, private and independent sector (PVI) at an early stage about where children’s centres should be located and who should run them.
Education
Michael Gove: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families if he will place in the Library a copy of the joint working document on 14-19 policies commissioned by his Department with the Department for Innovation, Universities and Skills. [217055]
Jim Knight: On 29 June 2007, a day after the announcement of the Machinery of Government changes by the Prime Minister, a paper entitled “Machinery of Government: Departmental Organisation” was placed in the Libraries of both houses and on the Cabinet Office website. This document sets out clearly the roles and responsibilities of my Department and the Department for Innovation, Universities and Skills-giving the DCSF the lead responsibility for the reforms and delivery of the 14-19 curriculum and qualifications. This will include: increasing participation and attainment by young people by age 19; reducing the number of 16 to 18-year-olds who are not in education, employment or and training; and raising the participation age.
Education: Assessments
Michael Gove: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families how many pupils' results were exempted from appearing in school league tables in each of the last 10 years. [217199]
Jim Knight: There are only two circumstances in which pupil level results are excluded from final publication of key stage 2 to key stage 4 achievement and attainment tables for individual schools. All pupils are included in national level data.
The first is when schools request for pupils, recently admitted from overseas within the last two years with little or no English, to be discounted from the figures. We accept that these pupils are unlikely to be able to show what they can do in the tests until they have improved their English language skills and are more familiar with the school curriculum in this country.
The second is where schools have 10 or fewer pupils eligible to sit key stage 2 tests. In this situation, only ‘background information’ for these schools is published. In 2007 this applied to 1,149 schools for English results, 1,151 for maths results and 1,150 for science results.
The following table gives the number of pupils in 2007 whose results have not been attributed to any particular school for each of key stages 2 to 4 because they have arrived from overseas in the last two years and have little or no English.
| Number of overseas pupils whose results are not attributed to any one school | |
Further information is available only at disproportionate cost.
Michael Gove: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families (1) how many year 6 pupils were not entered for key stage two tests in 2007; [217203]
(2) how many year 9 pupils were not entered for key stage 3 tests in 2007; [217204]
(3) how many pupils who sat (a) key stage 2 and (b) key stage 3 tests had results which were exempted from classification in 2007. [217205]
Jim Knight: Pupil test results for both key Stage 2 and 3 are published annually in the School and College Achievement and Attainment Tables when pupils reach the end of a key stage.
Pupils who are working below the level of the test are not entered for tests.
Pupils who have been entered for tests, but not attained levels 2-5 for key stage 2 or levels 2-8 for key stage 3 may be placed in the following categories (other categories):
Working at the level of the tests, but unable to access them;
Left the school before the tests;
Absent on day of test;
No level awarded;
Test paper lost;
Mixed tier (pupil took papers of incompatible tiers in a subject);
Result annulled due to maladministration;
Result ineligible/disapplied.
The following table illustrates the numbers in these two categories in 2007 for both key stage 2 and 3, by subject:
| Pupils working below level of test | Other categories | |
Education: Film
Hugh Bayley: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families if the Government will bring forward legislative proposals to allow primary school teachers to show PG-rated films in class where the teacher believes the film is appropriate and of educational value, without having to secure prior parental approval; what his policy on the use of films in schools is; and if he will make a statement. [207886]
Jim Knight: We believe that appropriate films can help to broaden pupils’ minds and give insight into other cultures, people and languages. It is because of this, that over the next three years, we are providing £11.4 million to fund the roll out of Film Club—a programme which helps schools to set up film clubs and access a wide range of quality films. BBFC film classifications are provided on a statutory basis to give the public, especially parents, information on films to help them make decisions about what their children watch. The BBFC consider that a ‘PG’ film should not disturb a child aged around eight or older. However, parents—and those acting in loco parentis—are advised to consider whether the content may upset younger or more sensitive children. There is no need for the legislation suggested, as there is no legal restriction on schools showing PG-rated films to pupils. Teachers are best placed to decide whether showing a film to illustrate an issue is a good way for children and young people to learn, but they must ensure that the film is suitable for all students to view. Responsible school policy may require teachers to seek the agreement of parents.
Education: International Cooperation
Mr. Boswell: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families what steps he is taking with the Department for Innovation, Universities and Skills to promote the Government’s strategy for international education. [217245]
Jim Knight: The Department for Children, Schools and Families and the Department for Innovation, Universities and Skills continue to promote the Government’s strategy for international education through active participation in international organisations including the European Union, the OECD, the Council of Europe, the Commonwealth and UNESCO as well as through the development of a number of bilateral and international education programmes such as the Prime Minister’s Initiative for International Education, the Prime Minister’s Global Fellowship Programme, the Graduate Work Experience Programme (China and India); the International School Award and the Global Gateway; the International Leadership and Learning Programme and the Teachers’ International Professional Development Programme. The Department is also working closely with DIUS to ensure that the European Skills Review, as outlined in the Prime Minister’s “Global Europe” paper, highlights the importance of skills acquisition in the European Union, to help achieve future economic prosperity and social inclusion for EU citizens.
Education: Young Offender Institutions
Mr. Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families (1) how many full-time (a) special educational needs co-ordinators and (b) learning support assistants there have been in each young offender institution since 1997; and if he will make a statement; [217683]
(2) how many part-time (a) special educational needs co-ordinators and (b) learning support assistants there have been in each young offender institution since 1997; and if he will make a statement; [217684]
(3) what minimum qualifications are required for (a) special needs co-ordinators and (b) learning support assistants in young offender institutions; and if he will make a statement. [217685]
Beverley Hughes: Information on the numbers of special educational needs co-ordinators and learning support assistants in young offender institutions (YOIs) is not collected centrally.
As is the case in the mainstream education sector, there are no minimum qualifications required of special educational needs co-ordinators and learning support assistants in young offender institutions. It is for the institution to decide who to employ; matching qualifications and experience held by the applicant to the individual needs of the institution and the young offenders held within it.
Sport England: Greater London
Ms Buck: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families how much was allocated per capita in each London local authority area by Sport England in each year since 2003. [216476]
Mr. Sutcliffe: I have been asked to reply.
Sport England has advised that the amount allocated per capita in each London local authority for each year since 2003 is as follows:
| Financial Year 2003/04 | ||||
| London borough | Total (£) | Funding | Population (Thousand) | Per capita (£) |
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