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16 Oct 2008 : Column 1494W—continued
From 2008/09 all eligible learners who enrol on an E2E program are entitled to receive EMA on a non-income assessed basis which means they receive the maximum amount of £30 award.
The Learning and Skills Council contracted Liberata to introduce an online application system this year for the first time. We regret that a delay occurred to the launch of the new online learner application system because of some issues with the system in testing, and wanted to ensure that it was absolutely right before making it available to learners.
It is important to note that, as in previous years, learners are able to apply for EMA by paper application forms that are available from schools, colleges, connexions services, learning providers and by calling the helpline.
The number of applications received is broadly in line with our expectations for the year.
Michael Gove: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families which companies bid for the education maintenance allowance contract which was awarded to Liberata; and by what criteria such bids were assessed. [226047]
Jim Knight: This is a matter for the Learning and Skills Council (LSC) who operate the Education Maintenance Allowance (EMA) for the Department for Children, Schools and Families (DCSF). The LSC contracts with Liberata UK Ltd to carry out the helpline, assessment and payment function. Mark Haysom, the LSC’s Chief Executive, will write to the hon. Member for Surrey Heath with the information requested and a copy of his reply will be placed in the House Library.
Letter from Mark Haysom, dated 15 October 2008:
I am writing in response to your Parliamentary Questions that asked; “Which companies bid for the education maintenance allowance contract which was awarded to Liberate; and by what criteria such bids were assessed.”
Over 30 companies showed an expression of interest but only two progressed to competitive dialogue. Capita and Liberata bid for the contract to administer the Learner Support Programme, of which Education Maintenance Allowance is a part.
The LSC carried out the procurement process in accordance with the Public Contracts Regulations 2006 using competitive dialogue. This allowed the LSC to work closely with both bidders over a number of months ensuring that there was understanding of requirements and potential solutions on both sides. At the end of this both bidders were asked to submit a proposal and that was evaluated against an agreed evaluation model. The key criteria were quality and cost, which included making assessments of their operational delivery capability, technical solutions, project and programme management, proposals for handling transition arrangements, value for money, and sensitivity to increases in volumes of applications.
Education Maintenance Allowance: Lancashire
Rosie Cooper: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families how many people in West Lancashire constituency have received education maintenance allowance since its inception. [225758]
Jim Knight: This is a matter for the Learning and Skills Council (LSC) who operate the education maintenance allowance (EMA) for the Department for Children, Schools and Families (DCSF) and hold information about payments made under the scheme. Mark Haysom, the LSC’s Chief Executive, will write to my hon. Friend with the information requested and a copy of his reply will be placed in the House Library.
Letter from Mark Haysom, dated 15 October 2008:
I am writing in response to your Parliamentary Question that asked; “How many people in West Lancashire constituency have received Education Maintenance Allowance since its inception.”
Information on the number of young people who have applied, enrolled and received Education Maintenance Allowance (EMA) is available at Local Authority Level, but not at constituency level. EMA take-up is defined as young people who have received one or more EMA payments in the academic year.
In the first year of national roll out EMA was available to all 16 year olds across England and to 17 and 18 year olds in former pilot areas (young people who are 19 are entitled to receive EMA in certain circumstances). In 2005/06 EMA roll out continued and EMA was available to all 16 and 17 year olds nationally. In 2006/07 EMA was available to all 16, 17 and 18 year olds nationally.
EMA take-up for Lancashire Local Authority area during each academic year since inception is as follows:
| Number | |
| (1) To end September 2008 | |
EMA Take-up data showing the number of young people who have received one or more EMA payments during 2004/05, 2005/06, 2006/07 and 2007/08 is available on the LSC website, at the following address:
Families
John Mann: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families how many children under 11 years of age live in single-parent families in (a) Bassetlaw constituency and (b) England. [225344]
Kevin Brennan: I have been asked to reply.
The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority. I have asked the authority to reply.
Letter from Karen Dunnell, dated October2008:
As National Statistician, I have been asked to reply to your recent question asking how many children under 11 years live in single-parent families in (a) Bassetlaw and (b) England. (225344)
Using the Annual Population Survey household dataset for January to December 2007, the figures to the nearest thousand, are as follows:
| Area | Number of children under 11 in single-parent families in 2007 |
The APS household datasets are designed for analyses at the family and household levels and for person-level analyses involving
the characteristics of the families and households in which people live. More information can be found here:
As with any sample survey, estimates from the APS are subject to a margin of uncertainty as different samples give different results.
General Certificate of Secondary Education
Mr. Brady: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families what proportion of children taking GCSEs in (a) grammar schools, (b) comprehensive schools, (c) secondary modern schools and (d) independent schools were awarded five or more GCSEs, broken down at (i) A* to A and (ii) A* to B grades in the most recent year for which figures are available. [224526]
Jim Knight [holding answer 6 October]: The information broken down at A*-C can be found in table 3 of the following Statistical First Release (SFR):
DCSF: GCSE and Equivalent Examination Results in England 2006/07 (Revised)
Further breakdown of grades can be provided only at disproportionate cost.
General Certificate of Secondary Education: Special Educational Needs
Mrs. Maria Miller: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families in what formats GCSE examinations are available for children (a) with a (i) visual and (ii) hearing impairment and (b) who are dyslexic; and how many times each such format has been used in the last three years. [221705]
Jim Knight: The regulation of public examinations in England is the responsibility of Ofqual. Ofqual requires awarding bodies to provide examination papers in appropriate formats to ensure candidates with disabilities have access to examinations.
It is the responsibility of the Joint Council for Qualifications (JCQ) to coordinate these formats on behalf of the awarding bodies.
Details of these formats are published in the JCQ guidance “Regulations and Guidance Relating to Candidates who are Eligible for Adjustments in Examinations”. This guidance is available online at
The following table sets out how many times these formats have been approved for children with (a) (i) visual and (ii) hearing impairment and (b) who are dyslexic in the last three years.
Home Education
Michael Gove: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families what estimate he has made of the total number of children under 16 years of age who are home educated in England. [226441]
Jim Knight: We have made no estimate of the number of children who are home educated in England.
Pre-school Education
Mrs. Maria Miller: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families how many and what proportion of children in the 10 per cent. (a) most and (b) least deprived local authority areas were working securely within each of the 13 assessment scales of the Foundation Stage Assessment Profiles in each year since 2005. [226005]
Beverley Hughes [holding answer 13 October 2008]: Information is only available for seven of the 13 assessment scales and for children resident in the 30 per cent. most deprived areas. This is shown for 2007-08 in the tables which have been placed in the House of Commons Library. Further information on the proportion of children working securely within the additional six assessment scales and for earlier years can be compiled and checked only at a disproportionate cost.
The most recent information on the Foundation Stage Profile was published in the Statistical First Release 25/2008 “Foundation Stage Profile results in England 2007/08” on 18 September 2008, which is available on the Department’s website
Mrs. Maria Miller: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families how many and what proportion of children in (a) Basingstoke, (b) Hampshire and (c) each region were working securely within each of the 13 assessment scales of the Foundation Stage Assessment Profiles in each year since 2005. [226006]
Beverley Hughes [holding answer 13 October 2008]: The available information for 2005 to 2008 is shown in the tables which have been placed in the House of Commons Library. Information is not available at parliamentary constituency level.
The most recent information on the Foundation Stage Profile was published in the Statistical First Release 25/2008 “Foundation Stage Profile results in England 2007/08” on 18 September 2008, which is available on the Department’s website
Pre-school Education: Finance
Mrs. Maria Miller: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families what assessment his Department has made of the (a) adequacy of the funding for the extension of the free entitlement to nursery care to all two-year-olds nationwide and (b) the ability of the private, voluntary and independent sector to meet the costs of these places. [227441]
Beverley Hughes: We are currently working with our delivery partners to develop plans to extend the free early education entitlement for two-year-olds. 63 local authorities are currently delivering up to 15 hours of free provision to the most deprived two-year-olds. £100 million funding is available to fund this pilot until April 2011. The child care strategy announced in June and to be published by the end of this year, will set out next steps. The funding for the next stages of the child care strategy will be taken in the light of the wider fiscal position.
Pupil Exclusions
Michael Gove: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families (1) how many pupils received more than (a) 10, (b) 11, (c) 12, (d) 13, (e) 14 and (f) 15 or more fixed period exclusions in a 12-month period in each of the last five years; [226443]
(2) how many pupils have been given more than three fixed period exclusions in the last three years. [226444]
Jim Knight: Information on the number of pupils who have received fixed period exclusions was collected for the first time for the school year 2003/04. The available information is shown in the tables. Information on pupils who have received more than (a) 10, (b) 11, (c) 12, (d) 13, (e) 14 and (f) 15 fixed period exclusions can be provided only at disproportionate costs. Due to changes in the underlying data collection, information for the school year 2005/06 is only available for secondary schools.
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