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26 Nov 2008 : Column 1842W—continued

Departmental Press Releases

Mr. Jeremy Browne: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families how many press releases have been issued by his Department in each year since its inception; and if he will make a statement. [238985]

Sarah McCarthy-Fry: It has not proved possible to respond in the time available before Prorogation.

Departmental Procurement

Mr. Philip Hammond: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families whether there has been any nugatory cost to his Department and its agencies relating to tendered procurement where the tender process has been cancelled prior to the award of the contract since the inception of his Department. [239687]

Sarah McCarthy-Fry: It has not proved possible to respond in the time available before Prorogation.

Departmental Public Opinion

Mr. Jeremy Browne: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families how much his Department has spent on (a) focus groups and (b) opinion polls in each year since its inception; how much he estimates will be spent on each category in 2008-09; and if he will make a statement. [239044]

Sarah McCarthy-Fry: It has not proved possible to respond in the time available before Prorogation.


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Departmental Public Relations

Mr. Ancram: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families how much his Department spent on (a) entertainment, (b) advertising and promotion and (c) public relations consultancy in 2007-08. [228084]

Sarah McCarthy-Fry: It has not proved possible to respond in the time available before Prorogation.

Departmental Responsibilities

Mr. Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families which regional offices have responsibilities for delivering (a) funding and (b) services relating to policy objectives set by his Department; and if he will make a statement. [237154]

Ed Balls: The Department for Children, Schools and Families (DCSF) works with all nine of the English regional Government Offices.

Each year my Department specifies its expectations of Government Offices in the delivery of DCSF policies and priorities. For 2008-09 these include supporting the

implementation of the Children's Plan, Every Child Matters and achievement of the Public Service Agreements.

DCSF currently delegates £92 million of programme funding to Government Offices in support of these objectives.

Education

Mr. Gibb: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families pursuant to the Answer of 17 October 2008, Official Report, column 1585W, on education, if he will provide a breakdown of the funding allocated to each programme listed in Table 1. [233078]

Sarah McCarthy-Fry: Table 1 lists the programmes aggregated under the “Other Miscellaneous” title and their corresponding projected allocations for 2008-09, as shown in the 2008 departmental annual report.


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Table 1: List of Other Miscellaneous Programmes

£ million

Schools

Music and Dance Capital

34

Medical Fees and Services

1

Premature Retirement Compensation

12

Teacher Development Agency

600

National College for School Leadership

83

Partnership for Schools

1

Inclusion Programmes/Behaviour/Aim higher/Alternative provision

4

Governors/Admissions/Independent State Schools/Travel Advisers/School Meals

5

Teachers Pensions Contractual

1

Partnerships and Federations

9

Pupil attainment and assessment publications

1

Gifted and Talented/ Study Support/ Playing for Success

32

Curriculum

32

Sport

22

Total

837

Children and Families

LEA Capacity and Intervention

14

Comms Unit—CYPFD and SD

8

CYPFD capital grants

7

Children’s Commissioner’s Office

3

Voluntary Community Sector CYPF Grant

1

Adoption/Bichard Implementation Plan/Contact Point

2

Parenting Fund

15

Priority Fund

2

S48 Inspection Grants

31

Total

83

Young People

Youth Challenge Fund

4

NYA Grants

8

Youth Facilities Capital

7

Youth Sector Support

6

Teenage Pregnancy/Substance Misuse

2

Youth Capital Fund

71

Youth Services

15

Total

113

Support for all functions

Centre for Procurement Performance salary related costs

1

Total

1


Education Maintenance Allowance

Michael Gove: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families under what circumstances his Department may terminate its education maintenance allowance contract with Liberata. [226046]

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.

Mr. Clifton-Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families what steps he has taken to improve communications between the administrators of the education maintenance allowance (EMA) and (a) members of the general public and (b) hon. Members calling on the EMA MP helpline. [235309]

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 manage the contract for EMA delivery with Liberata. Mark Haysom, the LSC's chief executive, has written to the hon. Member for Cotswold with the information requested and a copy of his reply will be placed in the House Library.


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Letter from Mark Haysom, dated 21 November 2008:

Mr. Clifton-Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families if he will consider extending the deadline for education maintenance allowance (EMA) applications for applicants who have been unable to submit EMA applications owing to the technical and administrative difficulties experienced in (a) accepting and (b) processing them. [235310]

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 manage the contract with Liberata for the processing of EMA applications and the delivery of EMA payments. Mark Haysom, the LSC's Chief Executive, has written to the hon. Member for Cotswold with the information requested and a copy of his reply will be placed in the House Library.

Letter from Mark Haysom, 21 November 2008:


26 Nov 2008 : Column 1846W

Mr. Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families what sanctions he plans to impose on Liberata for failing to make education maintenance allowance payments on time; and if he will make a statement. [237372]

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 helpline, assessment and payment function for EMA will be transferring to Capita from 28 November 2008. Mark Haysom, the LSC's chief executive, will write to the hon. Member for Yeovil with the information requested and a copy of his reply will be placed in the House Library.

Mr. Gibb: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families how many students have (a) received a notice of entitlement for the education maintenance allowance, (b) successfully enrolled and (c) received at least one payment since September 2008. [239469]

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). Mark Haysom the LSC’s Chief Executive, will write to the hon. Member for Bognor Regis and Littlehampton with the information requested and a copy of his reply will be placed in the House Library,

Education Maintenance Allowance: Contracts

Mr. Gibb: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families what (a) contractual and (b) other penalties will be imposed on Liberata in respect of its administration of education maintenance allowances. [238072]

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 helpline, assessment and payment function for EMA will be transferring to Capita from 28 November 2008, Mark Haysom, the LSC’s chief executive, will write to the hon. Member for Bognor Regis and Littlehampton with the information requested and a copy of his reply will be placed in the House Library.

Education Maintenance Allowance: ICT

Justine Greening: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families (1) what percentage of applications for education maintenance allowance (EMA) for 2008-09 have been recorded on the new EMA IT system; [237292]

(2) how much was spent on the new education maintenance allowance IT system in (a) 2006-07, (b) 2007-08 and (c) 2008-09. [237293]

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), Mark Haysom,
26 Nov 2008 : Column 1847W
the LSC's Chief Executive, will write to the hon. Member for Putney with the information requested and a copy of his reply will be placed in the House Library.


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