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12 Jan 2009 : Column 16W—continued
Schools: Admissions
Dr. Kumar: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families what steps his Department has taken to reduce the school drop-out rate in (a) England, (b) the North East, (c) Tees Valley district and (d) Middlesbrough South and East Cleveland constituency. [245020]
Jim Knight: The Government have put in place a number of actions to encourage and support young people to remain in learning beyond compulsory schooling. These include:
the September Guarantee, an offer of a suitable place in learning for all young people leaving Year 11, was extended this year for the first time to 17-year-olds, to support young people on short courses or who were NEET during the year to re-engage. Latest data shows that over 94 per cent. of 16-year-olds and almost 80 per cent. of this 17-year-old group received an offer of a place in learning this year;
a range of financial support is available to young people to help them continue in education or training. This includes education maintenance allowance, learner support funds, residential bursaries, Care to Learn and dance and drama awards;
the NEET strategy (November 2007) introduced a number of measures to increase participation including a duty on providers to notify Connexions when a young person drops out of learning, and encouraging providers to offer more flexible and responsive provision throughout the academic year.
The Learning and Skills Council has a specific responsibility to raise participation in each local area.
As a result of local and national action and support 78.7 per cent. of young people were in education and training at the end of 2007—the highest rate ever, whilst the proportion of young people not in education, employment or training (NEET) reduced 1 percentage point from 10.4 per cent. in 2006 to 9.4 per cent. in 2007, the equivalent of 20,000 fewer young people NEET.
In the North East, 76 per cent. of 17-year-olds were in education and training at the end of 2006 (the latest date for which data are available). In 2007 the proportion of young people not in education, employment or training (NEET) in the North East was 10.0 per cent. Data are not available for Tees Valley or Middlesbrough South and East Cleveland as the data cannot be broken down to area or constituency level.
Schools: Standards
Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families with reference to the answer of 26 November 2008, Official Report, column 1865W, on schools: standards, to which national challenge school the answer refers. [244993]
Jim Knight: I will write to my hon. Friend with the information requested and will place a copy of my response in the Library.
Sex and Relationships Education Steering Group
Mr. Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families (1) if he will place in the Library a copy of each piece of written evidence that has been presented to the Sex and Relationships Education Steering Group; and if he will make a statement; [245205]
(2) if he will place in the Library a copy of each piece of research which has been commissioned by the Sex and Relationship Education Steering Group; what the cost was of each; and if he will make a statement; [245206]
(3) how much has been spent by the Sex and Relationships Education Steering Group in each year since its establishment; and if he will make a statement; [244885]
(4) what discussions (a) he, (b) Ministers in his Department and (c) officials in his Department have had since January 2008 with the Roman Catholic church on material disseminated by his Department to Catholic schools on sex and relationship education; what views the Catholic church put forward in those discussions; and if he will make a statement. [244886]
Jim Knight: The Sex and Relationships Education (SRE) steering group was established in March 2008 and had its final meeting in October 2008, at which it signed-off its report and recommendations to Government. Steering group members were reimbursed travelling expenses, but were not paid a fee for participating in the review.
To inform its consideration of the issues, the steering group commissioned:
Two on-line surveys: one seeking young people’s views on the SRE they had received at school; and the other seeking teachers’ views on what was preventing more effective delivery of SRE. The young-people survey was supplemented with a residential event with a small group of UK Youth Parliament members to discuss issues in more detail. The administration of the surveys, the analysis of the results and facilitation of the residential event were undertaken by the Sex Education Forum, which was paid £13,625 to carry out this work; and
Two literature reviews: one which reviewed the existing evidence on parents’ views on SRE; and one which reviewed the international evidence on the impact of SRE. These reviews were carried out free of charge by Professor Roger Ingham, from the Centre for Sexual Health Research, Department of Psychology, University of Southampton, who was a member of the SRE review steering group.
The total cost of the review was £18,630.
Presentations were made to the steering group, summarising the key findings of the on-line surveys and literature reviews. A copy of each presentation will be placed in the House of Commons Library. In addition, a number of individuals and organisations submitted evidence to an ‘SRE Review’ e-mail account that was established to allow those who were unable to be accommodated on the steering group itself, to submit views. These submissions were circulated to the SRE review steering group for their consideration. Copies of these submissions will also be placed in the House of Commons Library.
Oona Stannard, Chief Executive of the Catholic Education Service was a member of the SRE Review steering group and was in full agreement with the group’s report and recommendations. Other than the SRE guidance published in 2000, and the non-statutory programmes of study for Personal Well-Being issued in 2007, the Government have not issued guidance to Catholic or other schools on SRE delivery. The resources that schools use to support delivery of their SRE programmes are determined by each individual school.
The Government published their response to the report by the SRE review steering group on 23 October. A copy of both the group’s report and the Government response are available at:
Social Services: Complaints
Mr. Graham Stuart: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families how many complaints were made against social services departments in each local authority area in Yorkshire and the Humber in the last 12 months; and if he will make a statement. [244691]
Beverley Hughes: This information is not collected centrally. However, local authorities are required to keep a record of:
each representation/complaint received;
the outcome of each, that is, the decisions made in response to the representation/complaint and any action to be taken; and
whether there was compliance with the time limits.
Each local authority must produce an annual report drawing on this information. This report should not contain personal information that is identifiable about any individual complainant.
Young People: Mental Health
Jo Swinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families what assessment he has made of the recommendations relevant to his Department's policy responsibilities made in the Foresight report on Mental Capital and Wellbeing, with particular regard to those recommendations concerning young people and adolescents; and if he will make a statement. [244012]
Beverley Hughes: We welcome the Foresight report ‘Mental Capital and Wellbeing: Making the Most of Ourselves in the 21st Century’, published in October 2008. The report's broad analysis and recommendations are very much in line with the approach in the Children's Plan. In particular, we welcome the distinction made in the report between the development of positive well-being and tackling of mental health conditions.
We are already taking forward key programmes of work that are highlighted within the report such as work around parenting, children's social and emotional skills and the early years foundation stage.
In addition, the Government's initial response to the final report of the independent review of Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services, ‘Children and Young People in Mind’, published on 18 November, set out a strong package of proposals and action that are directly relevant to much of the Foresight report's findings. We have set up a National Advisory Council for children's mental health and psychological well-being to advise us on implementing the recommendations of the independent review of CAMHS report and hold us to account on progress. Services for vulnerable children have been identified as a key priority area for the implementation of the CAMHS review's recommendations.
Work and Pensions
Child Support Agency: Pay
Jenny Willott: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what plans there are to pay bonuses to staff at the Child Support Agency in respect of the present year. [242173]
Kitty Ussher: The administration of the child maintenance system is a matter for the commissioner of the Child Maintenance and Enforcement Commission. He will write to the hon. Member with the information requested.
In reply to your recent Parliamentary Question about the Child Support Agency, the Secretary of State promised a substantive reply from the Child Maintenance Commissioner.
You asked the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what plans there are to pay bonuses to staff at the Child Support Agency in respect of the present year. [242173]
The Child Support Agency was an executive Agency of the Department for Work and Pensions until 31 October 2008 when responsibility for the Agency and its people transferred to the Child Maintenance and Enforcement Commission. In this present year the Commission will operate bonus schemes similar to those already agreed when the Agency was part of the Department for Work and Pensions.
There are two bonus schemes: the individual performance bonus scheme and the special bonus scheme. Individual performance bonuses are based on annual appraisals markings and are awarded at the end of the operational year. Additional special bonuses can be awarded to an individual outside the annual appraisal system, to recognise and reward an exceptional personal or team achievement.
I hope you find this answer helpful.
Children: Maintenance
Ms Keeble: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what consideration is made of the implications for child poverty in second homes when debts to the Child Support Agency are enforced. [241925]
Kitty Ussher: The Child Maintenance and Enforcement Commission is responsible for the child maintenance system. I have therefore asked the Child Maintenance Commissioner to write to the hon. Member with the information requested.
In reply to your recent Parliamentary Question about the Child Support Agency, the Secretary of State promised a substantive reply from the Child Maintenance Commissioner as the Child Support Agency is now the responsibility of the Child Maintenance and Enforcement Commission.
You asked the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what consideration is made of the implications for child poverty in second homes when debts to the Child Support Agency are enforced. [241925]
Child maintenance debt is owed by non-resident parents to their children as a result of their failure to meet their financial responsibilities. If the non-resident parent has a second family with which he or she lives the children of that family are taken into account in the maintenance calculation and the non-resident parent's liability is adjusted accordingly. There is an over-riding duty to consider the welfare of the child in child support law and this extends to the responsibility the non-resident parent may have towards any second family. The Child Support Agency also takes into account representations of hardship from the non-resident parent when negotiating an arrears arrangement.
I hope you find this answer helpful.
Jenny Willott: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how much uncollectable Child Support Agency arrears has been categorised as (a) probably and (b) possibly uncollectable, broken down by debt analysis type. [242175]
Kitty Ussher: The Child Maintenance and Enforcement Commission is responsible for the child maintenance system. I have therefore asked the commissioner to write to the hon. Member with the information requested.
In reply to your recent Parliamentary Question about the Child Support Agency, the Secretary of State promised a substantive reply from the Child Maintenance Commissioner.
You asked the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how much uncollectable Child Support Agency arrears has been categorised as (a) probably and (b) possibly uncollectable broken down by debt analysis type. [242175]
The Agency undertakes an annual debt analysis exercise based on a sample of cases, to estimate the amount of debt assessed as collectable, and that which is deemed either possibly, or probably uncollectable. The results of this annual sample exercise are subject to review by the National Audit Office as part of their audit of the Agency’s accounts. The estimate for the year ending March 2008 was published with the Agency’s 2008 Annual Report and Accounts in July this year. A copy of the Annual Report and Accounts can be found in the House of Commons Library or on line at the following link:
The latest estimate is also routinely published in Table 22 of the Agency’s Quarterly Summary of Statistics, and has been set out in the attached table for ease.
It should be noted that classing a debt as possibly or probably uncollectable does not mean the Agency will not take action in the future to collect any outstanding money. The Agency will continue to make every effort to ensure parents fulfil their financial responsibility to their children.
I hope you find this answer helpful.
Jenny Willott: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many uncleared Child Support Agency applications there have been in each month since May 1997. [242190]
Kitty Ussher: The Child Maintenance and Enforcement Commission is responsible for the child maintenance system. I have therefore asked the Commissioner to write to the hon. Member with the information requested.
In reply to your recent Parliamentary Question about the Child Support Agency, the Secretary of State promised a substantive reply from the Child Maintenance Commissioner as the Child Support Agency is now the responsibility of the Child Maintenance and Enforcement Commission.
You asked the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many uncleared Child Support Agency applications there have been in each month since May 1997. [242190]
Information on the number of uncleared cases is routinely published in Tables 1 and 2.1 and the Summary and Target sections of the Child Support Agency Quarterly Summary of Statistics, the latest copy of which is available in the House of Commons Library or online at:
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