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27 Jan 2009 : Column 466W—continued

2007/08
Sector subject area	Adult and community learning enrolments	Further education enrolments	University for industry enrolments	Work based learning starts	Train to gain starts
Agriculture, Horticulture and Animal Care	15,400	75,800	*	4,500	5,700
Arts, Media and Publishing	300,800	428,200	100	100	100
Business, Administration and Law	6,800	322,300	7,700	51,800	49,700
Construction, Planning and the Built Environment	5,400	142,800	*	27,800	49,100
Education and Training	10,100	93,700	1,300	300	3,400
Engineering and Manufacturing Technologies	5,200	163,100	6,800	43,100	39,200
Health, Public Services and Care	74,300	535,400	3,800	31,100	73,100
History, Philosophy and Theology	14,600	106,100	100	*	—
Information and Communication Technology	127,200	402,500	44,400	8,000	8,400
Languages, Literature and Culture	100,100	276,200	900	*	*
Leisure, Travel and Tourism	137,300	219,400	200	6,300	9,400
Preparation for Life and Work	199,400	1,763,600	499,700	*	37,600
Retail and Commercial Enterprise	35,900	209,500	*	49,300	56,000
Science and Mathematics	3,800	300,200	1,100	*	100
Social Sciences	1,900	85,800	*	*	—
Not Known	*	595,700	165,100	58,200	*
Total	1,038,200	5,720,200	731,200	280,600	331,800
‘*’ = Indicates a figure of less than 50. Notes: 1. Data for ACL, Further Education and UFI are based on learner enrolments. One learner may enrol on more than one course e.g. 2 A-levels and will be counted for each learning aim they are recorded on. 2. Data for Work-based learning and Train to Gain are based on learner starts, by year in which the programme of learning was started. 3. Data for Work-based learning include apprenticeships (all levels) and Entry to Employment. 4. Data do not exist on a comparable basis prior to 2004/05. 5. Figures may not sum to totals due to rounding. 7. Train to gain was launched in April 2006, so comparable data do not exist for 2004/05. Source: Individualised Learner records

Vocational Training

Anne Main: To ask the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills what studies his Department has made into giving Government funding to firms to move staff on to part-time working and to use the remaining time to retrain them. [250836]

Mr. Simon: The Department for Innovation, Universities and Skills has not conducted research specifically on the issue of Government funding to businesses to move on to part-time working and provide training part-time.

Duchy of Lancaster

10 Downing Street

Mr. Maude: To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what the retail prices of (a) oven gloves, (b) aprons, (c) teddy bears, (d) photo frames and (e) fruit drops were in the Downing Street gift shop (i) before and (ii) after the reduction in the rate of value added tax to 15 per cent. [249952]

Kevin Brennan: I refer the right hon. Member to the answer I gave him on 13 January 2009, Official Report, columns 581-82W.

27 Jan 2009 : Column 467W

10 Downing Street: Cost Effectiveness

Mr. Maude: To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster with reference to the answer of 17 July 2008, Official Report, column 625W, on Downing Street: cost effectiveness, what Gershon savings have been made by 10 Downing Street in each year since the requirements for such savings were set. [249904]

Kevin Brennan: The Prime Minister's Office forms an integral part of the Cabinet Office. Details of the Cabinet Office's Gershon Efficiency Programme in relation to SR 2004 were reported in full for the final time in Cabinet Office Autumn Performance Report 2008 which is available in the Libraries of the House for the reference of Members.

10 Downing Street: Repairs and Maintenance

Mr. Hurd: To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster whether the internal works to No. 10 Downing Street associated with the planning application with Westminster City Council reference 08/00696/1884 have been completed; and what expenditure has been incurred on them. [250337]

Mr. Pickles: To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster how much has been spent from the public purse in connection with work in 10 Downing Street associated with Westminster city council planning application reference 08/00696/1884; and on what date the work was completed. [252475]

Kevin Brennan: The work has been completed. Expenditure figures for 2008-09 will be available after the end of the financial year, once the Cabinet Office accounts have been audited and laid before Parliament.

Carers: Vocational Training

Mr. Kidney: To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster if he will bring forward proposals for extended periods of work experience, training and mentoring for care leavers as part of development of policy under the New Opportunities: Fair Chances for the Future White Paper. [249543]

Beverley Hughes: I have been asked to reply.

Our White Paper “New Opportunities: Fair chances for the Future” includes a commitment to improve the support given to care leavers. The Government will fund the National Care Advisory Service for the next two years to work with local authorities and national employers to develop and test models of support into employment. These models will be extended to half of all local authorities in 2010-11 as part of a phased national roll-out. They will include ensuring that care leavers are able to have the opportunity to benefit from apprenticeships, work experience and career mentoring to put them on the path to success.

We will also be taking steps so that from September 2009 all suitably qualified care leavers will be offered an apprenticeship place, with a view to making this a legal entitlement from 2013.

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Census

Mr. Gordon Prentice: To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster if he will re-assess the merits of the 100-year rule prohibiting publication of census details in the light of the early release of the 1911 census information. [249612]

Kevin Brennan: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK statistics Authority. I have asked the authority to reply.

Letter from Dennis Roberts, dated January 2009:

The National Statistician has been asked to reply to your question asking whether the merits of the 100 year rule will be re-assessed. I am replying in her absence. (249612)

There are no plans to change the policy of closure of census records. Censuses from 1921 onwards were taken under the authority of the Census Act 1920 and are retained in the custody of the National Statistician with the approval of the Lord Chancellor by virtue of Section 3(4) of the Public Records Act. The 1921 Census records are scheduled to be released to the public in January 2022.

We know from experience that there are public concerns about the confidentiality of the Census and the uses to which the information is put. At the time of a Census explicit assurances are given about the confidentiality of information supplied. If the period of closure for census records were changed now, we would be concerned that this would impact negatively on the public’s response. Censuses are conducted for statistical purposes and the later use of them by genealogists is a secondary benefit that should never be allowed to jeopardise the coverage and quality of future Censuses.

This policy has recently been re-stated in the 2011 Census White Paper which was published on 11 December 2008.

Please note that the 1911 Census will not be fully open to the public until January 2012. On 13 January the National Archives began releasing a set of information from the 1911 Census. This does not include sensitive personal information, which is currently withheld.

Central Government: Manpower

Mr. Maude: To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster with reference to the Office for National Statistics’ Public Sector Employment figures for (a) Q2 2008 and (b) Q3 2008, what increases in the employee headcount of which Government (a) Departments and (b) agencies account for the overall increase in central Government employment; and by how much the headcount increased in each case. [249905]

Kevin Brennan: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK statistics Authority. I have asked the authority to reply.

Letter from Karen Dunnell, dated January 2009:

As National Statistician I have been asked to reply to your recent Parliamentary Question, with reference to the Office for National Statistics’ Public Sector Employment figures for (a) Q2 2008 and (b) Q3 2008, what increase in the employee headcount of which Government (a) departments and (b) agencies account for the overall increase in central government employment; and by how much the headcount increased in each case. (249905)

In Q2 2008, employment in central government increased by 10,000. This increase was driven by a growth in employment in the NHS (12,000 increase). In the same period, the number of employees in the Civil Service decreased by 3,000 (Annex A). A full breakdown of government department and agencies for Q2 2008 is presented in Annex B.

27 Jan 2009 : Column 469W

In Q3 2008, employment in central government increased by 15,000, primarily because of growth in employment in the NHS (21,000 increase). The number of employees in the Civil Service remained the same as the previous quarter (Annex A). A full breakdown of government departments and agencies for Q3 2008 is presented in Annex B.

Annex A: Public sector employment 2008, United Kingdom
Headcount, seasonally adjusted (Thousand)
	Central Government( 1, 2. 3. 4)	National health service( 1)	Civil service( 3)	Total public sector
Q1	2,480	1,507	525	5,737
Q2	2,490	1,519	522	5,750
Q3	2,505	1,540	522	5,764
(1) NHS based on projections. (2) National probation service (England and Wales) re-classified from local government to central Government from April 2005. (3) Magistrates Court Service transferred from local government to central Government (and civil service) from April 2005. (4) Central Government includes all administrative departments of government, other central agencies and non-departmental public bodies. It also includes HM forces, the national health service and education academies. Source: (Unpublished) Public Sector Employment.

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