| Previous Section | Index | Home Page |
11 May 2009 : Column 581W—continued
Wedgwood: Pensions
Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what recent discussions he has had on the pensions of the Waterford Wedgwood workers. [272470]
Ms Rosie Winterton: There have been no specific discussions relating to Waterford Wedgwood workers pensions.
The Pension Protection Fund has received formal notifications from insolvency practitioners in respect of various companies in the Waterford Wedgwood group. It is currently working with the Trustees to determine if the associated pension schemes qualify for entry into a PPF assessment period.
Children, Schools and Families
Children: Protection
Mr. Bellingham: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families what assessment he has made of the effect of reductions in the family legal aid budget on the Government's ability to safeguard and promote the welfare of children and young people. [271458]
Mr. Malik: I have been asked to reply.
The consultation, ‘Family Legal Aid Funding from 2010’, was published by my Department and the Legal Services Commission on 17 December 2008. The consultation paper was accompanied by a detailed impact assessment which considered the impact of the changes on lawyers and the public.
The consultation proposed that in future the provision of guardians ad litem for children separately represented in family proceedings would be solely the responsibility of the Children and Family Court Advisory Support Service (CAFCASS), and could no longer be considered a legal aid disbursement. This is because these are not legal expenses. The proposal was put forward following discussions with CAFCASS, who confirmed that subject to suitable resources being available they agreed with the point in principle. The consultation responses are now being analysed since the close of the consultation on 3 April. We will have further discussions with the Legal Services Commission, the Department for Children, Schools and Families, and CAFCASS, in the light of the evaluation, to agree a response to the consultation.
Education Maintenance Allowance
Mr. Evennett: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families how many students in post-16 education in (a) the London Borough of Bexley and (b) England are in receipt of education maintenance allowance. [272756]
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). Geoffrey Russell the LSC’s Acting Chief Executive, will write to the hon. Member with the information requested and a copy of his reply will be placed in the House Libraries.
Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families what estimate he has made of the (a) level of take up and (b) cost of the education maintenance allowance in each of the next five years. [272970]
Jim Knight: We estimate that nearly half of 16, 17 and 18-year-olds in full-time education will take up EMA, and all of those on the Entry to Employment programme.
The budget allocations for the education maintenance allowance (EMA) for the current comprehensive spending review (CSR) period are: 2009/10 £529 million and 2010/11 £529 million. Forecasts of expenditure and take-up beyond the current CSR period are not currently available.
Budget 2009 provided funding for an additional 54,500 learners over and above the numbers to be funded from the CSR budget, a high proportion of these are expected to be eligible for EMA. These learners will be funded in the academic years 2009/10 and 2010/11.
Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families how many people are in receipt of education maintenance allowance; and what estimate he has made of the expenditure incurred by his Department on the provision of such allowances in the last 12 months. [273095]
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). Geoffrey Russell the LSC’s acting chief executive, will write to the hon. Member with the information requested and a copy of his reply will be placed in the House Libraries.
Education: Standards
Mr. Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families how many qualifications have been considered for approval by the Joint Advisory Council for Qualifications in each month for which data are available; how many of these qualifications were (a) rejected and (b) accepted; and if he will make a statement. [272754]
Jim Knight: The Joint Advisory Committee for Qualifications Approval (JACQA) has met twice: on 3 December 2008 and 19 March 2009.
Two newly-accredited “standalone” qualifications were considered at the December meeting. The committee recommended that both should be approved as eligible for public funding, on the basis that they satisfied the Section 96 criteria.
44 standalone qualifications were reviewed at the second meeting of JACQA in March. Recommendations were made in favour of funding nine qualifications, and against approval in the case of one qualification, which the committee did not feel had satisfied the Section 96 criteria. 34 qualifications were referred back to awarding organisations where there was insufficient evidence to judge if the criteria had been met.
The Secretary of State has accepted all of JACQA's recommendations to date.
GCSE
Michael Gove: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families (1) how many pupils achieved grade C or higher in GCSE physics, chemistry, biology and mathematics in (a) 1997, (b) 2003 and (c) 2008; [274318]
(2) how many pupils achieved grade C or higher in GCSE English Literature, English and mathematics in (a) 1997, (b) 2003 and (c) 2008; [274319]
(3) how many pupils achieved six or more GCSEs including grade C or higher in mathematics, English, English Literature, double award science or all three separate sciences and history in 2008. [274320]
Jim Knight: The answers to these questions are given in the following table:
Havering Sixth Form College
Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families what funding his Department has allocated to Havering Sixth Form College for (a) 2008-09 and (b) 2009-10. [272899]
Jim Knight: The Learning and Skills Council (LSC) hold the information you have requested. Geoffrey Russell, the LSC’s acting chief executive, will write to the hon. Member. A copy of his reply will be placed in the House Libraries.
Schools: Complaints
Mr. Graham Stuart: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families what mechanisms exist for parents to complain about the standard of teaching in a school; and if he will make a statement. [273398]
Jim Knight: Since 1 September 2003, governing bodies of all maintained schools and maintained nursery schools in England have been required, under section 29 of the Education Act 2002, to have in place a procedure to deal with complaints relating to the school and any community facilities or services that the school provides. The law also requires the procedure to be publicised. Parents may also approach Ofsted, which has powers to investigate and if necessary conduct an inspection of the school. In addition, parents’ views are sought and considered as part of all school inspections.
Schools: Information and Communications Technology
Mr. Evennett: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families what estimate he has made of the number of computers in primary schools in (a) the London Borough of Bexley and (b) Greater London. [273201]
Jim Knight: The Department does not collect the information requested.
Schools: Standards
Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families which schools have been taken into special measures more than once since 1997. [269877]
Jim Knight: This is a matter for Ofsted. HMCI Christine Gilbert will be replying and a copy will be placed in the House Libraries.
Letter from Christine Gilbert, dated 24 April 2009:
Your recent parliamentary question has been passed to me, as Her Majesty's Chief Inspector, for a response.
Between 1 September 1997 and 31 December 2008, 1,940 maintained schools were placed in special measures once, and 67 schools were placed in special measures more than once, including one school that had been placed in special measures three times. This school has now closed.
Of the 67 schools that required special measures a second time, five remained in special measures at their re-inspection without ever being removed from this category. They are included at the foot of the list. Data for the spring term 2009 have not yet been published and are not included in these figures.
A copy of this reply has been sent to the right hon. Jim Knight MP, Minister of State for Schools and Learners, and will be placed in the Library of both Houses.
| Schools placed in special measures more than once between 1 September 1997 and 31 December 2008 | |||
| URN | School | LA | Still open/closed |
| Next Section | Index | Home Page |