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18 May 2009 : Column 1239W—continued
Departmental Billing
Mr. Philip Hammond: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families how much his Department and its predecessor paid in interest to suppliers under the Late Payment of Commercial Debts (Interest) Act 1998 in the last three years for which figures are available. [275208]
Sarah McCarthy-Fry: I can confirm that the Department for Children, Schools and Families and its predecessor did not make any interest payments to suppliers under the Late Payment of Commercial Debts (Interest) Act 1998 in the last three financial years from 2006-07 to 2008-09.
Departmental Contracts
Bob Spink: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families which services his Department and its predecessors have outsourced in each of the last five years; and if he will make a statement. [274453]
Sarah McCarthy-Fry: Since April 2004, the Department for Children, Schools and Families and its predecessor has not outsourced any services. All services currently outsourced went through the process prior to this date.
Departmental Furniture
Grant Shapps: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families how much his Department and its predecessors spent on furniture in each of the last five years. [273746]
Sarah McCarthy-Fry: Expenditure by the Department for Children, Schools and Families and its predecessors on furniture in each of the last five years is shown as follows:
| Total cost (£) | |
Departmental Official Hospitality
Bob Spink: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families how much his Department and its predecessors has spent on ( a) conference services and (b) banqueting services in each of the last five years. [274511]
Sarah McCarthy-Fry: Details of expenditure on conferences incurred by the Department for Children, Schools and Families (DCSF) in the last five years are as follows:
| £ | |
DCSF is unable to separately identify the costs for conference services and banqueting services as such expenditure is recorded under the general heading of ‘Conference Costs’ on the Department's financial system.
DCSF was established under Machinery of Government changes on 28 June 2007. The expenditure recorded also relates to that of its predecessor Department, the Department for Education and Skills.
Departmental Press Releases
Mr. Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families to which media organisations his Department sends press releases. [272610]
Sarah McCarthy-Fry: The Department’s press releases are sent to all organisations representing national and regional TV, radio and newspapers, and a range of other media companies. All press releases are also posted on the Department’s website. A list of all of the organisations will be placed in the House Libraries.
Departmental Public Expenditure
Michael Gove: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families with reference to table 8.3 of his Department's annual report 2008, pages 88-9, Detailed breakdown of expenditure by function within departmental expenditure limit, 2002-03 to 2010-11, which individual programmes and corresponding allocations are aggregated as other miscellaneous programmes for 2010-11; which grants and corresponding allocations are aggregated as other standards funds for (a) 2007-08 and (b) 2010-11; and which grants and corresponding allocations are aggregated within area-based grants for 2010-11. [271731]
Sarah McCarthy-Fry: The Department's grants and programmes aggregated as within other miscellaneous programmes for 2010-11 are provided in Table 1:
| Table 1: Departmental report allocation—2010-11 | |
| Schools: | £ million |
The Department's grants and programmes aggregated as within Other standards funds for (a) 2007-08 and (b) 2010-11 are provided in Table 2:
| Table 2: Departmental report allocation—2007-08 to 2010-11 | ||
| £ million | ||
| Other Standards Fund | 2007-08 | 2010-11 |
The Department's grants and programmes aggregated as within area based grants for 2010-11 are provided in Table 3:
| Table 3: Departmental area based grants figures—2010-11 | |
| DCSF grants to local authorities | £ million |
The total in this table contains figures that have been updated since the publication of the 2008 Departmental Report.
Departmental Publications
Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families how much his Department has spent on placing supplements in (a) Children and Young People Now magazine and (b) Community Care magazine in the last 12 months. [274264]
Sarah McCarthy-Fry: Since 1 May 2008, the Department has placed two items in Community Care magazine, at a cost of £6,228, and two in Children and Young People Now magazine, costing £27,861.
Head Teachers: Retirement
Mr. Graham Stuart: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families what estimate he has made of the number of head teachers in post in 2009 who will have retired by (a) 2010, (b) 2015 and (c) 2020; and if he will make a statement. [275037]
Jim Knight: As we said in the Children’s Plan, over 60 per cent. of head teachers are now over 50, which means that within the next decade a whole generation of head teachers will be retiring. Of the number of head teachers in post in 2009 we estimate that by 2010, 6 per cent. will have retired, by 2015 this will have risen to 38 per cent. and by 2020 it will have reached 55 per cent.(1) Dealing with the loss of their skills and experience will be a challenge but also an opportunity for innovation and reform. We have invested £30 million in the National College for School Leadership’s succession planning strategy which is working with schools, local authorities and faith bodies around the country to develop local solutions to find, develop and keep great head teachers.
(1) The estimates assume that the head teachers in post in 2009 will choose to retire at the current average age of 58 years. This estimate is therefore a predictive trend of retirement as we cannot forecast with certainty the future retirement behaviours of individuals.
History: Primary Education
Dr. Kumar: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families what steps his Department is taking to improve the teaching of (a) history and (b) British history in primary schools. [274086]
Sarah McCarthy-Fry: We asked Sir Jim Rose to review the primary curriculum in order to reduce prescription and give schools more time to teach essential knowledge and skills in greater depth. In the revised primary curriculum, it is proposed that, from 2011, schools will be required to teach children the broad chronology of major events in the UK, from ancient civilisations to present day. At least two key periods of history that were significant to the locality and the UK must be studied in depth. A consultation on these proposals will run until 24 July.
More specifically on support for teachers, the Training and Development Agency (TDA) has supported History initial teacher training (ITT) by providing access to specialist subject knowledge for ITT tutors and mentors. This is delivered via the History subject resource network, led by the Historical Association. In 2008 TDA also funded the Historical Association to develop subject specific online CPD opportunities. The e-CPD modules offer a package of support and a programme of professional development activity for history tutors and teachers undertaking subject development or improvement projects in their own schools.
International Baccalaureate
Michael Gove: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families how many pupils at (a) maintained schools, (b) sixth form colleges, (c) independent schools and (d) comprehensive schools were entered for the International Baccalaureate examination in each of the last five years. [262264]
Jim Knight: The information is provided in the following table. Data were not collected prior to 2005/06 and so the information is available only for the past three years.
| 2005/06 | 2006/07 | 2007/08 | |
| Notes: 1. Figures relate to 16 to 18-year-olds (age at start of academic year, i.e. 31 August). 2. ‘Maintained schools’ include comprehensive, selective, modern, PRUs and hospital schools. Source: School and College Achievement and Attainment Tables data. | |||
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