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24 Feb 2010 : Column 654W—continued
However, of the 247 schools currently below the benchmark, 168 have been below this level for over two years, 147 for over three years and 133 for over four years.
Pupil referral units and special schools are not supported by National Challenge as the programme only supports maintained mainstream schools.
Michael Gove: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families how many (a) primary schools, (b) secondary schools, (c) pupil referral units and (d) special schools (i) were in special measures, (ii) had been in special measures for more than a year and (iii) had been in special measures for more than two years on the latest date for which information is available. [316723]
Mr. Coaker: Data on schools in Ofsted categories are published termly by Ofsted. The latest data were published on 24 November 2009 and provide information on schools in categories as of 31 August 2009. The following table provides the information on the numbers of institutions placed in the Ofsted category of special measures, and the length of time institutions have been in that category. This information can be accessed at:
| Number of institutions in special measures as at 31 August 2009 | |||||
| (a) Primary schools | (b) Secondary schools | (c) Pupil referral units | (d) Special schools | Total | |
Sure Start Programme
Dr. Starkey: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families how many Sure Start centres have been opened since 2005 (a) nationally and (b) in Milton Keynes; and how much capital funding has been allocated to such centres. [311248]
Dawn Primarolo: Please see table 1 for the Sure Start children's centres designated since 2005.
| Table 1 | ||
| Milton Keynes | England | |
| Note: This table does not include centres designated before 2005. At the end of December 2009 there were a total of 3,381 designated Sure Start Children's Centres including 19 centres in Milton Keynes. | ||
The Department allocates capital funding for Sure Start children's centres and their predecessor Sure Start local programmes to local authorities. It is for local authorities to decide how to allocate the grant flexibly to best meet their local objectives.
In 2004 local authorities received a two year allocation (2004-06). Since 2006-07 all children's centres capital formed part of the main capital block of the Sure Start Early Years and Childcare Grant. Please see table 2 for the Milton Keynes and national capital allocations from 2004-06 and 2009-10.
| Table 2 | ||
| Milton Keynes | England | |
Taxis
Grant Shapps: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families how much his Department spent on taxi fares in each of the last five years. [309922]
Ms Diana R. Johnson: Details of the expenditure on taxi fares for financial years 2005-06, 2006-07, 2007-08 and 2008-09 is set out in the following table:
| £ | |
The expenditure is based on staff travel claims and approved invoices received from taxi companies paid via the Department's accounts payable system. Expenditure on taxi travel in the financial years prior to 2005-06 was recorded under a general heading of "travel expenses" and is not separately identifiable for these years.
The Department for Children, Schools and Families was created on 28 June 2007 as a result of Machinery of Government change, and the expenditure recorded here, prior to this date, relates to that of its predecessor department, the Department for Education and Skills.
Truancy: Gifted Children
Michael Gove: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families how many and what proportion of pupils with gifted and talented status were classed as persistent truants in (a) 1997, (b) 2003, (c) 2006 and (d) the most recent year for which figures are available. [316856]
Mr. Coaker: The following table shows the number of pupils identified as gifted and talented with the number and percentage of those pupils who were classed as persistent absentees for 2006/07 and 2007/08, the most recent year for which data are available.
Persistent absence includes both authorised and unauthorised absence. Unauthorised absence is absence without leave from a teacher or other authorised representative of the school. This includes all unexplained or unjustified absences, such as lateness, holidays during term time not authorised by the school, absence where reason is not yet established and truancy.
Information on persistent absentees is not available for 1997 and 2003.
| Primary, secondary and special schools( 1, 2) persistent absentees within the gifted and talented cohort( 3, 4) -England | ||||
| Number of gifted and talented enrolments( 5) | Number of gifted and talented enrolments who are persistent absentees | Percentage of gifted and talented enrolments who are persistent absentees | Percentage of all enrolments who are persistent absentees | |
| (1) Includes city technology colleges and academies (including all-through academies). (2) Includes maintained and non-maintained special schools. Excludes general hospital schools. (3) Persistent absentees are defined as having 64 or more sessions of absence (authorised and unauthorised) during the year, typically over 20 per cent. overall absence rate. (4) Pupils who were identified as gifted and talented at the time of the spring census. Where gifted and talented information was missing in the spring census, information collected in the summer census has been used. (5) Number of pupil enrolments in schools. Includes pupils on the school roll for at least one session who are aged between five and 15, excluding boarders. Some pupils may be counted more than once (if they moved schools during the school year or are registered in more than one school). Note: Figures have been rounded to the nearest 10. Source: School Census | ||||
Youth Taskforce
James Brokenshire: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families what the remit of the Youth Taskforce is; how much his Department has allocated to the programme for (a) 2009-10 and (b) 2010-11; what measures he uses to assess the performance of the taskforce; what activities it is undertaking; and if he will make a statement. [311231]
Dawn Primarolo: The Government established the Youth Taskforce to prevent and tackle the antisocial and offending behaviour which can blight communities and ruin lives. The Youth Taskforce works across Government and with partners up and down the country to strengthen local delivery of services for the most challenging and vulnerable young people.
The current Youth Taskforce Programme Budget is £21.916 million in 2009-10, although this figure could change following completion of the Spring Supplementary procedure and should not be considered final. The indicative Youth Taskforce programme budget for 2010-11, reflected in the Department's Programme Budget Control System, is currently £12.296 million although it is expected to increase to approximately £22 million once funding for the cross-Government Youth Crime Action Plan is confirmed. The Youth Taskforce programme budget is one part of the broader cross-Government investment to tackle youth crime and antisocial behaviour.
The Youth Taskforce Action Plan and the Youth Crime Action Plan set out the Government's approach to preventing and tackling youth crime and antisocial behaviour. The Youth Taskforce is driving delivery of both Action Plans, working with more than 80 local authorities and their partners across the country to ensure that every area can deliver an appropriate response to the needs of vulnerable young people. The most recent Youth Taskforce Progress Report is available at:
The work of the Youth Taskforce contributes to a continued reduction in the number of first-time entrants to the criminal justice system aged 10-17 (PSA 14), and in the number of people who consider young people hanging around to be a problem (British Crime Survey). There are ongoing evaluations of all Youth Taskforce programmes. Final reports are due in March 2011, and will be published thereafter.
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