| Previous Section | Index | Home Page |
25 Mar 2010 : Column 560W—continued
Tesco: Planning Permission
Mrs. Spelman: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government pursuant to the answer to the hon. Member for Peterborough of 2 March 2010, Official Report, column 1162W, on Tesco: planning permission, if he will place in the Library a copy of each of the rulings of the Planning Inspectorate relating to Tesco. [323999]
Mr. Ian Austin: Copies of each of the Planning Inspectorate's appeal decisions have today been placed in the Library of the House.
It should be noted that in the instance of cases concerning linked appeals, joint decisions were issued.
Children, Schools and Families
GCSE
Mr. Cash: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families how many pupils in (a) Staffordshire County Council area and (b) England left school with (i) no GCSEs, (ii) at least one GCSE at grade A, (iii) at least one GCSE at grade B and (iv) at least one GCSE at grade C or D in each year since 1997. [323023]
Mr. Coaker [holding answer 22 March 2010]: The information requested can be provided only at disproportionate cost.
The latest information on GCSE attainment has been published in SFR01/2010 "GCSE and Equivalent Results in England, 2008/09 (Revised)", which was released on 13 January 2010. This is available on the Department's website via the following link:
Becta: Finance
Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families with reference to his Department's press release of 9 March 2010, on school business managers, what the revised budget of Becta is, broken down by subheading. [323225]
Mr. Coaker: The announcement proposed savings based on Becta's 2010-11 allocated revenue budget of £65.151 million of which £2.25 million is received as an allocation from the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills.
The announced savings amount to £20 million in 2011-12 and £25 million in 2012-13. Details of the breakdown FY 2011-13 budgets have not yet been finalised.
Building Schools for the Future Programme
Mr. Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families what methodology is used in the Building Schools for the Future programme to (a) determine whether value for money will be achieved in the selection of suppliers and (b) evaluate whether value for money has been achieved in the work undertaken by suppliers. [323847]
Mr. Coaker: In accordance with the requirements of the European procurement regime, bidders are selected on the basis of the "most economically advantageous tender". This means that the value for money of the bidders' proposals are tested in a confidential competitive environment and evaluated in terms of both price and quality against the local authority's requirements. There are a number of different approaches to project delivery available for Building Schools for the Future, the preferred approaches being to use a Local Education Partnership (LEP) or to use the Contractor Framework managed by Partnerships for Schools on behalf of the Department for Children, Schools and Families. When either approach is being used, the contractual arrangements between the parties require that value for money is demonstrated and that key performance indicators and continuous improvement commitments are met.
Once a supplier is selected, the authority monitors the work undertaken (or arranges for the work to be monitored) to ensure compliance with the contractual requirements upon which the price is based.
Children in Care: Child Trust Fund
Ruth Kelly: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families which local authorities (a) ensure that the full £100 Child Trust Fund annual payments for looked-after children are put in their individual account and (b) have used all or part of these payments for other purposes. [322391]
Dawn Primarolo [holding answer 17 March 2010]: Information about annual £100 Child Trust Fund top-up payments made by local authorities to the accounts of individual looked-after children who are eligible is not collected centrally. Statutory guidance
http://www.dcsf.gov.uk/everychildmatters/safeguarding andsocialcare/childrenincare/childtrustfund/childtrustfund/ (1)
on arrangements for the payment of Child Trust Funds was issued to local authorities in England under section 7 of the Local Authority Social Services Act 1970 which they must act under when performing their duties under section 22(3)(a) (duty to promote the welfare of a looked after child) of the Children Act 1989. The devolved Administrations have also put guidance on the payment of Child Trust Funds in place.
(1) Child Trust Fund Account Top Up Payments For Looked After Children: Statutory Guidance on Local Authority Practice in England.
Children: Human Trafficking
Mark Hunter: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families what his most recent estimate is of the number of child victims of trafficking in the UK. [320757]
Dawn Primarolo: The Department does not collect this information which is in any case intrinsically difficult given the hidden nature of the crime. However, the Child Exploitation and Online Protection Centre (CEOP) estimated that around 325 children were believed to have been trafficked into the UK. This was taken from their 'Strategic Threat Assessment: Child Trafficking in the UK' published in April 2009. The estimate was derived from data covering the period 1 March 2007 to 29 February 2008.
Children: Language Difficulties
Lembit Öpik: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families what his policy is on the provision of early-stage learning facilities and support for children with language difficulties; and if he will make a statement. [322018]
Dawn Primarolo: Following the Bercow review of services for children and young people with speech, language and communication needs (SLCN), the Government published "Better Communication: An action plan to improve services for children and young people with SLCN", backed by £12 million investment. As part of the action plan, we-together with the Department of Health are piloting good practice in commissioning SLCN services in 16 areas in order to develop a national framework to improve the way services are delivered for children across the country.
In the Early Years, we have taken substantial steps to improve the quality of early learning and care including the introduction of the Early Years Foundation Stage which sets the standards for supporting children's early learning and care from birth to five. Alongside the EYFS, we are investing in the work force, including targeted programmes like Every Child a Talker (ECaT) designed to improve children's early language development through professional development for practitioners. ECaT was launched with a first wave of local authorities in 2008. It has promoted co-operation between local services, especially between Speech and Language services and early learning and care, to support children experiencing and at risk of language delay. From April 2010, all local authorities in England will have been funded to run the programme.
Children: Protection
Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families staff in which posts of Ofsted are permitted to read full serious case reviews. [321638]
Dawn Primarolo [holding answer 11 March 2010]: This is a matter for Ofsted. HM Chief Inspector, Christine Gilbert, has written to the hon. Member and a copy of her reply has been placed in the House Libraries.
Letter from Christine Gilbert, dated 10 March 2010:
Your recent parliamentary question has been passed to me, as Her Majesty's Chief Inspector, for response.
The Ofsted personnel who read the full serious case reviews are senior social care inspectors, usually Her Majesty's Inspectors (HMI) of social care. For quality assurance purposes, some parts of the full serious case reviews will also be read by their senior managers, who are also qualified social care professionals. As Her Majesty's Chief Inspector, I also have access to full serious case reviews.
A copy of this reply has been sent to Rt. Hon. Dawn Primarolo MP, Minister of State for Children, Young People and Families, and will be placed in the library of both Houses.
Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families staff in which posts in (a) his Department and (b) local education authorities are permitted to read full serious case reviews. [321639]
Dawn Primarolo: The Department for Children, Schools and Families (DCSF) is sent an anonymised copy of each final Serious Case Review (SCR) by the LSCB concerned. These are forwarded by the relevant official in the DCSF Safeguarding Group to the researchers responsible for preparing biennial overview reports on Serious Case Reviews. Other post holders in the group may see a copy of a final SCR report if it is necessary for them to do so in the exercise of their responsibilities.
The statutory guidance "Working Together To Safeguard Children" states that Local Safeguarding Children Boards (LSCBs) are responsible for undertaking SCRs and for determining who should have access to any part of the SCR. The membership of the LSCB must include representatives from the local authority.
Children's Centres
Mr. Peter Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families what his most recent assessment is of the contribution of Sure Start children's centres to the objectives of his Department. [323020]
Dawn Primarolo [holding answer 22 March 2010]: Sure Start Children's Centres are becoming a universal service-on 16 March, the Prime Minster announced that the Government had met their target for 3,500 Sure Start Children's Centres in England. Children's Centres provide access to integrated services for young children and their families. They contribute to all Every Child Matters outcomes and a number of my Department's Strategic Objectives, in particular: to secure the wellbeing and health of children and young people; achieve world class standards in education; and close the gap in educational achievement for children from disadvantaged backgrounds.
The National Evaluation of Sure Start, which has been under way since 2001, is comparing the development of children living in areas with children's centres originally established as Sure Start Local Programmes with children living in other areas. Its most recent report published in 2008 provides evidence of improved outcomes for children and families living in early Sure Start areas. Families living in early Sure Start areas used more child and family-related services than those living elsewhere. The reported benefits appeared to apply to all social groups, including those facing most disadvantages.
The National Evaluation showed that children behave better and are more independent if they live in early Sure Start areas. Parents have more positive parenting skills and provide a better home learning environment for their children, helping prepare children to do well at school and make the most of their talents.
The 2008 Foundation Stage Profile results show that 21,000 more five-year-olds are achieving a good level of development across a range of areas of learning and at the same time gaps have narrowed-lowest achieving children and children from disadvantaged areas are starting to catch up. These results suggest that our reforms and investment in the early years-including through Sure Start-are starting to have an impact on all children, and in narrowing gaps.
The latest report from the National Evaluation of Sure Start indicated that young children living in the early Sure Start areas were more likely to have received the recommended immunisations and less likely to have had an accident resulting in injury.
The Department's research on the use of children's centres, carried out by Taylor Nelson Sofres, entailed interviews with parents and carers of young children during 2008. The report in 2009 indicated that 78 per cent. of respondents knew about their local centre, and 92 per cent. who had used their local centre were satisfied with the service they received. The report also showed high levels of satisfaction with individual services provided through children's centres such as child care, nursery education, health, and family and parenting services.
Children's Centres: Greater Manchester
Tony Lloyd: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families how many children in (a) the City of Manchester and (b) Manchester, Central constituency attend Sure Start centres. [321067]
Dawn Primarolo [holding answer 1 March 2010]: The 40 designated Sure Start Children's Centres in the city of Manchester local authority have a combined reach of over 35,000 children under five and their families. The 12 centres in Manchester, Central constituency have a combined reach of over 9,000 children under five and their families. Reach area defines those children and families with the opportunity to access children's centres. Figures for the number of children under five and their families actually attending and using children's centres are not collected centrally.
Children's Centres: Merseyside
Mrs. Curtis-Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families how many Sure Start centres have been established on Merseyside; and what assessment he has made of their effectiveness. [322632]
Dawn Primarolo: There are a total of 83 designated Sure Start Children's Centres in Merseyside reaching over 66,800 children under five and their families. Reach area defines those children and families with the opportunity to access children's centres. Merseyside is assumed to refer to five local authorities: Liverpool, Wirral, Sefton, St. Helen's and Knowsley.
The Department's guidance to children's centre leaders and local authorities sets an expectation that they should evaluate the effectiveness of children's centre services.
The National Evaluation of Sure Start started in 2001 and last reported in 2008. Evidence from the last report showed improvements in outcomes for children and families living in areas served by children's centres, including children's behaviour and parents' support for their children's learning at home. The benefits appeared to apply to all social groups, including those facing most disadvantage. Awareness and satisfaction of children's centres is high. The TNS Research Report (2008) shows; 78 per cent. of all respondents knew about their local centre; 74 per cent. were familiar with the term 'Children's Centre'; and levels of satisfaction were very high with 92 per cent. of all users saying they were satisfied (68 per cent. were very satisfied). The Department has recently commissioned an evaluation of the implementation and impact of the full range of children's centres, with a first report expected in late 2010.
Departmental Advertising
Grant Shapps: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families how much he expects his Department to spend on (a) television, (b) radio, (c) print and (d) online advertising in (i) 2009-10 and (ii) 2010-11. [310218]
Ms Diana R. Johnson: The forecasted figures for the requested advertising streams in 2009/10 are outlined in the following table. Planned expenditure in these areas for 2010/11 is not available at this time.
| Advertising stream | Projected expenditure (£) |
Departmental Audit
Michael Gove: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families whether his Department has updated its Allegations Audit, undertaken in 2003-04. [319937]
Dawn Primarolo: Similar data to those collected in the 2003-04 Allegations Audit were collected in 2004-05, and less detailed data on allegations were collected in 2007. The data collected in 2004-05 were used to inform the development of guidance on handling allegations of abuse made against those who work with children and young people, but were not published as a data set. The data collected in 2007 were used to inform the review of implementation of guidance on handling allegations. The analysis of those data were included within the report of the review published in May 2009 and are available to download from the Every Child Matters website.
| Next Section | Index | Home Page |