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28 Jun 2010 : Column 427W—continued
Home Education
Annette Brooke: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what (a) financial provision and (b) other assistance local education authorities are required to offer to home-educated children and young people for them to take public examinations. [3623]
Mr Gibb [holding answer 21 June 2010]: Local authorities are not required to offer any financial or other assistance to home-educated children and young people to enable them to take public examinations, although they have the discretion to do so. Under current arrangements home educators take on the full financial responsibility for educating their children, including the costs of public examinations.
Annette Brooke: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what support local education authorities are required to offer to home-educated children and young people with special educational needs who (a) have a statement and (b) do not have a statement. [3624]
Mr Gibb [holding answer 21 June 2010]: Under current legislation local authorities are not required to support home-educated children with special educational needs. Under the Education Act 1996, local authorities have the power to provide support to the parents of home educated children with special educational needs, whether statemented or not, if they wish to do so.
For home-educated children with statements of special educational need, local authorities have a duty to assure themselves that the provision being made by the parents is suitable to the child's special educational needs. Local authorities must also review those statements at least annually to ensure the provision continues to be appropriate.
Non-teaching Staff
Mr Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what estimate he has made of the proportion of lessons that were supervised by unqualified non-teaching staff in the latest year for which figures are available; and if he will make a statement. [3427]
Tim Loughton: The information requested is not held centrally.
Pupils: Disadvantaged
Glenda Jackson: To ask the Secretary of State for Education which (a) primary and (b) secondary schools in Hampstead and Kilburn constituency will receive the pupil premium; and what amount the premium will be in each case. [3620]
Mr Gibb: The Government are committed to the introduction of a pupil premium for disadvantaged children, and we will bring forward our proposals in due course.
Pupils: Sikhs
Mr Hanson: To ask the Secretary of State for Education whether he has had discussions with Ministerial colleagues on Government policy on the carrying of kirpans in schools; and if he will make a statement. [2960]
Mr Gibb: The Department is liaising with the Home Office, the Sikh community and the Equality and Human Rights Commission on pupils carrying a kirpan in school. We aim to achieve a consensus which will help schools to resolve any doubts they may have about the law and agreed practice.
Schools: Admissions
John Mann: To ask the Secretary of State for Education if he will provide assistance to children and young people who wish to attend schools outside their local authority areas. [1311]
Mr Gibb: For children of compulsory school age whose nearest suitable school is beyond the statutory walking distances of two miles for pupils below the age of eight and three miles for those aged eight and over, local authorities are required to make arrangements for free transport, regardless of whether the school is in another local authority.
Schools: Doncaster
Caroline Flint: To ask the Secretary of State for Education (1) how many maintained schools in (a) Don Valley and (b) the Doncaster borough council area were rebuilt or refurbished between 1997 and 2010; [2747]
(2) what plans he has to rebuild and refurbish secondary schools in (a) Don Valley and (b) the Doncaster borough council area. [2748]
Mr Gibb:
Data received from Doncaster council show that in Don Valley between 1997 and 2010, two schools had entirely new school buildings, one school had 80% or more of its floor area refurbished, and seven schools had between 50% and 80% of their floor area refurbished. In the borough of Doncaster between 1997 and 2010, eight schools had entirely new school buildings, six schools had 80% or more of their floor area refurbished, and 30 schools had between 50% and 80% of their floor
area refurbished. In addition, some schools had smaller scale projects, but the numbers cannot be determined from the data.
The Department is currently reviewing the Building Schools for the Future programme to ensure that we can build schools more effectively and more cost-efficiently in the future.
Schools: Standards
Ed Balls: To ask the Secretary of State for Education (1) how many and what proportion of (a) primary and (b) secondary schools previously judged outstanding by Ofsted received subsequent inspection ratings of (i) outstanding, (ii) good, (iii) satisfactory and (iv) inadequate in the latest period for which figures are available; [1213]
(2) what proportion of pupils in (a) primary and (b) secondary schools rated as outstanding by Ofsted are (i)
eligible for free school meals, (ii) looked-after children and (iii) have a special educational need. [1214]
Mr Gibb: These are matters for Ofsted. HM Chief Inspector, Christine Gilbert, has written to the hon. Member and copies of her replies have been placed in the Libraries.
Secondary Education: Admissions
Simon Reevell: To ask the Secretary of State for Education how many parents in the Kirklees local authority area appealed against the decision on their child's secondary school place in each of the last five years; how many of those appeals were upheld; and if he will make a statement. [2504]
Mr Gibb: The available information is shown in the table.
| Appeals by parents against non-admission of their children to local authority maintained secondary schools, 2004/05 to 2008/09, Kirklees local authority | ||||
| Number of appeals( 1) | ||||
| Number of school admissions September to January | Lodged | Heard | In parent's favour | |
| (1) Some appeals are resolved before they reach a panel hearing (a place at an alternative school is accepted after an appeal has been lodged; the same parent can lodge appeals for more than one school but will not pursue them all). Note: The latest information was published in the Statistical First Release 'Admissions Appeals for Maintained Primary and Secondary Schools in England, 2008/09' and can be found at: http://www.dcsf.gov.uk/rsgateway/DB/SFR/s000934/index.shtml Source: Admission Appeals Survey and School Census. | ||||
Special Educational Needs
Richard Fuller: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what steps the Government plans to take to maintain and strengthen the role of special schools. [3513]
Sarah Teather: We will reform the school system so that children with special educational needs and disabilities get the best possible support. We will halt the unnecessary closure of special schools, improve diagnostic assessment for schoolchildren, and remove the bias towards inclusion. We have introduced legislation to make it possible, for the first time, for special schools to become academies. We are committed to offering special schools the additional freedoms that we are giving mainstream schools.
Home Department
Drugs
20. Andrew Griffiths: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what recent assessment she has made of the level of illegal drug use in England. [4239]
James Brokenshire: Levels of illegal drug use among adults aged 16 to 59 in England and Wales are measured using the British crime survey. The latest figures for 2008-09 show that:
10.1% had used an illicit drug in the last year; and
3.7% of adults had used a Class A drug in the last year.
The smoking, drinking and drug use survey provides measures of drug use among 11 to 15-year-olds in England. The latest figures for 2008 show that 15% of pupils reported taking drugs in the last year.
Defendant Anonymity: Rape Trials
21. Kate Green: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what discussions she has had with police forces on the implications for them of the Government's proposals to extend anonymity to defendants in rape trials. [4240]
Lynne Featherstone: My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for the Home Department has had a number of discussion with her Cabinet colleague, the Secretary of State for Justice. We have made it clear that we will progress out commitment on this subject with the care it merits. Our consideration of the options will of course include a full examination of any impact on police investigations.
CCTV
23. Steve McCabe: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what steps she plans to take to regulate the use of CCTV in public places; and if she will make a statement. [4242]
James Brokenshire: In our coalition programme for government, as part of our work around safeguarding civil liberties, we have stated that we will further regulate CCTV. We will bring forward detailed proposals in due course.
Administration: Police Time
Stuart Andrew: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what recent representations she has received on the amount of time spent on administrative tasks by police officers each year. [4241]
Nick Herbert: When I have spoken to police officers, they have asked us to help free them up to do the job that they are paid to do. I am committed to returning common sense to policing, which means getting officers back onto the streets, dealing with crime, and not sitting behind desks filling out forms, to meet targets.
Deportation
John Mann: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many EU citizens have been deported for reasons other than criminal activity in the last 12 months. [4243]
Damian Green: The UK Border Agency does not deport EU citizens for reasons other than criminal convictions or proceedings.
In the last 12 months 14 EU citizens have been removed through the process of administrative removal.
Anti-Slavery Day
Mr Bone: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what recent discussions her Department has had on setting the date for an Anti-Slavery Day under the Anti-Slavery Day Act 2010. [4260]
Damian Green: The Government will be bringing forward proposals shortly for an Anti-Slavery Day.
Antisocial Behaviour: Crime Prevention
Mr Watson: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) what representations she has received from Mr Howard Stapleton on the legality of the ultrasonic antisocial behaviour deterrent device, Mosquito; and if she will make a statement; [4089]
(2) if she will ask the Health and Safety Executive to investigate the effects of the ultrasonic antisocial behaviour deterrent device, Mosquito; [4090]
(3) if she will assess the Council of Europe's report, prohibiting the marketing and use of the Mosquito youth dispersal device with regard to her responsibilities for the prevention of crime; if she will bring forward proposals in line with the report's recommendations to prohibit the device; and if she will make a statement; [4091]
(4) whether her Department has issued guidance to police and local authorities on the use of the ultrasonic anti-social behaviour deterrent device, Mosquito. [4092]
Nick Herbert: I have not received any representations from Mr Stapleton about the Mosquito. I have no plans to investigate the effects of the device. In relation to the Council of Europe report and the issue of guidance, our stance is that we do not see this as an issue on which we should intervene.
We believe that it is for local agencies dealing with antisocial behaviour to decide whether or not to use the devices and to use them according to the manufacturer's instructions. The UK Health and Safety Executive has concluded that based on the information and evidence available, while some short-term subjective effects are possible with prolonged exposure, there would appear to be little likelihood of people exposed to this device suffering long-term ill health.
If citizens wish to complain about use of the devices they may contact their local environmental health officer. There is legislation available which can be used against statutory noise nuisance. To date we know of no such complaints being made.
Of course, should evidence be produced that these devices are harmful to hearing or health in the longer term we would reconsider our position.
Asylum: Scotland
Mr Bain: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what arrangements have been made for the transit of asylum seekers in Scotland to Yarl's Wood to await deportation; and what assessment she has made of arrangements for the safety and well-being of the children being transported. [4166]
Damian Green: The UK Border Agency takes health and emotional well-being of those in its care very seriously; this is particularly true of children who are regrettably detained-with their parents-pending their removal after they refuse to leave the UK voluntarily. A new duty was introduced in November 2009, contained in the Borders, Citizenship and Immigration Act 2009, which requires the agency to protect and promote the welfare of children. The Office of the Children's Champion, which includes professional advisers, is responsible for challenging the agency to ensure it meets its obligations, and they provide advice and support to those responsible for detention and escorting matters.
Prior to any transfer to Yarl's Wood, a number of assessments are made to take specific account of the safeguarding and welfare of adults and family members making the journey. These include:
The size of vehicle required to accommodate the whole family together;
The length of the journey to ensure adequate comfort breaks, suitable child activity packs, dietary requirements and refreshments;
Appropriate clothing for the weather;
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