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21 July 2010 : Column 416W—continued
Industrial Injuries
Mike Wood: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what estimate he has made of the number of people with an occupational illness in each year since 1997. [8183]
Chris Grayling: The overall estimated prevalence of self-reported work-related illness (long standing ill health, as well as new cases), for people working in the last 12 months, in 2001-02 and 2003-04 to 2008-09 is given in the following table. These data are not available prior to 2001-02 or for 2002-03.
These estimates are based on evidence from the Labour Force Survey (LFS). The LFS provides the most broadly based measure, including estimates of the large number of individuals with musculoskeletal disorders and stress. No single source of information provides a basis for estimating the total number of people with an occupational illness.
| Estimated prevalence of self-reported workplace illness | |
| Note: Data not available for 2002-03 Source: Labour Force Survey | |
Invalidity Benefits: Durham
Roberta Blackman-Woods: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many people are in receipt of (a) disability living allowance, (b) incapacity benefit and (c) employment and support allowance in City of Durham constituency. [8466]
Chris Grayling: The information is provided in the following table:
| Employment and support allowance claimants, incapacity benefit/severe disablement allowance, and disability living allowance: November 2009: parliamentary constituency City of Durham | |
| Number | |
| Notes: 1. Incapacity benefit was replaced by employment and support allowance (ESA) from October 2008. 2. Figures are rounded to the nearest 10, some additional disclosure has been applied. 3. Caseload for DLA show the number of people in receipt of an allowance, and exclude people with entitlement where the payment has been suspended, for example if they are in hospital. 4. Constituencies used are for the Westminster Parliament of May 2010. 5. IB/SDA 'Claimants' include people in receipt of benefit and also those who fail the contributions conditions but receive a national insurance credit, i.e. 'credits only cases'. Source: DWP Information Directorate Work and Pensions Longitudinal Study 100% data | |
Invalidity Benefits: Newport Gwent
Jessica Morden: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many people are in receipt of (a) disability living allowance, (b) incapacity benefit and (c) employment and support allowance in Newport East constituency. [8476]
Chris Grayling: The information requested is as follows:
| Employment and support allowance claimants, incapacity benefit/severe disablement allowance, and disability living allowance: November 2009 | |
| Newport East parliamentary constituency | |
| Notes: 1. Incapacity benefit was replaced by employment and support allowance (ESA) from October 2008. 2. Figures are rounded to the nearest 10, some additional disclosure has been applied. 3. Caseload for DLA show the number of people in receipt of an allowance, and exclude people with entitlement where the payment has been suspended, for example if they are in hospital. 4. Constituencies used are for the Westminster Parliament of May 2010. 5. IB/SDA 'Claimants' include people in receipt of benefit and also those who fail the contributions conditions but receive a national insurance credit, i.e. 'credits only cases'. Source: DWP Information Directorate Work and Pensions Longitudinal Study 100% data. | |
Jobcentre Plus: Edinburgh
Sheila Gilmore: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many Jobcentre Plus staff are employed in Edinburgh on temporary contracts. [9467]
Chris Grayling: The administration of Jobcentre Plus is a matter for the chief executive of Jobcentre Plus, Darra Singh. I have asked him to provide the hon. Member with the information requested.
The Secretary of State has asked me to reply to your question asking how many Jobcentre Plus staff in Edinburgh are employed on temporary contracts. This is something that falls within the responsibilities delegated to me as Chief Executive of Jobcentre Plus.
The Office for National Statistics defines temporary staff as those on a fixed-term appointment of less than 12 months. As at the end of March 2010, we had 4 full-time equivalents in Edinburgh falling into that category. However, Jobcentre Plus also uses fixed-term appointments for longer periods of employment, and at March 2010 we had a further 62 full time equivalents in Edinburgh on fixed-term appointments of more than 12 months duration.
I hope this information is helpful.
Jobcentre Plus: Training
Luciana Berger: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what the cost of training (a) employment advisers and (b) customer service managers for Jobcentre Plus was in each of the last five years. [8977]
Chris Grayling: The administration of Jobcentre Plus is a matter for the chief executive of Jobcentre Plus, Darra Singh. I have asked him to provide the hon. Member with the information requested.
The Secretary of State has asked me to reply to your question asking what the cost of training (a) employment advisers and (b) customer service managers for Jobcentre Plus was in each of the last five years. This is something that falls within the responsibilities delegated to me as Chief Executive of Jobcentre Plus.
We do not have job role specific data covering the last five years. This is because Departmental IT systems only started to collate this level of data three years ago.
Therefore, I am only able to provide the following breakdown for each of the last three years against the job roles requested:
| The cost of training Personal Advisers and Customer Service Managers for Jobcentre Plus in each of the last three years | |||
| Year/ Job r ole | 2007/08 | 2008/09 | 2009/10 |
| Notes: 1 The terminology within Jobcentre Plus for Employment Adviser is Personal Adviser. 2 The cost of learning is based on the total number of days learning for each of the job roles and includes both generic and technical learning. The increase in the cost of training provided for Personal Advisers in 2009/10 is due to the significant recruitment of new Personal Advisers by Jobcentre Plus during this period to support increased workloads arising from the economic downturn. Source: Jobcentre Plus | |||
I hope this information is helpful.
Jobseeker's Allowance: Standards
Mr Weir: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what service level agreement is in place in respect of the processing of payment of claims for reimbursement of interview-related travel costs by recipients of jobseeker's allowance; and what percentage of claims have been processed within the target time in each of the last three years. [8387]
Chris Grayling: The administration of Jobcentre Plus is a matter for the chief executive of Jobcentre Plus, Darra Singh. I have asked him to provide the hon. Member with the information requested.
The Secretary of State has asked me to reply to your question asking what service level agreement is in place in respect of the processing of payment of claims for reimbursement of interview-related travel costs by recipients of Jobseeker's Allowance; and what percentage of claims have been processed within the target time in each of the last three years. This is something that falls within the responsibilities delegated to Darra Singh as Chief Executive of Jobcentre Plus. As Darra Singh is currently on annual leave, I am replying in his absence.
Helping eligible customers with job interview expenses is an important part of the services we offer to help people back into work as quickly as possible. Where a customer is eligible for job interview-related expenses (through the Travel to Interview Scheme), we aim to reimburse payment within four weeks of the job interview, but this does depend, in part, on customers providing the required supporting information-i.e. original receipts/tickets for the expenses incurred.
In terms of our performance, we do not routinely gather information on the time taken to process payments as this would be disproportionately expensive. However, I am keen to make sure people understand how quickly we aim to make payment and how to raise issues or concerns; and have asked that post interview arrangements be incorporated into Travel to Interview scheme information given to customers.
In terms of personal adviser interviews people are asked to attend at a Jobcentre Plus office, these are nearly always timed to coincide with their jobsearch review appointments to ensure that no additional travel costs are incurred. However, where this is not possible or where a customer is asked to attend an office other than their normal office of attendance, and they incur additional travel expenses we will reimburse these costs at the start of the interview to allay any worry or uncertainty on the customer's part.
Parental Leave
Lorely Burt: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what recent representations he has received on reform of legislation on maternity and paternity leave. [6719]
Mr Davey: I have been asked to reply.
The Secretary of State and other BIS Ministers are having a wide range of meetings with business and employee representatives to discuss a range of issues, including maternity and paternity leave.
Social Security Benefits: Disability
Helen Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many people in Warrington North constituency receive (a) incapacity benefit, (b) disability living allowance and (c) employment and support allowance. [9070]
Chris Grayling: The information requested is as follows.
Social Security Benefits: Medical Examinations
Dr Whiteford: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions on what terms specialists undertaking medical examinations for (a) incapacity benefit and (b) employment and support allowance (i) assessments and (ii) appeals are paid. [8436]
Chris Grayling: Healthcare professionals who undertake medical assessments on behalf of the DWP are paid by Atos Healthcare. DWP pays Atos Healthcare for the services received under the terms of the Medical Services Contract.
State Retirement Pensions: Durham
Roberta Blackman-Woods: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many pensioners in City of Durham constituency receive (a) the basic state pension and (b) pension credit. [8470]
Steve Webb: The information available is in the following table.
| Parliamentary constituency: City of Durham | |
| Number | |
| Notes: 1. Caseload figures are rounded to the nearest 10. 2. State pension figures are for the total state pension caseload. Around 1% of state pension recipients are not in receipt of the basic state pension, but are receiving additional state pension only or graduated retirement benefit only. 3. Basic state pension only figures are not available by current 2010 parliamentary constituencies. 4. Pension credit household recipients are those people who claim pension credit either for themselves or on behalf of themselves and a partner. Individual beneficiaries are the number of claimants in addition to the number of partners for whom they are claiming. 5. Parliamentary constituencies are for the Westminster Parliament of May 2010. Source: DWP Information Directorate Work and Pensions Longitudinal Study 100% data as at November 2009 | |
Unemployment Benefits
Ian Austin: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how much has been paid in jobseeker's allowance and predecessor benefits in (a) England and Wales, (b) England, (c) the west midlands, (d) Dudley borough and (e) Dudley North constituency in each year since 1980. [8275]
Chris Grayling: The available information is in the tables. Information is not available below Great Britain prior to 1997-98.
| Jobseeker's allowance annual expenditure: Nominal t erms | |||||
| £ million | |||||
| England and Wales | England | West midlands | Dudley | Dudley North | |
| Jobseeker's allowance annual expenditure: Real t erms 2010-11 p rices | |||||
| £ million | |||||
| England and Wales | England | West midlands | Dudley | Dudley North | |
| Notes: 1. Figures for 2009-10 are based on three quarters of data (May 2009 to November 2009; February 2010 data are not yet available) 2. Expenditure figures are rounded to the nearest £100,000 Source: DWP accounting and statistical data | |||||
The available information for Great Britain prior to 199798 can be found in the Library and on the internet at
Unemployment Benefits: Great Yarmouth
Brandon Lewis: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many people in Great Yarmouth constituency have been in receipt of out-of-work benefits for (a) over six months, (b) over 12 months and (c) over five years. [9176]
Chris Grayling: The most recent available information is in the table.
| Claimants of out-of-work benefits in the Great Yarmouth constituency, by benefit and duration, as at November 2009 | |||
| JSA | Incapacity benefits | IS/PC | |
| Notes: 1. Caseload figures are rounded to the nearest ten 2. The data have been analysed by statistical groups which are hierarchical. A person who fits into more than one category will only appear in the top-most one for which they are eligible. JSA-claimants of jobseekers allowance; Incapacity benefits-claimants of incapacity benefit(IB)/severe disablement allowance (SDA)/employment and support allowance(ESA); IS/PC-claimants of income support and males age 60-64 claiming pension credit who are not also claiming IB/SDA. 3. Great Yarmouth parliamentary constituency is analysed using the 2010 boundaries. 4. The duration categories overlap; so for example the number of people on out-of-work benefits for more than six months includes people who have been out of work for more than 12 months and more than five years. Source: DWP Information Directorate: 100% Work and Pensions Longitudinal Study. | |||
Unemployment: Young People
Mr Stewart Jackson: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many people aged 18 to 24 years resident in Peterborough constituency were not in employment, education or training in each quarter since May 2005; and if he will make a statement. [10136]
Mr Hayes [holding answer 20 July 2010]: I have been asked to reply.
The following table provides estimates of the number and proportion of people aged(1) 16 to 24 not in education employment or training (NEET) in the Peterborough local authority in each year from 2005 to 2009. This information is from the Annual Population Survey, which covers the period January to December of each year, with 2009 being the most recent estimate available. The Annual Population Survey is the only available source of data with a sample large enough to provide local authority estimates of the number of young people up to the age of 24 who are NEET. However, the sample is not large enough to provide estimates for smaller geographies, such as parliamentary constituencies, or to provide local authority estimates for age ranges narrower than 16 to 24.
(1) Age used is respondents' academic age, which is defined as their age at the preceding 31 August.
Quarterly estimates of the number of people aged 16 to 24 not in education, employment or training (NEET) derived from the Labour Force Survey are published by the Department for Education. The latest publication can be found online at:
This includes supplementary tables giving breakdowns of 18 to 24-year-olds NEET for each region.
Wales
Jonathan Edwards: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will make an assessment of the likely effects on Wales of his Department's planned spending reductions. [8987]
Chris Grayling: The Government set out in their document 'Spending Review Framework' that they will
"look closely at the effects of its decisions on different groups in society, especially the least well off, and on different regions."
Further information will be available at the spending review.
Winter Fuel Payments: Disability
Jonathan Edwards: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions whether he has made an estimate of the cost of extending eligibility for winter fuel payments to those severely disabled people in receipt of higher rate of mobility and core elements of disability living allowance. [8261]
Steve Webb: Winter fuel payments are made to most people who have reached women's state pension age, including those who are severely disabled. Older people are targeted because they are particularly vulnerable to the effects of cold weather during the winter months.
Disability living allowance is specifically designed to help meet the extra costs of disability, including heating.
Based on the latest available caseload figures, the estimated annual cost increase in benefit expenditure were winter fuel payments to be extended to people receiving the higher rate mobility component or higher rate care component of disability living allowance would be approximately £250 million for winter 2010-11 (in 2010-11 prices), based on a £250 payment.
This is an upper estimate for the cost of extending winter fuel payments to this group as it includes those customers who may be living in a household that already receives a winter fuel payment. It is not possible to identify disability living allowance customers who would not be entitled to a winter fuel payment because they are living in households that already receive a winter fuel payment.
Additional help is available to severely disabled people through the disability premiums that are included in income-related benefits, such as income support, council tax benefit, housing benefit and pension credit. A combination of these premiums and the support received through disability living allowance means that the most vulnerable people can receive up to an approximate £8,000 per year in recognition of their extra costs.
Work Capability Assessment
Kerry McCarthy: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what steps his Department takes to obtain information on what happens to applicants for employment and support allowance who are deemed ineligible as a result of the work capability assessment. [9304]
Chris Grayling: Of all completed work capability assessments up to the end of February 2010 9% were placed into the support group, 23% were placed in the work related activity group and 68% were found fit for work. We are currently considering how we might look at the experiences and outcomes of this latter group in more detail-some of whom we know flow on to other benefits such as jobseeker's allowance and carer's allowance.
Kerry McCarthy: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what reviews his Department is undertaking into the efficacy and appropriateness of work capability assessments. [9305]
Chris Grayling: In March, a DWP-led review of the work capability assessment found that generally it is accurately identifying individuals for the right support. The review also made a number of recommendations for improving the assessment, including simplifying the language, making greater provision for people awaiting or in between courses of chemotherapy and people with certain communication and mental health problems, and taking greater account of how an individual has adapted to their condition or disability. On 29 June, we announced our intention to implement these recommendations, and we will now begin to revise the work capability assessment accordingly.
Additionally, we have a statutory commitment to arrange an independent review of the main elements of the work capability assessment every year for the first five years of operation. The review will be conducted by Professor Malcolm Harrington, acting as lead reviewer. Professor Harrington is a highly respected occupational physician and will be supported by a scrutiny group, who will review progress at intervals and peer review the final report. It is anticipated that a call for evidence will be made later this month.
Work Capability Assessment: Appeals
Kerry McCarthy: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what proportion of applicants for employment and support allowance (a) in each category of disability and (b) (i) with and (ii) without representation who were deemed ineligible as a result of the work capability assessment obtained the allowance on appeal in the latest period for which figures are available. [9301]
Chris Grayling: Data on the health condition of ESA applicants and whether they had representation are not available.
The Department regularly publishes official statistics on the work capability assessment-the statistics were last updated in April 2010 and published in the report "Employment and Support Allowance: Work Capability Assessment: Official Statistics: April 2010", a copy of which has been placed in the Library. The publication is also available on the internet at the following address:
Work Choice Programme
Alison Seabeck: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what the status is of his Department's Work Choice programme. [8375]
Chris Grayling: I refer the hon. Member to the written answer I gave the hon. Member for Plymouth, Moor View (Alison Seabeck) on 13 July 2010, Official Report, column 689W.
Health
Alcoholic Drinks: Death
Dr Wollaston: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what evidence his Department holds on the effects on health of alcohol consumption; and what estimate he has made of the number of deaths from cancer in which alcohol was a contributing factor in the last 12 months. [8907]
Anne Milton: The Department reviewed the evidence on the known health effects of alcohol for its 1995 report 'Sensible Drinking'. A copy has been placed in the Library. Effects on health were also summarised in 'Dangerousness of Drugs' (National Addiction Centre, 2001 updated 2003) that was commissioned by the Department. The updated 2003 report has been placed in the Library.
The Committee on Carcinogenicity published a statement on the role of alcohol in breast cancer in November 2004.
The Department commissioned the North West Public Health Observatory to provide a detailed analysis of the impact of alcohol use on mortality and hospital admissions in its June 2008 report 'Alcohol-attributable fractions for England: Alcohol-attributable mortality and hospital admissions'. A copy has already been placed in the Library.
The Department has also analysed the key international research-particularly the extensive reviews on the effects of alcohol on health published by Corrao (Corrao et al 1999. Exploring the dose-response relationship between alcohol consumption and the risk of several alcohol-related conditions: a meta-analysis. 'Addiction' 94, 1551-1573.) and by Rehm (Rehm et al. 2004. In: WHO (ed), 'Comparative quantification of health risks: Global and regional burden of disease due to selected major risk factors'. Geneva: WHO.); and it has drawn on other published research and reports and on the advice of established experts.
The number of deaths in England from cancer in which alcohol was a contributing factor in 2005, the latest year for which data are readily available, is 3,163.
Note:
Figure is for all adults (aged 16 and over)
Source:
Alcohol-attributable fractions for England: Alcohol-attributable mortality and hospital admissions, North West Public Health Observatory
Alcoholic Drinks: Misuse
Mr Evennett: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what estimate his Department has made of the incidence of alcohol dependency in (a) Bexleyheath and Crayford constituency and (b) the London borough of Bexley. [9025]
Anne Milton: This information is not collected centrally.
However, we are aware that in 2009-10, Bexley Care Trust conducted an alcohol needs assessment which estimated that there are approximately 4,200 dependent drinkers in the borough. Further information can be obtained from Bexley Care Trust.
Alcohol is a major public health issue and dependent drinkers are the group of drinkers at greatest risk of admission to hospital, for a range of illnesses.
We intend to ensure a proper focus on public health within the national health service and help ensure effective commissioning of services, with a focus on good outcomes from treatments, including treatment for alcohol dependence.
Cancer: Health Services
Andrew Gwynne: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment he has made of the most appropriate regional level for specialist commissioning of rare cancers. [9219]
Mr Burstow: Specialised services are currently commissioned either regionally by Specialised Commissioning Groups or nationally by the National Specialised Commissioning Team. The White Paper 'Equity and Excellence: Liberating the NHS', published on 12 July 2010, proposes that the NHS Commissioning Board will be responsible for commissioning national and regional specialised services as set out in the Specialised Services National Definitions Set (SSNDS). The cancer definitions set can be found on the National Specialised Commissioning Group website at:
The White Paper trailed a further document setting out the proposals on commissioning, providing the basis for consultation and engagement with health and care professionals and with the public.
It is anticipated that specialised commissioning will also be considered as part of the review of the Cancer Reform Strategy.
Carers: Greater Manchester
Kate Green:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health how much has been allocated in Stretford and Urmston constituency under the Caring in Confidence programme; how much funding has been allocated to
each organisation; how many carers (a) had received such funding as at March 2010 and (b) will have received such funding by March 2011. [9342]
Mr Burstow: There were no providers of face-to-face Caring with Confidence training located within the Stretford and Urmston constituency.
Departmental Consultants
Paul Blomfield: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what contracts his Department has entered into with external consultants since the Government came into office; and what the (a) name of the consultants, (b) terms of reference of the work, (c) monetary value of the contract and (d) expected date of completion of the work is in each case. [3596]
Mr Simon Burns [holding answer 28 June 2010]: The information is contained in the following tables:
Departmental Marketing
Graham Evans: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how much his (a) Department and (b) its agencies and non-departmental public bodies spent on logo design in each year since 1997. [7485]
Mr Simon Burns: Since 1997, the Department has spent a total of £36,660 on logo design. The following table shows a breakdown of expenditure by financial year.
Information on expenditure by agencies and non-departmental public bodies is not held centrally and could be collected only at disproportionate cost.
Departmental Security
Graham Evans: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how much (a) his Department and (b) its agencies and non-departmental public bodies spent on security in each year since 1997. [7377]
Mr Simon Burns: Information on security expenditure is not available before April 2002.
Expenditure on security from 2001 to 2010, for the Department including NHS Connecting for Health, was as follows:
| April to March each year | £ |
Comprehensive information on security expenditure from all of our non-departmental bodies and executive agencies is not held centrally, and could be provided only at disproportionate cost. Limited information from 2001 to 2010 has been obtained from the General Social Care Council, Care Quality Commission, Health Protection Agency, Medicines and Healthcare Regulatory Authority, Appointments Commission.
Total expenditure on security by these bodies was as follows:
| April to March each year | £ |
Food Standards Agency
Ann Clwyd: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what estimate he has made of the cost to the public purse of his proposed plan to incorporate into his Department the nutrition functions of the Food Standards Agency. [9374]
Anne Milton: The Department is currently establishing detailed costings for the transfer.
Ann Clwyd: To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what plans he has to consult on his proposals to incorporate into his Department the nutrition functions of the Food Standards Agency; [9375]
(2) what discussions he has had with Ministers in the devolved Administrations on his proposed plan to incorporate into his Department the nutrition functions of the Food Standards Agency. [9377]
Anne Milton: The Department has sought views from the devolved Administrations on proposals to transfer responsibility for nutrition policy for England from the Food Standards Agency (FSA) to the Department.
We are working closely with the FSA on the transfer. We will be consulting with unions as part of the implementation process.
Ann Clwyd: To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether he undertook a cost-benefit analysis of his proposal to incorporate into his Department the nutrition functions of the Food Standards Agency. [9376]
Anne Milton: No. We are currently establishing detailed costings of the transfer. We are confident that it will bring significant benefits to consumers through a more co-ordinated, coherent policy-making process and consistent messages on a healthy, balanced diet.
Ann Clwyd: To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what assessment he has made of the openness and transparency with which the Food Standards Agency deals with nutritional issues; and if he will incorporate such principles into the work of his Department's expanded nutrition division; [9379]
(2) what assessment he has made of the process of decision-making on nutritional issues in the Food Standards Agency; and if he will incorporate such processes in the work of his Department's expanded nutrition division. [9380]
Anne Milton: We recognise the contribution that the Food Standards Agency has made on a range of nutritional issues. The staff who are transferred to the Department will operate on the same basis as existing departmental civil servants.
Nutrition policy will continue to be informed by evidence and scientific expertise, including advice from independent experts. The Department is also committed to providing evidence-based advice to consumers to support them in making healthier lifestyle choices.
Ann Clwyd: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment he has made of the access of representatives of (a) non-governmental organisations and (b) the food industry to senior executives of the Food Standards Agency; and if he will make a statement. [9381]
Anne Milton: None. The Food Standards Agency will remain a non-ministerial Government Department, therefore senior executives will continue to meet with non-government organisations and the food industry as appropriate.
Ann Clwyd: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many staff of each pay band work in the nutrition division of his Department; and how many staff at each pay band he plans to incorporate into that division from the corresponding division of the Food Standards Agency. [9382]
Anne Milton: There are 10 permanent staff in the nutrition team of the Department which are as follows:
| Grade | Number |
Following the announcement on 20 July 2010 about the transfer of staff from the Food Standards Agency (FSA) to the Department, we are working with the FSA to agree the number of staff who will join the Department's nutrition team.
Dr Whiteford:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the average length of service is of staff
employed at each office of the Food Standards Agency. [9709]
Anne Milton: The average length of service (in years) of staff employed at each office of the Food Standards Agency (FSA), as at 31 March 2010, is as follows:
| Length of service (years) | |
| Notes: The response provided is in relation to the FSA. The table does not include staff numbers for the Meat Hygiene Service, an Executive Agency of the FSA. | |
Dr Whiteford: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the (a) running costs and (b) fixed accommodation costs were of each office of the Food Standards Agency in each of the last five years. [9710]
Anne Milton: The information is as follows:
| 2005 | 2006 | 2007 | 2008 | 2009 | |
| (1) The increases for FSA Westminster 2008 and FSA Scotland 2009 relate to one-off refurbishments. | |||||
Fixed costs include rent, rates and building insurance costs.
Running costs include repairs and maintenance, utilities, security, facilities management, cleaning and catering costs.
General Practitioners
Andrew Gwynne: To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what steps he plans to take to encourage GPs to take part in GP commissioning; [9215]
(2) what financial training and support his Department plans to provide to GPs to manage health budgets. [9216]
Mr Simon Burns: The White Paper, "Equity and Excellence: Liberating the NHS" published on 12 July 2010, sets out our intention to devolve power and responsibility for commissioning services to local consortia of general practitioner (GP) practices.
A fundamental principle of the new arrangements is that every GP practice will be a member of a consortium, as a corollary of holding a list of registered patients.
GP consortia will have the freedom to decide what commissioning activities they undertake for themselves and for what activities (such as some aspects of financial management) they may choose to buy in support from external organisations, including local authorities, private and voluntary sector bodies.
Primary care trusts will also have an important task in the next two years in supporting practices to prepare for the new arrangements.
We will shortly issue a document setting out our proposals in more detail. This will provide the basis for fuller engagement with primary care professionals, patients and the public.
Andrew Gwynne: To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) how he plans to ensure co-ordination of services under GP commissioning for cancer; [9217]
(2) how he plans to ensure that GPs have the expertise to commission the full range of services needed for complex diseases. [9218]
Mr Simon Burns:
The White Paper, "Equity and Excellence: Liberating the NHS", published on 12 July 2010, sets out our intention to devolve power and
responsibility for commissioning services to local consortia of general practitioner (GP) practices. To support GP consortia in their commissioning decisions, we will also create an independent NHS Commissioning Board.
Primary care professionals co-ordinate all the services that patients receive, helping them to navigate the system and ensure that they get the best care. For this reason they are best placed to co-ordinate the commissioning of care for their patients while involving all other clinical professionals who are also part of any pathway.
The NHS Commissioning Board will also host some clinical commissioning networks, for example for rarer cancers, to pool specialist expertise.
A document setting out these proposals in more detail will be issued shortly, providing the basis for further engagement with health and care professionals and with the public.
Mr Iain Wright: To ask the Secretary of State for Health pursuant to the statement of 12 July 2010, Official Report, columns 661-681, on NHS White Paper, what (a) funding and (b) other resources will be provided to GPs to enable them to undertake commissioning. [9298]
Mr Simon Burns: The White Paper, "Equity and Excellence: Liberating the NHS" published on 12 July 2010, sets out our intention to devolve power and responsibility for commissioning services to local consortia of general practitioner (GP) practices. To support GP consortia in their commissioning decisions, we will also create an independent NHS Commissioning Board.
The NHS Commissioning Board will calculate practice-level budgets and allocate these directly to GP consortia. GP consortia will be responsible for managing the combined commissioning budgets of their member GP practices, and using these resources to improve healthcare and health outcomes.
We envisage that consortia will receive a maximum management allowance to reflect the costs associated with commissioning. Consortia will have the freedom to decide what commissioning activities they undertake for themselves and for what activities (such as demographic analysis) they may choose to buy in support from external organisations, including local authorities, private and voluntary sector bodies.
We will shortly issue a document setting out our proposals in more detail. This will provide the basis for fuller engagement with primary care professionals, patients and the public.
NHS Commissioning Board
Mr Iain Wright: To ask the Secretary of State for Health pursuant to the statement of 12 July 2010, Official Report, columns 661-81, on NHS White Paper, (1) what the expected governance model is for the NHS Commissioning Board; [9293]
(2) what arrangements there will be for the NHS Commissioning board to report to (a) him and (b) the Permanent Secretary of his Department; [9299]
(3) how members of the NHS Commissioning Board will be appointed; what their remuneration will be; and how many days per month they will be expected to work. [9300]
Grahame M. Morris: To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) who will have responsibility for appointing the members of the NHS Commissioning Board; what criteria will be used to determine the salary and remuneration package for members of that board; and whether details of the salary and remuneration package of members of that board will be published; [9714]
(2) what accountability mechanisms he plans to establish in respect of the NHS Commissioning Board; what powers there will be to remove NHS Commissioning Board members under his proposals; by whom and by what mechanisms; how the performance of the NHS Commissioning Board will be evaluated; and what sanctions will be available to whom if the NHS Commissioning Board does not meet its objectives. [9787]
Mr Simon Burns: The White Paper, "Equity and Excellence: Liberating the NHS", published on 12 July stated the Government's intention to establish an independent NHS Commissioning Board.
As set out in the White Paper, it is the Government's intention that the Secretary of State will be obliged to set out objectives for the NHS Commissioning Board on an annual basis, including improvements against agreed outcome indicators, against which the performance of the board will be evaluated. We envisage that the NHS Commissioning Board will be required to report annually on how it has performed against those objectives.
We intend to introduce legislation to establish the NHS Commissioning Board later this year. The Health Bill will set out further details about how members of the board will be appointed, provision as to the terms of their appointment, their remuneration and how they will be held to account.
The Department will be consulting over the summer on the indicators that it would be appropriate to use to use to assess the outcomes achieved by the Commissioning Board.
NHS Foundation Trusts
Mr Bain: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps will be taken in relation to hospitals which do not meet the financial requirements to become a foundation trust. [9179]
Mr Simon Burns: Within three years, we will support all national health service trusts to become foundation trusts. Where an NHS trust is unsustainable, the Secretary of State may, as a matter of last resort, apply the trust administration regime set out in the Health Act 2009.
As set out in the White Paper, "Equity and excellence: Liberating the NHS", the new economic regulator, Monitor will also play a role in ensuring that access to essential services is maintained.
Mr Bain: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps his Department plans to take to prevent foundation trusts from over-spending their budget following the implementation of the proposals in the White Paper "Liberating the NHS". [9180]
Mr Simon Burns:
As set out in the White Paper, "Equity and excellence: Liberating the NHS", foundation trusts will be in charge of their own destiny, without
central or regional management or support. This will be supported by a system of economic regulation overseen by Monitor that will drive efficiency. It will include a rules-based special administration regime. Hidden bail-outs will end.
NHS: Costs
Dr Pugh: To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what his Department's estimate is of the redundancy costs which will arise from the proposed abolition of (a) regional health authorities and (b) primary care trusts; [9060]
(2) what estimate has been made of the net cost to the public purse of implementing all the proposals in the Health White Paper. [9084]
Andrew Gwynne: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the estimated cost is of (a) abolishing strategic health authorities and primary care trusts and (b) establishing GP commissioning. [9213]
Mr Iain Wright: To ask the Secretary of State for Health pursuant to the statement of 12 July 2010, Official Report, columns 661-681, on NHS White Paper, what his estimate is of the cost of abolishing primary care trusts and strategic health authorities. [9297]
Mr Simon Burns: The White Paper "Equity and Excellence: Liberating the NHS" laid out proposals for fundamental changes to the ways that the national health service is structured and run. It will not be possible to give a precise estimate of the costs of implementing these reforms until the new organisations that will underpin the new system have been designed in more detail. The Government will publish an impact assessment later this year in the light of consultation on the detailed approach to implementation.
However, the White Paper made clear that NHS management costs will be cut by more than 45% over the next four years. We will ensure that the one-off costs of implementing the White Paper are affordable within the requirements of the wider spending review, while ensuring funding is focused on front-line patient care.
Salt: Health Education
Andrew Stephenson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how much was spent on the recent Government advertising campaign to encourage people to eat less salt. [9326]
Anne Milton: The most recent phase of the Food Standards Agency's public awareness campaign to encourage people to eat less salt, which launched in October 2009, cost £3,466,808. This includes all campaign costs such as advertising, production, research, marketing and public relations and online work.
Self-harm
Mrs Moon: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment he has made of the merits of a (a) national, (b) regional and (c) local mechanism for the (i) provision of information and (ii) evaluation of best practice in respect of services and support available to those who self-harm; and if he will make a statement. [9028]
Mr Burstow: Self-harm is most commonly managed in secondary care. This includes both hospital medical care and mental health services. About half of the people who present to an accident and emergency department (A and E) after self-harming are assessed by a mental health professional. Treatments include psychological interventions, pharmacological interventions and harm management.
The national health service will be backed with increased real resources yet we recognise that there are still efficiencies to be made. However, we intend to make sure front-line services in the NHS as a whole are protected from cuts.
We will be assessing our priorities carefully and will announce details on mental health policy, including self-harm, in due course. Our focus will be on making services patient-led, based on the best clinical evidence, responsive to patients' choice and management of their own care, and delivering best health outcomes.
Mrs Moon: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will allocate funding for research into the effect of (a) the internet and (b) social networking sites on those who self-harm; and if he will make a statement. [9029]
Mr Burstow: The Policy Research Programme will fund research which provides evidence to support policy.
We will be assessing our priorities carefully and will announce details on mental health policy, in due course. Our focus will be on making services patient-led, based on the best clinical evidence, responsive to patients' choice and management of their own care, and delivering best 'health' outcomes.
Mrs Moon: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment he has made of the adequacy of the level of support provided by his Department to third sector organisations assisting people who (a) are suspected to be at the risk of suicide and (b) self-harm; and if he will make a statement. [9031]
Mr Burstow: The Department has not made a recent assessment of the adequacy of the level of support it has provided to third sector organisations who assist people who are suspected to be at risk of suicide and self-harm. While suicide rates in England have been falling since the 1980s and are now among the lowest in Europe, we are actively considering how best to make further progress.
The Department's main source of funding to charitable sector is under the Third Sector Investment Programme, Innovation, Excellence and Service Development Fund (IESD). This fund seeks to support third sector innovation, promote and embed excellence, and provide investment to grow quality sustainable services; to inform national policy, and support the sector's role in improvement and innovation. Departmental preferences are decided upon annually and organisations who consider that they meet the eligibility criteria and preferences are welcome to apply.
Mrs Moon:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will allocate funding to (a) assess the quality and provision of services by primary care trusts to those who self-harm and (b) research the causes of
self-harm; and if he will issue guidance to clinicians on the provision of treatment to reduce the incidence of self-harm. [9032]
Mr Burstow: The National Institute for health and Clinical Excellence guideline on self-harm covers:
the care people who harm themselves can expect to receive from health care professionals in hospital and out of hospital;
the information they can expect to receive;
what they can expect from treatment; and
what kinds of services best help people who harm themselves.
As a new Government we have a large number of issues to tackle. We will be assessing our priorities carefully and will announce details on mental health policy, including suicide and self-harm, in due course. Our focus will be on making services patient-led, based on the best clinical evidence, responsive to patients' choice and management of their own care, and delivering best health outcomes.
Mrs Moon: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what estimate he has made of the number of incidents of self-harm amongst (a) prisoners, (b) asylum seekers, (c) armed forces veterans, (d) people bereaved by suicide, (e) ethnic minority groups and (f) sexual orientation minority groups in the last 12 months; and if he will make a statement. [9034]
Mr Burstow: We do not collect these data centrally, and nor does the national health service information centre.
Mrs Moon: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment he has made of the standard of services across (a) primary care trusts and (b) local authorities for people who self-harm; and if he will make a statement. [9035]
Mr Burstow: The provision and funding of local health services, including anger management, is a decision for primary care trusts, in partnership with their strategic health authorities. Therefore, we have made no such assessment.
Mrs Moon: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what estimate he has made of the number of people who have (a) self-harmed and (b) attempted suicide who have been able to access clinically-trained psychiatric staff when presenting at hospital accident and emergency departments; and if he will make a statement. [9089]
Mr Burstow: We have not made an estimate of this nature. However, National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence guidance on self-harm does make clear that clinical and non-clinical staff who have contact with people who self-harm in any setting should be provided with appropriate training to equip them to understand and care for people who have self-harmed.
Mrs Moon: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many incidents of self-harm by (a) men and (b) women of each age group there were in each primary care trust in each year since 2000; and if he will make a statement. [9090]
Mr Burstow: The information requested has been placed in the Library.
Mrs Moon: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many people were discharged from hospital following an episode of (a) self-harm and (b) attempted suicide in cases where there has been no (i) psychiatric assessment of their mental state, (ii) needs assessment, (iii) care plan, (iv) follow-through GP appointment and (v) provision for any further service or support; and if he will make a statement. [9107]
Mr Burstow: This information is not collected centrally. National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence guidelines for those who self-harm or attempt suicide make a number of recommendations including a psychiatric assessment of mental state, needs assessment, care plan, follow-through general practitioner appointment and that provision for any further service or support should be carried out. Information on compliance with these recommendations is not collected centrally.
Mrs Moon: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what discussions he has had with (a) people who self-harm, (b) carers of those who self-harm, (c) health service professionals and (d) third sector workers on (i) the provision of services, (ii) the effectiveness of services and (iii) the implementation of National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence guidelines for those who self-harm; and if he will make a statement. [9108]
Mr Burstow: We have had no such discussion thus far. We will be assessing our priorities carefully and will announce details on mental health policy, including self-harm, in due course. Our focus will be on making services patient-led, based on the best clinical evidence, responsive to patients' choice and management of their own care, and delivering best health outcomes.
The national health service will be backed with increased real resources yet we recognise that there are still efficiencies to be made, however, we intend to make sure front-line services in the NHS as a whole are protected from cuts.
Mrs Moon: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment he has made of the effectiveness of training provided to increase the levels of understanding of staff working in hospital accident and emergency departments of self-harm; and if he will make a statement. [9109]
Mr Burstow: It is for United Kingdom health professions regulators to ensure patient safety by establishing minimum standards (qualifications, health and character) required to hold a protected professional title (for example, paramedic) and quality assuring the provision of education to ensure that it meets the standards set. Therefore, we have made no such assessment.
Mrs Moon: To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what assessment he has made of the level of compliance by primary care trusts with National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence guidelines on (a) self-harm and (b) suicide; and if he will make a statement; [9111]
(2) if he will hold discussions with the Royal College of Psychiatrists on the extent to which their members meet the standards set by the National Institute for
Health and Clinical Excellence guidelines and professional practice in relation to self-harm; and if he will make a statement. [9465]
Mr Burstow: We have made no such assessment. National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence guidelines are not enforced, but are recommendations. The provision and funding of local health services is a decision for primary care trusts, in partnership with their strategic health authorities.
Ministers have and will continue to have meetings with a range of stakeholders, including the Royal Colleges, on mental health policy.
Suicide
Mrs Moon: To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what discussions he has had with (a) people who have attempted suicide, (b) carers of people who have attempted suicide, (c) health professionals and (d) third sector workers on (i) the provision of services, (ii) the effectiveness of services and (iii) the implementation of National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence guidelines for those who have attempted suicide; and if he will make a statement; [8961]
(2) what assessment he has made of the merits of establishing a public health strategy on self-harm; and if he will make a statement; [9085]
(3) if he will discuss with ministerial colleagues in the devolved Administrations the merits of research into the effectiveness of the suicide prevention strategies; and if he will make a statement. [9088]
Mr Burstow: I refer the hon. Member to the written answer I gave her on 19 July 2010, Official Report, column 96W.
Mrs Moon: To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) if he will commission research on the effect on the incidence of suicide of economic downturns; and if he will make a statement; [10654]
(2) if he will commission research on the effect on the incidence of self-harm of economic downturns; and if he will make a statement. [10655]
Mr Burstow: The Department has not commissioned research on the impact of the economic downturn on levels of demand for mental health services. However, we recognise that there are links between poor mental health and difficult economic circumstances and, in the current climate, it is understandable that people might worry more about their finances and employment. Our confirmation of the final £70 million instalment of growth funding from the current spending round for the Improving Access to Psychological Therapies programme is enabling primary care trusts to broaden the geographical coverage of services, meaning more people can get help, and to increase the range of therapies available, giving people more choice and access to the right psychological support.
Education
Academies: Chesterfield
Toby Perkins: To ask the Secretary of State for Education which schools in Chesterfield have (a) been classified as outstanding, (b) expressed interest in becoming academy schools and (c) been approved for academy school status in the last three years. [6747]
Mr Gibb: The schools in the town of Chesterfield(1) that have been judged outstanding by Ofsted at their most recent inspection are listed in the following table.
(1) Post codes beginning with S40-S43 and S45
| Name of school | Phase of education |
As at 7 July 2010 none of the above schools have expressed an interest in becoming an Academy.
Building Schools for the Future Programme
Thomas Docherty: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what estimate he has made of the Barnett consequentials of his announcements on the Building Schools for the Future programme. [9024]
Justine Greening: I have been asked to reply.
No Barnett consequentials arose from the Secretary of State for Education's announcement in respect of the Building Schools for the Future programme.
Children: Databases
Ian Austin: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what representations he has received from local authorities in the West Midlands on the decision to end the ContactPoint database. [8200]
Tim Loughton: We have confirmed with local authorities and other partners our firm intention to end the ContactPoint database as soon as is practicable. Both coalition partners' manifestos included a clear commitment to scrap ContactPoint, to fulfil a longstanding policy commitment, discussed with a wide range of interested organisations in recent years. We have consistently opposed a database, which contains details about all children in England, accessed by hundreds of thousands of people and we signalled our opposition in debates on the original legislation in the 2004 Children Act.
The Department for Education has received no representations from local authorities in the west midlands on this decision. We will continue to engage with and
draw on the views with a wide range of organisations as we consider the scope for a more proportionate approach to protecting children most in need.
Ian Austin: To ask the Secretary of State for Education how much his Department spent on the ContactPoint scheme in (a) the West Midlands, (b) Dudley borough and (c) Dudley North constituency in (i) 2009 and (ii) 2010. [8201]
Tim Loughton: The Department for Education has provided grant funding to local authorities and national partners to support the local implementation of ContactPoint. £2,621,000 was paid to the 14 children's services authorities in the west midlands in the 2009-10 financial year. Grant payments made to these authorities between 1 April and 30 June 2010 (inclusive) were £377,555.75. Within these totals, the amounts paid to Dudley metropolitan borough council were £170,000 in 2009-10, and £23,747.75 for 1 April to 30 June 2010.
Figures are not available for spending broken down by parliamentary constituency.
Departmental Billing
Mr Anderson: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what information his Department holds on the time taken by contractors employed by it to pay the invoices of their sub-contractors under prompt payment arrangements; and if he will make a statement. [9257]
Tim Loughton: The Department does not have a central record of the time taken by contractors to pay their sub-contractors and the information could be provided only at disproportionate costs.
Medical Reports: Sexual Abuse
Meg Munn: To ask the Secretary of State for Education whether his proposal to publish serious case reviews in full includes the publication of medical reports on victims of physical and sexual abuse. [9482]
Tim Loughton: Local Safeguarding Children Boards are required to publish both the overview report and the executive summary-anonymised and without identifying details-for all Serious Case Reviews (SCRs) initiated on or after 10 June unless there are compelling child welfare reasons for this not to happen. We do not expect published SCR overview reports or executive summaries to include medical reports, but they may include medical information. Local Safeguarding Children Boards should take account of the Data Protection Act and of legal and other requirements in respect of confidential medical information.
Outdoor Education: Finance
Simon Hart: To ask the Secretary of State for Education how much funding his Department expects to allocate to the Learning Outside the Classroom programme in (a) 2011-12, (b) 2012-13 and (c) 2013-14. [8139]
Mr Gibb: We are still considering our priorities and no decisions have yet been taken on funding from April 2011. We will however be responding before the summer recess to a report issued on 1 April 2010 by the then Children Schools and Families Select Committee on "Transforming Education Outside the Classroom".
Schools: ICT
Andrew Selous: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what assessment he has made of the educational value of interactive whiteboards as compared with blackboards; what cost-benefit analysis of interactive whiteboards has been undertaken; and if he will make a statement. [7691]
Mr Gibb [holding answer 13 July 2010]: The Department last commissioned a major study into Interactive Whiteboards in 2004-06. The Primary Schools Whiteboard Expansion project (PSWE) monitored the effects of the acquisition and use of interactive whiteboards. It found measurable improvements in results in a range of Key Stage 2 tests as teachers became used to the equipment during the first two years after installation.
Schools: Management
James Wharton: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what safeguards he plans to put in place to prevent inappropriate groups from being approved to manage the proposed free schools; and if he will make a statement. [7538]
Mr Gibb: Free School proposers will be subject to a rigorous vetting process at the proposal stage, including an enhanced CRB check and background suitability checks. Individuals may be prohibited from taking part in the management of a Free School on grounds relating to misconduct.
The Secretary of State will consider each proposal on its merits and take into account all matters relevant to that proposal and will generally reject any proposers who advocate violence, intolerance, hatred or whose ideology runs counter to the UK's democratic values.
Social Services
Karl Turner: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what plans he has to (a) recruit and (b) retain and support social workers. [7076]
Tim Loughton: The Government are committed to implementing the recommendations of the Social Work Task Force, which collectively comprise a programme of work to support social work including recruitment, retention and support of social workers. I have asked the Social Work Reform Board to continue its work to deliver these recommendations, which include:
a new and independent College for Social Work, led and owned by the profession;
a career structure for social workers so that experienced practitioners can progress in front line roles as well as management;
a new standard for employers to ensure that they put in place the conditions that social workers need to practice effectively;
a model for forecasting levels of supply and demand for social workers to assist employers in planning for the workforce they need; and
local authority children's services in 2010-11 to support local social work improvement activity.
The Department also confirmed continued funding in 2010-11 of recruitment and The Social Work Reform Board will work closely with Professor Eileen Munro during her review of child protection, launched by the Secretary of State for Education on 10 June.
Additionally, on the same day as the launch of Professor Munro's review the Department announced a £23 million Local Social Work Improvement Fund available to retention programmes led by the Children's Workforce Development Council including:
The Newly Qualified Social Worker (NQSW) programme to help social work graduates transition into the workforce;
Early Professional Development for social workers in their second and third years of practice, building on the NQSW programme; and
Graduate Recruitment and Step Up to Social Work schemes to encourage high quality graduates to train to be social workers.
Special Educational Needs
Miss McIntosh: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what recent estimate he has made of the average length of the time taken for a child with special educational needs to be statemented by the relevant local authority in (a) North Yorkshire and (b) England. [8762]
Sarah Teather: The statutory time limit for finalising a statement of special educational needs (SEN) is 26 weeks from an originating request for an assessment. The relevant Regulations set out exceptions to the internal time limits which make up the 26 weeks, for example when local authorities do not receive advice from the health service within time.
The Department does not collect data on the average length of time taken to finalise statements. However, last year the Department published data on the percentage of statements which local authorities completed within the statutory 26 weeks. The data showed that, in 2008-09, across England 91% of statements where none of the statutory exceptions applied were completed within time and 82% of all statements, including ones where the statutory exceptions applied. The figures for North Yorkshire were 85% and 80% respectively. The data is available at the Department's website:
A Statistical Release providing these data for 2009-10 will be published in December 2010.
Teach First
David Mowat: To ask the Secretary of State for Education how many trainee teachers participated in the Teach First programme in 2009; how many trainee teachers he expects to participate in that programme in (a) 2010 and (b) 2011; and if he will make a statement. [8757]
Tim Loughton: In 2008/09, there were 370 trainees recruited to the Teach First programme. Provisional data for the autumn term 2009/10 indicate there were 480 recruits. This information has been published as part of Statistical First Release (23/2009): School Workforce in England at:
In 2010/11, some 620 places will be available for the Teach First programme. In 2011/12 it is expected that 660 places will be made available.
Teachers: Conditions of Employment
Fiona Bruce: To ask the Secretary of State for Education if he will assess the effects on (a) staff flexibility and (b) school budgets of the operation of the rarely cover procedure in schools; and if he will review the operation of the procedure in order to mitigate such effects. [8625]
Mr Gibb [holding answer 15 July 2010]: This Government want to provide schools with greater freedoms and flexibilities by freeing up school teachers' pay and conditions and giving greater powers back to heads. As part of delivering this commitment we will want to consider a wide range of issues, including the operation of rarely cover.
Teachers: Training
Nicholas Soames: To ask the Secretary of State for Education if he will undertake an investigation of the arrangements for training teachers for the purpose of raising the standard of teaching in schools. [7082]
Mr Gibb [holding answer 12 July 2010]: The Department is already investigating a number of proposals that will improve the training of teachers so that standards of teaching are raised in schools. It is the Government's ambition to improve the prestige of the profession so that it attracts the highest quality entrants and to base more initial teacher training in schools so that trainees spend as much time in the classroom as possible, learning from the best teachers. For example, the Secretary of State has already announced plans to expand the successful Teach First scheme so that more schools, including for the first time primary schools, may benefit from the talents of the country's best graduates.
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