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26 July 2010 : Column 797W—continued
Departmental Travel
Graham Evans: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how much his (a) Department and its predecessors and (b) its agencies and non-departmental public bodies has spent on travel for employees in each year since 1997. [7424]
Norman Baker: The table contains the available travel cost figures for the Department for Transport and its agencies. The central Department is only able to provide figures solely for travel from 2006-07 onwards. Figures for 2004-05 and 2005-06 are for both travel and subsistence.
The Driving Standards Agency (DSA) can only provide figures from 2007-08, and Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA) from 2005-06. Information for earlier years could be provided only at disproportionate cost.
The figures for Vehicle and Operator Services Agency (VOSA) contain both travel and subsistence. Information for travel alone could be provided only at disproportionate cost.
The Government Car and Despatch Agency (GCDA) cannot separate travel from other expenditure, and could provide the information only at disproportionate cost.
| Department for Transport travel costs 2003-04 to 2009-10 | |||||||
| £ | |||||||
| 2003-04 | 2004-05 | 2005-06 | 2006-07 | 2007-08 | 2008-09 | 2009-10 | |
| n/a = Not available. | |||||||
Driving: Eyesight
Mr Leech: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what estimate his Department has made of the number of people who drive with vision below the required legal standard; and if he will make a statement. [11449]
Mike Penning: No regular estimate is made of the number of people who drive with uncorrected vision of below the required standard. In the most recent period for which figures are available (2006-07) 13 drivers were notified to the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency by police during a six-month period after failing a roadside vision test.
Driving: Licences
Gordon Banks: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport whether he plans to review procedures for application for Category F driving licences and the regulations on the use of such licences. [11328]
Mike Penning: There are no plans to review the application procedures for Category F, also known as agricultural tractor, driving licences or the regulations on the use of such licences.
Driving: Licensing
Andrew Stephenson: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport whether there were any cases of motorcycle entitlement being removed from a driving licence sent to the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency for renewal or replacement in the last 12 months. [10380]
Mike Penning [holding answer 22 July 2010]: The Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency is not aware of any case in the last 12 months in which a motorcycle entitlement has been removed from a driver's record and licence.
The agency has a programme of continuous data quality checks in place to monitor the accuracy of its records.
At present, some 2,364 records which contain a motorcycle entitlement are under examination as part of this work.
Priti Patel: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what the average time taken for the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency to cancel a driving licence reported stolen in (a) the UK and (b) abroad was in the latest period for which figures are available; and if he will make a statement. [11046]
Mike Penning: The issue of a new driving licence will immediately invalidate/cancel any earlier licences.
The Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency aims to process all postal duplicate applications, i.e. applications to replace lost/stolen/defaced licences, within 15 working days of receipt at the agency. Applications for a duplicate licence made over the phone are processed immediately. The average processing time for on-line application is 48 hours.
East Coast Main Line: Finance
Tom Greatrex: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what assessment he has made of the costs involved in paying for East Coast Main Line staff to travel from Glasgow to Edinburgh on (a) a weekly, (b) a monthly and (c) an annual basis following the decision to reduce the number of East Coast Main Line services starting and terminating in Glasgow. [11877]
Mrs Villiers: The Government have made no specific assessment of additional staff travelling costs arising from the proposed timetable change between Edinburgh and Glasgow. This is a matter for East Coast and the Department for Transport has noted that the costs are included within East Coast's overall costs for provision of the revised pattern of services.
East Coast Main Line: Personnel
Tom Greatrex: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will estimate the number of employees who will have their place of work transferred from Glasgow to Edinburgh as a result of the decision to reduce East Coast Main Line services beginning or ending at Glasgow. [11878]
Mrs Villiers: Any changes in the place of work of any of East Coast's employees arising from the proposed May 2011 timetable changes are a matter for East Coast to determine through the rail industry's normal processes.
EC Directive on Driving Licences
Mr Leech:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what steps his Department plans to take to
ensure all drivers meet the vision standards contained in the EC Directive on Driving Licences 2006/126/EC as amended in 2009; and if he will make a statement. [11450]
Mike Penning: The Secretary of State for Transport's Honorary Medical Advisory Panel on Driving and Visual Disorders and the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency have been considering how the changes to the vision standards contained in the EC Directive on Driving Licences 2006/126/EC should be applied in the UK.
We intend to issue a public consultation on the proposals before making any changes.
Heysham Port
David Morris: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport (1) what infrastructure transport projects are being planned to support the Port of Heysham; [9530]
(2) what economic impact assessment he has made of the costs to the economy of Lancashire of postponing the M6 (Heysham) Link project. [9531]
Norman Baker: The Heysham to M6 link road, being promoted by Lancashire county council, would improve access to the port of Heysham. As with other such schemes, the Government can give no assurances that they can fund this scheme until the outcome of the spending review is known.
No economic impact assessment has been made of the costs to the economy of Lancashire of postponing the Heysham to M6 link road project.
M4
Paul Murphy: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many miles of carriageway on the M4 are under repair. [11749]
Mike Penning: The following table sets out how many miles of carriageway on the M4, for which the Highways Agency has responsibility, have traffic management in place for the week 19 July to 25 July 2010:
The Highways Agency plans works on the strategic road network to limit disruption to traffic flow and will therefore undertake a variety of works within the confines of traffic management.
Motorcycles: Helmets
Andrew Stephenson: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what recent representations he has received on compulsory wearing of helmets by those riding quad bikes; and if he will make a statement. [10915]
Mike Penning: None. There are no plans to make the wearing of helmets compulsory for quad bikes but we continue to keep the position under review. There are a number of factors that are taken into consideration such as the level of use, the safety of riders in a collision and the proportionality of the costs of any regulation versus the safety impacts. The Highway Code advises that riders and passengers of tricycles and quadricycles should wear a protective helmet (rule 83).
Network Rail: Finance
Mr Bain: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what factors he plans to take into account in determining the level of the annual Network Rail grant. [9182]
Mrs Villiers: The level of grant required for Network Rail to carry out its activities is determined by the independent Office of Rail Regulation (ORR) as part of the five-yearly periodic review process. The ORR has published the level of grant and the factors taken into account in its document 'Periodic Review 2008-Determination of Network Rail's outputs and funding for 2009-14'. They include the high level outputs specified by the Secretary of State and the public funds available to deliver those outputs.
The ORR has set Network Rail a target to achieve at least a 21% improvement in operating, maintenance and renewals efficiency between 2009-10 and 2013-14.
Official Cars: House of Commons
Mr Allen: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what representations he has received from hon. Members on the running of car engines of ministerial cars while they are waiting in the precincts of the House; and if he will make a statement. [11061]
Mike Penning: No representations have been received from hon. Members on the running of car engines of ministerial cars while waiting in the precincts of the House. The Government Car and Despatch Agency issues regular reminders to its drivers not to engage in this practice.
Port of Teesside
Ian Swales: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what plans he has for the future of the port of Teesside. [11150]
Mike Penning: The port of Teesside (Teesport) is owned and operated by a private company, PD Ports.
I understand the company's new owner has earmarked funding for the first phase of an expansion that would raise the terminal handing capacity from the current 235,000 teu (20 foot equivalent units) to 450,000 teu.
Public Transport: EU Action
Mr Clappison: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what assessment he has made of the likely effects of the European Commission's draft regulation on the rights of passengers in bus and coach transport on public transport costs and fares in England; and if he will make a statement. [10853]
Norman Baker: The Department for Transport produced a post-consultation impact assessment on the European Commission's draft regulation on the rights of passengers in bus and coach transport in December 2009. Copies are available in the Libraries of the House. This indicated that the proposal would be likely to place a significant cost on the industry which could be passed on to passengers through higher fares.
During negotiations significant changes to the original proposal were made by the Transport Council of Ministers which should reduce the cost to industry, but the text has to be agreed with the European Parliament which has opposed some of these changes. The impact assessment will be updated once the text is finalised.
Railway Network
Dr Whitehead: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport pursuant to the answer of 13 July 2010, Official Report, column 722W, on railways, which proposed improvements to the rail strategic network he is examining prior to the comprehensive spending review. [10830]
Mrs Villiers: As part of the spending review process, the Government are examining the full range of transport expenditure.
Railways: Construction
Greg Mulholland: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what account was taken of the High Speed North proposals in determining the design and route for a national high-speed rail network. [9740]
Mr Philip Hammond: In preparing their report and recommendations to Government, HS2 Ltd considered a range of potential network configurations, including a 'reverse E', which is similar to the High Speed North proposal. The Government expect to publish further detail on their strategy for a national high speed network prior to public consultation in the new year.
Railways: Overcrowding
Richard Fuller: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what recent assessment he has made of levels of overcrowding on commuter rail services into London along (a) the Midland Mainline and (b) the Thameslink route. [11307]
Mrs Villiers: Information relating to overcrowding for commuter rail services at each station along the Midland Mainline and Thameslink routes is not available. The information requested is currently published annually in aggregated form by the Office of Rail Regulation within its 'National Rail Trends Yearbook'. The latest published data relate to passenger journeys in 2008-09.
Chapter 7 of the latest update of 'National Rail Trends' contains these data and is available on the ORR website at:
Railways: Passengers
David Morris: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what plans he has to consult passengers on routes and stops proposed through future rail franchise agreements. [11208]
Mrs Villiers: When developing the base specification for new rail franchises, the Department for Transport routinely consults passengers on a variety of issues, including services patterns.
On 22 July, we launched the document "Reforming Rail Franchising" which seeks stakeholder views on the future direction of the policy. While it does not propose any specific changes to the existing consultation arrangements, I envisage it may generate proposals for improvements which we would consider in due course.
Railways: Todmorden
Sadiq Khan: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what recent assessment he has made of the potential effects on (a) the economy and (b) journey times of the proposed Todmorden Curve rail project. [8540]
Mrs Villiers: The Todmorden Curve rail project is being promoted by Burnley borough council and Lancashire county council. It is for those bodies to carry out an assessment of the economic benefits arising from this scheme and the introduction of a new service between Burnley and Manchester. It is estimated that the journey time for the new service would be approximately 47 minutes.
Road Traffic
Jonathan Reynolds: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what steps his Department plans to take to reduce congestion on the most congested A roads. [11403]
Mike Penning: The Government believe that a functioning, effective road network is crucial to Britain's economic growth prospects. However, the single most pressing problem facing the nation is reducing the deficit.
We therefore wish to focus on sweating the existing asset, and making sure that the road network is being used efficiently and effectively.
For A roads which are trunk roads, the Department for Transport already delivers a wide range of measures to tackle congestion through the Highways Agency. This includes managing incidents and events more effectively, targeted capacity improvements, reducing delays from road works and delivering better information services to drivers to help them make better choices on how and when they travel.
Tackling congestion on A roads which are not trunk roads is the responsibility of the relevant local highway authority who can address congestion as part of their Local Transport Plans. Measures to tackle congestion may include improving alternatives to car travel as well as general improvements to road capacity and traffic management. Schemes include bus lanes, traffic calming, cycle routes, pedestrian crossings, urban traffic control, park and ride, junction improvements, better information and working with employers and schools on travel plans to promote non-car travel.
Roads: Repairs and Maintenance
Robert Halfon: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport whether he plans to review the regional funding allocations for highway schemes made in 2005. [2534]
Norman Baker:
Until the conclusion of the spending review this autumn the Department can give no assurances
that highway schemes, or any other schemes, prioritised under the previous Government's regional funding allocations (RFA) process will be funded to the previously published levels.
Roads: Safety
John Mann: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what changes to his Department's funding to Nottinghamshire county council for road safety are proposed for 2010-11. [6900]
Mike Penning [holding answer 8 July 2010]: The following changes have been made to planned DFT grant payments for 2010-11 related to road safety for Nottinghamshire county council.
| £000 | |||
| Funding stream for 2010-11 | Original planned payments | Changes to planned payments | Currently planned payments |
We have undertaken the reductions in planned funding in a way which maximises local authorities' flexibility to reshape their budgets according to their local priorities and where their efficiencies can be found. The Government do not expect there to be a direct correlation between grant reductions and local authority budget changes. Road safety should remain a high priority and local authorities should continue to resource it with funds reallocated as a result of identifying efficiency savings in other areas.
Seas and Oceans: Death
Mr Mike Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many deaths in the workplace took place at sea in each year from 1997 to 2009. [10515]
Mike Penning: The accidental deaths of workers on, or overboard from, UK commercial vessels (including fishing vessels) from 1997 to 2009 are reportable to the Marine Accident Investigation Branch. These were as follows:
| Number | |
Speed Limits
Mark Lazarowicz: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will bring forward proposals to reduce the national speed limit. [5469]
Mike Penning: The Department for Transport keeps all speed limits under constant review to ensure they remain appropriate. There are no current plans to reduce the national speed limit as we believe it offers the best balance between issues of safety, the environment and the economy.
Think Brand
Mike Freer: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how much his Department spent on its evaluation of the effectiveness of the THINK! brand in each of the last five years; and if he will place in the Library a copy of the reports of that evaluation. [11897]
Mike Penning: In the last five years, the Department for Transport has undertaken two reviews for the THINK! road safety brand, one in 2006-07 and one in 2009-10. Costs are as follows (exclusive of VAT) and a copy of each of the reports has been placed in the Libraries of the House.
| Project | Cost (ex VAT) (£) |
Transport: South Yorkshire
Mr Blunkett: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what reductions in his Department's transport-related grant expenditure in South Yorkshire are planned in 2010-11. [8557]
Norman Baker [holding answer 15 July 2010]: The Government have made clear that their most urgent priority is to tackle the UK's record deficit. To help achieve this, on 10 June the Department for Communities and Local Government announced £1.166 billion of savings from grants to local authorities in 2010-11. Details of all transport grant reductions to local authorities are available on the Department for Communities and Local Government website at:
The Department for Transport spends funds on the strategic road network through the Highways Agency. The Highways Agency's reporting systems do not record actual expenditure for local authority areas; expenditure is recorded by project and activity. Estimates are compiled for regional expenditure to supplement data reported in the Department's annual report.
The Department for Transport provides funding for Network Rail to maintain or enhance the rail network, including railway stations. As part of the Government's in-year efficiency savings announced on 24 May, Network Rail has agreed to pay the Department £100 million in 2010-11.
Wrexham-Bidston Railway Line: Electrification
Alison McGovern: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what recent assessment he has made of the potential effects on the economy of the electrification of the Wrexham to Bidston rail line. [9943]
Mrs Villiers: We support further electrification of the rail network. The Government believe that a modern transport infrastructure is essential for a dynamic and entrepreneurial economy, as well as to improve well-being and quality of life. However, the deficit reduction programme must take precedence and plans for rail infrastructure will depend on decisions to be made in the comprehensive spending review.
Officials are being kept informed on work being done by Merseytravel and the Welsh Assembly Government on proposals for electrification on the Wrexham to Bidston line.
Education
Academies: Ealing Central and Acton
Angie Bray: To ask the Secretary of State for Education how many expressions of interest in academy status have been received from schools in Ealing Central and Acton constituency. [7873]
Mr Gibb: We have received three expressions of interest in converting to academy status from schools in the Ealing Central and Acton constituency.
Academies: Finance
Jon Trickett: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what assessment he has made of the accuracy of figures provided by his Department's academy funding ready reckoner. [5583]
Mr Gibb [holding answer 6 July 2010]: The academy funding ready reckoner is intended to give maintained schools an indication of the level of funding they would receive as an academy, compared to their current funding. The main change in funding that an academy would see is a grant to cover the cost of local authority central services that the academy will now be responsible for funding itself. These amounts are based on data from statutory financial statements, published by every local authority, which are thoroughly checked by the Department for inconsistencies and anomalies. Local authorities are given the opportunity to review and confirm the accuracy of the figures they provide.
Academies: Special Educational Needs
Pat Glass: To ask the Secretary of State for Education if he will make it his policy that children with special educational needs are not excluded from academies on either a fixed term or a permanent basis when behavioural difficulties related to their special educational needs arise. [7006]
Mr Gibb: The duties and responsibilities of academies in respect of exclusions are, and will remain, the same as those of maintained schools.
Building Schools for the Future Programme
Ed Balls: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what assessment his Department has made of the effects on (a) academic and (b) behavioural standards in schools of the provision of new school buildings and facilities under the (i) Building Schools for the Future and (ii) Primary Capital Programme. [1202]
Mr Gibb: The Department in 2006 commissioned PricewaterhouseCoopers to undertake an independent evaluation of the Building Schools for the Future (BSF) programme. This runs for a total of six years to support the longitudinal evaluation of the impact of investment in school buildings on educational achievement. Three annual reports have been published, the most recent in March 2010.
The latest evaluation concluded that, to date, BSF has had little statistically significant impact on pupils' attitudes and behaviour, and that it is overall too early to measure impact on attainment or whether the programme is providing value for money. This echoes the finding of the National Audit Office in its 2009 report "The Building Schools for the Future Programme" which highlighted how the programme had initially over-optimistic expectations on delivery; how estimates of the overall cost of the programme have increased substantially; and how the cost of setting up local education partnerships has been too high for the first authorities.
No assessment on the Primary Capital Programme has been made at this stage.
Richard Burden: To ask the Secretary of State for Education pursuant to the answer to the hon. Member for Birmingham, Northfield of 14 June 2010, Official Report, column 306W, what records his Department holds of advice given to Birmingham city council by officials in the Department for Children, Schools and Families on the applicability to the city of Birmingham of the funding envelope applied to the most recent invitations to bid under the Building Schools for the Future programme. [3217]
Mr Gibb: On 5 July, the Department announced that Building Schools for the Future projects which have reached financial close will continue, together with repeat projects which have outline business case approval prior to 1 January 2010. Sample schemes in projects that have reached close of dialogue are under further consideration. All projects which have not reached close of dialogue will stop with immediate effect. This will have an impact on Birmingham's BSF projects.
Partnerships for Schools (PfS), as the delivery agent for Building Schools for the Future (BSF), was responsible for managing the process of inviting local authorities to submit applications to local authorities to join the programme.
PfS holds records of the response to Birmingham city council's Readiness to Deliver (RtD) application which was made in September 2009. Local authorities have been required to demonstrate that they are 'ready to deliver' before being invited to join the BSF programme,
and the RtD covers in summary form the education strategy, the procurement strategy and the project governance arrangements.
The records held comprise an action note of a meeting on 8 December 2009 between PfS and Birmingham city council. The action note highlights the advice that Birmingham needed to revise the project scope to reflect a funding envelope of circa. £100 million. The subsequent invitation to Birmingham city council to resubmit their documentation, which was sent on 23 December 2009, referred the authority to PfS guidance which included information on funding allocation.
Mr Iain Wright: To ask the Secretary of State for Education pursuant to the oral statement of 5 July 2010, Official Report, columns 47-73, whether Dyke House sports and technology college in Hartlepool will be permitted to continue its capital build programme according to its proposed timetable. [7212]
Mr Gibb: On 5 July, the Department announced that BSF projects that have reached financial close will continue, together with repeat projects which have outline business case (OBC) approval prior to 1 January 2010. Sample schemes in projects that have reached close of dialogue are under further consideration. All projects that have not reached close of dialogue will stop with immediate effect.
Since Dyke House sports and technology college is a sample school further consideration will be given shortly.
Rehman Chishti: To ask the Secretary of State for Education if he will meet the principal-designate of Brompton academy, Gillingham to discuss the Academy's future building programme. [8623]
Mr Gibb [holding answer 15 July 2010]: On 5 July, the Department announced that Building Schools for the Future projects that have reached financial close will continue, together with repeat projects which have outline business case (OBC) approval prior to 1 January 2010. Sample schemes in projects that have reached close of dialogue are under further consideration. All projects that have not reached close of dialogue will stop with immediate effect.
The Secretary of State also announced on 5 July that he would consider the case of some academy projects in the pipeline on a case by case basis. Brompton academy falls in this category. Officials have already been in touch with the sponsor and they have been invited to provide information about their specific capital needs. We aim to let sponsors know the outcome of our review before the summer recess.
Building Schools for the Future Programme: Hyndburn
Graham Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what plans he has to improve the quality of school buildings in Hyndburn constituency. [836]
Mr Gibb: The Department is reviewing all areas of capital spending. In light of current methods of allocating capital, its purpose is to ensure that future capital investment represents good value for money and its strongly supports the Government's ambitions to reduce the deficit, raise standards and tackle disadvantage.
Business: Curriculum
Justin Tomlinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Education if he will take steps to include the development of entrepreneurial skills in the national curriculum. [9503]
Mr Gibb: Although it is not part of the statutory national curriculum, guidance on enterprise education is included in the non-statutory programmes of study for personal, social, health and economic education (PSHE) at key stages 3 and 4, within the context of work-related learning. The existing primary national curriculum handbook also contains non-statutory guidance on promoting aspects of the school curriculum such as enterprise education.
The Government have made clear that they intend to restore the national curriculum to its original purpose: a core national entitlement organised around subject disciplines. A slimmed down national curriculum will provide greater freedom for schools to build on the core statutory requirements and for teachers to use their professional judgment on how to teach. We will be announcing further details of our plans in due course.
Care Homes: Standards
Ann Coffey: To ask the Secretary of State for Education when he expects to publish his conclusions from his predecessor Department's consultation on the draft minimum standards for children's homes; and if he will make a statement. [9905]
Tim Loughton [holding answer 21 July 2010]: The intention is to publish revised national minimum standards for children's homes, fostering service providers and adoption services together with a summary of conclusions reached in the light of the consultation on the draft standards, in November 2010.
Connexions Service
Ian Austin: To ask the Secretary of State for Education how many young people in (a) the west midlands, (b) Dudley borough and (c) Dudley North constituency have used the Connexions service in each of the last five years for which figures are available. [8208]
Mr Gibb: The following table shows how many young people in the West Midlands region and in Dudley local authority had significant contact with the Connexions service in the years requested.
| Interventions with young people by the Connexions service, April 2006 to March 2010( 1) | ||
| West Midlands region | Dudley | |
| 1 Prior to April 2006 data unavailable at local authority level. | ||
This information cannot be broken down by parliamentary constituency.
Significant contact is recorded as an 'intervention', and includes one-to-one contact and telephone, e-mail
and text message contact of an individual nature. It excludes bulk mail and publicity information. In addition to recorded interventions, young people may receive advice from local Connexions services in many other ways; for example through group sessions, exhibitions and publications, Careers libraries and One-Stop-Shops, as well as from Connexions Direct (nationally available since February 2004) via the telephone, web chat facility, e-mail or text message.
Departmental Manpower
Graham Evans: To ask the Secretary of State for Education how much his Department has spent on human resources in each year since 1997. [5110]
Tim Loughton: The Department for Education was established on 12 May 2010.
Information on the cost of the human resource function for the Department is submitted to the Operational Efficiencies Programme (OEP) benchmarking survey. The cost of the human resources function in the former Department for Education and Skills was £8,534,000 in 2008/09. Costs for 2009/10 are currently being drawn up but will show a reduction. OEP benchmarking survey is due to be published by Treasury in October 2010.
The publication of human resource function costs before 2008/09 was not a formal requirement and, therefore, information was not collected centrally and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.
Departmental Marketing
Graham Evans: To ask the Secretary of State for Education (1) how much his (a) Department and its predecessors and (b) its non-departmental public bodies spent on logo design in each year since 1997; [7484]
(2) how much (a) his Department and its predecessors and (b) its non-departmental public bodies spent on website design in each year since 1997. [7609]
Tim Loughton: The Department's expenditure on logo design is outlined as follows:
| £ | |
The Department's website is continuously updated and modifications are also made on the design from time to time. The most recent redesign and implementation of the Department's website, in May 2010, cost £6,345. Website designs and costs in previous years are outlined as follows:
| £ | |
| (1 )No cost. | |
As the Department does not hold central records for each of the years since 1997, nor for its non-departmental
public bodies, costs for both logo and website design cannot be provided for other years without incurring disproportionate cost.
Departmental Training
Pete Wishart: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what training has been provided for Ministers in his Department since the formation of the present Administration; and at what cost. [6436]
Tim Loughton: I refer the hon. Member to the answer given by my right hon. Friend the Minister for the Cabinet Office on 3 June 2010, Official Report, column 52W.
Department for Education Ministers have attended ministerial induction events which are funded by the National School of Government through its Core Learning Programme. There is no separate charge to this Department.
Departmental Travel
Graham Evans: To ask the Secretary of State for Education how much his (a) Department and its predecessors and (b) its non-departmental public bodies spent on travel for employees in each year since 1997. [7427]
Tim Loughton: The following table shows how much the Department for Education and its non-departmental public bodies spent on travel for its employees in each year since 1997.
| Business travel (£) | |
| Notes: 1. Business travel. NDPB spend is included in each years figures from 2003/04. 2. In 2009/10 the split on business travel was DFE £4,121,466, NDPBs £7,423,110. | |
Education Maintenance Allowance
Austin Mitchell: To ask the Secretary of State for Education how much was spent on (a) regular education maintenance allowance (EMA) payments and (b) the twice-yearly EMA bonus payments in academic year (i) 2008-09 and (ii) 2009-10. [9156]
Mr Gibb:
This is a matter for the Young People's Learning Agency (YPLA) who operate the education maintenance allowance for the Department for Education. Peter Lauener, the YPLA's Chief Executive, will write
to the hon. Member for Great Grimsby with the information requested and a copy of his reply will be placed in the Libraries.
Free School Meals: Cornwall
Stephen Gilbert:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education what recent assessment he has made of the
take-up of free school meals in (a) Cornwall and (b) St Austell and Newquay constituency. [8629]
Mr Gibb [holding answer 15 July 2010]: Information on the number of pupils taking free school meals on the day of the census, together with the number of pupils known to be eligible for free school meals, is shown in the following table for Cornwall local authority and St Austell and Newquay parliamentary constituency.
| Maintained nursery, maintained primary( 1) and state-funded secondary( 1,2 ) schools: School meal arrangements as at January 2010 | ||||||||||
| Maintained nursery and primary( 1) | State-funded secondary( 1,2) | |||||||||
| Number on roll( 3) | Number of pupils taking free school meals( 4) | Percentage taking free school meals | Number of pupils known to be eligible for free school meals( 3,)( 5) | Percentage known to be eligible for free school meals | Number on roll( 3) | Number of pupils taking free school meals( 4) | Percentage taking free school meals | Number of pupils known to be eligible for free school meals( 3,)( 5) | Percentage known to be eligible for free school meals | |
| (1) Includes middle schools as deemed. (2) Includes city technology colleges and academies. (3) Includes full and part time pupils who are sole or dual (main) registrations. Includes boarders. (4) Number of pupils taking a free school meal on the day of the census. (5) Those eligible may choose not to take up their offer of a free school meal for various reasons eg through preference or through non-attendance on the day. Pupils are counted as eligible only if they meet the eligibility criteria and make a claim. Source: School Census | ||||||||||
Free Schools
Mr Iain Wright: To ask the Secretary of State for Education (1) what sources of advice and information are available to parents who are considering establishing a free school; [7769]
(2) how many contracts New Schools Network has been awarded in the last 12 months. [7689]
Mr Gibb: Advice and information on establishing a free school is available on the Department for Education's website at:
Those considering developing a proposal are advised to contact the New Schools Network (NSN) in the first instance. NSN is able to provide guidance on developing a proposal for submission to the Department. The contact details for the NSN are also listed on the Department's website.
The Department has not entered into any contracts with the New Schools Network in the last 12 months. However, on 18 June 2010 the Department agreed to enter into a £500,000 grant agreement with NSN to provide support for groups wanting to find out more about setting-up a free school.
GCSE: West Midlands
Ian Austin: To ask the Secretary of State for Education how many pupils in (a) the West Midlands, (b) Dudley borough and (c) Dudley North constituency obtained five A* to C grades at GCSE in each year since 1997. [8143]
Mr Gibb: The information available to answer this question is provided in the following tables. Parliamentary constituency data for years 1997/98 to 2003/04 can be provided only at disproportionate cost.
| (a) Number of pupils in the West Midlands achieving five or more A*-C grades at GCSE or equivalent 1996/97-2008/09( 1,2) | |||
| Total number of pupils | Number of pupils achieving 5 + A*-C grades at GCSE or equivalent | Percentage of pupils achieving 5 + A*-C grades at GCSE or equivalent | |
| (1) Figures for 2004/05-2008/09 are for pupils at the end of Key Stage 4.Figures for 1996/97-2003/04 are for pupils aged 15 on 31 August. (2) Includes pupils attending all maintained schools including Academies, City Technology Colleges and special schools Source: School Achievement and Attainment tables and National Pupil Database (Final data) | |||
| (b) Number of pupils in Dudley Borough achieving five or more A*-C grades at GCSE or equivalent 1996/97-2008/09( 1,2) | |||
| Total number of pupils | Number of pupils achieving 5 + A*-C grades at GCSE or equivalent | Percentage of pupils achieving 5 + A*-C grades at GCSE or equivalent | |
| (1) Figures for 2004/05-2008/09 are for pupils at the end of Key Stage 4.Figures for 1996/97 -2003/04 are for pupils aged 15 on 31 August. (2) Includes pupils attending all maintained schools including Academies, City Technology Colleges and special schools. Source: School Achievement and Attainment tables and National Pupil Database (Final data) | |||
| (c) Number of pupils in Dudley North Parliamentary Constituency achieving five or more A*-C grades at GCSE or equivalent 1996/97 and 2004/05-2008/09( 1,2) | |||
| Total number of pupils | Number of pupils achieving 5 + A*-C grades at GCSE or equivalent | Percentage of pupils achieving 5 + A*-C grades at GCSE or equivalent | |
| (1) Figures for 2004/05-2008/09 are for pupils at the end of Key Stage 4.Figures for 1996/97 are for pupils aged 15 on the 31 August. (2) Includes pupils attending all maintained schools including Academies, City Technology Colleges and special schools Source: School Achievement and Attainment tables and National Pupil Database (Final data) | |||
Headteachers: Pay
Mr Iain Wright: To ask the Secretary of State for Education which head teachers in which schools had a remuneration package of over £120,000 in 2009-10; and what the remuneration package was of each. [9333]
Mr Gibb: In maintained schools teachers are employed either by the local authority or the governing body at the school, and therefore the Department does not hold details of individual remuneration packages.
Since 31 March 2010, information on teachers employed by local authorities earning £150,000 or more in the 2009-10 financial year is required to be published in their accounts.
Higher Education: Admissions
Christopher Pincher: To ask the Secretary of State for Education how many students from (a) Staffordshire and (b) Tamworth applied for university entry in 2009. [11871]
Mr Willetts: I have been asked to reply.
The information is in the following table:
| Applicants to full-time undergraduate courses in UK institutions from Staffordshire and Tamworth in 2009, based on information from the Universities and Colleges Admissions Service (UCAS) | |
| Number of applicants | |
| Source: UCAS. | |
The constituencies included in Staffordshire are Burton, Cannock Chase, Lichfield, Newcastle-under-Lyme, South Staffordshire, Stafford, Staffordshire Moorlands, Stoke-on-Trent Central, Stoke-on-Trent North, Stoke-on-Trent South, Stone and Tamworth, and based on the boundaries in 2009.
Local History: Curriculum
David Morris: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what steps are being taken to encourage the teaching of local history in schools. [9525]
Mr Gibb: We intend to review the national curriculum and we will announce the detail of the process for the review in due course. We will restore the national curriculum to its original purpose-a core national entitlement organised around subject disciplines and we will consult widely on it. History is a vital part of young peoples' education and will be covered in the consultation.
National Curriculum Tests
Priti Patel: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what steps Ofsted plans to take to assess the performance of schools which did not take part in standard assessment tests in 2009-10. [7224]
Mr Gibb: This is a matter for Ofsted. HM Chief Inspector Christine Gilbert has written to my hon. Friend and a copy of her reply has been placed in the Libraries.
Letter from Christine Gilbert, dated 12 July 2010:
Your recent parliamentary question has been passed to me, as Her Majesty's Chief Inspector, for response.
The boycott of Key Stage 2 Standard Assessment Tests (SATs) will have little or no impact on inspection at this stage and this position is set out in guidance issued to schools and inspectors in the June 2010 version of our journal "Schools and Inspection", available online at
During inspections of those schools which participated in the boycott, inspectors cannot take account of the provisional Key Stage 2 SAT results which have, in the past, been available. These provisional results often provide a useful starting point for inspectors' discussions with schools, and judgements about pupils' attainment, pending publication of the validated results in the autumn term.
However, inspectors can still follow the broad principles set out in our "Evaluation schedule for schools" and supplementary guidance. In reaching an overall view about attainment, inspectors
will continue to exercise professional judgement in weighing all the evidence they have gathered and setting this against the credibility and accuracy of the school's teacher assessment data.
Ofsted and Department for Education officials are currently assessing whether the absence of data for the schools which participated in the boycott will affect the validity of contextual value-added measures or distort national benchmarks for attainment thresholds. A critical factor relates to whether the historic performance of schools which boycotted the tests is broadly representative of schools as a whole. For example, if there was a predominance of weaker schools, the national picture of attainment for 2010 might be artificially inflated by their absence from the statistics.
These are critical issues which require careful consideration before we issue further guidance for the autumn term 2010. The autumn term guidance will deal with the impact of the boycott on attainment and progress data in RAISEonline and its use by inspectors. In addition, It will continue to steer inspectors to exercise professional judgement in weighing all the evidence they have gathered.
A copy of this reply has been sent to Nick Gibb MP, Minister of State for Schools, and will be placed in the library of both Houses.
Ofsted
Andrew Stephenson: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what plans he has for the reform of Ofsted; and if he will make a statement. [9063]
Mr Gibb: The Government plan to streamline and refocus Ofsted inspection, and introduce greater proportionality into the inspection arrangements. School inspection will in future be centred on core areas around teaching and learning, and outstanding schools will be freed from routine inspection, subject to them maintaining their performance and the confidence of parents. Similar freedoms are proposed for colleges. Further detail on this programme of reform will be announced in due course.
Personal, Social, Health and Economic Education
Stephen Gilbert: To ask the Secretary of State for Education when he plans to announce his policy on personal, social, health and economic education. [10381]
Mr Gibb [holding answer 22 July 2010]: We are considering our plans for PSHE and will make an announcement in due course.
Physics: Teachers
Mr Andrew Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Education if he will make it his policy to increase the incentives for physics graduates to enter the teaching profession. [9631]
Mr Gibb:
We accept that there is a continuing need to increase the number of physics teachers and it is our policy intention to attract more physics and other science graduates into the profession. We are therefore reviewing the routes into teaching and the incentives offered to well qualified people who want to teach physics or one of the other science disciplines. We are considering a scheme to repay the student loans of science and mathematics teachers. We have also announced plans to double the number of participants in the successful scheme Teach First so that more schools may benefit
from the talents of the country's best graduates. Three-quarters of Teach First participants teach the most demanding shortage subjects, including science. Further initiatives will be announced when we are in a position to do so.
School Improvement Partners
Andrew Stephenson: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what assessment he has made of the role of school improvement partners. [9061]
Mr Gibb: The Department is considering the role of school improvement partners in the context of the overall school improvement system. This is one of the areas to be discussed by the new advisory group focusing on the role of local authorities announced by the Secretary of State on 8 July.
Schools: Cricket
John Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Education how much his Department has allocated to (a) all schools, (b) non-selective state schools, (c) selective state schools and (d) independent schools for cricket in the last 12 months. [11133]
Mr Gibb: The Department does not allocate money to schools specifically for cricket. Cricket taught as part of the national curriculum will be funded through schools' core funding. Over the last five years, the Department for Culture, Media and Sport has allocated £1.5 million to the ECB to develop and improve links between schools and local cricket clubs as part of the school-club links programme. All maintained schools in England are currently part of the national network of school sport partnerships and are able to benefit from these links. Independent schools may join these partnerships on a cost neutral cost basis.
Schools: Employment Tribunals Service
Tom Blenkinsop: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what estimate he has made of his Department's expenditure on employment tribunal claims arising from schools opting out of national pay and terms and conditions arrangements in each of the next three years. [6071]
Mr Gibb: The Department for Education is not the employer of members of the school work force and accordingly it has made no estimate for expenditure on employment tribunal claims in schools.
Schools: ICT
Mrs Chapman: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what his policy is on the contribution of ICT and broadband technologies to improving the quality of education and attainment standards. [7547]
Mr Gibb: The Department recognises the role that technology can play to support good teaching and deliver improvements in attainment. However, we have made it clear that we think schools are best placed to make decisions about how to use the resources available to them to support the needs of their pupils.
Mrs Chapman: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what assessment he has made of the effect on levels of attainment in schools of ending the Harnessing Technology Grant. [9461]
Mr Gibb: The Harnessing Technology Grant is being reduced by 50% in the current financial year. ICT infrastructure is now well-embedded in schools-for example all schools now have broadband internet connections. We believe that technology, combined with good teaching, will continue to help to improve levels of attainment. We have made it clear, however, that we want schools and local authorities to take their own decisions on the best use of technology in their particular circumstances.
Schools: Musical Instruments
David Morris: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what steps his Department is taking to ensure that every school child has an opportunity to learn a musical instrument. [9526]
Mr Gibb: A solid, knowledge-based music education is important, and so is learning a musical instrument. We recognise that there are limitations on how far classroom teachers can be expected to provide instrumental tuition and are looking at how provision can be shaped in future in the context of an inevitably tight financial settlement.
Schools: Racism
John Mann:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education how many complaints about racism in
schools have been forwarded to his Department by Nottinghamshire county council in each of the last three years. [6628]
Sarah Teather [holding answer 7 July 2010]: There have been no complaints about racism in schools directed to this Department from Nottinghamshire county council within the past three years.
Schools: Standards
Karen Lumley: To ask the Secretary of State for Education (1) what plans his Department has for the future of National Challenge trusts for schools; [7762]
(2) whether his Department plans to award trust status to Arrow Vale High School, Worcester. [7763]
Mr Gibb: We have not yet made a decision on the future of National Challenge trusts. An announcement will be made in due course.
Secondary Education: Standards
Andrea Leadsom: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what recent assessment he has made of secondary school educational standards in (a) South Northamptonshire and (b) England. [8535]
Mr Gibb: The number and percentage of pupils at the end of key stage 4 in (a) South Northamptonshire and (b) England, achieving 5 or more A*-C grades at GCSE or equivalent including English and mathematics GCSEs in the year 2008/09 is provided in the following table.
| Number of pupils( 1,2 ) in (a) South Northamptonshire( 3) and (b) England( 4) achieving 5 or more A*-C grades at GCSE or equivalent including English and mathematics GCSEs in 2008/09 | |||
| Number of pupils( 1) | Number of pupils( 1) achieving 5 or more A*-C grades at GCSE or equivalent including English and mathematics GCSEs | Percentage of pupils( 1) achieving 5 or more A*-C grades at GCSE or equivalent including English and mathematics GCSEs | |
| (1) Pupils at the end of Key Stage 4. (2) Includes pupils attending all maintained schools including academies, city technology colleges and special schools. (3) Regional figures do not include pupils recently arrived from overseas. (4) England figures include pupils recently arrived from overseas. Source: National Pupil Database (Final Data). | |||
Teach First
David Mowat: To ask the Secretary of State for Education how much funding his Department allocated to the Teach First programme between its inception and May 2010. [8759]
Mr Gibb: The Department has allocated a total of £51.24 million to the Teach First programme between its inception in 2002 and March 2011, which includes the extra £4 million announced by the Secretary of State on 5 July to facilitate a further expansion of Teach First.
Teach First: North West
David Mowat: To ask the Secretary of State for Education how much of the grant for the Teach First programme announced on 7 July 2010 will be disbursed in the north-west; and if he will make a statement. [8758]
Mr Gibb: Teach First have had a presence in the North West since 2005. Of the 560 starting the programme in 2010-11, 63 have been recruited from the north-west. The new funding announced by the Secretary of State on 5 July is largely intended to pave the way for further expansion into areas not already served by Teach First, including the north-east, south-west and east of England.
Teachers: Pay
Luciana Berger: To ask the Secretary of State for Education (1) what proportion of schools had (a) applied for and (b) received permission not to pay teachers according to the School Teachers' Pay and Conditions Document as at 25 May 2010; [10600]
(2) how many (a) school governing bodies and (b) local authorities have (i) applied for and (ii) received permission not to pay teachers according to the School
Teachers' Pay and Conditions Document under the provisions of section 2 of the Education Act 2002. [10601]
Mr Gibb [holding answer 22 July 2010]: Since the provisions of section 2 of the Education Act 2002 (the Powers to Facilitate Innovation) were introduced, the Department has received three applications of which one was from a governing body, and two were from local authorities, requesting amendments to teachers' pay and conditions. None of these applications resulted in the Secretary of State making an order under these powers. There are some 23,000 maintained schools in England.
Written Questions: Government Responses
Richard Burden: To ask the Secretary of State for Education when he expects to reply to question 3217, on the Building Schools for the Future programme in Birmingham, tabled on 14 June 2010. [9309]
Mr Gibb [holding answer 19 July 2010]: A response has been issued today.
Mr Iain Wright: To ask the Secretary of State for Education when he plans to answer question 7212, tabled on 6 July 2010, on Building Schools for the Future and Dyke House. [11357]
Mr Gibb: A response will be sent to the hon. Member today.
Mr Iain Wright: To ask the Secretary of State for Education when he plans to answer question 7689, tabled on 7 July 2010, on the New Schools Network. [11358]
Mr Gibb: A response will be sent to the hon. Member today.
Mr Iain Wright: To ask the Secretary of State for Education when he plans to answer question 7769, tabled on 7 July 2010, on information and advice to parents on free schools. [11359]
Mr Gibb: A response will be sent to the hon. Member today.
Health
Alcoholic Drinks: Advertising
Caroline Flint: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what recent assessment his Department has made of the effectiveness of restrictions on alcohol advertising in cinemas; and if he will make a statement. [10349]
Mr Vaizey: I have been asked to reply, as advertising in cinemas falls under my remit as Minister for Culture, Communications and Creative Industries.
Cinema advertising in the UK is strictly controlled through industry self-regulation, enforced by the Advertising Standards Authority. This regulatory system, which is
independent of Government and ultimately responsible for setting the standards in advertising, regularly reviews the effectiveness of the alcohol advertising rules.
The regulation of alcohol advertising must be robust and based on best evidence. If new evidence emerged which clearly highlighted major problems in relation to consumer harm or protection of the vulnerable caused by alcohol advertising, then the regulators would need to consider this fully and take appropriate action.
Alzheimer's Disease: Cumbria
John Stevenson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) how much funding has been allocated to caring for people with Alzheimer's disease in (a) Cumbria and (b) Carlisle constituency for the next 12 months. [10759]
(2) how many people in (a) Cumbria and (b) Carlisle constituency have been diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease. [10760]
Mr Burstow: The Department currently allocates funding directly to primary care trusts (PCTs). PCT allocations are not broken down by policy area. PCTs make decisions on investment in health care for their communities, taking into account both local and national priorities.
In 2010-11, Cumbria Teaching PCT received a revenue allocation of £826.9 million. Data on the number of people diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease is not collected centrally. However, the Quality and Outcomes Framework includes a disease register for patients who have been diagnosed with any form of dementia (including Alzheimer's disease). The latest available figures are for 2008-09.
There were 3,114 patients on the dementia register in Cumbria PCT in 2008-09. The figures are organised by practice and aggregated into PCT and strategic health authority. It is therefore not possible to give figures for Carlisle constituency.
Notes:
1. QOF: QOF is the national Quality and Outcomes Framework, introduced as part of the new General Medical Services (GMS) contract on 1 April 2004. Participation by practices in the QOF is voluntary, though participation rates are very high, with most Personal Medical Services (PMS) practices also taking part.
2. The published QOF information was derived from the Quality Management Analysis System (QMAS), a national system developed by NHS Connecting for Health.
3. QMAS uses data from general practices to calculate individual practices' QOF achievement. QMAS is a national IT system developed by NHS Connecting for Health to support the QOF. The Quality Management Analysis System captures the number of patients on the various disease registers for each practice.
CJD
Mr Weir: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what testing of the relatives of individuals affected by variant Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease his Department undertakes. [10942]
Anne Milton: The Department does not undertake any such testing.
There is no blood or other test currently available for routine variant Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease testing of asymptomatic individuals.
Mr Weir: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what recent estimate his Department has made of the time taken for variant Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease to incubate. [10945]
Anne Milton: The incubation period for variant Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (vCJD) is unknown and may vary due to factors such as route of transmission and genotype of patient. For the majority of cases where consumption of meat or meat products is presumed to be the route of infection the minimum incubation period is likely to be five years, with a mean period of around 10-12 years and the maximum, as in other human transmissible spongiform encephalopathies, may extend over decades. Of the three clinical cases of vCJD presumed to be associated with blood transfusion the incubation periods are estimated to be between six and nine years.
Mr Weir: To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) how many cases of variant Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease affecting the MV gene type have been reported in (a) Scotland, (b) Wales, (c) England and (d) Northern Ireland since 1996; [11005]
(2) how many cases of (a) definite, (b) probable and (c) possible variant Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease of the MV gene type have been recorded since 1996; [11006]
(3) how many deaths from variant Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease among people with (a) MM variations, (b) MV variations and (c) VV variations there have been since 1996. [11008]
Anne Milton: There have been no definite or probable cases of variant Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (vCJD) in patients with a MV genotype. A single possible case of vCJD in a patient with a MV genotype was reported in 2008 in Scotland. This case is recorded in the 17th Annual Report of the National Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease Surveillance Unit published in November 2009 and publicly available at:
The 17th Annual Report records that of the four patients with a final classification of possible vCJD, three were of the MM genotype and only one of MV genotype.
The MV case has also been described in a publication: "Variant CJD in an individual heterozygous for PRNP codon 129 Kaski D, Mead S, Hyare H, Cooper S, Jampana R, Overell J, Knight R, Collinge J, Rudge Lancet 2009. 374:212.
The National Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease Surveillance Unit has provided the following information about deaths from vCJD:
| United Kingdom definite and probable vCJD deaths 1995 to 2010 | ||||||
| Number deaths | Genotype known | Genotype unknown | MM | MV | VV | |
Mr Weir: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what definition of (a) probable and (b) possible his Department uses in the identification of variant Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease cases. [11007]
Anne Milton: The Department uses the internationally recognised World Health Organisation diagnostic criteria for case classification, research protocols and official statistics. These are publicly available at:
Consumer Groups
Mr Blunkett: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what consumer groups he has met since his appointment. [10209]
Mr Simon Burns: There have been no meetings between the Secretary of State for Health and consumer groups since his appointment.
Dementia
Andrew Stephenson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what recent representations he has received on introducing a statutory minimum level of dementia awareness training for those working with older people; and if he will make a statement. [9971]
Mr Burstow: No such representations have been received. Objective 13 of the National Dementia Strategy calls for an informed and effective work force for people with dementia, to be achieved by effective basic training and continuous professional and vocational development. The Department has recently received the results of a mapping exercise identifying the current extent of accredited dementia education and training, and where there are gaps. This evidence is being considered by a work force advisory group chaired by the national clinical director for dementia, Professor Alistair Burns, and including a range of key stakeholders.
Departmental Buildings
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 office refurbishment in each year since 1997. [7359]
Mr Simon Burns: Information on the spend on office refurbishment is only available for the Department from April 1998 and NHS Connecting for Health from 2005. This expenditure was as follows:
| April to March each year | Expenditure on office refurbishment (£) |
Comprehensive information on refurbishment expenditure from all of the Department's 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 Council for Healthcare Regulatory Excellence, General Social Care Council, Care Quality Commission, Health Protection Agency, Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency, Appointments Commission. Total expenditure for refurbishment for these bodies was as follows:
| April to March each year | Expenditure on refurbishment (£) |
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