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6 Sep 2010 : Column 321W—continued
Digital Broadcasting: Thanet
Laura Sandys: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport what steps his Department is taking to ensure the adequacy of the digital television broadcast signal in South Thanet constituency following the switch off of the analogue signal. [10778]
Mr Vaizey: As the independent regulator for the communications industry, Ofcom is responsible for ensuring broadcasters and transmission operators comply with their licence conditions in areas such as transmission coverage and reception.
I understand that my hon. Friend has met Ofcom, the BBC and Arqiva, the transmission company to discuss issues of digital coverage in parts of Thanet South and I have therefore asked Ofcom's chief executive to consider the question raised by my hon. Friend and to write to her direct.
Copies of the reply will be placed in the Libraries of both Houses.
Food: Advertising
Caroline Flint: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport if he will bring forward proposals to prohibit the advertising on television of foods high in salt, sugar or fat before 9.00 pm. [11863]
Football: South Africa
Mr Bradshaw: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport what the cost was of travel, accommodation and other expenses for Ministers and officials in his Department who attended the 2010 World Cup in South Africa. [8346]
John Penrose [holding answer 13 July 2010]: All travel by Ministers and civil servants is undertaken in accordance with the Ministerial Code and the Civil Service Management Code respectively, and other expenses are claimed in accordance with the principles set out in Managing Public Money.
The Minister for Sport and Olympics attended the USA match and the Secretary of State and his PS attended the England v. Algeria match. All travelled economy class.
The total cost of flights for Ministers and officials to the World Cup in South Africa was £4808.80. Accommodation was provided by the high commissioner and as such no further costs were incurred.
Gambling Commission
Philip Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport whether he plans to review the functions of the Gambling Commission; and what estimate he has made of the cost to the public purse of the Gambling Commission in the latest period for which figures are available. [12388]
John Penrose: The Department reviews gambling legislation, including the functions of the Gambling Commission, on an ongoing basis. The Gambling Commission has received grant in aid for the year 2010-11 of approximately £486,000. These funds are used solely to fund the Commission's research activity and are being used to fund the delivery of the British Gambling Prevalence Survey 2010 and the collection of some additional quarterly data on gambling participation and perceptions.
Philip Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport what the budget was of the (a) Gambling Commission and (b) National Lottery Commission in each of the last three years; and how many staff each of those bodies employed in each of those years. [12436]
John Penrose: The Gambling Commission and National Lottery Commission publish their expenditure and staff numbers in their annual reports. These are available at
Gambling Commission: Pay
Philip Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport how many members of the (a) Gambling Commission and (b) National Lottery Commission receive a salary of more than £100,000 per year. [12386]
John Penrose: The Gambling Commission and National Lottery Commission publish the remuneration of its senior managers in their annual reports. These are available at:
Gaming Machines
James Wharton: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport (1) what assessment he has made of the merits of increasing to £2 the maximum single stake for B3 gaming machines in amusement arcades; [12062]
(2) what assessment he has made of the merits of increasing to 20% the proportion of B3 machines permissible in amusement arcades. [12063]
John Penrose: On 23 June 2010, I met representatives of the British Amusement Catering Trades Association (BACTA) to discuss a range of issues affecting the gaming machine industry. This included the case for increasing to £2 the maximum single stake for B3 gaming machines and increasing to 20% the proportion of B3 machines permissible in amusement arcades as a means of helping such businesses remain competitive. I am now considering these matters in the context of the public protection objectives of the Gambling Act 2005 and hope to make an announcement shortly.
Philip Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport how many gaming machines of each category there were in (a) betting shops, (b) bingo halls, (c) family entertainment centres, (d) adult gaming centres and (e) public houses, clubs and other social venues in each of the last three years. [12384]
John Penrose: This information is not held by the Department or the Gambling Commission, although industry estimates as to the total number of gaming machines available to the public in Great Britain are included in the Commission's annual report for 2006-07 and their Industry Statistics for 2007-08 and 2008-09, broken down into machine category. The report and statistics are available at:
Gaming Machines: Coastal Areas
Philip Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport what representations he has received on the potential effects on seaside (a) businesses and (b) residents of reinstating the £2 stake for B3 amusement machines. [12418]
John Penrose: I met the British Amusement Catering Trades Association (BACTA) on 23 June 2010 where a range of issues affecting the gaming machine industry were raised, which included seaside arcades. The case for increasing B3 gaming machines to a £2 stake was also discussed. I have received no other representations on the potential effects of this proposal on seaside businesses and residents.
Heritage Protection Bill (Draft)
Sir Alan Beith: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport what provisions of the Draft Heritage Bill 2008 are (a) being implemented and (b) are planned to be implemented; and if he will make a statement. [9468]
John Penrose:
The Government are fully committed to protecting and conserving our heritage assets, and to realising the cultural, social, economic and environmental benefits of the historic environment. I am currently evaluating which elements of the draft Bill have already
been implemented through other mechanisms, and which might potentially still be desirable in future. I will make announcements on any conclusions I reach as soon as time permits.
Hotels
Andrew Griffiths: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport how much his Department spent on hotel accommodation in each year since it was established. [11277]
John Penrose: Hotel accommodation is not separately distinguished on the DCMS finance system from other spend on UK and overseas travel and subsistence. It would not be possible therefore, to provide this information without incurring disproportionate cost.
The total expenditure on travel and subsistence in the UK and abroad since 1997 can be seen in the following table:
| Financial year | Total £ |
Licensing Laws: Entertainers
Mr Whittingdale: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport (1) if he will (a) publish the findings of and (b) respond to the previous administration's consultation on an exemption to the Licensing Act 2003 for small venues with a capacity of 100 hosting live performances; [12173]
(2) what recent discussions he has had on the operation of the Licensing Act 2003 with trade unions representing performers; [12174]
(3) what plans he has to review the provisions of the Licensing Act 2003 affecting venues hosting live music performances; and if he will make a statement; [12175]
(4) what assessment he has made of the merits of reviewing the Licensing Act 2003 with a view to creating a portable licence for travelling performers; and if he will make a statement. [12176]
Mr Jeremy Hunt: The Government are committed to moving quickly to reduce red tape around live music and other forms of live performances, including those by travelling performers. However we want to get this right, so I have been talking to people from the sector and from local government to get their views. I hope to bring forward proposals as soon as possible.
Responses to the live music consultation were published on 26 June 2010 and can be accessed at:
Museums and Galleries: Concessions
Steve Rotheram: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport how many people have been admitted to national museums and galleries without charge since the introduction of free admission by the previous Government. [12159]
Mr Vaizey: The number of visits to DCMS sponsored museums and galleries in each year since the introduction of universal free admission in 2000-01 is shown in the table.
| Total visits | |
Museums Libraries and Archives Council
Mr Whittingdale: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport what the responsibilities of the Museums, Libraries and Archives Council are; and how he intends such responsibilities to be discharged in the future. [12103]
Mr Jeremy Hunt: The Museums, Libraries and Archives (MLA) Council has a range of responsibilities as the strategic and expert body for the museums, libraries and archives sectors. In particular it is responsible for administering and funding the 'Renaissance in the Regions' programme for regional museums, carries out improvement and best practice work with library authorities and has a non-statutory function to advise Government on library policy. It also has responsibility for the provision of services in relation to cultural objects on behalf of the Secretary of State.
The key functions of the MLA will be transferred to other existing organisations within the next Government spending period although no arrangements have been finalised. Officials will work with the MLA ahead of its closure to ensure the smooth transfer of key functions.
The MLA website gives further information about current programmes and activities and more details on the Renaissance programme, library advisory, improvement and best practice work and the provision of services for cultural property:
Corporate records, including annual reviews, business plans and funding agreements can be found at the following link:
NDPBs: Wales
Jonathan Edwards:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport pursuant to the written ministerial statement of 20 July 2010, Official Report, columns 59-60WS, on Departmental arm's-
length bodies, what the effect on Wales will be of the proposed changes to the bodies listed; and if he will make a statement. [12631]
John Penrose: As stated in the written statement of 20 July 2010, further work is being done in discussion with the bodies concerned and other interested parties to finalise the details and timings of these proposals. Where bodies are being abolished, we will look to transfer key functions to other existing bodies to support our sectors and preserve the necessary expertise.
This work is at too early a stage to say what the impact of the changes will be on Wales specifically.
As to the impact on the Barnett formula, no departmental expenditure limits (DELs) have yet been set for the years after 2010-11. DELs for the four years from 2011-12 will be set in the spending review on 20 October 2010. For 2010-11, the work is at too early a stage to firmly quantify the impact at this point.
News International
Luciana Berger: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport whether he has attended meetings as Secretary of State where representatives of BskyB or News International have been present. [12275]
Mr Jeremy Hunt: As Secretary of State, I have held meetings with James Murdoch, chairman and non-executive director of BSkyB, on 28 June and Jeremy Darroch, chief executive director of BSkyB, on 21 July.
Ofcom: Expenditure
James Wharton: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport how much Ofcom has spent on opinion and awareness surveys in each of the last five years. [10432]
Mr Vaizey: Ofcom have provided details in the table for their total spend on opinion and awareness surveys in each of the last five years plus the budgeted spend for 2010-11.
| Total spend (£ exc. VAT) | |
| (1) 2010-11 budgeted spend | |
The spending is a fraction of Ofcom's wider consumer research programme that is necessary to support their regulatory work.
It includes research on surveys to understand the degree to which the general public understands Ofcom's role and responsibilities and the way in which critical stakeholders (regulated companies and other interested parties) believe Ofcom is performing its functions and what Ofcom can do to improve. There is also an occasional survey of MPs which also seeks to assess parliamentarians' views on how well Ofcom is performing its statutory duties as laid out by Parliament and what it can do to improve.
Olympic Games 2012
Nicky Morgan: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport what steps he plans to take to ensure towns outside London which host Olympic teams receive a legacy from the London 2012 Olympic games. [11758]
Hugh Robertson: Locations across the UK stand to gain from the wide range of opportunities created by the games, including through businesses winning games-related work and increased tourism. Through the hosting of events in non-London venues and the hosting of international teams in pre-games training camps, areas will have the opportunity to showcase themselves on an international stage and attract inward investment.
Over 1,300 businesses have so far won over £5 billion worth of work directly supplying the ODA; over 600 non-commercial sporting, cultural and educational programmes across the UK have been awarded an Inspire Mark; and over 12000 schools/colleges have registered for Get Set LOCOG's London 2012 Education Programme.
Oliver Colvile: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport what conclusions reached by the International Olympic Committee as a result of its recent visit to London were reported to his Department. [12249]
Hugh Robertson: The International Olympic Committee's Coordination Commission visited a number of Olympic venues, and questioned teams across the London 2012 programme as the project moved from planning into its operational testing phase. At the end of its visit, the Coordination Commission, through their press release, highlighted the good progress made across the project-in particular the construction of venues and infrastructure, the continued support for the games from all levels of Government, LOCOG's top-class staff and its robust performance in raising the private sector funding required to stage the games.
In commending the progress to date, the International Olympic Committee's Coordination Commission emphasised the need to avoid complacency, the need for the organisers to focus on the details of the project in the upcoming testing phase, and to refine the plans over the coming months.
Olympic Games 2012: Construction
Steve Rotheram: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport what facilities for the London 2012 Olympics have been completed under the Construction Programme; and which of the major venues are under construction. [12158]
Hugh Robertson: The Olympic Delivery Authority (ODA) has now entered its final year of the 'Big Build'-the construction of the main venues and infrastructure on the Olympic Park-and remains on track to complete the construction programme by the summer of 2011.
Two venues have been completed already-Weymouth and Portland, the venue for sailing events, and Eton Dorney, the venue for rowing and canoe events. On the Olympic Park, the Primary Substation and main and deep sewer pumping stations are complete and the new Energy Centre will be operational later this year. More than half of the new bridges and underpasses for the Park are also complete.
All the major venues in the Park (Olympic Stadium, Aquatics Centre, Velodrome, Handball Arena, Basketball Arena, IBC/MBC and Olympic Village) are at advanced stages of construction, with work on Eton Manor-the last permanent venue on the Park-having commenced in June 2010.
Further information on progress of the ODA construction programme can be found in the publication Big Build: Completion Milestones to 27 July 2011 (published July 2010).
Olympic Games 2012: Contracts
Hywel Williams: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport how many (a) applications for contracts have been received and (b) contracts have been awarded to firms located in (i) Wales, (ii) each region of England, (iii) Scotland, (iv) Northern Ireland and (v) elsewhere by the Olympic Delivery Authority. [10763]
Hugh Robertson [holding answer 26 July 2010]: Data from the Olympic Delivery Authority's eTendering system, covering procurements with an estimated value in excess of £25,000, show that a total of 4,142 tenders were received February 2007 to the end of June 2010.
9. Yorkshire and Humberside: 48
The ODA was established in April 2006 and set up its eTendering system in February 2007. Tenders under £25,000 are not tracked through the ODA's central procurement system. To establish where firms are based for tenders before February 2007 or under £25,000 would incur disproportionate costs.
The ODA now shares eTendering system that it uses with the London Organising Committee of the Olympic games and Paralympic games (LOCOG) and its major contractors. The ODA has advised that it is not possible to provide information that distinguishes applications for contracts to each of these organisations, the data that it has provided therefore includes responses to invitations to tenders raised by those other organisations in addition to the responses to the ODA Information on businesses that have directly supplied the ODA is available in the business section of the London 2012 website under the heading ODA suppliers, where the hon. Gentleman will be able to find suppliers listed by venue and sector:
In addition there are thousands more companies that have applied for and accessed opportunities through the supply chains of the tier one contractors. The ODA estimates that up to 50,000 opportunities will be generated in its supply chains.
Olympic Games 2012: Costs
Mr Bain: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport what his most recent estimate is of the cost to the public purse of hosting the London 2012 Olympics. [12851]
Hugh Robertson: The anticipated final cost of the Olympic Delivery Authority Programme is £7.261 billion, as set out in the latest London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games Quarterly Report which was published in July 2010. This figure excludes the cost of Park Operations which are currently estimated to be around £147 million. A business case for Park Operations is expected to be considered in the autumn of 2010.
Olympic Games 2012: Hertfordshire
Mrs Main: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport how many contracts related to the London 2012 Olympics have been awarded to businesses and organisations in (a) St Albans constituency and (b) Hertfordshire; and what the monetary value of such contracts is. [6888]
Hugh Robertson: Information on businesses in the East of England that have directly supplied the Olympic Delivery Authority (ODA) is available in the business section of the London 2012 website under the heading ODA Suppliers, where you will be able to find suppliers listed by venue and sector:
The estimated value of the contracts awarded to businesses in Hertfordshire is £646,480,257, of this the value of contracts awarded to businesses in St Albans is £2,502,774. These figures only account for the contracts awarded by the ODAs to its own top tier of contractors (tier one contractors). The figures do not include the values of contracts further down the supply chain, in tiers two, three and so on, which are awarded by the tier one contractors and not by the ODA. The ODA estimates that the total value of supply chain contracts to the regions runs into millions of pounds, but these are not public procurements and so the full value of contracts won across the UK is not captured by the figures provided. The ODA estimates that overall up to 50,000 contracts will be generated throughout its supply chains.
Olympic Games 2012: Housing
Zac Goldsmith: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport which companies were awarded contracts for the construction of each of the 11 apartment blocks in the Olympic Village; and what the monetary value was of each such contract. [11980]
Hugh Robertson:
Bovis Lend Lease Ltd is constructing five of the 11 Olympic Village residential blocks. Of the other six blocks, two are being constructed by John Sisk and Sons Ltd, two by Galliford Try Plc, one by Ardmore
Construction Ltd and one by P Elliott and Co Ltd. The value of the individual contracts is commercially confidential.
Olympic Games 2012: Northern Region
Greg Mulholland: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport how many contracts related to the London 2012 Olympics have been awarded to businesses and organisations in (a) North England, (b) Yorkshire and (c) Leeds; and what the monetary value of such contracts is. [12246]
Hugh Robertson: Information on businesses across the nations and regions that have directly supplied the Olympic Delivery Authority (ODA) is available in the business section of the London 2012 website under the heading ODA Suppliers, where the hon. Gentleman will be able to find suppliers listed by venue and sector:
Here he will also find information on businesses that have won contracts in the supply chains of the ODA's contractors.
The estimated value of the contracts awarded to businesses in the North West of England is £96,156,682, the figure for businesses in the North East of England is £9,457,409 and in Yorkshire and the Humber it is £65,069,036. Of the Yorkshire and the Humber figure, £18,357,494 worth of contracts has been awarded to businesses in Leeds. These figures represent the committed spend to date, rather than the end contract value, as in many cases this will not yet be known. These figures only account for the contracts awarded by the ODA to its own top tier of contractors (tier one contractors). The figures do not include the values of contracts further down the supply chain, in tiers two, three and so on, which are awarded by the tier one contractors and not by the ODA. The ODA estimates that the total value of supply chain contracts to the regions runs into millions of pounds, but these are not public procurements and so the full value of contracts won across the UK is not captured by the figures provided. The ODA estimates that overall up to 50,000 contracts will be generated throughout its supply chains.
Olympic Games 2012: Scotland
Tom Greatrex: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport how many applications for contracts for the London 2010 Olympics have been received from firms located in (a) Scotland, (b) the South Lanarkshire council area and (c) Rutherglen and Hamilton West constituency; how many contracts have been awarded to such companies; and what the monetary value is of each such contract. [11288]
Hugh Robertson: Data from the Olympic Delivery Authority's eTendering system, covering procurements with an estimated value in excess of £25,000, show that a total of 4,142 tenders were received February 2007 to the end of June 2010. 27 tenders were received from businesses registered in Scotland, of these one was from a business registered in South Lanarkshire, in the Rutherglen and Hamilton West constituency.
The Olympic Delivery Authority (ODA) was established in April 2006 and set up its eTendering system in February 2007. Tenders under £25,000 are not tracked through the ODA's central procurement system. To establish where firms are based for tenders before February 2007 or under £25,000 would incur disproportionate costs.
The ODA now shares its eTendering system with the London Organising Committee of the Olympic Games and Paralympic games (LOCOG) and its major contractors. The ODA has advised that it is not possible to provide information that distinguishes applications for contracts between these organisations; the data that it has provided therefore includes responses to invitations to tenders raised by those other organisations in addition to the responses to the ODA.
The value of contracts awarded by the ODA to businesses in Scotland to date is £22,200,816. Of this £1,798,874 has gone to businesses in South Lanarkshire, in the Rutherglen and Hamilton West constituency.
The ODA is unable to release the value of individual contracts at this time as this is commercially sensitive information. These figures only account for the contracts awarded by the ODA's to its own top tier of contractors (tier one contractors). These values represent the sums that the ODA has spent to date, rather than the end contract value, as the end contract value in many cases will not yet be known. The location of each business is determined by its registered address. The figures do not include the values of contracts further down the supply chain, in tiers two, three and so on, which are awarded by the tier one contractors and not by the ODA.
Information on businesses that have directly supplied the ODA is available in the business section of the London 2012 website under the heading ODA Suppliers, where you will be able to find suppliers listed by venue and sector:
In addition there are thousands more companies that have applied for opportunities in the supply chains of the ODA's tier one contractors. The ODA estimates that up to 50,000 opportunities will be generated in its supply chains.
Olympic Games 2012: Wales
Alun Cairns: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport which companies based in (a) Wales and (b) the Vale of Glamorgan have been involved in construction projects for the London 2012 Olympics. [12870]
Hugh Robertson: Information on businesses based in (a) Wales and (b) the Vale of Glamorgan that have directly supplied the Olympic Delivery Authority (ODA) is available in the business section of the London 2012 website, under the heading ODA Suppliers, where my hon. Friend will be able to find suppliers listed by venue and sector:
Here my hon. Friend will also find information on businesses that have won contracts in the supply chains of the ODA's contractors.
Alun Cairns: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport which companies based in (a) Wales and (b) the Vale of Glamorgan have been contracted to participate in the operation of the London 2012 Olympics. [12871]
Hugh Robertson: London Organising Committee for the Olympic and Paralympic Games (LOCOG) is now procuring £700 million-worth of goods and services required for the games. While much of this procurement will be through letting a small number of large contracts, it will give rise to a large number of supply chain opportunities for companies across the UK.
LOCOG has advised that no major contracts have yet been awarded in this procurement, but there is significant interest across the nations and regions in those tenders that have been placed on the online web portal CompeteFor. CompeteFor makes these opportunities accessible to companies in all parts of the UK, including Wales.
Olympic Games 2012: West Midlands
Mark Pritchard: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport if he will make financial assistance available to volunteers from Shropshire and the West Midlands at the London 2012 Olympics to travel to and from London. [11217]
Hugh Robertson: London Organising Committee for the Olympic and Paralympic Games (LOCOG) launched its London 2012 'Games Makers' volunteer scheme on 27 July 2010. Accommodation and travel costs for volunteers to reach London will not be covered within the LOCOG scheme, however volunteers will be provided with a zones 1-6 travel card and refreshments when they are on-shift. There are no plans to provide central funding to LOCOG volunteers to cover these costs. However the many venues across the UK will give people the chance to get involved with the games in their own local area.
Public Libraries: Local Government Services
Justin Tomlinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport (1) if he will take steps to encourage the use of public libraries as a focal point for local authority services; [11229]
(2) if he will take steps to encourage public libraries to assess the merits of providing additional local authority services to the public. [11231]
Mr Vaizey: Libraries can and do contribute to a range of local and national Government priorities by helping people find and use printed and digital information to improve skills and increase their knowledge.
There are real opportunities for councils to respond to the deficit by using libraries and the space they provide to help deliver other public policy more efficiently. In England libraries are already providing drop-in sessions with health professionals or local police officers. In some authorities libraries are selling parking permits or renewing travel passes, providing links to employment opportunities and taking council tax payments. These connections can have positive benefits for communities and can increase efficiencies within authorities.
I have written to all local authority chief executives recently to stress how important libraries are in the current economic climate and will continue to champion the value and impact libraries can make to overcome the financial deficit with my colleagues and stakeholders across Government.
Regional Development Agencies: North East Region
Chi Onwurah: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport if he will take steps to provide assistance to tourism businesses in (a) the North East, (b) Tyneside and (c) Newcastle affected by the closure of regional development agencies. [12544]
John Penrose: Government's intention is to rebalance the economy to better enable the private sector. The introduction of local enterprise partnerships (LEPs), in place of regional development agencies (RDAs), will give councils, communities and local business a stronger role in driving enterprise and employment at local level. The recently announced Regional Growth Fund, worth £1 billion, will provide an important resource in this regard. I am working with my colleagues in the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills, and the Department for Communities and Local Government, to ensure that the interests of the tourism industry are addressed in the transition from RDAs to LEPs.
S4C
Glyn Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport whether he plans to review the structure and strategy of S4C as part of his Department's spending review. [12667]
Mr Vaizey: My Department will be reviewing the position of all its grant-funded public bodies as part of the spending review. S4C will naturally be considered in the review.
Shadsworth Leisure Centre
Graham Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport if he will hold discussions with Blackburn council to seek to keep Shadsworth Leisure Centre open. [10548]
Hugh Robertson: This is a matter for the local authority. There is no provision for the Department to intervene in this case.
Sports: Finance
Mr Bain: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport how much he estimates is available in dormant betting accounts to fund sporting facilities, as referred to in the Budget Statement. [13238]
John Penrose: It has not yet been possible to make an informed estimate of the sums that may be held in dormant betting accounts as such figures are not generally published by betting operators. The Tote has, however, previously advised that the gross figure for uncollected winnings recorded during the financial year 2008-09 was £1.04 million.
I have asked the hon. Member for Bath (Mr Foster) to compile a report for me into abandoned betting accounts and other unclaimed winnings. The report will seek to consider how much money may be left abandoned in betting accounts and the value of unclaimed winning tickets. The hon. Member for Bath will be meeting interested parties throughout the autumn to gather views and information. He expects to present his findings, along with a possible proposal of new legislation, to me by the end of the year.
Taxis
Matthew Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport how much his Department spent on taxi fares in each year since 1997. [12982]
John Penrose: I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave to my hon. Friend the Member for Burton (Andrew Griffiths) on 27 July, Official Report, column 991W.
Television: Licensing
Jim Dowd: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport if he will hold discussions with the BBC Trust on charges for those paying the licence fee by quarterly direct debit. [12585]
Mr Vaizey: I have no plans to do so. Under the terms of its Royal Charter, the BBC Trust is responsible for collecting the licence fee, including arrangements around the collection of payments made by direct debit.
Theatres: Repairs and Maintenance
Richard Fuller: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport how much funding the (a) Heritage Fund and (b) Arts Council England has allocated for the (i) construction of new theatres and (ii) refurbishment of existing theatres in each of the last 10 years. [12252]
Mr Vaizey: Arts Council England (ACE) and Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF) have supplied the information in the table on how much they allocated to constructing new theatres and refurbishing existing theatres in the last 10 years.
| £ | ||||
| Financial year | ACE Construction | ACE Refurbishment | HLF Construction | HLF Refurbishment( 1) |
| (1) Grant allocated for capital works (e.g. building conservation or refurbishment) excluding the cost of activities (such as education, volunteering and community involvement). (2) Change in HLF administrative procedures for 2009-10 for new awards means only development funding recorded. | ||||
Tourism
Mr Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport how many persons in each (a) age group and (b) travelling to each destination holidayed abroad in each of the last two years for which information is available. [10555]
John Penrose: VisitBritain have provided a table of data advising the number of UK residents, broken down by age group and destination, who have holidayed abroad in each of the last two years.
I am arranging for copies of the information to be placed in the Libraries of both Houses.
Tourism: England
Mr Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport which 10 destinations in England were most frequently visited by (a) domestic and (b) overseas tourists in each of the last 10 years. [10552]
John Penrose: VisitEngland advise that the 10 destinations in England that were most frequently visited by (a) domestic tourists between 2006 and 2009 can be found at the EnjoyEngland website links in the table:
Information prior to 2005 is not available in the same format and is therefore not comparable with the latest data in the table.
The 10 destinations in England that were most frequently visited by (b) overseas tourists in the last 10 years can be found at the VisitBritain website which lists the top 20 destinations in the UK:
Source:
International Passenger Survey (IPS)/Office for National Statistics (ONS)
Tourism: Essex
Mr Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport which 10 destinations in Essex were most frequently visited by (a) domestic and (b) overseas tourists in each of the last 10 years. [10553]
John Penrose: VisitEngland advise that the 10 destinations in Essex that were most frequently visited by (a) domestic tourists, between 2006 and 2009 are Colchester, Tendring, Chelmsford, Southend-on-Sea, Uttlesford, Braintree, Basildon, Thurrock, Epping Forest and Maldon(1). These statistics are based on average number of trips over the four year period 2006-09.
VisitBritain advise that Colchester, Southend-on-Sea, Harwich and Clacton-on-Sea were most frequently visited by (b) overseas tourists between 2006-09(2).
Information prior to 2006 is not available in the same format and is therefore not comparable with the latest set of data.
Source:
(1) United Kingdom Tourism Survey
(2) International Passenger Survey/Office of National Statistics.
Tourism: Greater London
Mr Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport which 10 destinations in the Metropolitan Police area of London were most frequently visited by (a) domestic and (b) overseas tourists in each of the last 10 years. [10554]
John Penrose: VisitEngland advise that the 10 destinations in the Metropolitan Police area of London that were most frequented by (a) domestic tourists between 2006 and 2009 are Westminster, City of London, Kensington and Chelsea, Hounslow, Camden, Croydon, Bromley, Richmond upon Thames, Wandsworth, Bexley and Barnet(1). These statistics are based on average number of trips over the four year period 2006-09.
Information prior to 2006 is not available in the same format and is therefore not comparable with the latest set of data.
Data relating to (b) overseas visitors cannot be provided, as the Office for National Statistics record overseas visits to London as a single destination.
Source:
(1 )United Kingdom Tourism Survey
Trade Unions
Priti Patel: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport how much his Department has paid to trade unions in each year since 1997; and what estimate he has made of the monetary value of facilities provided by his Department for use by trade unions in each year since 1997. [11706]
John Penrose: The total staff costs that the Department has paid since 1 April 2006 are set out in the table. These costs are for members of staff who are accredited trade union representatives and entitled to facility time during working hours to carry out employee relations duties and trade union activities. There are no central data available from 1997 to March 2006.
| Financial year | Total costs |
The value of facilities provided by the Department for use by trade unions since 1 April 2006 is set out in the following table. These include costs such as accommodation and IT.
| Financial year | Total costs |
Priti Patel: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport how many paid manpower hours civil servants in his Department spent on trade union-related duties and activities in each year since 1997. [11707]
John Penrose: A Partnership Agreement between DCMS and the trade unions came into effect in April 2001. Based on the Facility Time Allocations set in the Partnership Agreement, accredited representatives spent up to 3,900 hours per annum on trade union-related activities since 2001. There are no central data from 1997 to March 2001.
We do not hold central records on the hours and days spent by civil servants e.g. line managers and HR on trade union related activities.
Priti Patel: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport how many civil servants in his Department spent the equivalent of (a) five days or fewer, (b) five to 10 days, (c) 10 to 15 days, (d) 15 to 20 days, (e) 20 to 25 days and (f) 25 days or more on trade union-related activities or duties while being paid salaries from the public purse in each year since 1997. [11708]
John Penrose: To maintain good and effective employee relations, DCMS ensures that accredited representatives have sufficient time to undertake their representative duties effectively.
A partnership agreement between DCMS and the trade unions came into effect in April 2001. Based on the facility time allocations set out in the partnership agreement, the average number of days staff spent annually since 2001 to date on trade union activities in each year is set out in the table:
| Average number of days | Number of civil servants |
There are no central data from 1997 to March 2001.
UK Film Council
Mr Whittingdale: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport what the responsibilities of the UK Film Council are; and how he intends such responsibilities to be discharged in the future. [12102]
Mr Jeremy Hunt: The UK Film Council works alongside various partners to support the British film industry, including funding, training and promoting the UK as an international filming location and raising the profile of British films abroad.
The key mechanisms which support the UK film industry will be retained, including the system of film tax relief and lottery funding. We are considering options for some functions to be transferred to other existing bodies, with a view to reducing administrative costs.
UK Film Council: Scotland
Pete Wishart: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport which projects in Scotland the UK Film Council has supported in each of the last five years. [12933]
Mr Vaizey: A table providing the information requested will be placed in the Libraries of both Houses.
Wines
Matthew Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport how much his Department spent on wine in each year since 1997. [12819]
John Penrose: Spend on wine is not reported separately in this Department's accounting system and can be obtained only at disproportionate cost.
Written Answers to Questions
Monday 6 September 2010
Education
Academies
Mr Anderson: To ask the Secretary of State for Education whether the governing bodies of new academy schools will inherit sole responsibility for private finance initiative or local education partnership contracts previously held by the relevant local authority. [9099]
Mr Gibb: Although arrangements for each PFI school converting to academy status are specific to that school, the normal arrangement would be that the local authority's contract with the PFI contractor remains in place. The obligations of the academy trust and the local authority necessary for continued fulfilment of the contract would be contained in a new schools agreement made between the academy trust and the local authority. There would also be a principal agreement made between the local authority, the Secretary of State and the academy trust which contained indemnification for the authority in relation to various obligations of the academy trust.
Andrew Stephenson: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what mechanism he plans to put in place for intervention in case of failure of an academy school. [10845]
Mr Gibb: We already have a range of mechanisms in place for intervention in the case of the failure of an academy. These are outlined in each academy's funding agreement and articles of association and include powers to enable the Secretary of State to appoint additional members to the governing body and ultimately to terminate the funding agreement if required. A draft model funding agreement is available on the Department's website at:
The Young People's Learning Agency is responsible for monitoring the performance of academies on behalf of the Secretary of State. Academies are also subject to the same Ofsted regime as maintained schools.
Jake Berry: To ask the Secretary of State for Education over what period schools may apply to become academy schools. [11457]
Mr Gibb: A school may register interest for academy status at any time but must submit an application to convert, to the Department, at least three months before the proposed opening date.
Primary and secondary schools that have been rated outstanding overall in their most recent Ofsted inspection are able to apply to convert to academies. The application process for other schools will open at a later date.
Luciana Berger: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what guidance his Department issues on whether members of staff of a maintained school may vote on a resolution on application for academy status proposed by the governing body. [12048]
Mr Gibb: As part of the application to convert, the school's governing body will need to pass a resolution signalling its intention to convert to an academy. The school's governing body will include representation from school staff as well as parents and the local authority. The majority of the governing body will need to be in favour of converting to an academy.
Academies: Equality
Vernon Coaker: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what advice he has received on the compliance of the proposed Academies Bill with the provisions of the Equalities Act 2010. [9691]
Mr Gibb [holding answer 19 July 2010]: All the provisions of the Academies Bill comply with the Equality Act 2010.
Academies will be subject to all the private duties set out in the Equality Act, such as those applicable to schools, employers and service providers, when the Act comes into force in October 2010. This means that an academy may not discriminate against, victimise or harass any pupil or prospective pupil, employee or recipient of services, on the grounds of disability, gender reassignment, race, religion/belief, sex or sexual orientation. (Employees and recipients of services are additionally protected in relation to the characteristics of age and marriage/civil partnership.)
Furthermore, it is, and always has been, the intention to add academies to the list of bodies in Schedule 19 of the Equality Act. Including academies on the list of public authorities in Schedule 19 means that academies will also be subject to the public sector duties set out in Part 11 of the Equality Act, when they come into force in April 2011.
Academies: Faith Schools
Mr Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what steps he plans to take to ensure the provision of a balanced curriculum for pupils in academy faith schools. [10483]
Mr Gibb [holding answer 22 July 2010]: All academies, including faith academies, are required to provide a broad and balanced curriculum satisfying the requirements of section 78 of the Education Act 2002 via their funding agreement. The academy trust must ensure that this includes English, mathematics and science.
The provision of a balanced curriculum is set out in the funding agreement. The Young People's Learning Agency (YPLA) is responsible for ensuring that open academies comply with their funding agreements. A model funding agreement for outstanding schools converting to academies is available to view at:
Mr Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Education by what mechanism he will ensure that the selection and appointment of teachers in academy faith schools is compatible with the provisions of the Equalities Act 2010. [10485]
Mr Gibb [holding answer 22 July 2010]: All new academies, as with existing academies, will be governed by the employment provisions contained in the School Standards and Framework Act 1998 (SSFA). The SSFA permits faith schools, including faith academies, to discriminate on religious grounds in relation to certain staff and its provisions are preserved under the Equality Act 2010. Faith academies, in line with voluntary aided schools, may apply religious criteria to the appointment of teaching staff but not to non-teaching staff unless there is a genuine occupational requirement for them to be of a particular faith.
Academies: Finance
Lisa Nandy: To ask the Secretary of State for Education by what mechanism he will determine the level of additional funding that new academy schools will receive. [5216]
Mr Gibb: The additional funding received by new academy schools is intended to ensure that they are no better or worse off than they were as maintained schools, having regard to their additional responsibilities. It will consist of a grant to meet VAT costs, and a grant in lieu of certain local authority (LA) services. The VAT grant is calculated by using historical data on schools' expenditure to derive a typical proportion of spend that attracts VAT. The grant in lieu of LA services is calculated by dividing LA spend on those services by the relevant number of pupils in the local authority to derive a per-pupil sum. New academy schools will also receive funding for insurance and rates at actual cost.
In addition, new academy schools will also receive a grant of £25,000 to help meet the costs of conversion.
Academies: Property
Mr Anderson: To ask the Secretary of State for Education if he will bring forward proposals to ensure that an academy school governing body cannot sell off land, buildings or playing fields without the permission of the relevant local education authority or church representative. [9486]
Mr Gibb: Publicly funded land that is transferred to an academy by way of a lease from the local authority to the academy trust will be protected by provisions in the lease which will prevent the land from being sold or otherwise disposed of. If a freehold interest in publicly funded land is transferred to an academy, then protection against disposal would be secured via the Funding Agreement and by a restriction entered on the title.
Arrangements for land that is privately owned, for example church owned land that is used by an academy, is a matter for the parties involved and any protection in relation to selling off that land will be a matter for the parties.
Academies: School Meals
Mr Anderson: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what his policy is on the application of national nutritional standards for school food to academy schools. [9549]
Mr Gibb: The freedom and autonomy enjoyed by academies is crucial to enabling them to drive up standards. We believe that academies should have the freedom to respond to parental demand and provide a high standard of food that meets the needs of their pupils.
Building Schools for the Future Programme
Mr Burrowes: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what the cost to the public purse has been of the local education partnership in each local education authority area since the Building Schools for the Future programme began. [7017]
Mr Gibb: Data on the set up costs for each Local Education Partnership (LEP) are held by individual local authorities who record costs differently. The National Audit Office (NAO) report on Building Schools for the Future (BSF) published in February 2009 concluded that the set up costs for the first LEPs were higher than they needed to be because of unavoidable delay by local authorities, extensive reliance on consultants by local authorities, large numbers of sample schemes and unnecessary alterations made to standardised documents.
Angie Bray: To ask the Secretary of State for Education if he will ensure that his Department's Capital Review Team will (1) take into account the growing population in Ealing Central and Acton constituency when making decisions on school building; [8158]
(2) give priority to areas where there is a shortage of school places when allocating resources; and if he will make a statement. [8159]
Mr Gibb [holding answer 14 July 2010]: The capital review team will produce interim advice in the autumn. This will guide future spending decisions over the next spending review period (2011-12 to 2014-15). Meeting demographic pressures will be a key concern for the Department in spending review negotiations.
The capital review team will look at how best to meet parental demand; make current design and procurement cost-effective and efficient; and overhaul how capital is allocated and targeted for areas where there is a shortage of school places and a growing population.
Ed Balls: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what advice his Department received on potential compensation claims from (a) private companies and (b) local authorities over the cancellation of (i) Building Schools for the Future projects and (ii) other capital projects. [10663]
Mr Gibb [holding answer 22 July 2010]: The Secretary of State took into account advice and information from a range of sources in coming to his decision on the Building Schools for the Future programme. As was the case with the previous Government, information relating to internal discussion and advice is not normally disclosed.
Yvonne Fovargue: To ask the Secretary of State for Education (1) whom he contacted at Wigan metropolitan borough council to discuss the cancellation of the Building Schools for the Future programme in that area; [11065]
(2) on what date he contacted Wigan metropolitan borough council to discuss the cancellation of the Building Schools for the Future programme in that area. [11066]
Mr Gibb [holding answer 26 July 2010]: The Secretary of State wrote to the chief executive of Wigan borough council on 5 July. In his letter he set out the review of the Building Schools for the Future programme and the future of capital spending in schools more broadly.
The chief executive of Partnerships for Schools also wrote to the Director of Children's Services of Wigan borough council on 14 July to confirm the position for Wigan's Building Schools for the Future programme.
Building Schools for the Future Programme: Construction
Mr Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what assessment he has made of the effects on the construction industry of the ending of the Building Schools for the Future programme. [7731]
Mr Gibb [holding answer 13 July 2010]: The Secretary of State considered wide-ranging advice from officials on the impact of his decision on the Building Schools for the Future (BSF) programme, including discussions of the impact on the construction industry.
The cancellation of BSF does not represent the end of capital investment in schools, nor opportunities for the construction industry. The review announced by the Department on 5 July 2010 will make recommendations to help shape the design of future capital investment in schools; to ensure that future capital investment represents good value for money and strongly supports the Government's ambitions to reduce the deficit, raise standards and tackle disadvantage.
Building Schools for the Future Programme: Lancashire
Graham Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Education if he will compensate Lancashire county council for its expenditure incurred in relation to those elements of the Building Schools for the Future programme in Lancashire which will not now proceed. [9761]
Mr Gibb: There are no plans to compensate local authorities for expenditure incurred in relation to these elements of the Building Schools for the Future programme which will now not proceed.
Building Schools for the Future Programme: North London
Glenda Jackson: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what information his Department holds on the costs incurred by private sector contractors to Building Schools for the Future projects in the London borough of (a) Camden and (b) Brent to date. [8603]
Mr Gibb: Costs incurred by private sector contractors in the London boroughs of Camden and Brent for Building Schools for the Future are not held centrally.
Children: Day Care
Glenda Jackson: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what estimate he has made of the cost to the public purse of his Department's plans for free childcare provision, announced on 6 July 2010; by what mechanisms that provision will be made; for children of what age range that provision will be made; and what eligibility criteria applied to (a) married couples, (b) couples in civil partnerships, (c) single parents, (d) adoptive parents and (e) foster parents applying for assistance under that provision. [9963]
Sarah Teather: The coalition agreement is clear in its support for free nursery provision and that we want it to reach the most vulnerable families. We announced on 7 June that we will be extending free nursery education to 15 hours a week from September 2010. Funding of £340 million in this financial year has been made available to local authorities to implement the extension. As with all Government spending, decisions about future years will be taken as part of the spending review process.
The mechanism for delivery of the free entitlement is through a diverse range of providers in the maintained, private, voluntary and independent sectors, funded by the local authority. It is a universal entitlement for every three and four-year-old, from the term after their third birthday, until they reach compulsory school age (the term after their fifth birthday). All children in this age group are eligible, regardless of family circumstances.
Class Sizes
Mr Bain: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what recent representations he has received on class sizes and the Comprehensive Spending Review from (a) teaching associations, (b) teaching unions and (c) other representative organisations. [11044]
Tim Loughton: No recent representations have been received on class sizes in the context of the spending review from (a) teaching associations, (b) teaching unions and (c) other representative organisations.
Curriculum
Jake Berry: To ask the Secretary of State for Education whether he plans to enable all schools to have discretion on whether to follow the national curriculum. [11455]
Mr Gibb: All maintained schools are currently required to follow the national curriculum and we have no plans to change that requirement. Subject to the passing of the Academies Bill, academies will offer a broad and balanced curriculum. Through their Funding Agreements, they will also be required to teach English, mathematics and science. They will not, however, be required to follow the national curriculum.
Departmental Billing
Jeremy Lefroy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education what percentage of payments made by his Department to (a) small and medium-sized enterprise suppliers and (b) all suppliers were made (i) within
10 days of receipt of invoice and (ii) on the agreed payment terms in the last three months for which information is available. [11381]
Tim Loughton: The percentage of all invoices paid by the Department for Education within 10 and 30 days of receipt are shown in the following table.
Please note that our accounts payable shared service provider (the Department for Work and Pensions) does not identify small and medium-sized enterprise suppliers separately so the data represent payments to all suppliers.
| Percentage | |||
| April | May | June | |
DCSF changed its arrangements for invoice processing on 2 November 2009. From that date all invoices payments to DFE suppliers are processed by the Department for Work and Pensions as part of their shared services provision.
Departmental Buildings
Mrs Chapman: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what plans he has for the future of his Department's site at Mowden Hall in Darlington; and if he will make a statement. [11181]
Tim Loughton: The Department for Education is currently reviewing all aspects of its administrative expenditure including the money spent on its estate. This work is being done in the context of the new policy priorities of the Government and the need to reduce administrative costs overall as part of the spending review process.
A decision is pending on whether the Department should continue its planned redevelopment of a new smaller site in Darlington town centre or remain at Mowden Hall.
Mrs Chapman: To ask the Secretary of State for Education which functions are conducted by his Department at its Mowden Hall site in Darlington. [11326]
Tim Loughton: The Department for Education conducts the following functions at its Mowden Hall site at Darlington:
| Directorate | Function |
Departmental Civil Servants
Graham Evans: To ask the Secretary of State for Education how many employees of his Department and its predecessors attended Civil Service Live in (a) 2008, (b) 2009 and (c) 2010; and what estimate he has made of the (i) employee working hours taken up by and (ii) cost to his Department and its predecessors of such attendance in each such year. [9051]
Tim Loughton: Civil Service Live events are owned and managed by the private company Dods (the publishers of Civil Service World), who bear all of the financial risks.
The overall delegate numbers for Civil Service Live in 2008, 2009 and 2010 were approximately 6,000, 8,000 and 7,700 respectively. Delegate registration is managed centrally by Dods. Departments do not keep a detailed record of every member of staff that attends.
Civil servants do not pay to attend Civil Service Live events. There will have been some travel and subsistence costs for delegates, which will be paid for by individual Departments. Civil servants attending the event will have followed the travel and subsistence guidelines set by their Departments.
Departmental Contracts
Lisa Nandy: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what processes are in place for competitive tendering of contracts to be let by his Department. [5510]
Tim Loughton: The Department complies with the UK Public Procurement Regulation 2006 and officials involved in the procurement process are obliged to comply with departmental procurement guidance which is based on the guidance produced by the Office of Government Commerce. This requires that all contracts are competitively tendered unless a legitimate exemption for single tendering applies. All single tenders have to be authorised by a deputy director or higher grade.
Departmental Official Cars
Hugh Bayley: To ask the Secretary of State for Education how much his Department has spent on the Government Car Service since the Government took office. [7992]
Tim Loughton:
The total invoiced expenditure on the Government Car Service for the Department for Education is £68,318. This compares with a cost of £92.927.97 for
the same period in 2009. Both figures relate to costs incurred from 12 May to 12 July for all car services for officials and Ministers.
Departmental Public Expenditure
Lisa Nandy: To ask the Secretary of State for Education which categories of (a) contracts for the provision of services to his Department and (b) grants to charities made by his Department require ministerial approval. [12031]
Tim Loughton: Ministers set the policy direction of the Department which will ultimately result in spend but there is no requirement for them to approve specific categories of expenditure.
Departmental Reorganisation
Diana R. Johnson: To ask the Secretary of State for Education how much it cost to rename the Department for Children, Schools and Families as the Department for Education. [8051]
Tim Loughton: The cost of renaming the Department was £5,250.
Education: Colchester
Bob Russell: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what estimate he has made of the change in the level of value added tax schools and colleges in Colchester constituency will be required to pay in financial year (a) 2010-11 and (b) 2011-12. [4569]
Tim Loughton: The Department has not yet assessed the implications of the recent Budget changes around VAT. It will form part of our considerations for the spending review which is now in hand.
Education: Finance
Daniel Kawczynski: To ask the Secretary of State for Education if he will direct his Department's review of capital spending in schools and colleges to (a) examine the capital funding requirements of sixth form colleges and (b) make recommendations for their future funding. [10048]
Mr Gibb: The Department's review of capital spending to be conducted by Sebastian James, group operations director of DSG International plc, will review all Department for Education capital investment programmes. The review will guide future spending decisions over the next spending review period (2011-12 to 2014-15) and will look at how best to meet demand, and make current design and procurement cost effective and efficient. The review team will consult the sixth form college sector to inform its conclusions and recommendations.
Educational Psychology: Manpower
Annette Brooke: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what his most recent estimate is of the number of (a) qualified educational psychologists and (b) educational psychologists required in the education system. [9683]
Sarah Teather [holding answer 19 July 2010]: A report commissioned by the Children's Workforce Development Council (CWDC) in 2009 showed that there are approximately 2,200 educational psychologists employed in local authorities in England. A work force planning exercise by CWDC in 2009 showed that approximately 120 new entrants to the profession are required annually to maintain a similar sized work force and meet current local authority demand.
Faith Schools
Mr Allen: To ask the Secretary of State for Education whether the proposed requirement on new faith schools to admit at least 50 per cent. of their intake without reference to faith will be on a statutory basis. [10560]
Mr Gibb: Children of any or no faith should all have access to high quality local education. New faith academies, that do not replace an existing faith predecessor school, will be required to admit at least half of their intake without reference to faith, and this policy will be given effect through each new academy's Funding Agreement with the Secretary of State, rather than through legislation.
he same requirement does not apply to any new maintained faith schools that are established. Establishment of local authority maintained schools usually follows proposals that are locally approved, following assessment of local need, including the demand for faith provision.
Foster Care
Geoffrey Clifton-Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what steps are taken to ensure that children removed from foster care are (a) enabled to say goodbye to their former foster parents and (b) given an explanation for their removal. [9344]
Tim Loughton: Statutory guidance makes clear the importance, whenever possible, of achieving a planned ending to a placement, with foster carers involved in preparing the child so as to ensure as gentle and sensitive a transition as possible. This includes giving the child proper time to say goodbye to his or her carer.
Children's wishes and feelings should be taken into account when decisions are made about them, including a decision to move them to a new placement, and they should be given the information they need to understand such decisions. This principle is made clear in current regulations, guidance and national minimum standards, and is being strengthened in planned revisions to national minimum standards.
A child's care plan must be reviewed whenever a significant change is proposed, such as an unexpected placement change. It is for the child's Independent Reviewing Officer to ensure that they are able to make a meaningful contribution to the review.
Free Schools
Lisa Nandy: To ask the Secretary of State for Education which units in his Department are responsible for liaison with the New Schools Network. [11976]
Mr Gibb: The strategic relationship with the New Schools Network is held by the Local Improvement and Performance Group within the Department's Schools Directorate.
Lisa Nandy: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what guidance his Department offers to parents wishing to set up a new school. [12030]
Mr Gibb: The guidance provided by the Department for Education to parents and organisations wishing to set up a free school is available at:
The Department will work with those involved in setting up the first free schools to develop its guidance overtime. The New Schools Network also provides advice and support to parents and organisations who wish to set up a free school.
General Teaching Council
Ed Balls: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what estimate he has made of the (a) cost and (b) savings to the Exchequer arising from the abolition of the General Teaching Council for England in (i) 2010-11, (ii) 2011-12 and (iii) 2012-13. [1203]
Mr Gibb [h olding answer 7 June 2010]: There are a number of factors which may have an impact in terms of potential cost and savings arising from the abolition of the General Teaching Council for England (GTCE) over the period 2010-2013, including factors relating to the extent of any transfer of the GTCE's existing functions and GTCE staff to other bodies. The current cost of the GTCE to the exchequer is estimated to be around £16 million per year. Our aim is to introduce new arrangements for the regulation of the profession which are more cost-effective and efficient than the current system.
Higher Education: Admissions
Meg Munn: To ask the Secretary of State for Education whether he plans to continue to strengthen entry requirements for university entrance for students taking social work degrees from September 2012. [10756]
Tim Loughton [holding answer 26 July 2010]: On 2 June 2010, the Secretary of State for Education confirmed the Government's intention to take forward and build upon the recommendations of the Social Work Task Force. Among its recommendations, the task force concluded that the entry requirements for the social work degree should be strengthened.
The Social Work Reform Board is taking forward the task force's recommendations and is considering a number of approaches to improving the calibre of people embarking on the social work degree. It will put advice to Ministers on how best to strengthen the entry requirements for social work students in due course.
National Citizens Service: Morecambe
David Morris: To ask the Secretary of State for Education when he expects the National Citizens Service project to be rolled out to young people in Morecambe and Lunesdale constituency; and how many places he expects the project to provide in that constituency. [11601]
Tim Loughton: Specific locations for the pilot phase of the National Citizen Service (NCS) will be subject to the outcome of a competitive tendering process. Government-backed pilots for the scheme will start next summer and will provide around 10,000 places.
We began a competitive tendering exercise for organisations to deliver these pilots in early August, inviting potential providers to submit bids. Organisations are developing bids from then, and we will announce the successful candidates around the end of October. The second phase of the pilots will run in the summer of 2012, with national roll-out planned from the summer of 2013. (The scale of the programme will be subject to the spending review which concludes in autumn 2010).
New Schools Network
Lisa Nandy: To ask the Secretary of State for Education (1) for what period the New Schools Network has been contracted to administer initial inquiries into free schools; and when this contract was awarded to the New Schools Network; [5498]
(2) how much funding his Department has allocated to the New Schools Network; and what period that funding covers; [5499]
(3) for what reasons a contract has been made with an outside organisation to administer initial inquiries about free schools; [5511]
(4) what meetings (a) Ministers and (b) officials of his Department have had with representatives of the New Schools Network since his appointment; [5512]
(5) what tendering process was undertaken in awarding the contract to administer initial inquiries on setting up free schools; and what organisations submitted tenders; [5513]
(6) what processes are in place to ensure value for money from the work being undertaken on behalf of the Department by New Schools Network; and what oversight his Department will have over this work; [5514]
(7) what information his Department holds on the capacity of the New Schools Network to process initial inquiries about free schools. [5566]
Mr Watson: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what meetings (a) Ministers and (b) officials in his Department had with representatives of the New Schools Network since 12 May 2010. [5759]
Mr Gibb: The New Schools Network (NSN) is in receipt of a £500,000 grant from the Department, details of which are available here:
The Department has given out similar grants in the past, such as to the Specialist Schools and Academies Trust and the Youth Sport Trust.
Officials meet with the NSN on a regular basis to review proposals they have received and to discuss NSN's capacity and sufficiency of resource. Ministers met with NSN representatives on 21 May, 17 June and 30 June 2010.
Lisa Nandy: To ask the Secretary of State for Education (1) whether his Department's payment to the New Schools Network was a (a) grant or (b) payment for provision of services; [11432]
(2) what service level agreement is in place between his Department and the New Schools Network; [11433]
(3) whether his Department's payment to the New Schools Network was subject to the Compact Commissioning Guidance; [11434]
(4) what steps he took to ensure that his Department's payment to the New Schools Network complied with the Public Contract Regulations 2006. [11435]
Mr Gibb [holding answer 27 July 2010]: On 18 June 2010 the Department agreed to enter into a £500,000 grant agreement with New Schools Network (NSN) to provide support for groups wanting to find out more about setting-up a free school. However the Department has not yet entered into a formal funding agreement with, or made any payments to, the NSN. Officials are currently developing the grant details which will take account of the relevant regulations and agreements.
Ofsted: Care Homes
Ann Coffey: To ask the Secretary of State for Education how many children's homes have been classified by Ofsted as (a) outstanding, (b) good, (c) satisfactory and (d) inadequate in each local authority area in each year since 2007. [9911]
Mr Gibb [holding answer 21 July 2010]: This is a matter for Ofsted. HM Chief Inspector, Christine Gilbert, has written to the hon. Member and a copy of her reply has been placed in the Libraries.
Personal, Social, Health and Economic Education
Tony Baldry: To ask the Secretary of State for Education whether he plans to consult (a) the Church of England, (b) the Roman Catholic Church, (c) representatives of other Christian denominations and (d) representatives of other faith groups for the purpose of his Department's review of the (i) religious education and (ii) sex and relationships education elements of the curriculum. [11237]
Mr Gibb: We will consult with a range of groups, including representatives of faith groups as we develop our policies on religious education and sex and relationships education.
Pre-school Education
Zac Goldsmith: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what his policy is on the suspension of the code of practice on the provision of free nursery education places; and if he will make a statement. [8609]
Sarah Teather: The coalition agreement is clear in its support for free nursery provision and that we want it to reach the most vulnerable families. We announced on 7 June that we will be extending free nursery education to 15 hours a week from September 2010. As with all Government spending, decisions about future years will be taken as part of the spending review process.
The revised code of practice-which is statutory guidance on provision of free nursery education-is due to come into force in September. I am considering whether it would be helpful to review this guidance. However, current primary legislation requires local authorities to secure early years provision free of charge, whether or not there is statutory guidance in place.
Qualifications: Doncaster
Caroline Flint: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what percentage of pupils at Trinity Academy in Doncaster achieved (a) five or more A* to C grades, (b) five or more A* to C grades including English and mathematics, (c) two or more A* to C grades in science subjects, and (d) an A* to C grade in a modern foreign language at the end of key stage 4 in each year since 2006. [11641]
Mr Gibb: The figures requested are published as part of the Achievement and Attainment Tables and are available from the following link:
Excel spreadsheet copies of these publication files have been placed in the House Library.
Note:
The requested science indicator was introduced into these tables in 2007 and the modern foreign language indicator was introduced in 2008.
Schools: Ealing
Mr Virendra Sharma: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what estimate has been made of the number of school places which will be required in the London borough of Ealing in (a) 2015 and (b) 2020. [9555]
Mr Gibb: The Department for Education does not estimate the number of school places which will be required in local authority areas. It is the duty of each local authority to provide a pupil place for each child of statutory school age who wants one, and to plan to provide these places.
This Department supports provision of new pupil places where needed, based on information provided by authorities. Meeting the need for the rising numbers of primary pupils will be a priority consideration for the next spending review period, informed by the outcome of the review of the Department's capital programmes which the Secretary of State announced on 5 July.
Schools: Finance
Frank Dobson: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what the total net revenue balances held by education authorities in England were in each year between 1985-86 and 1999-2000. [10034]
Mr Gibb [holding answer 21 July 2010]: The previous Government started to collect data on school revenue balances from 1999-2000, when net revenue balances held in schools totalled £741 million. This figure does not include maintained nursery schools-data for these were first collected in 2003-04. There are no relevant data for the years before 1999-2000.
Figures from 1999-2000 up to 2008-09, including by local authority, are available on the Section 251 website at:
Schools: Special Educational Needs
Mr Robin Walker: To ask the Secretary of State for Education whether his Department has reviewed the effect of its pupil premium policy on special needs provision. [10499]
Mr Gibb: The pupil premium will provide additional funding to help schools to raise the attainment of disadvantaged pupils. Since there is a considerable overlap between deprivation and special needs, this means that the pupil premium will help schools to provide additional support to pupils with special needs.
Schools: Standards
Vernon Coaker: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what proportion of schools which had an improved Ofsted rating between their last two inspections had changed status in the intervening period. [9398]
Mr Gibb
[holding answer 19 July 2010]: Just under 1% of schools that improved their rating between their last two 'section 5' inspections changed their status in the intervening period, as defined by their designated school type. This encompasses community schools,
community special schools, foundation schools, foundation special schools, voluntary aided schools and voluntary controlled schools.
Tracey Crouch: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what percentage of schools rated by Ofsted at their last inspection as (a) outstanding, (b) good, (c) satisfactory and (d) inadequate are (i) grammar schools, (ii) comprehensive schools and (iii) academies. [10067]
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 House Libraries.
Letter from Christine Gilbert, dated 23 July 2010:
Your recent parliamentary question has been passed to me, as Her. Majesty's Chief Inspector, for response.
The latest period for which published figures about maintained school section 5 inspection outcomes are available is the spring term of 2009/10. This answer looks at the latest inspection judgement for those grammar, comprehensive and academy schools which were open on 21 April 2010 (taken from the Department for Education's Edubase system) and had received an inspection on or before 31 March 2010.
Tables 1 and 2 contain the information requested. These give the total number of inspections with their overall effectiveness grade as a percentage of all secondary schools and as a percentage of the national picture for all schools, which includes-primary; nursery, special school and pupil referral unit provision.
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.
| Table 1: Grammar schools, comprehensive schools and academies as a proportion of all secondary schools-categorised-by their overall effectiveness | |||||||||
| Type of establishment | |||||||||
| Grammar | Comprehensive | Academies | Other secondary( 2) | ||||||
| Overall effectiveness | All secondary schools( 1) | No. | % | No. | % | No. | % | No. | % |
| Table 2: Grammar schools, comprehensive schools and academies as a proportion of all schools categorised by their overall effectiveness | |||||||||
| Type of-establishment | |||||||||
| Grammar | Comprehensive | Academies | Other establishments( 3) | ||||||
| Overall effectiveness | National( 1) | No. | % | No. | % | No. | % | No. | % |
| (1) Schools yet to be inspected are excluded from the analysis so the breakdown by overall effectiveness will not add up to the national or secondary school totals. (2) Other secondary includes all other secondary establishments inspected under section 5. (3) Other establishments include all other education establishments inspected under section 5. Note: Latest inspection taken from inspections as at 31 March 2010 for schools open at 21 April 2010 | |||||||||
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