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Departmental Manpower
Stewart Hosie: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many staff in her Department were in the civil service redeployment pool on the latest date for which figures are available; and how many of these had been in the redeployment pool for more than six months at that date. [44355]
Richard Benyon: On 1 March 2011 seven employees were recorded on the Department's redeployment register. One of these employees has been on the redeployment register for more than six months at this date.
Dogs
Luciana Berger: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many exempted dogs subject to the provisions of section 1 of the Dangerous Dogs Act 1991 her Department has recorded on its exempted register (a) nationally and (b) in Merseyside. [45273]
Mr Paice [holding answer 9 March 2011]: As at 7 March, there are 1,324 live section 1 dogs on the Index of Exempted Dogs nationally. Of these, 181 are recorded in the Merseyside area.
EU Grants and Loans
Mr Laurence Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what arrangements are in place for schemes funded through the Rural Development Programme for England following the closure of the regional development agencies; and if she will make a statement. [43556]
Mr Paice: I refer my hon. Friend to the written statement I made on 28 February 2011, Official Report, column 6WS.
Fish: Consumption
Gordon Birtwistle: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs whether she has considered measures to encourage consumers in England to eat (a) dab, (b) coley, (c) flounder and (d) other less popular fish. [45413]
Richard Benyon: DEFRA has commissioned work to understand the potential for encouraging increased consumption of less popular species like dab, flounder and gurnards as part of an initiative called Fishing for the Markets. This project aims to increase consumption of sustainable, underutilised fish species that are often discarded. Coley is a quota species with very good quota uptake and so it may not be a good candidate for us to encourage increased consumer uptake, as a small increase could mean we overfish the stock.
The Fishing for the Markets project began last year and research is ongoing. Initial results will be available in spring 2011 and measures to encourage consumption of those species considered sustainable will be developed from these findings.
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Forestry Commission
Mr Bain: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what alterations she has made to levels of funding to (a) local authorities and (b) other public bodies in each of the next four financial years as a consequence of her recent announcements on policy on the disposal of land owned and managed by the Forestry Commission. [44015]
Mr Paice: No alterations have been made to funding given to local authorities or other public bodies as a consequence of recent announcements regarding the disposal of land owned or managed by the Forestry Commission.
Public Forest Estate
Mr Bain: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs on which dates she met the Prime Minister to discuss her policy on the future of land owned and managed by the Forestry Commission. [43548]
Mr Paice: The Secretary of State met the Prime Minister on 14 February to discuss the future of the public forest estate. She also spoke to him on the phone and at other meetings on other occasions.
Genetically Modified Organisms: Food
Julian Sturdy: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what her policy is on legislation governing the production of genetically modified foods. [44541]
Mr Paice: The Government believe that genetically modified crops and foods should be subject to a robust assessment of their potential impact on human health and the environment, taking full account of the scientific evidence. This is consistent with the existing EU legislation in this area, which provides for case-by-case, science-based decisions.
Growth
Mr Bain: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what criteria she plans to use to monitor the sustainability of Government policies on growth. [44169]
Mr Paice [holding answer 4 March 2011]: The sustainability of Government policies will be monitored using the criteria set out in the new mainstreaming SD vision announced on 28 February 2011.
Horse Passports
Mr Gray: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many horses registered with passports she estimates on average die each year; and how many passports for dead horses were surrendered or cancelled in the last 12 months for which figures are available. [35574]
Mr Paice:
During the course of 2010 a total, of 44,230 horses were reported to the National Equine Database (NED) as having died, of which 17,523 were
10 Mar 2011 : Column 1219W
reported as having died during the course of that calendar year. The dates of the deaths of the remaining 26,707 horses were not notified and are therefore not known.
Mr Gray: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what plans she has for the future of (a) horse passports and (b) the National Equine Database; and if she will make a statement. [35575]
Mr Paice: We are currently considering the Government's requirements in respect of horse passports and associated data. In the meantime, we are proposing to extend the current National Equine Database contract which expires at the end of the current financial year.
Mr Gray: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs whether a meeting at her Department to discuss the abolition of 80 equine passport issuing authorities on 24 January 2011 was convened by (a) officials or (b) Ministers of her Department; and what outcomes she expects there to be from that meeting. [35576]
Mr Paice [holding answer 24 January 2011]:The meeting between DEFRA officials and horse Passport Issuing Organisations (PIOs) scheduled to be held on 24 January has been postponed. An alternative date has yet to be set. The meeting was intended to discuss the future authorisation and issuing of horse passports.
Mr Gray: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what the cost to her Department was of the National Equine Database in the last year for which figures are available; and what plans she has for the future funding of that database. [35577]
Mr Paice [holding answer 24 January 2011]:During the financial year 2009-10, DEFRA paid NED Ltd a total of £172,915.95 (exclusive of VAT) for the provision of the National Equine Database. The current contract which expires at the end of the current financial year is due to be extended pending further consideration of the Government’s ongoing requirements in respect of horse passport data.
Mr Gray: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many equids she estimates are in the UK; and how many horse passports have been issued to date. [35579]
Mr Paice [holding answer 24 January 2011]:The latest estimate of the horse population is taken from the British Equestrian Trade Association (BETA) National Equestrian Survey 2005-06. This survey estimated the horse population of Great Britain to be 1.3 million.
As at 31 December 2010 the National Equine Database held records for 1,275,317 equine passports issued in the UK.
Milk
Mr Laurence Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what recent discussions she has had with representatives of supermarket retailers on prices paid to milk producers; and if she will make a statement. [43570]
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Mr Paice [holding answer 2 March 2011]: On 20 January I chaired the Dairy Supply Chain Forum which included representatives of supermarket retailers. We had productive discussions on the health and future of the dairy sector, the trade balance, the EU Commission's legislative proposals, and industry sustainability. We did not explicitly discuss the issue of milk prices because this would not be appropriate under competition law.
Mr Laurence Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what recent reports she has received on (a) the cost of milk production to farmers and (b) the profit level per litre of milk produced by farmers. [44470]
Mr Paice [holding answer 7 March 2011]:The NFU has drawn the attention of DEFRA to its recent report, “The Cost of Milk Production”. This can be found at:
www.nfuonline.com
DEFRA has estimated the following costs(1) of milk production for 2009-10 using data from the Farm Business Survey in England(2). These estimates are representative of the vast majority of milk produced in England and will include a small proportion of organic production.
| Cost of production in pence per litre | Proportion of milk produced under these costs in 2009-10 (percentage) |
| (1) The costs included in this analysis cover fixed and variable costs and imputed charges for unpaid labour and an imputed rent on owned land. Some of the costs are allocated to the dairy enterprise by arithmetic estimation rather than directly from the farm’s accounts. (2) The Farm Business Survey sample covers businesses with a Standard Labour Requirement (SLR) of at least 0.5, i.e. a size considered sufficient to occupy a farmer for at least half their time. Source: Farm Business Survey, England, 2009-10 | |
In round terms the average cost of production was around 22.5ppl and the average price received was nearly 24ppl.
The Farm Business Survey also reported on the level of farm business income for dairy farms in England. This averaged £56,100 per farm in 2009-10 with agriculture contributing over £24,000. Agri-environment schemes, diversified activities and the single payment accounted for the remainder.
Patrick Mercer: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what measures are available to her Department to control the price per unit paid to milk producers. [44968]
Mr Paice: The Government do not believe in setting milk prices. These are the result of commercial decisions. The market must drive both production and price levels. This will ultimately help develop an efficient, profitable sector that is able to compete on the global market.
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Plastic Bags: Wales
Karen Lumley: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what assessment her Department has made of the implications for UK-wide environmental policy of the introduction of a levy on single-use carrier bags in Wales. [42534]
Richard Benyon: No such study of the introduction of a levy for single use carrier bags in Wales has been made by DEFRA. The Government will set out future waste policies for England when the DEFRA Waste Review is published in May.
Public Sector: Food
Mr Bain: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (1) what her policy is on the possible inclusion in the Government Buying Standards of a requirement to purchase seafood that is subject to sustainability standards as indicated either by inclusion on the Marine Conservation Society's fish to eat list or by certification by the Marine Stewardship Council; [44931]
(2) what her policy is on the possible inclusion in Government Buying Standards of a prohibition on the purchase of seafood on the Marine Conservation Society's fish to avoid list. [44932]
Mr Paice: We want to lead by example, which is why we are currently establishing the first ever Government Buying Standards for food. We are looking at a range of options, including buying 100% of our fish from sustainable sources and we will announce the final standards later this month.
Rural Areas: Business
Mrs Grant: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what steps she is taking to aid diversification amongst rural businesses. [42589]
Mr Paice: Assistance is available through the Rural Development Programme for England (RDPE) to help rural businesses with their diversification plans. The RDPE aims to improve competitiveness in the agriculture and forestry sector; safeguard and enhance the rural environment; and foster competitive and sustainable rural businesses and thriving rural communities.
Sewers
Andrew George: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what recent discussions she has had with the water and sewerage companies on the proposed transfer of private sewers to water companies. [45520]
Richard Benyon: DEFRA officials continue to meet regularly with Water UK, the representative body for the water industry, to discuss various aspects of the Government’s proposals for the transfer of private sewers.
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Slaughterhouses: Regulation
Mr Marcus Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will take steps to reduce the regulatory burden on small abattoirs. [44893]
Mr Paice: The Government have established an industry-led Task Force on Farming Regulation to identify ways of reducing regulatory burdens on the farming and food processing industry, and achieving a risk-based system of regulation. The regulatory burden on abattoirs is one of the areas being considered. We look forward to considering the task force’s recommendations, once it has completed its work later in the spring.
Supermarkets: Competition
Patrick Mercer: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs pursuant to the answer of 28 October 2010, Official Report, column 455W, on the Groceries Supply Code of Practice, whether she plans to introduce in the draft legislation a provision to enable the Groceries Code Adjudicator to ensure that supermarkets pay farmers within a reasonable time for the products they produce. [44969]
Mr Davey: I have been asked to reply.
The Government have agreed to establish the Groceries Code Adjudicator (GCA) in response to the Competition Commission's recommendation that there was a need for a body to monitor and enforce the Groceries Supply Code of Practice (as contained within the Groceries [Supply Chain Practices] Market Investigation Order 2009). The code is focussed on contracts between retailers and their direct suppliers, including the provision, in Part 4, for “No delay in Payments”.
The Government have no intention to extend the GCA's role beyond monitoring and enforcing the Groceries Supply Code of Practice.
Transforming the long-standing culture of late payment requires a multi-faceted strategy to engage and educate business. The Prompt Payment Code, developed with the Institute of Credit Management, seeks to identify payment exemplars across both the public and private sectors. Signatories to the Prompt Payment Code, including some of the retailers covered by the Groceries Supply Code of Practice, are required to pay within agreed terms and to communicate effectively with suppliers. Further information on the Prompt Payment Code can be found at:
http://www.promptpaymentcode.org.uk
Timber: Imports
Mr Laurence Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what steps her Department takes to ensure that imported timber has been obtained from legal sources; and if she will make a statement. [45364]
Mr Paice:
We will put in place legislation to prohibit the first-placing of illegal timber on the EU market, restricting its purchase, possession and sale down the supply chain. Further details, including our plans for public consultation, will be announced in due course.
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This is complemented by the Forest Law Enforcement Governance and Trade Regulation, which requires timber imports from countries that have signed a Voluntary Partnership Agreement with the EU to carry a licence to prove legality. These new legislative measures underline our commitment to eliminate illegal timber from the UK market.
Veterinary Services
Mary Creagh: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many qualified veterinary surgeons of each grade were directly employed by her Department in each of the last 10 financial years. [44806]
Mr Paice: I regret that I am unable to provide information in the format and for the entire period requested. The figures do not include veterinarians in the senior civil service.
Animal Health and the Veterinary Laboratories Agency employ the largest number of veterinarians in the DEFRA network and their figures provide the clearest indication of the trends over recent years.
| Animal Health (AH) | |||||
|
|
Veterinary Officer | Veterinary Inspector | Grade 6 | Grade 7 | Total |
| Veterinary Laboratories Agency (VLA) | ||||
|
|
Pay Band A | Pay Band B | Pay Band C | Total |
| Veterinary Medicines Directorate (VMD) | |||||
|
|
Veterinary Research Officer | Senior Research Officer | Grade 6 | CEO | Total |
| Core DEFRA | |||
|
|
Veterinary Advis e r | Grade 6 | Total |
| Combined AH, VLA, VMD and core DEFRA total | |
|
|
Number |
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Written Questions: Government Responses
Mr Gray: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs when she plans to respond to question (a) 35577, (b) 35579 and (c) 35576 tabled on 19 January 2011 for answer on 24 January 2011. [40846]
Mr Paice: I have answered these three questions.
Education
Academies
Nicola Blackwood: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what authority will be responsible for (a) funding academies, (b) ensuring each academy's compliance with its funding agreement, (c) providing day-to-day advice to academies on operational matters and (d) management of the performance of academies. [42708]
Mr Gibb: The Young People’s Learning Agency (YPLA) is responsible for funding academies, ensuring each academy trust complies with its funding agreement, providing day to day advice to academies on operational matters and management of the educational and financial performance of academies.
The Education Bill, currently before Parliament, proposes the setting up of the Education Funding Agency which will be responsible for funding academies.
Academies: Finance
Ian Mearns: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what the formula was for the calculation of the funds withdrawn from local authority budgets for functions that academy schools will in future provide for themselves. [37249]
Mr Gibb: Our calculations were based on the amounts of local authority central services equivalent grant (LACSEG), which we currently pay to academies that have converted from a maintained school. There are two elements to the grant: the proportion which the Department can recoup from the dedicated schools grant that would otherwise go to local authorities, and the proportion that the Department cannot recoup because it is in respect of services normally paid from other local authority funds. For the latter, on the basis of local authorities' financial statements provided to the Department under section 251 of the Apprenticeships, Schools, Children and Learning Act 2009, we estimated an average amount per pupil across all local authorities, and applied that to our estimates of the number of new academies opening over the next two years, using average school sizes. The resultant amounts were then reduced to reflect annual reductions in local authorities' formula grant. The final amounts deducted from local authorities' formula grant were £148 million in 2011-12 and £265 million in 2012-13.
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Academies: Wigan
Lisa Nandy: To ask the Secretary of State for Education if he will place in the Library copies of the correspondence between his Department and the Abraham Guest High School in Wigan on the conversion of that school to academy status. [38486]
Mr Gibb [holding answer 4 February 2011]:It is not the practice of the Department to place on record any communications or correspondence related to current discussions around the development of individual academy projects. This would inhibit the free and frank discussions needed to secure school improvement.
Adoption
Nadine Dorries: To ask the Secretary of State for Education how many babies under six months old were available for adoption in England and Wales in each year since 1997. [42428]
Tim Loughton: Information on children available for adoption has not been collected centrally historically. The Department collects information on children who have been placed for adoption with prospective adopters.
We have recently begun to collect information on the number of children where the decision has been made that the child should be placed for adoption. This information will provide a complete picture of the number of children available for adoption. However, these data have only been collected for the last two years and there are some concerns over the quality of the data reported that still need to be addressed.
We can provide figures relating to those placed since 1997. The number of children, aged less than six months old, who were placed for adoption at 31 March 1997 to 2010 is shown in the following table. These figures show information for England only; information for Wales is not collected by the Department. The number of children placed for adoption does not represent all looked after children who are available for adoption as it does not include those children who are waiting to be placed with prospective adopters.
| Children looked after at 31 March who were placed for adoption (1, 2, 3) . Years ending 31 March 1997 to 2010. Coverage: England | |
|
|
Children who were placed for adoption aged less than six months (4) (number) |
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| (1) Numbers have been rounded to the nearest 10. (2) Figures exclude children looked after under an agreed series of short term placements. (3) Historical data may differ from older publications. This is mainly due to the implementation of amendments and corrections sent by some local authorities after the publication date of previous materials. (4) Children aged less than 183 days old as at 31 March. (5) Figures are taken from the SSDA903 return which covered all children looked after. (6) Figures are derived from the SSDA903 one third sample survey. Source: SSDA 903 | |
Children: Asthma
Stephen McPartland: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what regulations govern whether a school may keep an inhaler for use in an emergency by children with asthma. [38714]
Mr Gibb: The Medicines Act 1968 defines asthma relief inhalers as prescription only medicines (POMs), for use by people for whom they have been prescribed. This does not allow for schools to carry spare stocks of inhalers for general use.
Guidance issued by the Department, “Managing Medicines in Schools and Early Years Settings” makes it clear that children with asthma need to have immediate access to their reliever inhalers and advises that spare inhalers labelled for the use of individual children may be kept at school or early years settings, in case a child’s ready access inhaler is mislaid or runs out.
Stephen McPartland: To ask the Secretary of State for Education if he will take steps to enable schools to keep shared inhalers for the purposes of treating asthma attacks in those using school premises. [38715]
Mr Gibb: Guidance issued by the Department, “Managing Medicines in Schools and Early Years Settings” makes it clear that children with asthma need to have immediate access to their reliever inhalers and advises that spare inhalers labelled for the use of individual children may be kept at school or early years settings, in case a child’s ready access inhaler is mislaid or runs out.
Children: Disability
Tristram Hunt: To ask the Secretary of State for Education if the Early Intervention Grant will fund support services for families with disabled children including (a) short breaks (respite), (b) early support, (c) key working and (d) the disabled children's access to childcare programme. [26997]
Sarah Teather: The Early Intervention Grant (EIG) is a new funding stream created for local authorities to invest in early intervention for the most vulnerable children, young people and families bringing together funding for a number of early intervention and preventative services. EIG will replace a number of existing funding streams which will come to an end in 2011. Details were announced by the Secretary of State for Education on 13 December 2010.
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EIG will not be ring fenced because we are committed to giving local authorities greater autonomy and flexibility enabling them to use resources in ways that reflect local need, not central Government prescription. It will be for local authorities to determine how they use that resource to best effect, including what services would be funded for families with disabled children, early support and key working. The grant will help local authorities to support vulnerable young people to engage in education and training, intervening early with those who are at risk of disengagement and to support those young people who have a learning difficulty, disability or mental health problem.
Children: Human Trafficking
Fiona Mactaggart: To ask the Secretary of State for Education how many children who were considered to have been trafficked have gone missing from local authority care in the last year. [40640]
Tim Loughton: We do not collect data centrally on the number of looked after children who may have been trafficked into the country and who have gone missing from care.
Class Sizes
Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what the average teacher-pupil ratio is in (a) primary, (b) secondary, (c) special and (d) all schools in (i) England and (ii) London. [40408]
Mr Gibb: The following table provides the pupil:teacher ratio in local authority maintained nursery, primary, secondary and special schools in London and England, January 2010.
| Pupil:teacher ratios (1) in local authority maintained nursery, primary, secondary and special schools, coverage: London and England | ||
| Years: January 2010 | ||
|
|
London | England |
| (1) For statistical purposes only, pupils who do not attend both morning and afternoon at least five days a week are regarded as part-time. Each part-time pupil is treated as 0.5 FTE. (2) The within-school PTR is calculated by dividing the total FTE number of pupils on roll in schools by the total FTE number of qualified teachers regularly employed in schools. (3) The overall PTR is based on the total FTE number of pupils on roll in local authority maintained nursery, primary and secondary schools and the FTE of all teachers in these schools (including: centrally employed; occasional teachers; those on employment based routes to QTS; others without QTS, those on paid absence and any replacements). The teacher numbers are from the 618g survey. (4) Special schools are not included within the overall PTR. Source: School Census and School Work force Census and618gsurvey (overall teachers) | ||
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Departmental Carbon Emissions
Philip Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Education how much his Department and its predecessors spent on carbon offsetting in each of the last three years; and to which companies payments for carbon offsetting were made in each such year. [40287]
Tim Loughton: The former Department for Children, Schools and Families (DCSF) has paid the following into the Government Carbon Offsetting Fund phase 1 (GCOF1) for offsetting domestic and ministerial air travel to Trading Emissions plc:
April 2007 to March 2008—£4,635
April 2008 to March 2009—£3,965
April 2009 to March 2010—£2,207
Each payment was made in the financial year following the year in which emissions were incurred and to which the offsets therefore relate.
Discretionary Learner Support Fund
Damian Hinds: To ask the Secretary of State for Education if he will make it his policy to ensure that contributions towards transport costs for those aged under 18 are a permissible use of the Discretionary Learner Support Fund for colleges with rural catchment areas. [33631]
Mr Gibb: We are considering the replacement for the EMA, including how the funds should be allocated to ensure that support is targeted on those children who most need support to allow them to continue in education.
Local authorities have a statutory responsibility for making the necessary arrangements for transport to enable 16 to 18-year-olds (and 19 to 25-year-olds with a learning difficulty and/or disability) to attend education and training.
Discretionary Learner Support Fund: Greater London
Glenda Jackson: To ask the Secretary of State for Education when schools and further education colleges will be informed of their allocation of discretionary learner support in the (a) London Borough of Camden and (b) London Borough of Brent. [38187]
Mr Gibb: We are considering the replacement for the EMA, including how the funds should be allocated to ensure that support is targeted on those children who most need it to allow them to continue in education. We plan to announce the allocations for the new funds in the spring.
Duchy of Cornwall: Children's Rights Bill [HL]
Andrew George: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what consultation his Department had with the Duchy of Cornwall on the provisions of the Children's Rights Bill [Lords]; and what action he took as a result. [41842]
Sarah Teather:
The Queen's consent is required if a Bill affects the prerogative of the Crown or the interests of the Crown, the Duchy of Lancaster or the Duchy of Cornwall. In the case of the Duchy of Cornwall, the
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Prince of Wales's consent must also be obtained. We can confirm that the Department did consult the Duchy of Cornwall in relation to the Children's Rights Bill but we do not disclose the contents of correspondence with members of the Royal Family or the Royal Household.
Early Intervention Fund
Ian Mearns: To ask the Secretary of State for Education which grants to local authorities have been aggregated into the Early Intervention Fund; what the monetary value of each of these grants was in 2010-11; and what funding has been provided for the Early Invervention Fund in 2011-12. [41443]
Sarah Teather: The Early Intervention Grant is a new un-ring-fenced and un-hypothecated funding stream that gives local authorities greater flexibility to target resources strategically and intervene early to improve outcomes for children, young people and families.
A number of existing centrally-directed grants to support services for children, young people and families are ending and are replaced by the Early Intervention Grant. The amounts of those grants for 2010-11 are listed in Table 1. This is a major reform and gives local authorities greater freedom to respond to local needs and target resources where they will have the greatest impact. The overall Early Intervention Grant is £2,222,555,697 in 2011-12 and £2,307,196,996 in 2012-13. Further information is available at
http://www.education.gov.uk/childrenandyoungpeople/earlylearningandchildcare/a0070357/early-intervention-grant-frequently-asked-questions/
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Education
Mrs Grant: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what his policy is on the compulsory teaching of (a) drama, (b) music, (c) art and (d) information technology in schools. [42592]
Mr Gibb: Music, art and design and information and communication technology (ICT) are currently subjects within the national curriculum in England and compulsory for all pupils in maintained schools at Key Stages 1 to 3, and in the case of ICT also at Key Stage 4. Drama does not have separate subject status within the national curriculum but is an element of the Programme of Study for English.
We are currently reviewing the national curriculum with a view to focusing it on the essential body of knowledge in key subjects which all children need to learn in order to succeed in education and in life, and to give teachers greater freedom beyond that core to design and teach a curriculum which best meets the needs of their pupils. We intend that English, mathematics, science and physical education will continue to be compulsory subjects within the national curriculum at Key Stages 1 to 4 in future. The review will determine which other subjects will remain compulsory, and at which key stages.
Education Maintenance Allowance
Paul Flynn: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what estimate he has made of the cost to the public purse of the replacement for education maintenance allowance over the Comprehensive Spending Review period. [39686]
Mr Gibb: Details of the costs of the financial support that will replace the education maintenance allowance (EMA) from September 2011 will be announced shortly. The new fund will be designed to target support more sharply to those students facing the greatest financial barriers to participation.
Educational Psychology
Nicola Blackwood: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what guidance his Department provides to local authorities in respect of educational psychologists. [32346]
Sarah Teather: The Department provides a range of guidance documents that have a bearing on the work of educational psychologists, the main one being the special educational needs (SEN) code of practice. This provides statutory guidance to local authorities and others to whom the code applies and includes advice on the role of educational psychologists, particularly in relation to statutory assessments of children's SEN. The statutory guidance on promoting the educational achievement of looked-after children (March 2010) and promoting the health and well being of looked-after children (November 2009) are also pertinent to the work of educational psychologists. It is, of course, up to local authorities to deploy educational psychologists as they see fit.
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Educational Visits
Simon Hart: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what progress his Department has made on reviewing the guidance for the application of the rarely cover rule in relation to school trips and field visits. [39903]
Mr Gibb: The Government signalled in their response to last year's Children and Young People's Committee's report, ‘Transforming Education Outside the Classroom’, that schools should be given greater freedoms to organise themselves to support field trips and other educational visits. Our reforms will ensure that schools have the freedom and flexibilities to organise staff and resources in a way that reflects local priorities and needs. As part of delivering this commitment we are planning to ask the School Teachers Review Body (STRB) to consider a wide range of issues, including how to address some of the rigidity in the existing pay and conditions arrangements for teachers.
We trust schools to make sensible decisions about opportunities for education outside the classroom through forward planning and careful scheduling of these activities. Where this happens, the rarely cover provisions should not prove to be an obstacle to children being taught outside the classroom.
English Baccalaureate: Religion
Tony Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Education when he plans to make a decision on the inclusion of religious education within the English Baccalaureate for the purposes of the 2011 school performance tables. [38975]
Mr Gibb: I intend to publish information on all measures to be included in the 2011 performance tables in our annual statement of intent, which will be published at
www.education.gov.uk/performancetables
We have not set an exact date for publication, but it will be before the summer break.
Extended Schools
Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for Education how many and what proportion of schools in each local education authority operate (a) breakfast and (b) after-school clubs. [35811]
Sarah Teather: The Department does not collect data on the proportion of schools in each local education authority operating (a) breakfast clubs and (b) after-school clubs. However data from the Training and Development Agency for Schools indicate that by September 2010, nearly all maintained schools (99%), including Academies and special schools, were offering access to extended services. This included those schools providing access to breakfast clubs and after school activities.
In addition, the Department’s Childcare and Early Years Survey of Parents for 2009, (published in 2010) entailed interviews with a sample of just over 6,700 parents with children aged under 15. This found that one-third of the sample of families used a breakfast or
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after-school club on a school site and 7% used a breakfast or after-school club off-site. Full details can be found at:
http://publications.education.gov.uk/default.aspx? PageFunction=productdetails&PageMode= publications&Productld=DFE-RR054
Extracurricular Activities
Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what research his Department has (a) commissioned and (b) evaluated on the effect on participation in out-of-school activities of patterns of (i) television viewing and (ii) internet usage by children of school age. [38318]
Sarah Teather: The Department has not commissioned or evaluated any recent research on the effect of TV viewing or internet usage by children on their participation in out-of-school activities. However, the Department’s longitudinal survey of young people in England (LSYPE) included a question in 2005 about hours spent watching TV among respondents aged 13/14 (and again at 14/15) and I have asked my statisticians to produce an analysis of the data for the hon. Member. This will be sent to him as soon as it is available. The survey does not include data on internet usage.
The Department is also aware of recent commercial research publications on TV viewing and internet usage, notably the Childwise Monitor Survey, details at:
www.childwise.co.uk
Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for Education if he will assess the effects on (a) well-being and (b) educational attainment of children in each socio-economic group of average daily time spent (i) watching television and (ii) using computers; and if he will make a statement. [38508]
Sarah Teather: The Department has not commissioned or evaluated any recent research on the effect of TV viewing by children on their well-being or educational attainment. However, the Department’s longitudinal survey of young people in England (LSYPE) included a question in 2005 about hours spent watching TV among respondents aged 13/14 (and again at 14/15) and I have asked my statisticians to produce an analysis of the data for the hon. Member. This will be sent to him as soon as it is available.
The Department commissioned an evaluation of the impact on attainment of children and young people’s home use of ICT for educational purposes (Valentine et al, DFES, 2005). The research found that there was a statistically significant positive association between pupils’ home use of ICT for educational purposes and improved attainment in mathematics at years 6 and 9, and a modest but more extensive association with attainment in English and mathematics at year 11. Using a home computer for educational purposes at year 2 did not have a statistically significant positive association with pupil attainment.
The full report can be found at:
http://www.education.gov.uk/publications/eOrdering Download/RR672.pdf
However, this research does not examine the impact on well-being or use of ICT for non educational purposes.
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Food: Procurement
Zac Goldsmith: To ask the Secretary of State for Education if he will take steps to make schools aware of the Government buying standards for the public procurement of food and food services. [40833]
Tim Loughton: The School Food Trust and DFE will communicate the Government buying standards as best practice for schools to apply when procuring school food and catering services, via website, schools forum, caterers forum and newsletters.
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GCSE: Blackpool
Paul Maynard: To ask the Secretary of State for Education how many pupils in Blackpool North and Cleveleys constituency achieved five GCSEs at grades A* to C in 2009-10. [37303]
Mr Gibb: The number of pupils attending maintained schools in Blackpool North and Cleveleys constituency achieving five or more GCSEs at grades A*-C including equivalents in 2009/10 is as follows:
| Number of pupils (1,2) achieving five or more A*-C grades at GCSE or equivalent attending maintained schools in Blackpool North and Cleveleys parliamentary constituency, 2009/10 | |||
| Constituency | Total number of pupils | Number of pupils achieving five or more A*-C grades at GCSE or equivalent | Percentage of pupils achieving five or more A*-C grades at GCSE or equivalent |
| (1) Pupils at the end of key stage 4. (2) Includes pupils attending all maintained schools including academies, city technology colleges and special schools located in Blackpool North and Cleveleys parliamentary constituency. Source: National Pupil Database (amended data) | |||
Figures showing the percentage of pupils achieving five or more GCSEs at grades A*-C including equivalents and other indicators for all constituencies in 1996/97 and between 2004/05 and 2009/10 will be available shortly on the Department's In Your Area website at:
http://www.education.gov.uk/inyourarea/
Harnessing Technology Grant
Ann Coffey: To ask the Secretary of State for Education when he plans to allocate the further instalment of the harnessing technology grant to schools. [39708]
Mr Gibb [holding answer 10 February 2011]: The final instalment of the harnessing technology grant was paid on 20 September 2010 and there will be no further instalments.
Latin and Classics: English Baccalaureate
Andrew Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what consideration he has given to the inclusion of GCSE (a) Latin and (b) classical civilisation in the English Baccalaureate language and humanities component. [38870]
Mr Gibb: GCSEs in Latin counted towards the English Baccalaureate measure in the 2010 performance tables.
In terms of Classical Civilisation, one of the intentions of the English Baccalaureate is to encourage wider take up of geography and history. Classical civilisations was not included in the humanities element of the English Baccalaureate for the 2010 performance tables because the historical element of the course was not considered sufficient. We will however be taking on board comments about the English Baccalaureate measure and reviewing the precise definition of the English Baccalaureate for the 2011 performance tables.
Music: Education
Mike Weatherley: To ask the Secretary of State for Education (1) when he expects to publish the outcome of the independent review of music education; [38182]
(2) when he expects the report of the Henley review of music education to be published. [39009]
Mr Gibb: The review of music education carried out by Mr Darren Henley was published on 7 February 2011.
National Resource Centre for Supplementary Schools: Finance
Angie Bray: To ask the Secretary of State for Education how much funding his Department has allocated to support (a) the National Resource Centre for Supplementary Schools and (b) supplementary schools in (i) 2010, (ii) 2011 and (iii) 2012. [36965]
Mr Gibb: The Department for Education allocated £350,000 to the National Resource Centre for Supplementary Schools in 2009-10. A further £95,000 was allocated in 2010-11 and funding will come to an end in March 2011.
The Department has not allocated any funding direct to supplementary schools.
Outdoor Education
Bob Russell: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what steps he plans to take to improve the provision of fieldwork for school pupils; and if he will make a statement. [41191]
Mr Gibb: The Government are committed to improving standards and acknowledge the recommendation in Ofsted's report ‘Geography, Learning to make a world of Difference’, published on 4 February, that schools should maximise opportunities for fieldwork to enhance teaching and improve motivation.
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The value of fieldwork to the teaching of the sciences was also highlighted in the report ‘Outdoor Science’ released on 19 January by the Association for Science Education, Outdoor Science Working Groups.
Our National Curriculum review will look at how we can put a clearer focus on content and the essential knowledge that all children should acquire while leaving heads and teachers free to decide how to teach this most effectively. We would welcome those who support the benefits of fieldwork to engage in the call for evidence at:
www.education.gov.uk/ncreviewcallforevidence
Pre-school Education
Annette Brooke: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what representations he has received from representatives of (a) nurseries and (b) pre-schools on the adequacy of funding from his Department for the provision of the free entitlement to early education; and if he will make a statement. [25810]
Sarah Teather [holding answer 22 November 201 0 ]: The coalition Government are clear in their support for the provision of free nursery education and that this should be delivered by a diverse range of providers.
Funding for free nursery education is devolved to local authorities through the Dedicated Schools Grant. It is a matter for local authorities to distribute this funding locally. In July 2010, we announced that every local authority will be expected to introduce the Early Years Single Funding Formula (EYSFF) from April 2011 following successful implementation in more than 70 pathfinder areas this year. The EYSFF is designed to increase transparency and fairness in the way funding is allocated to providers offering free nursery education for three and four-year-olds, by establishing locally driven criteria which are applied on an equitable basis across all providers; including maintained nursery schools, primary schools, private, voluntary and independent providers. The Department encourages providers to engage in a constructive dialogue with local authorities about the level of funding, and the transparency of the EYSFF supports this.
Many providers up and down the country are offering an outstanding service to parents and their children within existing funding levels. The Government are listening to the views of providers on early years funding; we are keen to work with the sector to reduce administrative burdens on providers.
Zac Goldsmith: To ask the Secretary of State for Education (1) how many private pre-school nursery providers have (a) closed and (b) opted out of the scheme for free places for three and four year-olds in each local authority in England since September 2010; and how many such places have been lost as a result; [38298]
(2) what the administrative cost was in the case of each local authority in England for the operation of the free places scheme for three and four year-olds in pre-schools and nurseries in (a) 2007-08, (b) 2008-09 and (c) 2009-10. [38299]
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Sarah Teather: The Department collects national statistics annually on the take up of free early education for three and four-year-olds. The latest figures show that 95% of three and four-year-olds are benefiting from free provision—an increase of 22,000 three-year-olds and 5,500 four-years-olds, compared with 2009. The Statistical First Release (SFR) 16/2010 “Provision for children under five years of age in England: January 2010” is available at
www.education.gov.uk/rsgateway/DB/SFR/s000935/index.shtml
The specific information requested on private pre-school nursery providers is not collected centrally.
Ofsted publish quarterly statistics on numbers of registered childcare providers and places. The statistics are available at national level and by region and local authority for each provider type—child minder, child care on domestic premises and child care on non-domestic premises. The statistics do not separately identify private pre-school nursery providers and do not distinguish between Government funded free places and privately funded places.
The most recent figures published in January 2011 show that, excluding child minders, the total number of childcare providers fell from 28,664 in September 2010 to 28,588 in December 2010, a decline of 106 (0.4%). This followed a drop in the previous quarter of 162 (0.6%). Excluding child minders the total number of childcare places fell from 1,027,868 in September 2010 to 1,024,757m December 2010, a decline of 3,111 (0.3%), compared to a increase in the previous quarter of 2,376 (0.2%).
The full statistics are available at
http://www.ofsted.gov.uk/Ofsted-home/Publications-and-research/Browse-all-by/Documents-by-type/Statistics/Childcare-and-early-years/Childcare-providers-and-places/Registered-childcare-providers-and-places-in-England-December-2008-onwards
Funding for free early education places for three and four year olds is provided through the Dedicated Schools Grant (DSG), which supports the majority of education provision for children aged 3-16. Local authorities, in consultation with their Schools Forum, decide how best to distribute funding across their locality, and local authorities set their own local rates of funding to early years providers. The Department does not collect centrally data on the costs incurred by local authorities in administering free early education. Local authorities supply information on expenditure under Section 251 of the Apprenticeships, Skills, Children and Learning Act 2009. Information is available at
http://www.education.gov.uk/childrenandyoungpeople/strategy/financeandfunding/section251
Mr Offord: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what recent discussions his Department has had with the Department for Communities and Local Government on support for voluntary and private early years providers for the purposes of increasing diversity of provision in the market. [41438]
Sarah Teather:
The Department has had a series of discussions with the Department for Communities and Local Government (DCLG) about the provisions of the current Localism Bill. The Bill is intended to increase diversity by giving voluntary and community organisations,
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and council employees, the right to challenge local authorities to contract out services, such as those delivered by, or through, Sure Start children's centres, if they can do things better, or more cost-effectively.
Pre-school Education: Fees and Charges
Lisa Nandy: To ask the Secretary of State for Education (1) whether he has undertaken an equality impact assessment in respect of his proposal to allow nurseries to charge for places above the 15 hours provided free of charge; [37958]
(2) what assessment he has made of the effects on levels of child poverty of permitting nursery schools to charge for provision above 15 hours a week. [37865]
Sarah Teather: The impact assessment and equality impact assessment for provisions in the Education Bill are available at:
http://www.education.gov.uk/educationbill
The Government remain committed to free early education for all three and four-year-olds, and in September increased the level of free provision to 15 hours per week.
The Childcare Act 2006 gave schools the power, subject to Regulations, to charge for early education in addition to the 15 free hours now provided for three and four-year-olds. The provisions in clause 47 of the Education Bill amend existing legislation governing what costs nursery schools (and schools with nursery classes) can include in determining the charges for additional early education, principally to enable schools to include the costs of permanent teaching staff who provide the early education provision. As such, we do not anticipate that the provisions in the Education Bill will have an impact on levels of child poverty, nor a discriminatory impact. However, by enabling schools to expand their provision, we are giving parents greater choice, in their early education and childcare arrangements, supporting them to work or return to work.
Financial support is available for parents on lower incomes who need more than 15 hours of childcare because of their working patterns. The child care element of working tax credits can cover up to 70% of child care costs.
Pupils: Body Searches
Lisa Nandy: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what assessment he has made of the risk of teachers being prosecuted or sued as a result of the implementation of the provisions in the Education Bill on searching pupils. [38703]
Mr Gibb:
School staff who act in accordance with the law, as drafted in the Bill, will not run any increased risk of being sued or prosecuted. We are not aware of any cases of teachers being prosecuted for using their existing
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search powers. The new search powers in the Bill are clearer than the existing powers, and will be easier for school staff to follow.
Pupils: Disadvantaged
Ann Coffey: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what mechanism will be used to allocate the pupil premium to pupils whose family income makes them eligible for free school meals but who have not applied for them. [39707]
Mr Gibb [holding answer 10 February 2011]: The pupil premium for 2011-12 will be allocated to local authorities and schools with pupils that are known to be eligible for free school meals (FSM) as recorded on the January 2011 School Censuses. Each pupil known to be eligible for free school meals will attract £430 of funding which will go to the school or academy via the local authority or YPLA if the pupil is in a mainstream setting or will be managed by the responsible local authority if the pupil is in a non-mainstream setting. We aim to extend the coverage of the pupil premium from 2012-13 onwards to pupils who have previously been known to be eligible for free school meals.
It is necessary for the parent to apply for free school meals in order that their eligibility can be confirmed. Only then can they be recorded on the School Census, which will generate the payment. This is why the Secretary of State said in the House on 15 November 2010:
“....In particular, I would encourage all schools to ensure that those children who are eligible for free school meals take up that offer.”
Pupils: Languages
Kris Hopkins: To ask the Secretary of State for Education which local authorities were granted an Exceptional Circumstances Grant owing to the number of children with English as an additional language in each of the last three years. [42709]
Mr Gibb: The following table shows the amount of Exceptional Circumstances Grant (ECG) allocated to local authorities in each of the last three years, in relation to increases in the proportion of pupils with English as an Additional Language (EAL). The allocations are based on: (i) an increase in the proportion of pupils of compulsory school age with EAL, as recorded in the autumn school census, of any year between 2008 and 2011, of more than 2.5 percentage points over and above the level recorded in the January 2008 school census; (ii) where the January 2008 proportion of pupils of compulsory school age with EAL is below 10%, but increases by more than 2.5 percentage points during the 2008-2011 spending review period. Where a local authority qualifies under (i) it receives £1,600 for each pupil above the threshold. Where an authority qualifies under (ii) it receives a £200,000 lump sum. No local authority met criteria (ii) in 2008-09 or 2009-10.
| Allocations for Exceptional Circumstances Grant (ECG) 2008-11 | ||||
| £000 | ||||
| 2008- 09 | 2009- 10 | 2010- 11 | ||
| Local Authority | (i) | (i) | (i) | (ii) |
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Schools: Sports
Tom Blenkinsop: To ask the Secretary of State for Education how much funding will be allocated to schools for a one day release of a teacher under future school sport partnerships. [36341]
Tim Loughton: The Department is considering this and will notify schools later this year.
Schools: Voluntary Work
Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what estimate he has made of the number of (a) people who volunteered and (b) hours given by volunteers in maintained schools in the latest period for which figures are available; and if he will make a statement. [41972]
Mr Gibb: The information requested is not collected centrally.
Teachers: Disciplinary Proceedings
Fiona Bruce: To ask the Secretary of State for Education (1) what the average duration was of the suspension of a teacher from a school pending disciplinary action in academic year 2009-10; and how many teachers were subject to such disciplinary action; [42238]
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(2) how many teachers are presently suspended from schools pending the conclusion of disciplinary action; [42239]
(3) in how many cases of disciplinary action commenced against teachers in academic year 2009-10 proceedings were (a) withdrawn, (b) concluded with a finding of no wrongdoing by a teacher and (c) concluded with a finding of no case to answer. [42240]
Mr Gibb [holding answer 28 February 2011]: The operation of disciplinary procedures in schools, including those that result in suspension, is a matter for schools’ governing bodies and local authorities in their roles as employers. Accordingly the information requested about the suspension of teaching staff is not held centrally.
Teachers: Pensions
Ms Angela Eagle: To ask the Secretary of State for Education (1) what proportion of active members of the Teachers’ Pension Scheme earn (a) between £10,000 and £15,000, (b) between £15,000 and £20,000, (c) between £20,000 and £25,000, (d) between £25,000 and £30,000 and (e) £30,000 and more; [40378]
(2) what proportion of members of the Teachers’ Pension Scheme are (a) (i) part time and (ii) full time, (b) (A) male and (B) female and (c) (i) active members and (ii) deferred members/pensioners. [40279]
(3) what proportion of (a) active and (b) deferred members of the Teachers’ Pension Scheme are aged between (i) 20 and 30, (ii) 31 and 40, (iii) 41 and 50, (iv) 51 and 55 and (v) 56 and 65. [40272]
Mr Gibb: The Department does not hold data in the way requested. The following tables do, however, provide the data the Department does hold and which were provided to the Independent Commission into Public Sector Pensions. Consequently some of the data groupings do not precisely match those requested.
Calculation of benefits under the Teachers' Pension Scheme is based on a full-time equivalent salary, rather than actual earnings. The tables therefore report salary data on that basis.
| Pensionable annual earnings (£) | Active members | |
|
|
Male | Female |
| Active members | Deferred members | |||
| Age | Male | Female | Male | Female |
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| (1) Indicates a brace. | ||||
| Active member | Female | Male |
Ms Angela Eagle: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what the administration costs of the Teachers’ Pension Scheme are for 2010-11; and what the costs were in each of the last 12 years. [40393]
Mr Gibb: Following a competitive tendering exercise, a seven-year contract for the administration of the Teachers' Pension Scheme was let in 1996. The contract value was £70 million. The administrative service was re-tendered at the end of the first contract period and a new seven-year contract was let in October 2003. The total expenditure on the administration of the scheme between the financial years 2003-04 and 2009-10 was £65 million, as noted below. The expenditure in 2010-11 is anticipated to be £9.8 million.
| Financial year | Contract costs (£ million) |
Young People: Unemployment
Mr Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Education how many young people normally resident in Coventry South constituency were not in education, employment or training on the most recent date for which figures are available. [41426]
Mr Gibb: Estimates of participation in education, training and employment for young people aged 16 to 18 are published by the Department in a Statistical First Release (SFR) each June and can be found on the Department's website at:
http://www.dcsf.gov.uk/rsgateway/DB/SFR/s000938/index.shtml
These estimates cannot be broken down to local authority level. However, Connexions Services collect information on the proportion of 16 to 18-year-olds who are not in education, employment or training (NEET) in each local authority area in England. These are published annually on the DFE website and the latest data for the end of 2009 are at:
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http://www.education.gov.uk/16to19/participation/neet/a0064101/strategies-for-16-to-18-year-olds-not-in-education-employment-or-training-neet
These data estimate that 740 (6.9%) 16 to 18-year-olds were not in education, employment or training in Coventry at the end of 2009. The figures cannot be broken down by Parliamentary constituency.
Communities and Local Government
Affordable Housing: Construction
Lyn Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how many affordable housing units he expects to be completed in the London Borough of Newham in (a) 2010-11 and (b) 2011-12. [45101]
Grant Shapps: The latest official statistics on new affordable homes delivered in the first six months of 2010-11 by the Homes and Communities Agency (HCA) are published at:
http://www.homesandcommunities.co.uk/statistics
The Department does not forecast levels of future house building, and delivery will be determined by local housing plans. In the spending review we announced investment of over £6.5 billion in housing. This includes over £2 billion to make existing social homes decent and almost £4.5 billion investment in new affordable housing to deliver up to 150,000 affordable homes. We are giving housing associations much more flexibility on rents and use of assets, so our aspiration is to deliver as many homes as possible through our investment and reforms. DCLG and the HCA issued the Framework for the Affordable Homes Programme from 2011 to 2015, including the affordable rent product, on14 February 2011.
The New Homes Bonus final scheme design was published on 17 February. Commencing in April 2011, the bonus will provide additional financial incentives for providing more affordable homes by match funding the additional council tax raised for new homes and properties brought back into use, with a premium for affordable homes, for the following six years. We have set aside almost £1 billion over the comprehensive spending review period for the scheme.
Government Procurement Card Scheme
Andrew Griffiths: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government which local authorities participate in the Government Procurement Card scheme. [43780]
Mr Maude: I have been asked to reply.
A list of local authorities who participated in the Government Procurement Card scheme for the year 2010 has been placed in the Library.
Homelessness: Newham
Lyn Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how many households presented themselves as homeless to the London Borough of Newham in (a) 2009, (b) 2010 and (c) 2011. [44965]
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Grant Shapps: The following table shows the total number of decisions made by the London borough of Newham in 2009 and 2010 on applications from households eligible for assistance under the homelessness provisions of the 1985 and 1996 Housing Acts. This includes all eligible households found to be in priority need and unintentionally homeless (acceptances); those in priority need but intentionally homeless; those not in priority need and those found to be not homeless.
| Total number of decisions made by the London borough of Newham under the 1985 and 1996 Housing Act on applications from eligible households, 2009 Q1 to 2010 Q4 | |
| Quarter | Total decisions |
| Source: Quarterly P1E returns | |
Information about English local housing authorities' actions under the homelessness legislation (part 7 of the Housing Act 1996) is collected quarterly at local authority level. Data are published in the quarterly Statistical Release on Statutory Homelessness, available in the House of Commons Library or via the DCLG website at:
http://www.communities.gov.uk/housing/housingresearch/housingstatistics/housingstatisticsby/homelessnessstatistics/publicationshomelessness/