Departmental Public Expenditure
Chi Onwurah: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government whether receipts from the sale of assets owned by regional development agencies are reflected in the spending plans of his Department for (a) 2012-13 and (b) 2013-14. [47414]
Robert Neill: Only £100 million of income from regional development agencies asset disposals in 2013-14 is incorporated in departmental spending plans. If this income is not fully realised we have contingency funding to meet any shortfall.
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Departmental Rail Travel
Mr Godsiff: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how many and what proportion of civil servants in his Department are entitled to travel first class by rail within the UK. [47075]
Robert Neill: In line with the Government's announcement on 24 May 2010, all civil servants in the Department are expected to travel standard class unless they can demonstrate a good business reason for not doing so, for example when a first class ticket is cheaper than a standard ticket. Any first class travel must be agreed in advance by directors or above.
Departmental Written Questions
Thomas Docherty: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what proportion of written questions tabled to him for answer on a named day between 27 May 2010 and 9 March 2011 did not receive a substantive answer on the day named for answer. [46556]
Robert Neill: The number of written questions for answer on a named day received by the Department for answer in the period 27 May 2010 to 9 March 2011 was 603. 14% of these (85 questions) were not answered substantively on the due date. The corresponding proportion for the 2009-10 Session was 18% (66 questions out of 371).
The Government have committed to providing the Procedure Committee with information relating to written parliamentary question performance on a sessional basis. Statistics relating to Government Departments' performance for the 2009-10 Session were recently provided to the Committee and are available on the Parliament website.
Housing: Construction
Mike Weatherley: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government whether he plans to take steps to encourage self-build home projects. [47088]
Grant Shapps: Self-builders are already one of the country’s largest house builders. They form an important part of the Government’s strong commitment to increasing the supply of affordable and sustainable homes and promoting economic growth.
This is why we have invited industry experts to work with us on a Government-industry working group to prepare an action plan, which will set out the concrete steps needed to make it easier for people to build their own homes, whether on their own or as part of a community effort to create a new neighbourhood.
The working group has identified finance availability as a key challenge to the growth of the industry. A sub-group of industry experts will be examining finance issues in detail, and will identify any actions that can be taken to support self-builders. The group will be making recommendations to me by the summer.
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Non-domestic Rates: Empty Property
Gordon Henderson: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what plans his Department has to review the rules relating to the requirement to pay rates on empty properties. [46874]
Robert Neill: I refer my hon. Friend to the answer I gave on 8 February 2011, Official Report, column 178W, to my hon. Friend the Member for Newark (Patrick Mercer).
Northwest Regional Development Agency
Alison McGovern: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government whether he has made an assessment of the (a) cost to the public purse and (b) effect on employment levels in the north-west of the transfer to the Department for Communities and Local Government of the Northwest Regional Development Agency’s European regional development fund management support function. [45801]
Robert Neill: The transfer of this function is governed by the Cabinet Office Statement of Practice on Staff Transfers in the Public Sector 2000 (COSOP) which provides rights for the transfer of the existing staff. All those who work for at least half their time on the European Regional Development Fund will transfer to the Department for Communities and Local Government. The precise costs and employment impacts were assessed on this basis, and will become clearer post transition.
Trade Unions
Andrew Griffiths: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what guidelines his Department issues to local authorities on payments to trade unions (a) in cash and (b) in kind. [43843]
Robert Neill: No guidance was issued by the last Government. Individual councils, in their role as employers, are responsible for the decisions about how to manage their workforce, interact with local trade unions and ensure value for money for the taxpayer.
The new Government’s transparency agenda will help to ensure that cash payments to trade unions and the titles of staff posts are open to public scrutiny.
At a time when councils need to make sensible savings to help pay off the budget deficit, councillors will rightly wish to review the merits of (full-time) union officials funded by the taxpayer and the provision of office facilities to trade unions.
Education
Academies
Karen Lumley: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what assessment he has made of the minimum required number of pupils in a school to support academy status in (a) primary and (b) first schools. [37017]
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Mr Gibb [holding answer 31 January 2011]:There is a legal requirement under independent school regulations, which apply to all academies, for there to be a minimum of five students of compulsory school age per independent school. The Department issues no separate requirement regarding the number of pupils required for academy status and each application is considered separately. Collaboration with other schools is encouraged for all types of academy, either as part of a formal partnership or joining an existing academy trust with a proven track record of school improvement. This may be particularly attractive to small schools wishing to share resources. In general, head teachers and school governors will be best placed to know what will work for their school.
Lisa Nandy: To ask the Secretary of State for Education how many schools approached his Department to request advice on conversion to academy status between May 2010 and January 2011. [38553]
Mr Gibb: The Department has responded to large volumes of telephone and e-mail inquiries from schools seeking advice about converting to academy status, although numbers of such inquiries are not recorded. Between May 2010 and the end of January 2011 the Department received 2,611 specific Registrations of Interest in becoming an academy under the Academies Act.
Academies: Pupil Exclusions
Karl McCartney: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what estimate he has made of the effect on the number of pupils excluded from school of trends in the number of schools becoming academies; and what provision he plans to make for pupils excluded from such academies. [46995]
Mr Gibb [holding answer 15 March 2011]: I do not expect to see any significant changes in exclusion figures as a result of more schools converting to academy status.
Under current arrangements, pupils who have been permanently excluded from an academy will become the responsibility of the local authority, which will find appropriate educational provision for that pupil. All academies must take part in the local in-year Fair Access Protocol which requires them to admit their fair share of challenging pupils, some of whom are likely to have been excluded from another school.
We intend to test a new approach to permanent exclusions where schools have a duty to arrange alternative provision for excluded pupils. The objective of this policy is to improve outcomes for pupils at risk of exclusion or who have been permanently excluded from school.
Academies: Rotherham
John Healey: To ask the Secretary of State for Education if he will place in the Library a copy of each (a) letter and (b) e-mail his Department has received of support for the Three Valleys independent academy, Rotherham. [45361]
Mr Gibb
[holding answer 10 March 2011]: As part of their initial proposal, Three Valleys independent academy provided the Department with representations from 423 supporters. The majority of these representations
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are as part of a petition or a short standard statement of support. As such, we regard them as made in confidence to the proposer and do not think it would be appropriate to provide the Library with a copy of them.
Aiming High for Disabled Children
Yasmin Qureshi: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what plans he has for the future provision of funding through the Aiming High for Disabled Children grant in (a) Bolton South East constituency, (b) Bolton. [44830]
Sarah Teather: Funding for disabled children's services will be provided through the new early intervention grant (EIG). We have made over £800 million available to local authorities over the spending review period for the provision of short breaks for disabled children and their families, which represents a small increase in available funding compared with the 2010-11 financial year.
As this figure is not ring fenced 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.
Local authorities received details of their EIG allocation just before Christmas.
Building Schools for the Future Programme: Sandwell
James Morris: To ask the Secretary of State for Education (1) how much interest is due under private finance initiative arrangements to the equity holders of the Building Schools for the Future Wave 3 project number PRJ-S148 commissioned by Sandwell metropolitan borough council; [41400]
(2) how much funding has been allocated through private finance initiative arrangements to the Building Schools for the Future Wave 3 project number PRJ-S148 commissioned by Sandwell metropolitan borough council; [41408]
(3) if he will estimate the capital value of the Building Schools for the Future Wave 3 project number PRJ-S148 commissioned by Sandwell metropolitan borough council; [41409]
(4) what the company name is of each equity holder of the Building Schools for the Future Wave 3 project number PRJ-S148 commissioned by Sandwell metropolitan borough council; [41410]
(5) if he will estimate the total interest payments to be paid to the equity holders of the Building Schools for the Future Wave 3 project number PRJ-S148 commissioned by Sandwell metropolitan borough council; [41411]
(6) if he will estimate the total level of payments to be made to the equity holders of the Building Schools for the Future Wave 3 project number PRJ-S148 commissioned by Sandwell metropolitan borough council; [41412]
(7) what estimate he has made of the capital value spent through private finance initiative on the Building Schools for the Future Wave 3 project number PRJ-S148 commissioned by Sandwell metropolitan borough council; [41413]
(8) what the cost to the public purse is of the Building Schools for the Future Wave 3 project number PRJ-S148 commissioned by Sandwell metropolitan borough council. [41415]
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Mr Gibb: The Building Schools for the Future project number PRJ-S148 is still in the construction phase and no interest is due to be paid until the schools enter into operation. There are three schools on the site, opening on a phased basis over approximately three months from late February.
£67.45 million of PFI credits have been allocated to the project. The capital value is estimated to be £51.1 million.
The equity holders of the project are Interserve, Barclays Private Equity, Building Schools for the Future Investments, Sandwell metropolitan borough council and Sandwell Futures Ltd.
Information about the estimated total interest payments to be paid and the total level of payments to be made to equity holders of the project is contained within documentation which is defined as commercially sensitive information in accordance with the terms of the project agreement entered into by Sandwell metropolitan borough council and the contractor.
In terms of cost to the public purse, the total unitary charge forecast to be paid over the life of the contract is £176.8 million. In addition to the cost of construction and financing, this covers maintenance, life cycle and facilities management costs over 25 years.
CAFCASS
Kelvin Hopkins: To ask the Secretary of State for Education whether he has received reports of Children and Family Court Advisory and Support Service managers allocating cases to practitioners without the consent of that practitioner. [46031]
Tim Loughton: The Department does not record specific information on representations received about the Children and Family Court Advisory and Support Service managers allocating cases to practitioners without the consent of that employee.
Searches of the Department's correspondence system have not located any such reports.
Early Intervention Grant Allocations
Mrs Hodgson: To ask the Secretary of State for Education (1) what estimate he has made of the amount of money which local authorities will be expected to hold back from their early intervention grant allocation to facilitate results-based payments in (a) 2011-12 and (b) 2012-13; [39459]
(2) when he plans to announce early intervention grant allocations for (a) 2012-13 and (b) 2013-14; [39465]
(3) which 20 local authorities have had the greatest reduction in the level of their early intervention grant allocation for 2010-11; [39467]
(4) how much funding he has drawn from other Departments for the purposes of funding the early intervention grant. [39468]
Sarah Teather:
The early intervention grant is an un-ring-fenced and un-hypothecated grant. Local authorities are therefore free to decide, taking into account the views of their communities, how best to use it, including developing their own payment by results
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systems at a local level. The Department has as yet not published proposals for results-based payments and will work with a small number of local authorities to trial new approaches.
The Secretary of State for Education, the right hon. Member for Surrey Heath (Michael Gove), announced indicative allocations for the early intervention grant on 13 December 2010 for 2011-12 and 2012-13. Final allocations for 2011-12 will be announced before the beginning of the new financial year. Similarly, it is expected that final allocations for 2012-13 will be announced in March 2012. Indicative allocations for 2013-14 have not been announced and no date has been set although they are likely to be published as part of the local government settlement in December 2012, with final allocations being announced in the following March.
The early intervention grant (EIG) did not exist in 2010-11. However, funding within the grant in 2011-12 has been allocated in a transparent way with a focus on disadvantage, prevention and a premium on early years. Most of the EIG has been allocated using the Department’s existing early years formula, with the remainder allocated according to a youth services formula. A notional 2010-11 baseline for each authority based on an aggregation of 2010-11 predecessor grants was created and a floor was applied to the 2011-12 allocations so that no authority loses more than 12.9% compared to their 2010-11 baseline. Half of the authorities sit on this 12.9% floor and so it is not possible to name 20 local authorities who have had the greatest reduction in the level of their EIG allocation.
The new early intervention grant will provide a substantial funding stream to enable local authorities to act more strategically and target investment early, where it will have greatest impact. The grant provides local authorities with funding to support early intervention and preventative programmes. Funding for the grant has been provided as part of the DFE spending review settlement. Further additional funding of £10 million from the Home Office to go into the early intervention grant was announced on 2 February 2011.
Further details can be found at:
http://www.education.gov.uk/inthenews/inthenews/a0070450/written-ministerial-statement-by-the-secretary-of-state-for-education-on-schools-financial-settlement-education-spending
Education Maintenance Allowance
Teresa Pearce: To ask the Secretary of State for Education pursuant to the answer of 10 January 2011, Official Report, column 80W, on the education maintenance allowance, how many (a) current students and (b) students who were surveyed as part of the National Foundation for Education Research study into education maintenance allowance attained (i) at least four A* to C grades at GCSE, (ii) at least five D to G grades at GCSE and (iii) at least one GCSE qualification. [34169]
Mr Gibb [holding answer 17 January 2011]: There are no administrative data on GCSE attainment by receipt or non-receipt of education maintenance allowance (EMA).
The research carried out by National Foundation for Educational Research (NFER), working in partnership with Triangle and QA Research, was based on a sample of young people who were chosen to be representative
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of young people aged 16 and 17 in terms of their prior attainment as well as other factors, for example, gender, and post-16 destination. The following table sets out prior attainment of young people sampled compared with those nationally. The study did not explore GCSE attainment by receipt or non-receipt of EMA.
| Summary of achieved sample by key characteristics compared with national data | |||
| Percentage | |||
| Self-reported | CCIS local data | National dataset | |
Education Maintenance Allowance: Bolton South East
Yasmin Qureshi: To ask the Secretary of State for Education how many students will have their education maintenance allowance payments terminated before their programme of study is complete in (a) Bolton South East constituency, (b) Bolton and (c) England. [44755]
Mr Gibb: The information requested is not available centrally as we do not hold data that link EMA recipients to the courses they take or the duration of their courses.
Education Maintenance Allowance: Comprehensive Spending Review
John Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what estimate he has made of the costs to the public purse of replacing education maintenance allowance over the comprehensive spending review period; and if he will make a statement. [39503]
Mr Gibb [holding answer 10 February 2011]: We are working with the Young People’s Learning Agency, which administers the education maintenance allowance (EMA) on behalf of the Department for Education, to assess any costs that may arise from the replacement of EMA with a package of financial support that is better targeted to those students facing the greatest financial barriers to participation.
Education: Finance
Julian Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Education whether he has assessed the average cost per pupil of educating children aged 16 to 18 years in (a) school sixth forms and (b) further education colleges. [44692]
Mr Gibb: The Government fund 16-19 education on the basis of average costs for particular types of courses. The funding paid to schools and colleges takes account of the different programme types and the number of hours required. These costs are reviewed annually.
The White Paper “The importance of teaching”, published in November 2010, set out the Government’s commitment to end the disparity in funding for 16 to 18-year-olds so that by 2015 schools and colleges are funded at the same level as one another.
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Education: Ofsted
Kelvin Hopkins: To ask the Secretary of State for Education if he will take steps to require Ofsted to take into account pupil success rates when assessing the education provided by school sixth forms. [44555]
Mr Gibb: Ofsted supports the work of the Department for Education and Department for Business, Innovation and Skills to develop standard performance measures for all 16-18 provision, including work to develop success rates for school sixth forms. When standardised performance data become available, inclusive of all 16-18 provision, Ofsted will use the data provided in a consistent way across all the remits it inspects.
EU Educational Policy
Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Education (1) how many EU-branded diaries schools in England received in 2010; [38923]
(2) what discussions his Department has had with the European Commission on the sending of EU-branded diaries to schools; and if he will make a statement. [38924]
Justin Tomlinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what the cost was of the 350,000 EU-produced school diaries distributed to UK schools to (a) the Government and (b) the EU. [42749]
Mr Gibb: The Department has not had any discussions with the European Commission about the EU-branded diaries. In addition, I refer my hon. Friends to the replies given by the Minister of State, Foreign and Commonwealth Office, my noble Friend, Lord Howell of Guildford, on 7 February 2011, Official Report, House of Lords, columns WA15-16 and on 1 March 2011, Official Report, House of Lords, column WA304, to questions about the diaries.
EU Youth on the Move Strategy
Priti Patel: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what assessment he has made of the (a) likely effect on and (b) cost to his Department of the implementation of the EU Youth on the Move strategy; which policies of his Department will be affected; and if he will make a statement. [44284]
Mr Gibb: There are no direct policy implications for the Department arising from the European Commission’s Youth on the Move strategy. It is up to EU member states to decide what action, if any, should be taken in response to the strategy, in the light of their own circumstances and national policies. We expect more detail on the actions proposed under the strategy to emerge over the next 12 months. The Government will closely examine these proposals, to ensure that they support and supplement domestic policy, and do not result in an increase in EU competence in the field of education. We will also make an assessment of the likely costs involved in the process.
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Family Rights Group: Finance
Bridget Phillipson: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what plans he has for the funding for the Family Rights helpline from March 2011; and if he will make a statement. [24438]
Sarah Teather: The Department opened a new procurement process on 6 December 2010 to fund family support telephone helplines and online services from April 2011. One of the aims of the family services procurement is to support children and young people in England through supporting their parents and families, with a particular focus on early intervention support for the most disadvantaged parents and families with early intervention. The Family Rights Group was eligible to submit an application under this process.
The procurement process was delayed in January while we considered the full implications for the family sector after the Department for Education's spending review settlement. Departmental officials contacted organisations on 25 February about the outcome of their applications under the first stage of the procurement process. For those organisations invited to submit bids under the second stage of the process, officials also provided full details of the tender and a revised procurement timetable.
In view of the delay, officials contacted the Family Rights Group and other organisations currently in receipt of departmental funding to provide telephone helpline and online services on 25 February offering them extensions to their existing grants or contracts for up to three months from 1 April 2011. This will ensure continuity of service provision to families for the duration of the current procurement exercise.
I will write to the hon. Member to let her know the outcome of the procurement process once it is completed.
Food Technology: Education
Justin Tomlinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what plans he has for the retention of the requirement that all Key Stage 3 pupils should receive at least 24 hours of practical cookery lessons. [38311]
Mr Gibb: On 20 January the Secretary of State announced that we are conducting a review of the national curriculum at both primary and secondary levels. This review will include consideration of the status of design and technology (and all its constituent modules).
Free Schools
Mr Slaughter: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what estimate he has made of the average cost per pupil of free schools (a) including and (b) excluding start-up costs. [39928]
Mr Gibb: Revenue funding for free schools is on an equivalent basis to maintained schools and academies in the same local authority. Every free school is different and the costs will vary between projects. Many of these costs are yet to be determined and paid, so it is not currently possible to calculate the average cost per pupil of free schools. Full details of the support costs of free school projects will be made available shortly after a free school opens, when a total figure is known.
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Mr Slaughter: To ask the Secretary of State for Education which free schools have had their business case and funding agreement approved; and how much funding has been allocated in each case for (a) acquisition, (b) major works and (c) other costs. [44114]
Mr Gibb: 11 free school proposals have had their business case and plans approved and are at the pre-opening stage.
The Secretary of State has now signed the first funding agreement, for the West London free school in the London borough of Hammersmith and Fulham. As the acquisition of the permanent site has yet to be completed, we are unable to release details of the acquisition or refurbishment costs at this stage.
For other costs such as support costs for free school projects, we have yet to finalise them and these will be made available when the school opens.
GCSE : Mathematics and English
Kate Hoey: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what the average proportion of pupils per school (a) nationally and (b) in the London borough of Lambeth was who achieved five or more GCSEs including mathematics and English at grade (i) A*, (ii) A or above, (iii) B or above and (iv) C or above in the latest period for which figures are available. [39774]
Mr Gibb: The information requested is in the following table and covers pupils at the end of Key Stage 4 in maintained secondary schools that were published in the 2010 Secondary School Performance Tables.
| Average number of pupils per school achieving 5 or more GCSEs including English and mathematics at grades: | |||||
| Average number of pupils per school at the end of Key Stage 4 | A* | A*-A | A*-B | A*-C | |
Music: Education
Mr Offord: To ask the Secretary of State for Education whether the review of music education led by Darren Henley will consider the ability of children whose families cannot afford to pay for lessons to learn a musical instrument. [40643]
Mr Gibb: We want every child to learn a musical instrument and to sing. We are making a substantial investment in music services because we are determined that every child will have access to a quality music education, including those from families that cannot afford to pay for private lessons. We have protected money to the front line, and we shall be setting out our plans, later this year, in a National Plan for Music Education, which will set out proposals for how music services can continue to provide access to good quality music education for all children in state funded schools.
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Andrew Stephenson: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what plans he has for standards of music tuition in (a) primary and (b) secondary schools. [43192]
Mr Gibb: Following the review carried out by Mr Henley we are making a substantial investment into music education because we are determined that every child will have access to a quality music education.
We shall be setting out our plans on music tuition, later this year, in a National Plan for Music Education and in a Teach Music First programme, which will enable our best young musicians to spend time teaching in schools.
Primary Education: Finance
Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what estimate he has made of the proportion of funding for primary and secondary education in England derived from (a) public and (b) private sources in the latest period for which figures are available. [44603]
Mr Gibb: Private income in each of primary and secondary local authority maintained schools in England accounted for 0.8% of their respective incomes for the financial year 2009-10. Hence the remaining 99.2% of funding within each phase was derived from public sources.
These data are taken from the 2009-10 Section 251 outturn statements submitted by local authorities to the Department. All figures are available on the DfE website:
http://media.education.gov.uk/assets/files/xls/o/outturn%20summary%202009%2010.xls
Pupils: Disability
Lyn Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what plans he has for the provision of funding for children with disabilities in (a) West Ham constituency, (b) Newham and (c) London through the Aiming High for Disabled Children grant. [26488]
Sarah Teather: Funding for disabled children's services will be provided through the new Early Intervention Grant (EIG). We have made over £800 million available to local authorities over the spending review period for the provision of short breaks for disabled children and their families, which represents a small increase in available funding compared to the 2010-11 financial year.
As this figure is not ring-fenced 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.
Local authorities received details of their EIG allocation for 2011-12 and 2012-13 just before Christmas.
Schools
Christopher Pincher: To ask the Secretary of State for Education if he will bring forward proposals to promote vertical integration between primary and secondary schools. [37122]
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Mr Gibb: It is important for primary and secondary schools to work closely together, particularly at the transition point between primary and secondary, to ensure children who are struggling are getting the help they need. But getting the fundamentals of literacy and numeracy right early on is crucial to a child’s success in secondary education and throughout their adult life.
We are committed to raising standards in literacy, and ensuring that no child gets left behind at school. As set out in our White Paper, one of the ways we aim to achieve this goal is by strengthening the use of systematic synthetic phonics in the teaching of reading. We are introducing a new phonics screening check for children in Year 1, which will help to ensure that six-year-old children have grasped the essential phonics that underpin good reading as well as identify the children who need extra help so they are given support by their school to improve their reading skills.
Our White Paper also set out our commitment to mathematics specialism in primary schools. It also reiterated our belief that schools are best placed to make decisions about pupils’ needs and about school improvement.
Mr Iain Wright: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what his policy is on the establishment of schools for pupils aged between 14 and 19. [44621]
Mr Gibb: We recognise the importance of education and training for 14 to 19-year-olds and the need for opportunities allowing them to follow the curriculum most appropriate to them.
In addition to raising standards at existing schools the Government are supporting and incentivising innovation which is firmly linked to employer needs by establishing different types of academy, including university technical colleges (UTCs) and studio schools, which are specifically aimed at vocational education for 14 to 19-year-olds.
We expect the vast majority of 14 and 15-year-olds to follow the national curriculum and take GCSEs and, where appropriate, other qualifications at level 2. In her report which was published on 3 March 2011, Professor Alison Wolf is supportive of young people under 16 being able to enrol in further education colleges and UTCs, but she stresses the importance of a core academic programme for all pre-16, regardless of the type of educational institution a young person is attending. We are currently considering all of Professor Wolf’s recommendations and will publish a Government response in the spring.
There are currently three sponsored academies (including one UTC and one “standalone” studio school), one
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studio school within a maintained school, 10 community, one community special, two foundation and five voluntary controlled schools, all with a 14 to 19 age range.
Schools: Closures
Lisa Nandy: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what consultations he has undertaken on the proposal to give the Secretary of State power to close schools that have received an intervention order. [37868]
Mr Gibb: The Secretary of State for Education currently only has the power to direct a local authority to close one of its maintained schools where it is eligible for intervention as a result of it being judged by Ofsted as requiring special measures. The Education Bill extends this power to those schools which are not only eligible for intervention because they require special measures but also eligible for intervention as a result of being judged by Ofsted as requiring significant improvement or those which have failed to comply with a performance standards and safety warning notice.
“The Importance of Teaching” Schools White Paper, which was published in November, set out the Government’s plans to tackle consistent underperformance. In particular it highlighted the Government’s aim to transform some of the most challenging schools in the country by imposing academy solutions. The White Paper outlined the provisions which would be taken in the Education Bill to strengthen the Secretary of State’s intervention powers and set out the plan:
“to extend the Secretary of State’s closure powers to schools subject to a notice to improve.”
During the development of the White Paper, and since its publication, Ministers and officials have had regular engagement with interested parties and discussed the key issues and policies of importance to them. This has allowed us to take on board the views of a range of organisations and interested parties. These discussions will continue now the Bill is at the Committee stage.
Schools: Ethnic Groups
Damian Hinds: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what proportion of pupils attending (a) Church of England, (b) Catholic, (c) other denominational or faith and (d) other maintained (i) secondary and (ii) primary schools in (A) Greater London and (B) nationally were from each ethnic group in academic year 2009-10. [43675]
Mr Gibb: The requested information is shown in the table.
| Maintained primary and state-funded secondary schools (1,2) : percentage of pupils by ethnic group (3,4) by religious character of the school. as at January 2010 in greater London and England | |||||||||
| Pupils of compulsory school age and above | |||||||||
| Maintained primary schools (1) | |||||||||
| Greater London | England | ||||||||
| Church of England | Roman Catholic | Other religious character | No religious character | Church of England | Roman Catholic | Other religious character | No religious character | ||
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| Pupils of compulsory school age and above | |||||||||
| State-funded secondary schools (1,2) | |||||||||
| Greater London | England | ||||||||
| Church of England | Roman Catholic | Other religious character | No religious character | Church of England | Roman Catholic | Other religious character | No religious character | ||
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| (1) Includes middle schools as deemed. (2) Includes city technology colleges and academies. (3. )Pupils of compulsory school age and above were classified according to ethnic group. Excludes dually registered pupils. (4) Number of pupils by ethnic group expressed as a percentage of all pupils of compulsory school age and above. (5) Information refused or not obtained. (6) Includes all pupils classified as belonging to an ethnic group other than White British. (7) All pupils of compulsory school age and above. (8) Percentage based on less than five pupils. Source: School Census and EduBase | |||||||||
Schools: Warrington
Helen Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what recent discussions he has had on the school building programme in Warrington; and when he expects to announce those school building projects which are to go ahead. [40259]
Mr Gibb: The Secretary of State for Education, my right hon. Friend the Member for Surrey Heath (Michael Gove), has had no discussions on the school building programme in Warrington. The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Schools, my noble Friend Lord Hill, has had two discussions about school buildings with the hon. Member for Warrington South (David Mowat) on 26 July and 25 November last year. The hon. Member for Warrington North took part in the latter discussion.
No further announcements on capital for maintained schools will be made for 2011-12. Details of capital from 2012-13 will depend on the outcome of the capital review and we aim to publish the final report shortly. However, the level of support for basic need and for
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capital maintenance for each year to 2014-15 is expected to stay in line with the total amount allocated for 2011-12.
Schools: Wolverhampton
Emma Reynolds: To ask the Secretary of State for Education when schools and further education colleges in Wolverhampton will be informed of their allocation of discretionary learner support for 2011-12. [44669]
Mr Gibb: We will be announcing details of the new arrangements for financial support for young people aged 16-19 shortly.
Sexualisation of Young People Review
Mr Buckland: To ask the Secretary of State for Education whether the independent review of the excessive commercialisation and premature sexualisation of children will include an assessment of the role of (a) schools, (b) the retail sector and (c) the advertising sector; and if he will make a statement. [44813]
Sarah Teather: I have asked Reg Bailey, chief executive of the Mothers’ Union, to conduct the independent review of the commercialisation and sexualisation of childhood and to report with recommendations in May 2011. As laid out in the ministerial statement to Parliament on 6 December 2010, Official Report, column 7WS, and in the terms of reference for the review, Mr Bailey will consider the views of the business community, and in particular the advertising and marketing industry, as well as the views of consumers, especially parents. It will be open to Mr Bailey to consider the role of schools. As part of this considerative process, Mr Bailey has invited industry and other organisations, as well as parents, to submit evidence. He is also meeting representatives from a wide range of businesses and others with an interest, including, for example, the Advertising Standards Authority and the Advertising Association, as well as leading retailers and their representative bodies.
Sixth Form Colleges: VAT
Damian Hinds: To ask the Secretary of State for Education how many and what proportion of sixth form colleges in England are registered for value added tax. [45641]
Mr Gauke: I have been asked to reply.
The Secretary of State for Education has asked me to reply as Minister responsible for this area. I refer the hon. Member to my reply to him of 14 March 2011, Official Report, column 96W.
Sure Start: Bolton
Yasmin Qureshi: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what the average administration costs were of Sure Start children’s centres in Bolton in the latest period for which figures are available. [44828]
Sarah Teather:
The Department for Education does not collect data on average administrative costs for children’s centres. We have consulted on changes to data
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which local authorities are required to report on their expenditure on children’s services. From 2011-12, local authority expenditure on Sure Start children’s centres will be published, including how much funding is held back for local authority central administration costs, and how much is spent on front-line services.
Yasmin Qureshi: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what the level of entitlement funding was in (a) 2010-11 and (b) 2011-12 for (i) Bolton South East constituency, (ii) Bolton and (iii) Greater Manchester. [44850]
Sarah Teather: The spending review confirmed that all three and four-year-olds will continue to receive 15 hours of free early education per week, delivered more flexibly. 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 3-16 funding across their locality. As such, funding allocations for local authorities are not available.
Local authorities report on financial expenditure through returns required under section 251 of the Apprenticeships, Skills, Children and Learning Act 2009. From April 2010, about half of LAs were pathfinders for the Early Years Single Funding Formula (EYSFF), a new method for LAs to fund providers of free early education. From April 2011, every LA will be operating the EYSFF. Bolton LA was an EYSFF pathfinder. Where a local authority was a pathfinder for the early years single funding formula in 2010-11, the detail of its formula can be found in its section 251 statement.
Because of the way section 251 operated previously, it is not possible to obtain complete data on free early education spend for non-pathfinders. From section 251 data, Bolton budgeted to spend £8.2 million in 2010-11, and this was allocated through a formula to early years settings. Budget statements for 2011-12 have not yet been completed.
Targeted Mental Health in Schools Grant: Finance
Mrs Hodgson: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what funding his Department allocated to the Targeted Mental Health in Schools Grant in (a) 2008-09, (b) 2009-10 and (c) 2010-11. [40710]
Sarah Teather: Between 2008 and 2011, the Department for Education allocated a total of £60 million to the Targeted Mental Health in Schools (TaMHS) programme.
This was broken down to: £10 million in 2008-09, £20 million in 2009-10 and £30 million in 2010-11.
The aim of the TaMHS programme was to develop innovative models of early intervention and targeted support in schools for children and young people aged 5-13, and their families, who were at risk of and/or experiencing mental health problems by building on existing universal work in schools to promote pupils' social and emotional development.
From April 2011, funding for Targeted Mental Health in Schools (TaMHS) services for children and young people will be available through the new Early Intervention Grant. This non-ring-fenced grant, worth £2.2 billion in
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2011-12, will give local areas the freedom and flexibility to invest in early intervention, responding effectively to local need and priority.
Teachers: Training
Ian Austin: To ask the Secretary of State for Education (1) what assessment he has made of the effects of the removal of the further education initial teacher training bursary for (a) history and (b) information and communication technologies PGCE students; [42178]
(2) what assessment he has made of the effects of the removal of the bursary for information and communication technologies PGCE students on the number of information and communication technologies teachers in secondary schools in each of the next five years; [42214]
(3) what assessment he has made of the effects of the removal of the further education initial teacher training bursary for history graduates on the number of history teachers in secondary schools in each of the next five years; [42215]
(4) what assessment he has made of the effects of the removal of the further education initial teacher training bursary for history PGCE students on the take-up of history within the English Baccalaureate in each of the next five years; [42216]
(5) what assessment he has made of the effects of the removal of the further education initial teacher training bursary for design and technology PGCE students on the number of design and technology teachers in secondary schools in each of the next five years; [42217]
(6) what assessment he has made of the effects of the removal of the further education initial teacher training bursary for design and technology PGCE students on the number of students taking up vocational subjects in secondary schools; [42218]
(7) what consultations he undertook with (a) trade unions, (b) head teachers' associations, (c) local authorities and (d) schools on his decision to remove further education initial teacher training bursaries for (i) information and communication technologies, (ii) history and (iii) design and technology PGCE students in the 2011-12 academic year. [42219]
Mr Gibb: The training bursary arrangements for students taking further education PGCEs are a matter for the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills.
Teenage Pregnancy Independent Advisory Group
Mr Umunna: To ask the Secretary of State for Education (1) what impact assessment he has undertaken of the abolition of the Independent Advisory Group on Teenage Pregnancy; [24043]
(2) what his most recent assessment is of the effectiveness of the Independent Advisory Group on Teenage Pregnancy in carrying out its functions. [24044]
Sarah Teather:
The Teenage Pregnancy Independent Advisory Group (TPIAG) was set up in 2000, to monitor the previous Administration’s 10-year Teenage Pregnancy Strategy. It is an advisory non-departmental public body (NDPB) whose work was scheduled to come to an end in 2010 and the group has had no responsibility for implementation of the Teenage Pregnancy Strategy.
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There was, therefore, no need to undertake an impact assessment on its abolition. TPIAG published its final report on 14 December 2010.
While TPIAG was not responsible for the delivery of the Teenage Pregnancy Strategy, it did produce regular reports, with recommendations on how the strategy could be improved. I would like to take this opportunity to thank the members of the group for their reports and recommendations on both preventing teenage pregnancies and improving support for teenage parents and their children. The group’s expert input has made an important contribution to the understanding of the measures needed to reduce teenage pregnancies, which have fallen by 18.1% between 1998 and 2009 (the latest year for which data are available), to the point where in 2009, the under-18 conception rate was at its lowest level for nearly 30 years.
In my response of 25 October 2010, Official Report, column 95W, to the hon. Member for Stafford (Jeremy Lefroy), I emphasised the importance of local areas continuing to prioritise reducing teenage pregnancy rates. This will contribute to their efforts to reduce child poverty and health inequalities.
Teenage Pregnancy Scheme: Finance
Mrs Hodgson: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what funding his Department allocated to the Teenage Pregnancy scheme in (a) 2008-09, (b) 2009-10 and (c) 2010-11. [40715]
Sarah Teather: The following table sets out the budget allocated to support work on reducing teenage pregnancy rates and improving outcomes for teenage parents and their children, in this and the preceding two years. It separates out the amounts spent on: local implementation (paid through a grant to each top-tier local authority in England); and the amount retained by the Teenage Pregnancy Unit (TPU) to pay for the elements of the strategy that were best managed centrally, such as funding for a national media campaign and for the national PSHE continuing professional development (CPD) programme for teachers.
| £ million | |||
| Financial year | Local implementation | Central costs | Total |
Teenage Pregnancy: Personal Income
Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what assessment his Department has made of potential links between income inequality and rates of (a) teenage births and (b) teenage pregnancy. [44263]
Sarah Teather:
Analysis of the Longitudinal Study of Young People in England (LSYPE) shows that young women from less well off backgrounds are more likely to have been pregnant and, in particular, more likely to have become mothers, by the age of 18 than those from more affluent backgrounds. The survey found that while 13% of females interviewed were eligible for free school meals in Year 11, this group made up 22% of those who
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became pregnant by age 18, and 32% of those whose first pregnancy resulted in them having the baby. Females with parents from higher or lower professional occupational backgrounds made up 45% of the survey population at age 18, but only 28% of those who became pregnant by the age of 18 and an even smaller proportion, 12%, of those who went on to have a baby.
Rates of both teenage pregnancy and teenage motherhood are higher in areas with higher levels of deprivation. Teenage pregnancy rates in the 10% most deprived wards are four times higher than in the 10% least deprived. This association is even stronger when it comes to teenage motherhood, where the rate of births to under-18s in the most deprived 10% of wards is nine times higher than in the 10% least deprived. High rates of teenage pregnancy are mainly concentrated in deprived urban areas. However, teenage pregnancy “hotspots” (wards with rates over 60 under-18 conceptions per 1,000 females aged 15-17) are found in virtually every local authority in England, including in some rural areas.
Written Questions: Government Responses
Bridget Phillipson: To ask the Secretary of State for Education when he plans to reply to question 24438, on funding for family rights helplines, tabled on 13 November for ordinary written answer. [29615]
Sarah Teather: A response has been issued to the hon. Member today.
Young People: Alcoholic Drinks
Nick Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Education if he will take steps to raise awareness of the problems of under-age excess drinking through the Youth Service. [39886]
Sarah Teather:
The national Drug Strategy published in December 2010, set out Government's ambition for preventing drug and alcohol misuse among young people. In it, we committed to ensure that school staff have the
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information, advice and the power to provide accurate information on drugs and alcohol through drug education and targeted information via the FRANK service; to tackle problem behaviour in schools, with wider powers of search and confiscation; and to work with local voluntary organisations, the police and others to prevent drug or alcohol misuse. We will make sure that other professionals working with young people also have access to the information they need to raise awareness of these issues.
Furthermore, through the Early Intervention Grant we are giving local authorities in England more freedoms and flexibilities to maintain and focus on essential frontline services and to invest in early intervention and prevention to protect the most vulnerable, including those young people at risk of substance misuse.
Young People: Unemployment
Mr Ruffley: To ask the Secretary of State for Education how many and what proportion of young people aged (a) 16, (b) 17 and (c) 18 were not in full-time education or training in each local education authority area in the east of England in the latest period for which figures are available. [44929]
Mr Gibb: Estimates of participation in education and work-based learning (WBL) for young people in each local authority (LA) in England are published by the Department in a Statistical First Release (SFR) each June. The full set of local estimates can be found on the Department's website at:
http://www.dcsf.gov.uk/rsgateway/DB/SFR/s000938/index.shtml
The following table shows, for local authorities in the east of England: estimates for the number of young people participating in full-time education and WBL; population estimates; and estimates for the number and proportion of young people not in full-time education or WBL. Estimates relate to a snapshot at the end of 2008, and are shown for young people of academic age 16 and 17. Figures for 18-year-olds are not available.
| Participation in full-time education (FT Ed) or work-based learning (WBL) at academic age 16 and 17 for local authorities in the east of England | ||||||||
| Academic age 16 | Academic age 17 | |||||||
| In FT Ed/WBL | Population | Not in FT Ed/WBL | Proportion not in FT Ed/WBL | In FT Ed/WBL | Population | Not in FT Ed/WBL | Proportion not in FT Ed/WBL | |
| Number | Number | Number | Percentage | Number | Number | Number | Percentage | |
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| (1) Note that in some cases estimates of participation at LA level can equal or exceed 100%. This is because for participants in independent schools, where residence data on pupils are not collected, an assumption is made that the young people live in the LA that the school is located. This will tend to inflate participation estimates for LAs with both an untypically high number of independent schools and where cross border flows between LAs are common (such as Inner London). Bedford is one of the LAs whose estimates at age 16 are suppressed in the published participation figures (which include part-time education) because the estimate of overall participation exceeds 100%. Note: Numbers are rounded to the nearest 100. | ||||||||
Health
Autism
Ms Abbott: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what progress his Department has made in producing a protocol for the recording and sharing of information on adults with autism; and if he will make a statement. [46772]
Paul Burstow: The published document, “Implementing ‘Fulfilling and rewarding Lives’: Consultation for statutory guidance for local authorities and NHS organisations to support the implementation of the autism strategy”, December 2010, set out clear local authority responsibilities for ensuring that correct processes are put in place for conducting assessments of needs and for the prompt sharing of information of adults with autism.
The Department will lead the development of an agreed protocol for what information should be recorded and how it should be shared with other services. This protocol will also look at how information about numbers of adults with autism locally should be compiled and fed into centrally collated data about rates of autism.
A copy of the guidance has already been placed in the Library.
Ms Abbott: To ask the Secretary of State for Health for what reasons people with autism are not included in the draft social care outcomes framework; whether he plans to address social care outcomes for people with autism; and if he will make a statement. [47065]
Paul Burstow: The adult social care outcomes framework is intended to provide an overarching picture of social care at the national level, reflecting the common outcomes which matter to people receiving services and their carers. Outcome measures are not intended to focus on any one disability exclusively, but reflect more holistic outcomes as far as possible to give a broader overview, with more detailed information available for further analysis. Outcomes for people with autism should be included in the framework to the extent that these high-level measures are relevant for autism.
The 2011-12 adult social care outcomes framework is based upon existing national data collections, since changes to data requirements cannot be made in the short-term. Data on autism are not currently collected from councils at the national level, hence this information is not disaggregable from current proposals. However, we are exploring means of addressing the availability of information on specific disabilities, including autism, through data development with the local government sector.
The final 2011-12 adult social care outcomes framework will be published by the Government shortly.
Cataracts: Surgery
Mike Weatherley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether he plans to take steps to increase the number of patients who are able to choose implantable lens technology on the NHS for the treatment of cataracts under his proposals for the reform of NHS commissioning. [46761]
Mr Simon Burns: Currently primary care trusts are able to commission eye care services as they judge them to be needed in their areas.
The Health and Social Care Bill currently before the House sets out our proposals to devolve power and responsibility for commissioning services to local consortia of general practitioner (GP) practices, supported by the creation of the NHS Commissioning Board.
Subject to parliamentary approval, GP consortia will be responsible for commissioning the vast majority of national health service services including those for patients with cataracts. GP consortia will be responsible for managing their own commissioning budgets, and using these resources for commissioning services to achieve the best and most cost-efficient outcomes for patients. The NHS Commissioning Board will hold them to account for the quality of their commissioning.
Contraception: Expenditure
Ms Abbott: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how much his Department and the NHS spent on contraceptive (a) services and (b) provision through primary care in the last 12 months for which figures are available; and if he will make a statement. [46773]
Anne Milton: Information on national health service spending on contraceptive services through primary care is not collected by the Department.
The NHS Information Centre collects some information on spending on contraception provision in primary care. The latest 12-month period available covers October 2009 to September 2010. Contraceptives are listed in the British National Formulary under section 7.3 and Prescription Services classify contraceptive appliances (such as intra-uterine contraceptive devices) under 21.4. The following figure covers all products in these sections except for ovulation thermometers.
Expenditure (net ingredient cost) on prescriptions for contraception, dispensed in the community in England, year ending 30 September 2010, was £91,992,499.
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Contraceptives can also be supplied without a prescription either through contraceptive and sexual health clinics, or by pharmacists under a Patient Group Direction. Condoms are not provided on prescription but can be supplied by the NHS via other routes. Expenditure on these items is not included in the figure above.
Notes:
1. Prescription Cost Analysis (PCA) Data
Prescription information is taken from the PCA system, supplied by the Prescription Services Division of the NHS Business Services Authority, and is based on a full analysis of all prescriptions dispensed in the community, i.e. by community pharmacists and appliance contractors, dispensing doctors, and prescriptions submitted by prescribing doctors for items personally administered in England. Also included are prescriptions written in Wales, Scotland, Northern Ireland and the Isle of Man but dispensed in England. The data do not cover drugs dispensed in hospitals, including mental health trusts, or private prescriptions.
2. Prescribers are general practitioners, hospital doctors, dentists and non-medical prescribers such as nurses and pharmacists.
3. Net Ingredient Cost (NIC)
NIC is the basic cost of a drug. It does not take account of discounts, dispensing costs, fees or prescription charges income.
Cord Blood
Lilian Greenwood: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will visit the Anthony Nolan cord blood bank in Nottingham South constituency to discuss an increase in the UK stock of umbilical cord blood. [47357]
Anne Milton: The Secretary of State for Health, the right hon. Member for South Cambridgeshire (Mr Lansley), has not yet received an invitation to visit the Anthony Nolan cord bank in Nottingham. As the Minister with responsibility for NHS stem cell transplantation services, both cord blood and bone marrow, I would be happy to visit this facility in the future when my diary permits.
The Government remain committed to this work and I have personally met with members of the UK Stem Cell Strategic Forum, including the Anthony Nolan, to drive forward work to make current services more effective and efficient. As further proof of this commitment, I announced an additional £4 million towards improving the provision of these life-saving therapies in the national health service.
Dental Services: East of England
Mr Ruffley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many and what proportion of practising dentists in each county in the east of England are taking on new NHS patients. [47027]
Mr Simon Burns: The information requested is not centrally held. The hon. Member may wish to approach the east of England strategic health authority for local information.
Dental Services: Manpower
Mr Ruffley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many dentists are operating under (a) general dental services contracts and (b) personal dental services agreements in (i) Suffolk, (ii) Bedfordshire, (iii) Cambridgeshire, (iv) Essex, (v) Hertfordshire, (vi) Norfolk and (vii) England. [46917]
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Mr Simon Burns: The numbers of dentists with national health service activity, by contract type, during the year ending 31 March 2010 are available in Table G2 of Annex 3 of the “NHS Dental Statistics for England: 2009-10” report.
Information is provided for England and by strategic health authority and primary care trust. This information is based on the dental contractual arrangements, introduced on 1 April 2006. This report, published on 18 August 2010, has already been placed in the Library and is also available on the NHS Information Centre website at:
www.ic.nhs.uk/pubs/dentalstats0910
Following a consultation exercise in 2008, this measure is based on a revised methodology and therefore supersedes any previously published workforce figures relating to the new dental contractual arrangements. This revised methodology counts the number of dental performers with NHS activity recorded via FP17 claim forms in each year ending 31 March. This revised methodology applies to data published from 2008 onwards and includes 2007 revised data. It is not comparable to the information collected under the old contractual arrangements.
These published figures relate to a headcount and do not differentiate between full-time and part-time dentists; nor do they account for the fact that some dentists may do more NHS work than others.