Children: Separation
Andrew Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Education whether he has considered plans to give the non-resident parent a right of access to children in separation cases. [47298]
Tim Loughton: The promotion of further contact rights for non-resident parents is being considered as part of the Family Justice Review. The Review Panel is due to issue its interim report at the end of March 2011, with the final report due in the autumn this year.
Connexions
Mr Marsden: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what assessment he has made of the effect of changes in the level of local authority funding to Connexions services for 2011-12 on the integration of Connexions and Next Steps services into the All-Age Careers service. [47369]
Mr Gibb
[holding answer 16 March 2011]:The Secretary of State for Education wrote to local authorities on 13 December 2010 to announce allocations under the
22 Mar 2011 : Column 1031W
Early Intervention Grant (EIG), making clear that the EIG in 2011-12 will support local authorities’ responsibilities in respect of careers guidance for young people.
It is for local authorities to determine how such services for young people should be delivered, taking into account locally identified priorities.
Departmental Billing
Stewart Hosie: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what proportion of invoices from suppliers his Department paid within 10 days of receipt in January and February 2011. [45085]
Tim Loughton: The proportion of valid invoices paid on behalf of the Department for Education within five and 10 days of receipt respectively was:
| Percentage | ||
|
|
Within five days | Within 10 days |
Departmental Land
Simon Kirby: To ask the Secretary of State for Education if he will take steps to reduce the size of his Department’s estate; and if he will make a statement. [46221]
Tim Loughton: The Department for Education plans to reduce significantly the size and cost of its estate over the forthcoming spending review period, as part of the drive to reduce costs. This will include a number of key measures, such as making more efficient use of the buildings we retain, the expansion of our existing Flexible Working Policy and enabling surplus space to be disposed of or used by other Government Departments.
In accordance with Cabinet Office guidelines and Property Controls, the Department will also take opportunities to not renew any commercial lease at expiry and to operate break options wherever possible.
The Government announced in spending review 2010 that as a first step to introducing a more co-ordinated approach to property management in the central civil office estate it would set up, through the Government Property Unit, Property Vehicles for the Central London and Bristol office estate from 2011/12.
Property Vehicles will be responsible for managing a more co-ordinated Government-wide approach to property. They will manage the estate strategically, achieving more efficient use of the property assets, as well as work with Departments to reduce their estates and maximise the commercial potential of their property portfolios.
Furthermore the Government announced this month a new system of National Property Controls across the central civil estate. These controls require Departments to adopt a common, disciplined commercial approach to the use of the estate. These build on the success of the Lease Moratorium introduced in May 2010, which to-date has reduced property costs by around £50 million.
DFE is co-operating fully with both these GPU led initiatives in order to drive down the size of the Department’s estate.
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Departmental Manpower
Mr Crausby: To ask the Secretary of State for Education how many members of staff were employed in the (a) Ministerial and (b) general correspondence units of his Department in each of the last two years. [24017]
Tim Loughton: In 2009 and 2010, the Department employed 14.7 full-time equivalent staff to handle ministerial correspondence. The Department’s public communications unit employed 117.5 full-time equivalent staff in 2009 and 112.9 full-time equivalent staff in 2010.
Departmental Procurement
Stephen Barclay: To ask the Secretary of State for Education which procurement projects engaged upon by (a) his Department and (b) the non-departmental public body and Executive agency for which he is responsible had a designated senior responsible owner in the latest period for which figures are available; and on what date each officer was appointed in each such case. [45550]
Tim Loughton: Based on information held centrally on procurement projects during the financial years 2009-10 and 2010-11, the Department was engaged on thirty nine procurement projects, all of which had a senior responsible owner appointed. Non-departmental public bodies and executive agencies were involved with 10 procurement projects between 2009 and 2011 which the Department is aware of and all had a senior responsible owner appointed. To gather additional information on procurement projects from non-departmental public bodies and executive agencies and to identify the dates when senior responsible owners were appointed would take costs above the cost threshold for parliamentary questions.
Departmental Public Expenditure
Bridget Phillipson: To ask the Secretary of State for Education how much his Department has spent on newspapers and magazines since May 2010. [36041]
Tim Loughton: For the period 12 May 2010 to 31 December 2010 the Department has spent £2,848 on newspapers and magazines.
Cathy Jamieson: To ask the Secretary of State for Education how much Barnett consequential funding his Department has provided to each devolved Administration in (a) 2010-11 to date and (b) in each of the last three years; and with which programmes such funding was associated. [39399]
Tim Loughton: In the 2010 spending review changes in the DEL budgets of the devolved Administrations were determined by the Barnett formula in the normal way. The settlements for the years 2011-12 to 2014-15 were published in table 2.22 of the 2010 spending review document (Cm 7942).
Barnett consequentials relating to each of the devolved Administrations for the years 2008-09 to 2010-11 are published as part of the Public Expenditure Statistical Analyses Supplementary Material on the Treasury’s website under the heading House of Lords Select Committee on the Barnett formula:
http://www.hm-treasury.gov.uk/pespub_pesa10.htm
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Updated tables taking account of adjustments since the publication of the 2010 edition of PESA will be published alongside the next edition of PESA later this year.
Information on the block grants paid by the territorial offices to the devolved Administrations is published alongside the Main and Supplementary Estimates.
Departmental Rail Travel
Mr Godsiff: To ask the Secretary of State for Education how many and what proportion of civil servants in his Department are entitled to travel first class by rail within the UK. [47074]
Tim Loughton: At present, 1,253 (49%) of staff in my Department at the senior executive officer (SEO) grade and above have a contractual entitlement to first class rail travel. Despite this entitlement, we have considerably reduced the use of first class travel, as part of our wider drive to reduce spending and ensure more value for money. This financial year, we have reduced the level of first class travel from 33% in April 2010 to 2% in February 2011.
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Regulation
Gordon Banks: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what regulations his Department repealed between 27 January and 28 February 2011. [45979]
Tim Loughton: In the period 27 January to 28 February, two sets of regulations were revoked: the School Finance (England) Regulations 2006 and the School Finance (Amendment) (England) Regulations 2007. These were largely replaced by the revoking instrument, the School Finance (England) Regulations 2011.
Gordon Banks: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what regulations his Department introduced between 9 and 28 February 2011. [47149]
Tim Loughton: In the period 9 to 28 February 2011 (“the relevant period”), the Department for Education made four statutory instruments. In addition, two statutory instruments made before the relevant period came into force during the relevant period.
The following statutory instruments were made during the relevant period but will come into force after 28 February 2011:
The following statutory instruments were made before 9 February 2011 but came into force during the relevant period:
| Title | Made | Laid | In force |
|
The Education (School Day and School Year) (England) (Amendment) Regulations 2011 |
|||
|
The School Teachers' Pay and Conditions (Amendment) Order 2011 |
Departmental Telephone Services
Mr Blunkett: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what criteria his Department uses to assess the merits of applications for contracts to provide advice line services; and if he will make a statement. [45495]
Tim Loughton: The Department uses criteria specific to the requirements of each individual helpline, this includes asking contractors to demonstrate:
A. How they will deliver the requirements outlined:
Contact handling requirements
System requirements
Provision of a pool of skilled multi-channel advisers
Recruitment, training and quality management
Data security and transfer protocols
Resourcing and efficiency
Reporting and data capture
Account management and administration
Technical and back-end staff
Fulfilment
B. Their values and approach :
Experience of delivering TUPE
Flexibility
Delivering customer service excellence—quality assurance and continuous improvement
Culture and approach to integration, collaboration and a sense of responsibility to deliver
Proactivity/initiative and commitment to the improvement of the service delivery and customer service experience
Experience of working on services which involve liaising with local services and regional variation in service options
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Two examples/case studies of similar central Government/public sector projects that have been engaged upon in the last five years, demonstrating how all criteria in section 2 A and B above, have been met
Two references from existing central Government/public sector clients where a similar service has been undertaken
An organisational structure
List of quality standards/accreditations achieved in recent years, including a listing of any industry/trade bodies of which you are a member
A full project plan showing timings for set up and ‘go live’
Written agreement to abide by COI’s standard framework agreement/terms and conditions
Any other information that they may consider appropriate to support their contract bid.
Education Maintenance Allowance
Mr Iain Wright: To ask the Secretary of State for Education if he will estimate the effect on the number of students currently participating in the first year of study and receiving education maintenance allowance who will participate in the second year of the study in (a) Hartlepool constituency, (b) North East of England and (c) England following the ending of education maintenance allowance. [47513]
Mr Gibb: The information requested is not available centrally as we do not hold data which link EMA recipients to the courses they take or the duration of their courses.
Education: Ofsted
Kelvin Hopkins: To ask the Secretary of State for Education if he will take steps to ensure that provision for people aged 16 to 19 in (a) school six forms, (b) sixth form colleges and (c) further education colleges is inspected and graded by Ofsted using the same criteria in accordance with the proposal in paragraph 6.9 of the Education White Paper, The Importance of Teaching; and if he will make a statement. [44553]
Mr Gibb: School sixth forms are inspected as part of the inspection of the whole school and graded using the criteria in the Framework for the Inspection of Maintained Schools. Sixth form colleges and further education colleges are inspected and graded using the criteria in the Common Inspection Framework. Ofsted seeks as much alignment as is appropriate between the frameworks. There are, however, different statutory requirements for the inspection of the different types of provision and, consequently, it is inevitable that there are differences between the two frameworks. We believe it is right to continue to inspect the sixth form as an integral part of the rest of the school.
Paragraph 6.9 of the White Paper envisages common performance measures for 16-19 education and training and we are working towards this aim.
Education: Public Expenditure
Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what estimate he has made of public expenditure on education as a proportion of (a) GDP and (b) total public expenditure in the latest period for which figures are available. [44267]
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Tim Loughton: The latest figures available are published in the Public Expenditure Statistical Analyses (PESA) 2010 by Her Majesty’s Treasury.
(a) Estimated public expenditure on education as a percentage of GDP in 2009-10 is 6.3%.
(b) Estimated public expenditure on education as a percentage of total public expenditure is 13.1%.
Educational Psychology
Nic Dakin: To ask the Secretary of State for Education how many educational psychology posts there were in March 2010; and what estimate he has made of the level of such posts in March 2011. [45678]
Sarah Teather [holding answer 21 March 2011]: The latest available figures, from the Annual Survey of Teachers in Service and Teacher Vacancies, show that there were 2,156 full time equivalent educational psychologists in service in England in January 2009.
Information on educational psychology posts is not held centrally. Educational psychology services are demand led and it is the responsibility of local authorities to assess the need and to determine the capacity to meet that need.
The Department announced on 9 March 2011 a review of the training arrangements for educational psychologists. We are taking advantage of the opportunity presented by the consultation on the Green Paper “Support and aspiration: A new approach to special educational needs and disability” to consider options for placing the training of educational psychologists on a more secure footing.
Full details of the scope of the review and how to respond to the Green Paper consultation can be found on the Department for Education’s website. Those wishing to participate in the review or request further information may contact:
edpsvch.review@education.gsi.gov.uk
Free School Meals
Andrew Stephenson: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what steps his Department is taking to (a) identify and (b) support children who qualify for free school meals. [25905]
Mr Gibb: The Department for Education has worked closely with other Government Departments to develop a free school meals eligibility checking system, known as “the ECS”. This has increased identification and support for free school meals because it enables local authorities to check data simultaneously from the Department for Work and Pensions, Home Office and Her Majesty’s Revenue and Customs in order to ascertain whether a parent qualifies for free school meals and removes the need for paper proof of benefit. An increasing number of local authorities allow parents to apply online for free school meals and receive immediate notification of their eligibility.
Take up of school lunch is rising. Every day three million children are eating a healthy school lunch which meets the school food regulations. The latest school lunch take-up survey shows that for the second year running, take up of school lunches has increased; it is now 41.1% in primary from 39.3% in 2009, and 35.8% in secondary schools from 35.0% in 2009.
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From 2011-12, the Government will be introducing a pupil premium worth £2.5 billion by 2014-15, to support the attainment of disadvantaged pupils. The pupil premium will provide schools with an additional £430 for each child known to be eligible for free school meals, in order to help them boost their attainment. Schools are already promoting and supporting parents in applying for free school meals. We therefore expect that the pupil premium, together with the ease with which parents can now apply, will increase take-up further.
Mr Ward: To ask the Secretary of State for Education for what reasons students from households in receipt of working tax credit are not eligible for free school meals. [46973]
Mr Gibb [holding answer 15 March 2011]:Free school meals are intended to provide additional help to children in non-working families as they are not able to claim the additional working tax credit that is available to low income working families with adults working 16 or more hours a week.
The current eligibility criteria are designed to ensure that those most in need receive the additional help that free school meals provide
The Welfare Reform Bill will introduce a universal credit, beginning in 2013, to replace current benefits with a single payment, and will therefore remove the current thresholds. It is intended to be a simpler approach and a fairer way of determining entitlement, but it will mean that the current criteria for identifying entitlement to free school meals no longer exist. An alternative way of identifying entitlement is being developed.
Free Schools: Lancashire
Mr Wallace: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what applications he has received from groups in Lancashire to establish a new free school. [43030]
Mr Gibb: As at 16 March 2011, we have received five proposals from groups and individuals in Lancashire to establish a free school.
Free Schools: Norwich
Simon Wright: To ask the Secretary of State for Education when he plans to announce his decision on the free school application from the OPEN Youth Trust in Norwich; and if he will make a statement. [31974]
Mr Gibb: After assessing The OPEN Youth Trust’s Free School proposal in the same way as all other Free School proposals and in light of the decision to progress the Norfolk university technical college to feasibility stage, we have decided not to take forward the OPEN Youth Trust’s proposal. The proposer was informed of this decision on 10 January 2011.
Further Education: Finance
Karen Lumley: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what plans he has for the future funding of post-16 education; what assessment he has made of the average change in budgets of (a) 13-18 high schools and (b) 11-18 secondary schools in 2011-12; and if he will make a statement. [46897]
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Mr Gibb: We are currently undertaking a review of the 16-19 funding formula to investigate how the formula might in future better support the coalition Government's aims of transparency and fairness, including alignment with the pre-16 funding and Pupil Premium. The review will also take account of the recommendations from Professor Wolf's review of vocational qualifications.
We have not yet completed school sixth form allocations-for 2011/12 but will do so before the end of this financial year. An overall assessment of the average change in budgets for schools in 2011/12 has not been possible because we do not yet have the information to do this. Local authorities are responsible for determining pre-16 school funding and we do not receive returns for 2011/12 budgets until 31 March 2011 at the earliest.
For pre-16 funding, the overall funding in 2011-12 is at flat cash per pupil over 2010-11, and the pupil premium is in addition to that. For post-16 funding, we are committed in 2011-12 to a reduction in the per-pupil funding of no more than 3%.
GCSE
Mr Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what proportion of children taking GCSEs achieved (a) an A*-C grade in both English and mathematics, (b) five or more A*-C GCSE grades including English and mathematics in (i) 2000-01, (ii) 2007-08 and (iii) 2008-09. [44775]
Mr Gibb: In the following table, figures for 2001 are based on pupils aged 15; figures for 2008 and 2009 are based on pupils reaching the end of Key Stage 4.
| Percentage | ||
|
|
Proportion of pupils taking GCSEs who achieved an A*-C grade in both English and mathematics | Proportion of pupils taking GCSEs who achieved five or more A*-C grades including English and mathematics |
| Source: School and College Performance Tables | ||
Damian Hinds: To ask the Secretary of State for Education pursuant to the answer of 28 February 2011, Official Report, columns 265-66W, on GCSEs, what the average cumulative number of GCSE entries was per student reaching school year 11 amongst students entered for at least one GCSE up to and including year 11 in (a) 1996-97 and (b) 2009-10. [45525]
Mr Gibb: The average number of GCSE entries among pupils entered for at least one full GCSE aged 15 at the start of the academic year 1996/97 was 8.51.
The average number of GCSE entries among pupils entered for at least one full GCSE at the end of key stage 4 in 2010 was 7.79.
The averages include attempts and achievement in previous academic years.
Short courses have been counted as half a GCSE entry and double courses as two entries. Also, in 2010, accredited iGCSEs have been included.
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Prior to 2005, statistics were based on pupils aged 15. In 2005, statistics based on pupils reaching the end of key stage 4 were introduced, which aimed to take better account of the attainment of pupils learning at different rates. Since 2009, all figures have been based exclusively on pupils reaching the end of key stage 4.
Source:
School and College Performance Tables.
Members: Correspondence
Mr Baron: To ask the Secretary of State for Education when his Department plans to respond to the letters from the hon. Member for Basildon and Billericay of 19 January and 21 February 2011 on Miss Susan McCaffery. [47996]
Tim Loughton [holding answer 21 March 2011]:The Minister of State, Department for Education, my hon. Friend the Member for Bognor Regis and Littlehampton (Mr Gibb), replied on 18 March.
International Baccalaureate: Music
Dr Wollaston: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what consideration he has given to the merits of including music in the English Baccalaureate. [47573]
Mr Gibb:
We are concerned that the number of pupils, especially those in disadvantaged areas, who receive a broad education in core academic subjects is
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far too small. We want to encourage more pupils to take these core subjects and to bring about greater fairness of opportunity.
The English Baccalaureate does not include all the subjects worthy of study. We recognise that study in other subjects will be just as valuable to pupils and we will encourage all pupils to study non-English Baccalaureate subjects alongside the English Baccalaureate in order to benefit from a well rounded education. This is why we have kept the number of core subjects small enough to allow wider study. Subjects, such as music, which do not count towards the English Baccalaureate, can and will play a part in a well rounded, rigorous education. Achievement in these subjects, as with all GCSEs, will continue to be recognised in the performance tables as part of the A*-C measure, which will remain the basis for secondary school floor standards.
Pupil Exclusions
Charlotte Leslie: To ask the Secretary of State for Education how many and what proportion of pupils at secondary schools with (a) fewer than 800, (b) 800 to 1,000 and (c) more than 1,000 pupils have been permanently excluded in each year since 2000. [17920]
Mr Gibb: The requested information for 2005/06 and 2008/09 is shown in the table.
Data on permanent exclusions were collected via the school census from 2005/06. Prior to that year, permanent exclusions were collected via the pupil level annual school census. For consistency, data on permanent exclusions have been provided for the earliest and the most recent year available using school census data. To provide data for further years would incur disproportionate cost.
| State-funded secondary schools (1, 2) : Number and proportion of pupil enrolments (3) with permanent exclusions by size of school (4) , 2005/06 and 2008/09, England | ||||||
| Schools with fewer than 800 pupils (4) | Schools with 800 to 1,000 pupils (4) | Schools with over 1,000 pupils (4) | ||||
|
|
Number of enrolments with permanent exclusions (5) | Percentage of school population with permanent exclusions (6) | Number of enrolments with permanent exclusions (5) | Percentage of school population with permanent exclusions (6) | Number of enrolments with permanent exclusions (5) | Percentage of school population with permanent exclusions (6) |
| (1) Includes middle schools as deemed. (2) Includes city technology colleges and academies. (3) Pupils may be counted more than once if they moved schools during the year, or are registered at more than one school, (4) Headcount or solely registered pupils taken from the January school census. Schools which were not open at the January census have been excluded from the analysis. (5) Data are as returned by schools. (6) The number of pupil enrolments expressed as a percentage of the number (headcount) of pupils (excluding dually registered) pupils as at the January school census. Note: Numbers have been rounded to the nearest 10. Source: School census. | ||||||
Pupil Exclusions: West Midlands
Mr Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Education how many school children were excluded permanently from schools in (a) Coventry and (b) the West Midlands in 2010. [47881]
Mr Gibb: Exclusions data for the 2009/10 academic year are not yet available. A Statistical First Release (SFR), which will include national and local authority level data on permanent exclusions, is due to be published in July.
Information on permanent exclusions for the 2008/09 academic year is provided in the following table.
The information has been published as part of the SFR Permanent and Fixed Period Exclusions from Schools in England 2008/09, in Table 17, at:
http://www.education.gov.uk/rsgateway/DB/SFR/s000942/index.shtml
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| Maintained primary, state-funded secondary and special schools (1,) () (2) number of permanent exclusions (3) 2008/09 in west midlands Government office region and Coventry local authority (estimates) | ||||||||
| Maintained primary (1) | Maintained secondary (1) | Special (2) | Maintained primary; state-funded secondary and special schools (1,) () (2,) () (4) | |||||
|
|
Number of permanent exclusions | Percentage of the school population (5) | Number of permanent exclusions | Percentage of the school population (5) | Number of permanent exclusions | Percentage of the school population (5) | Number of permanent exclusions (6) | Percentage of the school population (5) |
| (1) Includes middle schools as deemed. (2) Includes maintained and non-maintained special schools. Excludes general hospital schools. (3) Figures are as confirmed by local authorities as part of the data checking exercise. (4) Includes city technology colleges and academies (including all-through academies). (5 )The number of permanent exclusions expressed as a percentage of the number (headcount) of pupils {excluding dually registered pupils) in January 2009. (6) Regional totals and the local authority total have been rounded to the nearest 10. (7) Less than five, or a percentage based on less than five. Source: School Census | ||||||||
Pupils: Bullying
Mrs Glindon: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what plans he has to issue guidance to (a) teachers, (b) schools and (c) local authorities on online and cyber bullying. [27699]
Tim Loughton [holding answer 30 November 2010]: In our Schools White Paper, The Importance of Teaching, we announced measures to ensure head teachers take a strong stand against all forms of bullying, including cyberbullying. These measures include radically reducing the existing 481 pages of bullying guidance for schools to make it sharper. We will also encourage the promotion and sharing of good practice, so that what works in one school or area is learnt by others. This will help ensure that excellent ways of tackling bullying and cyberbullying are replicated everywhere.
We continue to work with the UK Council for Child Internet Safety (UKCCIS), which is co-chaired by Ministers: the Under-Secretary of State for the Home Department, my hon Friend the Member for Old Bexley and Sidcup (James Brokenshire) and I. Several of its members, for example Childnet and BeatBullying, work directly with children, young people and families, as well as in schools, to promote e-safety and tackle cyberbullying. Industry is also working with UKCCIS to self-regulate and promote good practice to make cyberbullying easier to report, and enable prompt removal of harmful content, while making it harder for users to engage in such activity.
Pupils: Disadvantaged
Mr Rob Wilson: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what the monetary value of the pupil premium will be per qualifying pupil in each year to 2014-15. [28829]
Mr Gibb: The level of the pupil premium in 2011-12 will be £430 per pupil. The total amount allocated for the pupil premium is £625 million for 2011-12, rising to £2.5 billion in 2014-15. We have not yet determined how much it will be in the interim years and will review which pupils will be eligible in the future.
Mr Iain Wright: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what assessment he has made of the effects of reductions in enrichment funding for 16-19 providers on students in deprived communities. [42422]
Mr Gibb: The YPLA’s 16-19 funding statement set out the Government’s key priority to rebalance funding towards disadvantaged students and those needing additional support. That is why we are allocating £150 million of the savings made from removing the requirement to deliver specific activities through enrichment funding in order to increase the targeted funding in the national funding formula which addresses deprivation. Funding for young people who live in the most disadvantaged areas of England and those who are disadvantaged by other circumstances will increase by over a third in 2011/12 to a total of some £770 million. This, along with the additional funding we have also made available to support foundation learning, will ensure that funding is targeted where it is most needed. We have committed to reviewing the funding formula to determine how a ‘young person’s premium’ might operate in future in order to increase attainment by the most disadvantaged students.
We will not be directing schools and colleges to use the increases in funding for disadvantaged young people in any particular way, because they know best the needs of their students. However, we expect at least some of it will be used to support the sort of enrichment activity that will benefit the hardest to reach young people.
Mr Stewart Jackson: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what estimate he has made of the number of pupils in Peterborough constituency who will qualify for the pupil premium. [46809]
Mr Gibb [ h olding answer 17 March 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 Census, Pupil Referral Unit Census and Alternative Provision Census. 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.
Local authorities will also attract the Looked After Child Pupil Premium for 2011-12 which will be allocated to local authorities for pupils who at some point in the year to 31 March 2010 were looked after continuously
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for at least 6 months, and who were aged 4 to 15 on 31 August 2009 as recorded on the April 2010 Local Authority return. Each pupil will attract £430 of funding which will go to the responsible local authority that will pass it to maintained schools for eligible pupils.
The January 2010 School Census allows an estimate of the number of pupils known to be eligible for FSM to be made. In the Peterborough constituency in January 2010 there were 3,352 pupils known to be eligible, which would give rise to a pupil premium of £1,441,360. In addition to this there were 37 pupils known to be eligible for the Service child premium, paid at a lower rate of £200 per pupil, which would give rise to a further £7,400. However, these are estimates only and are not necessarily indicative of how the pupil premium will be distributed. It is not possible to determine the number of parliamentary constituency pupils recorded on the Alternative Provision census or recorded as Looked After as they are both local authority, rather than establishment level, returns.
Pupils: Per Capita Costs
Lisa Nandy: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what estimate he has made of the financial effect on the per pupil funding of each local authority of a school becoming an academy school. [22601]
Mr Gibb: Adjustments are made to funding for local authorities for funding that would otherwise have been available to a school, including its share of central services.
Religion: Education
Dr Huppert: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what his policy is on (a) ensuring that free schools are not permitted to teach creationism outside the religious education curriculum and (b) requiring evolution to be taught as a science in such schools. [39598]
Mr Gibb [holding answer 10 February 2011]: Academies and free schools will benefit from having freedom over the curriculum they deliver. However, we have been clear that creationism should not form part of any science curriculum or be taught as a scientific alternative to accepted scientific theories. We expect to see evolution and its foundation topics fully included in any science curriculum. Under the Government's planned reforms to school inspection, there will be stronger focus on teaching. Teachers will be expected to demonstrate that their subject knowledge is secure. If creationism is being taught as a scientific fact in science or any other areas of the curriculum outside denominational RE and collective worship, this would be noted in the Ofsted report.
Schools: Biometrics
Nicola Blackwood: To ask the Secretary of State for Education which information his Department holds on the number of (a) primary schools, (b) secondary schools and (c) sixth form colleges which are using biometric systems; and if he will make a statement. [46750]
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Mr Gibb: We do not require schools or sixth form colleges to provide this information.
However, we estimate based on reports of freedom of information requests carried out by the media and interest groups that approximately 30% of secondary schools and five percent of primary schools use such systems. We have no similar estimate for how many sixth form colleges use biometric systems.
Legislation in the Protection of Freedoms Bill will ensure that no children’s biometric data are taken, in schools or colleges, without parental permission. The Protection of Freedoms Bill will also give children the right to refuse to use biometric systems and ensure that alternatives are provided for children who opt out or whose parents opt out of using biometric technology. The Government believe that with these safeguards in place schools and sixth form colleges should be left to decide if biometric technology is appropriate for them to use.
Schools: Bradford
Mr Ward: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what estimate his Department has made of the additional school places needed to meet population growth in the Bradford district by 2020. [47169]
Mr Gibb: It is the responsibility of each local authority to manage the supply and demand for primary and secondary school places in their area and secure a place for every child of statutory school age who wants one. The Department will continue to provide capital funding and work with local authorities to ensure there are sufficient school places.
The Department does collect information from each local authority on school capacity in maintained schools through an annual survey, which includes local authorities’ own pupil forecasts (five years for primary places and seven years for secondary places). The most recent survey data relate to the position at May 2010 and are available on the Department for Education’s website:
http://www.education.gov.uk/
Schools: Discretionary Learner Support Fund
Mr Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Education on what date he plans to inform schools and further education colleges in Coventry of their allocation of discretionary learner support for 2011-12. [47378]
Mr Gibb [holding answer 21 March 2011]:We will be announcing details of the new arrangements for financial support for young people aged 16-19 shortly.
Schools: Drugs
John Pugh: To ask the Secretary of State for Education when the revised guidance on managing medicines in schools will be published; and what steps he plans to take to publicise the guidance to all relevant school staff. [45454]
Sarah Teather:
This Department, together with the Department of Health, is currently reviewing the Managing Medicines in Schools and Early Years Settings guidance, published in March 2005. The aim of the review is to
22 Mar 2011 : Column 1045W
produce some clear and concise guidance that clarifies roles and expectations, and signposts good practice. We plan to publish the revised guidance in time for the start of the next academic year in September.
The revised guidance will be published on the Department's website at:
www.education.gov.uk/
We will look for opportunities to publicise it as widely as possible.
Schools: Finance
Mr Slaughter: To ask the Secretary of State for Education how much funding he (a) has allocated and (b) plans to allocate to the (i) acquisition, (ii) equipment and (iii) running costs of the (A) West London free school and (b) Ark Conway primary school. [44790]
Mr Gibb: The Secretary of State for Education has approved the funding agreement for the West London free school, but has not yet approved a funding agreement for Ark Conway primary school.
As acquisitions for both sites are ongoing, we are unable to release cost details at this stage. Equipment and running costs for both free school projects have yet to be finalised.
Full details of costs for both free school projects will be made available shortly after the schools open, and when costs will be fully finalised.
Schools: Rural Areas
Dr Poulter: To ask the Secretary of State for Education if he will introduce an education funding formula with the purpose of providing specific support to schools in rural areas. [45885]
Mr Gibb: As we said in the White Paper “The Importance of Teaching”, our long-term aspiration is to move to a national funding formula for schools to ensure that resources going to schools are transparent, logical and equitable. In order to ensure any move to a new national funding formula is fair, transparent and managed carefully, we will invite views on: the merits of moving to such a formula, the right time to begin the transition to a formula, the transitional arrangements necessary to ensure that schools and local authorities do not suffer undue turbulence, and the factors to take into account in order to assess the needs of pupils for funding purposes. The particular needs of rural areas will be looked at as part of the review. We will also invite views on how to ensure that the transparency of the Pupil Premium as additional resources for schools is maintained as the funding system is reformed. We will publish a consultation in the spring of 2011, following discussion with partners including local authorities, school leaders and teachers' associations.
Schools: Sports
Dr Pugh: To ask the Secretary of State for Education how much funding from the public purse was spent on sport in schools from each funding source in each year since 2003. [26792]
22 Mar 2011 : Column 1046W
Tim Loughton: A total of £2.4 billion of Exchequer and lottery funding has been allocated to deliver the previous Government’s PE and sport strategy since 2003. This includes lottery funding, and joint funding from consecutive spending review settlements for the Departments for Education and for Culture, Media and Sport, as follows:
|
|
£ million |
It is not possible to calculate the additional funding schools will have allocated to school sport from within their own budgets over this period.
Caroline Lucas: To ask the Secretary of State for Education pursuant to the oral answer from the Prime Minister of 24 November 2010, Official Report, columns 258-59, how much he plans to spend on sports in schools in each of the next three years following the ending of the School Sport Partnerships scheme; and if he will make a statement. [28051]
Tim Loughton: The Secretary of State for Education has said he expects levels of provision of sport in schools at least to remain the same. To help make this possible, school sport partnerships will receive funding to allow them to continue to function up until the end of the 2011 summer term. This funding will be used to fund the provision of physical education and sport; to embed existing good practice throughout the system; and to introduce sporting competitions for more pupils as part of the coalition Government’s School games.
In addition, we will make available £65 million of new funding for schools to enable them to provide more opportunities for competitive sport. This funding will pay for one day a week of a secondary PE teacher’s time to be spent out of the classroom, encouraging greater take-up of competitive sport in primary schools and securing a fixture network for schools to increase the amount of intra-and inter-school competition. We will be writing to schools with further details shortly.
The Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport recently announced the creation of a network of school games organisers. These games organisers will work with released PE teachers to ensure every primary school pupil has access to high quality competitive sport.
This approach will mean that funding and support are there so that schools can continue to work in partnerships to deliver sport if they wish to, in order to increase competitive sport.
Mr Ivan Lewis: To ask the Secretary of State for Education whether he has undertaken an assessment of the effects on the level of participation in sport among young people of the withdrawal of funding for School Sport Partnerships. [30923]
Tim Loughton: We do not expect any adverse effect on the level of participation in sport resulting from our new approach to funding school sports.
22 Mar 2011 : Column 1047W
The new direction of travel, and initial funding, for the coalition Government's new approach on school sports was announced by the Secretary of State in December 2010. The proposals will encourage more pupils to play competitive sports and give schools and teachers more control over what is taught and how they teach.
Furthermore, physical education (PE) is a compulsory subject of the National Curriculum, and all pupils must take part in sport activities that are part of their school's teaching of PE unless they are disapplied. In announcing the review of the National Curriculum in January 2011, we have made clear that we will retain the legal requirement for all maintained schools to continue to provide PE for all pupils of compulsory school age. The first phase of the review will refocus the programme of study for PE to encourage competitive sport.
Mike Weatherley: To ask the Secretary of State for Education how much funding his Department allocated to school sport partnerships in Brighton and Hove in (a) 2007, (b) 2008 and (c) 2009. [33163]
Tim Loughton: All maintained schools in the City of Brighton and Hove belong to the Dorothy Stringer School Sport Partnership. The funding allocated to this partnership in 2007, 2008 and 2009 was as follows: £349,771 in 2007, £388,308 in 2008, and £388,287 in 2009.
Simon Danczuk: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what assessment he has made of the long-term effects of his Department's changes to school sports funding on public health. [33268]
Tim Loughton: The Government are putting in place, and funding, a simpler and more sustainable approach to physical education and sport in schools. By setting clear expectations for all pupils in the National Curriculum, by giving schools the freedom and funding to deliver as they see best, and by encouraging pupils to play more sport through the creation of a new School Games, the Government expect to contribute to the long-term good health of all pupils.
Ms Angela Eagle: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what proportion of school students in (a) Wallasey constituency and (b) Wirral borough council participate in five hours or more of school sports each week. [33872]
Tim Loughton: The Department does not collect information about student participation in five hours or more of school sport per week, including by constituency or local authority.
Simon Danczuk: To ask the Secretary of State for Education if he will estimate the number of students in Rochdale school participating in school sports in each of (a) the last two financial years and (b) next two financial years. [35606]
Tim Loughton:
Physical education (PE) is a compulsory subject of the national curriculum, and all pupils must take part in sport activities that are part of their school’s teaching of PE unless they are disapplied. In announcing the review of the national curriculum in January 2011,
22 Mar 2011 : Column 1048W
we have made clear that we will retain the requirement for all maintained schools to continue to provide PE for all pupils of compulsory school age.
The number of students on the roll of maintained primary and secondary schools in Rochdale local authority area in 2009 and 2010, and the number of students estimated to attend in 2011 and 2012, are set out in the table.
|
|
Student numbers |
| (1 )Source: school census and school capacity survey. (2) School census data are collected in January every year. (3) Student numbers have been rounded to the nearest 10. | |
Helen Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Education when he expects school sport partnerships in Warrington to receive formal notification of their funding for 2010-11. [37178]
Tim Loughton: The Department for Education notified all School Sport Partnerships of their final funding for 2010-11 on 20 January 2011. This covered final payments to School Sport Partnerships up to the end of the summer term 2011. The Department had previously informed all School Sport Partnerships, on 21 December 2010, of the basis for calculating the grant for 2010-11.
Sixth-form Education: Repairs and Maintenance
Damian Hinds: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what estimate he has made of the proportion of sixth form colleges that have carried out zero-rated capital works which have made use of the statutory concessions permitting up to five per cent. business use in the last 10 years. [46929]
Mr Gibb: Sixth form colleges are independent organisations responsible for the management of their own estates and the delivery of their own programmes and services. Neither the Department nor the Young People’s Learning Agency collects or holds information pertaining to the proportion of sixth form colleges that have made use of the statutory concessions in relation to zero-rated capital works.
Sixth-form Colleges: Capital Investment
Damian Hinds: To ask the Secretary of State for Education which sixth-form colleges undertook capital works of a monetary value of more than £1 million in the last 10 years; and which such projects attracted a zero rate of value added tax in respect of (a) less than 10 per cent., (b) between 11 per cent. and 50 per cent., (c) between 51 per cent. and 90 per cent. and (d) 91 per cent. or above of the monetary value of the project. [45639]
Mr Gibb:
Information held by the YPLA has recorded that 73 sixth-form colleges undertook capital works, the costs of which totalled more than £1 million over the last 10 years. The list of the 73 colleges is listed as follows and excludes those institutions that are no longer sixth-form colleges. In addition, some sixth-form colleges
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will have undertaken capital works that did not require approval and for which the YPLA does not have information.
The YPLA has not been required to report on VAT rates and levels, but does have access to some information on the amount of VAT that has been paid on each project. However, the information is not readily available and can be obtained only at disproportionate costs. Sixth-form colleges themselves would hold the VAT information relevant to works that did not require approval.
Sixth-form colleges with projects with a cost of more than £1 million during period of April 2001 to March 2011
Alton College
Aquinas College
Ashton under Lyne Sixth Form College
Barton Peveril College
Bexhill College
Birkenhead Sixth Form College
Blackpool Sixth Form College
Bolton Sixth Form College
Brighton Hove and Sussex Sixth Form College
Cadbury College
Cardinal Newman College
Carmel College
Christ the King Sixth Form College
City of Stoke on Trent Sixth Form College
Coulsdon College
East Norfolk Sixth Form College
Farnborough Sixth Form College
Farnham College
Franklin Sixth Form College
Gateway College
Godalming College
Greenhead College
Hartlepool Sixth Form College
Havant College
Havering Sixth Form College
Hereford Sixth Form College
Hills Road Sixth Form College
Holy Cross College
Huddersfield New College
John Leggott College
John Ruskin College
Joseph Chamberlain College
Josiah Mason Sixth Form College
King George V College
Leyton Sixth Form College
Long Road Sixth Form College
Loreto College
Luton Sixth Form College
New College Pontefract
Newham Sixth Form College
Notre Dame Sixth Form College
Palmers College
Peter Symonds College
Portsmouth College
Priestley College
Queen Elizabeth Sixth Form College
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Queen Mary’s College
Reigate Sixth Form College
Richard Huish College
Sir George Monoux College
Sir John Deane’s College
Solihull Sixth Form College
St Brendan’s Sixth Form College
St Charles Sixth Form College
St Dominic’s Sixth Form College
St Francis Xavier College
St John Rigby College
St Mary’s College, Blackburn
Stockton Sixth Form College
Strode’s College
Taunton’s College
The College of Richard Collyer in Horsham
The Sixth Form College Colchester
The Sixth Form College Farnborough
Thomas Rotherham College
Totton College
Widnes and Runcorn Sixth Form College
Wilberforce College
Winstanley College
Woodhouse College
Wyggeston and Queen Elizabeth I College
Wyke College
Xaverian College
Special Educational Needs
Karen Lumley: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what criteria his Department uses to determine which children should be referred to a special needs school; and if he will make a statement. [32243]
Sarah Teather: Other than in prescribed circumstances, such as for the purposes of an assessment, only children who have a statement of special educational needs (SEN) can be admitted to a special school. Decisions on whether to place children with statements in special schools are for local authorities, acting in accordance with the Education Act 1996 and taking account of the Department’s statutory guidance the SEN Code of Practice (2001) and Inclusive Schooling (2001).
The parents of children with SEN statements can request that their children are admitted to a maintained special school. Where they do so, the local authority must place the child in that school unless it is unsuitable to the child’s age, ability, aptitude or SEN or attendance at the school would be incompatible with the efficient education of the other children with whom the child would be educated or the efficient use of resources. Parents can also make representations to the local authority for their child to be educated at an independent or non-maintained special school. The local authority must consider those representations and can arrange for the child to be admitted to such a school if doing so is necessary to meet the child’s SEN.
Local authorities can admit children with SEN statements to special schools even where their parents have requested a mainstream education for their child. If the parents have requested that the child is educated in mainstream
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schooling without requesting a particular school, the local authority can instead place the child in a special school if mainstream education is unsuitable to the child’s age, ability, aptitude and SEN or attending a mainstream school would be incompatible with the education of other children and there were no reasonable steps that could be taken to prevent that incompatibility. If the parents request a particular mainstream school then the local authority also has to consider whether placing the child at the school would be incompatible with the efficient use of resources.
On 9 March the Department published a Green Paper, “Support and Aspiration: A new approach to special educational needs and disability”, for consultation until 30 June. The document mentions Inclusive Schooling in the context of parental choice of school for their children and asks readers whether they:
“feel that the statutory guidance on inclusion and school choice, Inclusive Schooling, allows appropriately for parental preferences for either a mainstream or special school”.
The Government will consider responses to the questions in the Green Paper carefully.
The Green Paper refers to the Government’s White Paper “The Importance of Learning” which sets out plans for a new school system. These plans include an expanded Academy programme which will give special schools, starting with those judged by Ofsted to be outstanding, the opportunity to become Academies and the opportunity for teachers, charities, parent groups and others to open special free schools, in response to parental demand. The Government intend to introduce legislation to ensure that the parents of children with statements, or the Education, Health and Care Plans which will replace them, have equivalent rights to request any state-funded school, whether that is a special school, mainstream school, Academy or free school.
Mrs Hodgson: To ask the Secretary of State for Education whether he has plans to require schools to record (a) pupils with a disability and (b) the type of disability. [37898]
Sarah Teather: From 2011 the School Census enabled schools in England to provide information on the disability of children on a voluntary basis. Future collection and publication arrangements for data on disability will be considered in the light of data and collected responses to January 2011 School Census returns which will become available in the spring.
Students: Attendance
John Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what the average attendance rate was of students in further education in each year since 2004 in each local authority area. [41243]
Mr Gibb: Information on absence is not collected for further education establishments. The Department collects information on pupil absence for pupils aged five to 15 at the start of the school year from maintained primary, maintained secondary, all special schools, city technology colleges and academies.
Information on absence can be found in Statistical First Release 07/2010 ‘Pupil Absence in Schools in England, Including Pupil Characteristics: 2008/09’ at:
http://www.education.gov.uk/rsgateway/DB/SFR/s000918/index.shtml
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Teachers: Pay
Stephen Hammond: To ask the Secretary of State for Education if he will bring forward proposals for the reimbursement to local authorities in outer London boroughs of the full cost of payment of inner London salary scales to teachers. [47647]
Mr Gibb [holding answer 18 March 2011]: In the White Paper ‘The Importance of Teaching’ we said that we will consult on developing and introducing a clear, transparent and fairer national funding formula based on the needs of pupils, to work alongside the pupil premium. We are aware of the concerns of six London boroughs which are treated as inner London in terms of teachers' pay but outer London for the Area Cost Adjustment in the calculation of their funding. The whole question of the Area Cost Adjustment is being considered as part of the proposals for a national funding formula and will be included in the consultation which will be issued shortly.
Teachers: Redundancy
Mr Sheerman: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what estimate he has made of the number of teachers who will be made redundant in the academic year 2010-11. [47274]
Mr Gibb: No such assessment has been made centrally. The funding settlement for 2010-11 protects funding per pupil for schools in cash terms, and provides additional funding for the pupil premium on top of that.
It is for schools and employers to make their own decisions in respect of planning any necessary redundancies, although we would expect schools to look to make efficiency gains in areas such as procurement and back office before they consider reducing their teaching staff.
University Technical College: Houghton Regis
Andrew Selous: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what progress has been made on plans for a university technical college in Houghton Regis; when it will open; and if he will make a statement. [47862]
Mr Gibb [holding answer 18 March 2011]: University technical colleges will be newly-established 14-19 academies which focus on delivering technical education that engages young people and meets the needs of modern business. There has been a very high level of interest in this programme and we need to ensure that we support the proposals which best meet the criteria. The sponsors of the proposed university technical college at Houghton Regis will shortly be invited to send in an application, alongside other proposed UTCs with opening dates of 2012 and beyond. The Department will then decide whether to approve the proposal for further development. Final agreement to open will be subject to satisfactory resolution of any issues identified during the development phase.
Vocational Guidance
Mr Marsden:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education how many meetings officials of his Department have had with officials of the Department
22 Mar 2011 : Column 1053W
for Business, Innovation and Skills on the implementation of the all-age careers service since November 2010; and at what level each such meeting has taken place. [47397]
Mr Gibb [holding answer 17 March 2011]: Department for Education officials meet very regularly with officials from the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills, at different working levels, to discuss the implementation of the all-age careers service. Both Departments are represented on a formally established Careers Guidance Project Board and Advisory Group on the all-age careers service.
Mr Marsden: To ask the Secretary of State for Education how much of his Department's funding to local authorities for careers advice and guidance activity in 2010-11 is to be transferred to (a) all-age careers service, (b) schools and colleges and (c) other associated bodies in future years. [47398]
Mr Gibb [holding answer 17 March 2011]: Local authorities will receive funding through the Early Intervention Grant (EIG), which will replace a number of 2010-11 funding streams including the Connexions grant. It will provide substantial funding (a total of £2,222 million in 2011-12 and £2,307 million in 2012-13) with new flexibility to enable local authorities to act more strategically and target investment early, where it will have the greatest impact. We have not proposed indicative allocations for careers advice or for any other activities. This is for local authorities to decide. Schools' budgets are funded through the Dedicated Schools Grant, which is not ring-fenced for specific activities.
Mr Marsden: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what arrangements he has made for interim information advice and guidance to young people in connection with Connexions services which have been withdrawn prior to the introduction of the all-age careers service. [47399]
Mr Gibb [holding answer 17 March 2011]:Local authorities will retain their statutory duty to make available services to encourage, enable or assist the effective participation of young people in education or training. Decisions about the design and targeting of such services, including any changes to Connexions services, are for local authorities to make.
We recognise the importance of communicating clearly to schools how their responsibilities for careers guidance will change, and are developing plans to do so, in order to inform the decisions schools make about appropriate levels of support for their pupils in advance of the formal commencement of the duty to secure access to independent careers guidance in the Education Bill.
Westminster Academy
Mr Iain Wright: To ask the Secretary of State for Education pursuant to the answer of 9 March 2011, Official Report, columns 1117-8W, on Westminster Academy, what the total (a) travel and (b) accommodation costs were in respect of each of the international speakers. [47867]
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Mr Gibb [holding answer 18 March 2011]: As outlined in the reply of 9 March 2011, Official Report, columns 1117-8W, the Department covered the travel and accommodation costs for each of the international speakers who spoke at the Free Schools Conference in January. This included a return economy flight from the US, accommodation costs at a Government approved hotel and one evening meal.
The total cost came to £5,265.89, of which £3,054.89 was spent on flights, £2,160 spent on accommodation and £51 spent on meals.
Written Questions: Government Responses
Nic Dakin: To ask the Secretary of State for Education when he plans to answer questions (a) 34896, (b) 34897, (c) 34894, (d) 34873 and (e) 34874 tabled on 17 January 2011. [44869]
Mr Gibb [holding answer 7 March 2011]: Responses to the hon. Member’s questions have been issued as follows:
PQ 34896—4 March 2011, Official Report, columns 657-58W
PQ 34897—7 March 2011, Official Report, column 889W
PQ 34894—14 March 2011, Official Report, column 55W
PQ 34873—15 March 2011, Official Report, column 182W
PQ 34874—14 March 2011, Official Report, column 55W
Mr Raynsford: To ask the Secretary of State for Education when he plans to respond to Question 39943, on allocation of funding through the pupil premium, tabled on 7 February 2011. [44907]
Mr Gibb [holding answer 8 March 2011 ] : A response to the right hon. Member’s question was issued on 15 March 2011, Official R eport, columns 176-77W.
Transport
Aviation: Security
Mr Marcus Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will take steps to introduce a US-style crew personnel advanced screening system at UK airports; and if he will make a statement. [47093]
Mrs Villiers: I refer the hon. Member to my answer of 7 March 2011, Official Report, column 831W, given to the hon. Member for North Wiltshire (Mr Gray).
Biofuels: EU Law
Dan Byles: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what assessment he has made of the potential effects of the European Renewable Energy Directive's target of 10 per cent. biofuel use for road transport by 2020 on (a) European wheat prices, (b) the total amount of agricultural land required for the production of the amount of biofuel required to meet this target and (c) the pump price of (i) diesel and (ii) petrol in the UK. [47670]
Norman Baker:
The European Renewable Energy Directive (RED) requires member states to source 10 per cent of transport energy from renewable sources by
22 Mar 2011 : Column 1055W
2020 and sets mandatory sustainability standards for biofuels and bioliquids. It is anticipated that all member states will meet the majority of this requirement through the deployment of biofuels.
The Department published an Impact Assessment to accompany the 2009 Renewable Energy Strategy. This estimates that in 2020 the biofuel supplied to meet the RED target will add between 1 and 2.4 pence per litre (ppl) to the price of diesel with petrol prices change within a range between a 2.7 ppl price reduction and a 3.2 ppl price increase. The ranges reflect varying projections of fossil fuel price and agricultural yields.
We have made no specific assessment on the impact on wheat price or agricultural land. The European Commission has published several studies into the projected land use for biofuels supplied to meet the RED. These are available at:
http://ec.europa.eu/energy/renewables/studies/land_use_change_en.htm
BRB (Residuary): Finance
Maria Eagle: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what the budget for BRB (Residuary) Ltd (a) was for (i) 2009-10 and (ii) 2010-11 and (b) will be for (A) 2011-12, (B) 2012-13, (C) 2013-14 and (D) 2014-15. [46648]
Mrs Villiers: Financial results for 2009-10 are published in BRB(R)'s annual report. The report and accounts for the company are available on their website at:
www.brbr.co.uk
Audited accounts for 2010-11 will be published on their website in due course. Spending and income in respect of the company's activities in future years are commercially sensitive.
Departmental Public Expenditure
Maria Eagle: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what the revenue budget for departmental administration was as allocated (a) for 2010-11 by the previous Administration and (b) in the March 2010 budget. [46644]
Norman Baker: The 2010-11 administration cost limit for the Department for Transport was £276,102,000. This figure was agreed as part of the spring supplementary estimate process under the previous Administration and was not revised in the March 2010 budget.
Disabled Persons Transport Advisory Committee: Finance
Maria Eagle: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what estimate has been made of the budget for the Disabled Persons Transport Advisory Committee in (a) 2010-11, (b) 2011-12, (c) 2012-13, (d) 2013-14 and (e) 2014-15. [46645]
Norman Baker: The budget for Disabled Persons Transport Advisory Committee in 2010-11 is £496,000.
No final budget allocation has been made for DPTAC for 2011-12.
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First Great Western Railways
Kerry McCarthy: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what recent discussions (a) he and (b) officials in his Department have had with the management of First Group on the (i) First Great Western franchise and (ii) the exercise of the 2013 break clause in the franchise agreement. [47395]
Mrs Villiers [ h olding answer 17 March 2011] : The Secretary of State and Department for Transport officials meet with franchised train operators and their owners regularly. These discussions have included First Great Western's options in relation to the termination date of the franchise should it pass the franchise Continuation Review.
Highways Agency: Finance
Maria Eagle: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what steps he is taking to reduce the Highways Agency revenue budget; how much each action he plans to take will save; and how much will be saved by each such action in each financial year of the comprehensive spending review period. [46640]
Mike Penning: The Highways Agency is currently working on plans to make the necessary reductions in expenditure within the spending review period ending in 2014-15.
The three key areas where savings are planned to be made are;
the delivery of efficiency savings on maintenance
the delivery of efficiency savings on major road schemes
the delivery of Traffic Officer Service reforms
The document published on the 28 October 2010, “Investment in Highways Transport Schemes” describes some of the key actions required. More details on the Highways Agency indicative budgets for the next four years will be published in the 2011-12 Highways Agency business plan which will be available at the end of this month.
Large Goods Vehicles: Driving Offences
Dr Poulter: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what steps his Department is taking to ensure drivers of light and heavy goods vehicles registered overseas are prosecuted for motoring offences committed in England and Wales. [45883]
Mike Penning: The police and examiners from the Department’s Vehicle and Operator Services Agency (VOSA) are empowered to demand on-the-spot deposit payments from those offenders who do not have a satisfactory UK address. Such payments are taken either to cover the fixed penalty for the relevant offence or as a form of surety covering the potential fine for an offence which will be prosecuted in court.
Motor Vehicles: Manufacturing Industries
Ian Lucas: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will assess the progress of the development of infrastructure in the North East to support low-carbon vehicles. [47856]
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Norman Baker: The North East was awarded £3 million through the Government's Plugged-ln Places programme to support the delivery of around 1,900 public, workplace and domestic chargepoints for plug-in electric vehicles by March 2013. The project's delivery is currently on-track.
Piracy: Horn of Africa
Jim Fitzpatrick: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what discussions he has had with ministerial colleagues on the effect on UK shipping of the incidence of piracy off the coast of the Horn of Africa. [46738]
Mike Penning: I am in regular contact with my ministerial colleagues in other Government Departments regarding physical protection of vessels, the possible use of armed security companies, and land based solutions for the causes of piracy. Cross-ministerial meetings with industry representatives have also been held to discuss the issue.
Piracy: Somalia
Mr Jim Murphy: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what recent assessment he made of the effects on the UK economy of piracy launched from the coast of Somalia. [46458]
Mike Penning: Piracy is a global issue and it is difficult to fully calculate the cost to the UK both in terms of costs to industry and the Government's costs to resource the international efforts on counter piracy off the coast of Somalia. The Department is working with industry to estimate costs to the UK and I have met with them on a number of occasions to discuss this issue. A recently published paper from the One Earth Foundation calculates the global economic costs of maritime piracy to be between $7 billion and $12 billion.
Railways: Construction
Maria Eagle: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport (1) what the change will be in the number of fast trains to London from (a) Coventry, (b) Liverpool, (c) Manchester, (d) Stoke-on-Trent, (e) Wolverhampton, (f) Tamworth and (g) Nuneaton as a result of the High Speed 2 line; [46153]
(2) how many passenger journeys on conventional trains are projected to be (a) slower and (b) disrupted by the High Speed 2 line; [46154]
(3) which train services would be (a) slower and (b) cancelled due to High Speed 2 being built; and which routes would be affected. [46155]
Mr Philip Hammond: A national high speed rail network would provide significant opportunities to improve services on the existing network by releasing capacity currently used for long-distance services between major conurbations. Such released capacity could be used in many ways, including additional fast commuter or regional services, or improvements to east-west routes. At this stage, no decisions have been taken on timetables that will not be in operation for at least 15 years.
Maria Eagle: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport (1) what analysis his Department has undertaken on the timescales for the realisation of economic benefits from High Speed 2 in (a) Birmingham, (b) Manchester and (c) Leeds; [46156]
22 Mar 2011 : Column 1058W
(2) what estimate he has made of the economic benefits to (a) Northampton, (b) Rugby and (c) Milton Keynes as a result of High Speed 2; [46170]
(3) what his estimate is of the monetary value of the benefits of High Speed 2 in each financial year from 2026-27 until completion of the line; [46175]
(4) what estimate he has made of the effect on the economic output of (a) Birmingham, (b) Leeds, (c) Manchester, (d) London, (e) the North West, (f) the North East, (g) the East Midlands and (h) the South East of completion of the High Speed 2 line to (i) Birmingham, (ii) Leeds and (iii) Manchester. [46176]
Mr Philip Hammond: A national high speed rail network would support balanced and sustainable economic growth across the UK. The Government’s proposed Y-shaped network is estimated to bring quantifiable benefits of £44 billion to the UK over a 60-year period, as well as significant additional non-monetised benefits from its contribution to job creation and regeneration and its long-term effect in stimulating growth.
The analysis undertaken at this stage in the overall project on where and when these benefits might accrue is set out in the suite of documents published to support the current consultation on high speed rail. Further information is available in previous reports prepared by HS2 Ltd and published by the Department for Transport. All of this information is available on the consultation website at:
http://highspeedrail.dft.gov.uk
and the Department’s website at:
http://www.dft.gov.uk/pgr/rail/pi/highspeedrail/
Maria Eagle: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what recent steps he has taken to ensure that (a) highways, (b) rail and (c) local transport schemes that his Department is committed to build before 2015 are completed before the opening of High Speed 2. [46159]
Mr Philip Hammond: The status of existing committed projects will be unaffected by the introduction of HS2.
Maria Eagle: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport (1) what recent meetings he has had with (a) individuals and (b) organisations which may offer third party funding for High Speed Rail 2; and what estimates he has made of the level of third party funding for the construction of High Speed 2; [46160]
(2) when he plans to publish further information on funding arrangements for the cost of High Speed 2. [46161]
Mr Philip Hammond: The funding principles that the Government propose to employ are set out in the consultation document. Further work on funding options would be undertaken in preparation for a hybrid Bill.
I have had discussions with large numbers of companies and other organisations about a wide range of issues related to HS2.
Maria Eagle: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport (1) what estimate he has made of the annual passenger numbers using the proposed link between the High Speed 2 and High Speed 1 lines; [46162]
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(2) over what time period the construction cost of the link between High Speed 1 and High Speed 2 will be paid off. [46163]
Mr Philip Hammond: Information on the proposed link to HS1, including on the potential demand for services using the link, is set out in a report prepared by HS2 Ltd, which is available at:
http://webarchive.nationalarchives.gov.uk/20110131042819/http://www.dft.gov.uk/pgr/rail/pi/highspeedrail/proposedroute/hs1connection/
No estimate has been undertaken at this stage of the commercial viability of the HS1 link that is the extent to which the revenues generated by the HS1 link would be expected to exceed its construction cost.
Maria Eagle: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what estimate he has made of the annual cost of potential delays in completion of the High Speed 2 line to Birmingham beyond the target date. [46165]
Mr Philip Hammond: The Government have set out a clear programme for achieving their target opening date.
Maria Eagle: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport (1) what assessment he has made of potential carbon emissions expected to be generated during the construction of High Speed 2; [46166]
(2) what his estimate is of the annual reduction in carbon emissions which sum to 23 million tonnes as a result of modal shifts following the introduction of the High Speed London to West Midlands line; [46167]
(3) what estimate he has made of (a) the carbon emissions expected to be produced by High Speed 2 annually and (b) the expected change in national carbon emissions as a result of High Speed 2 being operational. [46180]
Mr Philip Hammond: Information on the carbon savings generated by the initial London-West Midlands phase of HS2, as well as its construction and operational carbon impacts, has been published as part of the current consultation on high speed rail. In particular I refer the hon. Member to the main consultation document and to the Appraisal of Sustainability. These are available at:
http://highspeedrail.dft.gov.uk/library/documents/consultation-document
http://highspeedrail.dft.gov.uk/library/documents/appraisal-sustainability
The Government expect that the full Y-shaped high speed rail network would have the potential to deliver more significant reductions in carbon, as it would be likely to attract higher levels of modal shift from road and aviation; however, no detailed estimate has been made at this stage.
Maria Eagle: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what increase in capacity would result from (a) 14, (b) 15, (c) 16, (d) 17 and (e) 18 new train paths per hour from High Speed 2. [46168]
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Mr Philip Hammond: The level of additional capacity provided would depend on the service pattern run and the rolling stock used. For example, services through-running onto the existing network would use shorter, classic-compatible rolling stock. The service pattern modelled by HS2 Ltd for the full proposed Y-shaped network is set out in the Economic Case for HS2, published on the consultation website at:
http://highspeedrail.dft.gov.uk
Maria Eagle: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport (1) what estimate he has made of the number of buildings that will be demolished during the construction of High Speed 2; and what the location is of each of those buildings; [46169]
(2) what his estimate is of the cost to his Department of compensation to be paid to (a) individuals, (b) private companies and (c) local authorities affected by construction of the High Speed 2 line. [46179]
Mr Philip Hammond: Data on the likely property impacts of the London to West Midlands line broken down by area are available in the Appraisal of Sustainability published as part of the current consultation. This is available on the consultation website at
http://highspeedrail.dft.gov.uk/library/documents/appraisal-sustainability
An estimate of the total land and compensation cost is set out in the Economic Case document published as part of the current consultation. This is available on the consultation website at
http://highspeedrail.dft.gov.uk/library/documents/economic-case
Maria Eagle: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport (1) what his estimate is of the proportion of the jobs to be created by High Speed 2 (a) as a result of the proposed station at Old Oak Common, (b) in the West Midlands and (c) around Euston that will be (i) permanent and (ii) part-time; [46171]
(2) what recent estimate he has made of the number of (a) full-time and (b) part-time jobs to be created by High Speed 2; and what estimate he has made of the (i) location and (ii) type of such jobs; [46177]
(3) what proportion of the jobs that will be created by High Speed 2 will be in (a) London, (b) the North West, (c) the North East, (d) the South East, (e) the South West, (f) the East Midlands, (g) the West Midlands and (h) the East of England. [46475]
Mr Philip Hammond: Information on the numbers, types and location of jobs supported by the initial London and the West Midlands phase of the Government’s proposed high speed rail network have been published as part of the current consultation on high speed rail. In particular I refer the hon. Member to the main consultation document and to appendix 3 to the Appraisal of Sustainability, available at
http://highspeedrail.dft.gov.uk/library/documents/consultation-document
http://highspeedrail.dft.gov.uk/library/documents/appraisal-sustainability
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The number of new jobs supported by the full proposed network would be expected to be significantly higher than those from the initial London-West Midlands phase alone; however, no detailed assessment has been carried out at this stage.
The Government also believe that new high speed links would support broader improvements in economic performance and productivity, as well as helping attract inward investment which would have the potential to support further increases in employment.
Maria Eagle: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what estimate he has made of the annual revenue the High Speed 2 will generate once the line has reached (a) Birmingham, (b) Leeds and (c) Manchester. [46172]
Mr Philip Hammond: This information is already in the public domain. Details of the estimated fares revenues generated by both the proposed Y-shaped high speed rail network and the initial London to west midlands phase are set out in the ‘Economic Case for HS2’, published on the consultation website at:
http://highspeedrail.dft.gov.uk/library/documents/economic-case
Maria Eagle: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what assessment he has made of the socio-economic composition of passengers expected to use the new High Speed 2 line. [46174]
Mr Philip Hammond: HS2 Ltd estimate that around 30% of journeys on the London-West Midlands line would be made by people travelling for business purposes and the remaining 70% would be made by people travelling for other reasons, with leisure trips likely to be particularly prominent.
Maria Eagle: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport whether the High Speed 2 line will be a dedicated high speed track for the route between Manchester and Liverpool. [46488]
Mr Philip Hammond: The Government are currently consulting on their proposed national high speed rail network. Under the Government’s proposed strategy, Liverpool would be served by high speed services on the London Manchester route through-running on to the conventional network from the main high speed line.
Andrea Leadsom: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what criteria he applied to the selection of interested parties who were invited to the launch of his Department's High Speed 2 consultation; and for what reasons members of anti-High Speed 2 action groups who had registered to attend were not invited. [47282]
Mr Philip Hammond [ h olding answer 17 March 2011] : The launch event for the high speed rail consultation had limited space, and focussed on national and regional business leaders and local Government representatives. Invitations were issued to individuals inviting them to register. These invitations were personal and it was made clear that they were not transferable without prior agreement.
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However, the consultation process has been designed to allow all those interested to learn more about the Government's proposals and to register their views— including through a series of public road shows, a dedicated phone line and comprehensive online information.
Railways: Fees and Charges
Maria Eagle: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport (1) what economic analysis his Department has undertaken on the anticipated ticket pricing plan for travelling at (a) peak and (b) off-peak periods on High Speed 2; [46157]
(2) what recent assessment he has made of the effect of ticket price on modal shifts to other forms of transport following the introduction of High Speed 2; [46164]
(3) what estimate he has made of the proposed cost of travel between (a) London and Manchester, (b) London and Leeds and (c) London to Birmingham on High Speed 2; and what proportion of the ticket revenue is expected to be used for expenditure on (i) the High Speed 2 line and (ii) conventional rail improvements. [46173]
Mr Philip Hammond: The modelling work undertaken by HS2 Ltd in preparing an economic case for high speed rail assumes that the existing fares structure on the conventional network would also be employed on the high speed rail network. This appraisal work demonstrates that the high speed line could operate effectively, generating sufficient demand and revenues, without needing to charge premium fares.
“The Economic Case for HS2”, published on the consultation website at:
http://highspeedrail.dft.gov.uk
and HS2 Ltd’s original report to Government “High Speed Rail: London to the West Midlands and Beyond”, available on the Department for Transport website at:
http://www.dft.gov.uk/pgr/rail/pi/highspeedrail/
set out the results of a number of high-level sensitivity tests relating to different approaches to pricing on HS2 and across transport modes. As the first line would not open, subject to the results of consultation, for another 15 years it would be premature to speculate in relation to the precise fares on any given route.
Railways: Finance
Maria Eagle: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what steps he is taking to reduce the rail revenue budget; how much each action he plans to take will save; and how much will be saved by each such action in each financial year of the comprehensive spending review period. [46639]
Mr Philip Hammond: One of the Government’s key objectives is to ensure our railways become more affordable and sustainable. Measures we are taking to reduce the rail revenue budget include:
Increasing rail fares by RPI+3% for three years from January 2012;
Reforming the rail industry, including through reforming how rail franchises are let;
Reprofiling the delivery of the Thameslink and Intercity Express Programmes; and
Improving the procurement of various HLOS interventions.
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The Department for Transport is currently engaging with the industry in order to agree how all of these changes will impact on levels of subsidy and premia it receives from train operating companies.
Sir Roy McNulty is nearing completion of his report into value for money on the UK Railway and I expect his recommendations to lead to further actions to reduce the rail revenue budget over time.
Railways: Greater London
Maria Eagle: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what estimate he has made of the number of rail services each day which will be slowed down by the proposed High Speed 2 interchange at Old Oak Common; and how many passenger journeys this will affect. [46152]
Mr Philip Hammond: No decisions have been or should be taken at this stage about what proportion of Great Western Main Line services would stop at the proposed HS2 interchange station at Old Oak Common.
Passengers on any services that did stop at Old Oak Common would see a small increase in journey time into central London, but would benefit from enhanced connectivity to Crossrail, and Heathrow Express, as well as to the proposed new high speed network which would reduce travel times for many journeys to the midlands and the north.
Clive Efford: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what recent discussions he has had with (a) the Mayor of London and (b) train operators on the reliability of Oyster card readers at ticket barriers at mainline rail stations; and if he will make a statement. [46982]
Mrs Villiers: There have been no discussions between Department for Transport Ministers and the Mayor of London or train operators specifically about the reliability of Oyster card readers.
The maintenance of Oyster validators is the responsibility of Transport for London.