Written Answers to Questions
Monday 21 January 2008
Health
Ambulance Services: South Lakeland
This information is not held centrally. The Department has not issued guidance on the operational life of ambulances, as it is a local issue for each trust based on the supplier they decide on.
Barnet Hospital: Psychiatry
The provision of psychiatric services in Barnet is a matter for the local national health service.
However, we have been informed that the Barnet psychiatric unit is projected to be completed in February 2008, with services being provided from the site by April 2008.
Breast Cancer
The patient experience survey will cover patients with all cancers, including metastatic breast cancer. An expert group will be set up in the first half of 2008 to design the technical specifications of the National Health Service Cancer Patient Experience Survey programme and a national contract will then be let for the collection, management and analysis of cancer patient experience surveys in 2008-09 with first results expected in 2009-10.
The Cancer Reform Strategy sets out a series of actions to improve the care and experience of all cancer patients, including those with secondary breast cancer.
Whether patients are living with or beyond cancer, high quality information and support will be available, tailored to the patient’s personal needs. Action will be taken to inform and empower patients so that they can play as active a role in decisions about their treatment as they wish. Priority will be given to ensuring there is adequate provision of clinical nurse specialists, and effective systems will be in place so that care is seamless from a patient’s perspective. There should be adequate provision of psychological support for patients, their families and carers, and a new national cancer survivorship initiative will be established to improve the ongoing support available to people who have been treated for a cancer. This initiative will include patients who are living with progressive disease and may be receiving treatment but are not in the terminal phase of illness.
In addition, to improve the care and experience of all cancer patients, we need to collect good quality information on cancer services and outcomes, which can be analysed and published in such a way that is useful to patients, commissioners, service providers and other interested parties. To co-ordinate this, a national cancer intelligence network (NCIN) will be developed, building, maintaining and quality assuring a new national repository of cancer data. One of the early products expected from the NCIN will be an evaluation of services for secondary cancer patients in specific tumour areas, including breast cancer.
Cardiovascular System: Health Services
The Joint British Societies Guidelines on cardiovascular disease prevention in clinical practice have not been adopted by the Department of Health as national policy. This was made clear in a letter from Professor Roger Boyle, the National Clinical Director for Heart Disease and Stroke sent to the national health service in November 2006. A copy of this letter has been placed in the Library.
Cardiovascular System: Screening
(2) whether modelling of the economic consequences of different approaches to risk factor assessment and management has been undertaken and the options and the implications for NHS implementation considered as recommended by Sir Muir Gray and the National Screening Committee;
(3) what progress has been made in the Department's consideration of a more integrated approach to vascular risk assessment and management since the publication of the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence’s draft guidance on lipid modification.
As announced by the Prime Minister in his speech about the national health service on 7 January, the Department will in the next few months bring forward proposals for a screening programme in the NHS to assess people for risk of vascular disease, including heart disease, stroke, kidney disease and diabetes. This is a complex area, which requires a critical and systematic review of the evidence for a vascular risk assessment. The impetus for this work came in part from the National Screening Committee’s (NSC) recommendations, as well as from the chief medical officer’s department in the Department of Health. When the current phase of analysis and modelling yields its results, we intend to use it as part of our consultation with stakeholders on the development of these proposals. The work of the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence on lipid modification is of considerable relevance to our plans for a wider programme of vascular risk assessment and we expect the two to be wholly complementary.
Cervical Cancer: Screening
As of November 2007, 88 per cent. of laboratories that process cervical screening samples in England had converted to liquid based cytology (LBC).
All primary care trusts have indicated that they will have introduced LBC by October 2008, in line with National Institute of Health and Clinical Excellence and departmental guidance.
The number of inadequate tests has fallen from 9 per cent. in 2004-05 to 4.7 per cent. in 2006-07 as a direct result of the continued roll-out of LBC.
Clostridium
There is currently insufficient clinical evidence to support the use of probiotics in any form for the prevention of Clostridium difficile infection.
Community Care: MRSA
The Department of Health has not commissioned or supported any research on home based care for patient with methicillin resistant “Staphylococcus aureus” (MRSA) or “Clostridium difficile” to date.
However, we know that some national health service organisations are investigating the options for more home based care in relation to patients with MRSA.
Confectionery
I have been asked to reply.
In addition to the legislation covering the sale of goods and foodstuffs generally, there is also specific legislation under article 14 of Regulation (EC) 178/2002 which requires that the confectionery should not be unsafe, i.e. injurious to health or unfit for human consumption.
Furthermore, section 191 of the Licensing Act 2003 defines ‘alcohol’ for licensing purposes and includes a provision setting the maximum concentration of alcohol that may be sold in liqueur confectionery without an authorisation under the Act. This definition also applies in relation to offences of selling alcohol to minors (section 147), the consumption of alcohol by minors (section 150), delivering alcohol to minors (section 151), sending a child to obtain alcohol (section 152) and unsupervised alcohol sales by children (section 153). Additionally, section 148 of the 2003 Act creates offences of selling or supplying liqueur confectionery to children under 16.
Crimes of Violence: Mental Health Services
The Department is not aware of evidence to suggest such a relationship and is not convinced that commissioning such research would be an effective use of resources.
Dental Services: Leicester
The dental reforms implemented in 2006 gave PCTs, for the first time, the responsibility for providing or commissioning dental services in their area. It is for PCTs to assess local needs, review current service provision and develop services to meet local needs. This information can therefore be obtained directly through the Leicester City Primary Care Trust.
Numbers of national health service dentists at primary care trust (PCT) and strategic health authority (SHA) level as at 31 March 1997 to 2006 are available in Annex E of the “NHS Dental Activity and Workforce Report, England: 31 March 2006”.
This information is based on the old contractual arrangements. This report, published on 23 August 2006, is available in the Library and is available also at:
www.ic.nhs.uk/statistics-and-data-collections/primary-care/dentistry/nhs-dental-activity-and-workforce-report-england-31-march-2006
The numbers of NHS dentists at PCT and SHA level as at 30 June, 30 September, 31 December 2006 and 31 March 2007 are available in Table E1 of Annex 3 of the “NHS Dental Statistics for England: 2006-07” report. This information is based on the new dental contractual arrangements, introduced on 1 April 2006.
This report, published on 23 August 2007, is available in the Library and is also available at:
http://www.ic.nhs.uk/pubs/dental0607
The inclusion of dentists on trust led contracts in the data collection following the 2006 reforms means that data collected since April 2006 cannot be directly compared with data collected under the previous system.
The methodology and frequency for reporting work force information are currently being reviewed. The purpose of the review is to ensure that, following experience of the first year of the new dental contract, figures provide an appropriate measure of the work force, given the way that the work force reporting system is being used by PCTs. An update on the review will be provided in the quarter 2 publication, due to be published in February 2008.
Both reports have been published by the Information Centre for health and social care.
Departmental Christmas Cards
The amount the Department spent on purchasing Christmas cards for 2007 (inclusive of VAT) was £4,478.27.
All expenditure incurred in the purchase and postage of official Christmas cards is made in accordance with the Department's guidance on financial procedures and propriety, based on principles set out in government accounting.
Separate figures for postage costs are not available, as some cards would have been included with other correspondence or would have been hand-delivered. The vast majority of those that were not included with correspondence were sent using second-class post.
Departmental Contracts
The Department does not collect information on consultants in the format requested. To do so would attract disproportionate cost.
A new system will be introduced in April 2008 called SHOWA, which will be able to gather such information for the Department.
Departmental Public Expenditure
I refer the hon. Member to the answer given on 3 September 2007, Official Report, column 1867W to the hon. Member for Fareham (Mr. Hoban).
The individual budgets underspend reported in the Department’s resource accounts was not due to any delay in setting up the pilots as mistakenly stated. Unspent funds in 2006-07 were carried forward for use to 2007-08.
The “Department of Health Departmental Report 2007” contains examples of key risk areas included on the Department’s risk register during 2006-07. A copy of the report is available in the Library.
The Department’s risk register is a live document which is continuously updated and informs advice to Ministers from senior officials in the Department, and discussions between the Department and top management in the national health service and social care about key issues in policy, resourcing and service management and development. The risk register is not a public document.
Other non-cash expenditure of £5,548,000 credited to operating expenditure can be analysed as follows;
credit of £5,750,000 in respect of an investment in Partnerships for Health previously charged to operating expenditure in 2005-06;
credit of £37,000 in respect of additional staff loans being brought onto the Department’s balance sheet; and
charge of £238,000 in respect of consolidated fund extra receipts receivable incorrectly included in the 2005-06 accounts and amended in 2006-07.
The stock write-off and bad debt expenses of £3,728,000 can be analysed as follows;
£2,096,000 stock write off is in respect of childhood vaccines that had date expired or were damaged and unusable.
£1,515,000 write-off of development costs for seven national decontamination of surgical instruments schemes
99 minor claims totalling £117,000 have been abandoned on value for money grounds.
The following table shows the current disposition of additional funds for 2008-09.
£ billion Total Allocated to primary care trusts (PCTs) Total funding growth 6.2 — Capital1 0.4 0 Revenue2 5.8 3.8 1 We do not allocate capital to PCTs 2 Additional elements of revenue will be allocated to NHS bodies but budgets and allocation mechanisms are not yet finalised
Departmental Recycling
On 12 June 2006, the Prime Minister and my right hon. Friend the then Secretary of State for the Environment, Food and Fisheries (David Miliband) announced revised sustainable operations targets for the Government estate. They focus on key areas such as carbon neutrality and emissions, energy efficiency, waste and water consumption.
The 2006 estate targets include:
Recycling:
Departments to increase their recycling figures to 40 per cent. of their waste arisings by 2010 and to 75 per cent. of their waste by 2020.
These targets will apply for the reporting period April 2006 to March 2007 onwards.
Previous Government targets that applied to the Government estate were launched in March 2004 but have since been superseded by the new targets.
The Department has consistently exceeded the targets. Our performance over the past five years is as follows:
Waste arisings (tonnes) Proportion recycled (percentage) 2001-02 n/a n/a 2002-03 908.69 78 2003-04 918.95 65 2004-05 1,152.76 68 2005-06 635.48 85
All figures exclude information technology (some is refurbished and resold; the rest is dismantled and disposed of in accordance with legislation)
Figures are not directly comparable from one year to another. Staff have moved from buildings where waste collected by departmental contractors to buildings managed by other Government Department (who include our staff in their returns). In addition, in some buildings waste streams have been added to what was previously collected under the departmental contract.
Figures for earlier years are less reliable than more recent figures.
Figures include the main departmental London estate, and departmental agencies.
The 2006 report is available at: www.sd-commission. org.uk/sdig2006/ and the 6th annual report is due to be published in spring 2008.
Departmental Standards
The Statement of Internal Control sets out how the Department has met the assurance standards and the control issues identified.
The 199 significant control issues reported by national health service trusts and primary care trusts in their Statements of Internal Control for 2006-07, and referred to in the Department’s resource accounts for 2006-07, a copy of their statements has been placed in the Library.
Family Practitioner Services: Barnet
This information is not collected centrally.
It is for local health communities to work together to decide the best setting to deliver diagnostic services for their patients. However, direct access to diagnostics from primary care can help with delivery of the 18 weeks target by improving the quality of referrals to secondary care by reducing the number of unnecessary referrals to secondary care outpatient clinics, and removing unnecessary steps from the patient pathway. A number of initiatives are underway to support direct access diagnostics.
The payment by results for 2008-09 contains a number of indicative tariffs to support unbundling of services, for example for imaging scans. Unbundling diagnostics provides incentives for primary care trusts to commission diagnostics via direct access prior to referral.
The 18 weeks team have been working with clinical colleagues to develop commissioning pathways to support commissioners in challenging existing practice and transform services. The pathways, developed in conjunction with clinical colleagues, are based on best practice and include direct access diagnostics where this is appropriate.
Fractures
We have made no assessment of the clinical efficacy of fracture liaison services.
Gastrointestinal System: Health Services
Referral to treatment data are not collected at a procedure level. The following table shows October 2007 referral to treatment data for the treatment function gastroenterology.
Completed within 18 weeks Treatment function Pathway type Total number of completed pathways in October Total (with known referral date) Number of pathways Percentage of pathways Gastroenterology Admitted 10,881 7,905 6,699 85 Non-admitted 16,816 15,581 11,206 72 Notes: 1. “Admitted patients” those admitted to hospital for definitive treatment, usually an operation. 2. “Non-admitted patients” those treated or otherwise without requiring admission e.g. those treated as out-patients.
Health Services: Overseas Visitors
On 7 March 2007 the Home Office published Enforcing the rules: A Strategy to ensure and enforce compliance with our immigration laws. The DH is working with the Home Office on this review.
When the review is completed, the Home Office will be holding a public consultation in spring 2008.
Health Services: Screening
When proposals for a vascular screening programme have been developed further the Department intends to consult with various stakeholders including the National Screening Committee, the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence and a number of interested groups such as leading voluntary groups.
These assessments form part of the modelling work on the clinical and cost-effectiveness of a systematic, population-wide vascular risk assessment and management programme that is currently being carried out by the Department’s analysts.
There is a departmental project currently under way to assess costs and benefits of an integrated, systematic population-wide vascular risk screening programme.
The exact nature of a vascular risk assessment and management programme is still the subject of developmental work. It would be premature at this stage to set out specific spending figures on advertising and education campaigns.
Take-up rates for a new service are, by their nature, unpredictable and will depend on the details of what is offered to whom, which will be worked out in part in discussions with stakeholders. However, a range of assumptions about likely take-up levels of a vascular risk assessment programme will be modelled into the analytical work being undertaken by the Department. Assumptions about likely take-up will also form part of the discussions we will have with stakeholders about the development of the practical aspects of the programme.
HealthSpace
Information is not held in the form requested. As at 10 January 2008, there were some 26,300 HealthSpace accounts.
Hospital Treatment Target
(2) what progress has been made in meeting the 18 week hospital treatment target for patients in the Barnet primary care trust area; and if he will make a statement.
The information requested is not held centrally. However, referral to treatment (RTT) times for admitted pathways (RTT times for patients whose 18 week clock stopped during the month with an inpatient/day case admission), and for non-admitted pathways (RTT times for patients whose 18 week clock stopped during the month for reasons other than an inpatient/day case admission) in the Barnet primary care trust area from January 2007 to October 2007 can be found in the following table.
By December 2008, no one should have to wait more than 18 weeks from the time they are referred by their general practitioner (GP) to the start of their treatment unless it is clinically appropriate to do so or they choose to wait.
The national health service began measuring waits for GP referral to start of consultant led treatment from January 2007. This allows the Department and the NHS to monitor and track progress towards the maximum 18 week wait.
RTT data published on 10 January 2008 show that in October 2007, 60 per cent. of admitted patients waited no more than 18 weeks for their treatment following the initial referral by their GP—an improvement on snapshot figures released in December 2006, which showed that 35 per cent. of patients received treatment within 18 weeks. The figure for non-admitted patients for October was 77 per cent.
January 2007 February 2007 March 2007 April 2007 May 2007 June 2007 July 2007 August 2007 September 2007 October 2007 Admitted pathways Percentage of pathways completed within 18 weeks 35 34 35 35 43 36 36 38 42 54 Data completeness — — 48 51 47 41 36 75 527 70 Non-admitted pathways Percentage of pathways completed within 18 weeks 60 88 69 68 68 68 66 65 66 62 Data completeness — — — — — — — 69 57 52 Source: Monthly Referral To Treatment Data Collection.
Hospitals: Waiting Lists
There are no figures available on the monetary cost of collecting figures on waiting times. However, the review of central returns process estimates the burden in terms of person years. The current estimated burden for providing monthly and quarterly inpatient and outpatient waiting times figures is 10.8 person years in total, 6.6 years for outpatients and 4.2 years for inpatients.
Inflammatory Bowel Disease: Drugs
Primary care and national health service trust drugs budgets are not determined centrally and therefore there are no drugs budgets for the treatment of inflammatory bowel conditions centrally. Trusts are responsible for setting their own budgets, decisions on the level of funding will depend on local priorities.
Learning Disability: Health Services
The Department recognises that people with learning disabilities or mental health problems have faced significant physical health inequalities. “Promoting Equality”, published in March 2007, set out the Department's action plan to tackle the inequalities experienced by people with learning disabilities in accessing primary care.
Since its publication the Department has:
developed and published a framework to support primary care trusts (PCTs) in commissioning primary care services for people with learning disabilities, including annual health checks;
developed a preferred framework for health checks, which the valuing people support team will be promoting at regional events this autumn; and
published guidance on the commissioning of specialist learning disability health services.
The Department has worked with the Disability Rights Commission to take forward the actions outlined in “Promoting Equality” and will continue to work with the new Commission for Equalities and Human Rights.
Guidance on the commissioning of specialist learning disability health services was published in October 2007 by the Department. To support the dissemination of the guidance and address the issues raised by the Healthcare Commission audit, the valuing people support team within the Care Services Improvement Partnership (CSIP), in conjunction with the Healthcare Commission, have planned three events across the country.
The events will be held in February and March and are aimed primarily at commissioners and providers. The events will cover the roll-out of the guidance and how it can be used to help respond to the issues raised by the audit. The events are intended to provide commissioners and providers with the necessary information to address any concerns in their locality.
The North West strategic health authority reports that Wirral PCT has recently published a five-year strategy identifying services for people with learning disabilities as a priority. An additional £0.5 million will be invested over the period of the strategy. Since 1999, the Wirral PCT and the Cheshire and Wirral Partnership NHS Foundation Trust have invested in the refurbishment and new build of two assessment and treatment units, with one further new unit scheduled to be completed in November 2009.
A number of initiatives are under way; for example, close working between inpatient units and specialist community services and primary care services to ensure a seamless service for people with learning disabilities.
Local services are benchmarked against the Healthcare Commission recommendations following inquiries into services at the Cornwall Partnership NHS trust and Sutton and Merton PCT. An action plan is being implemented to ensure high quality services for people with learning disabilities.
Medical Treatments: Waiting Lists
[holding answer17 January 2008]: This Government have taken a variety of steps to reduce referral to treatment (RTT) times, underpinned by record levels of investment and delivered through the hard work of national health service staff. Initially focused on reducing waits for individual stages of treatment, these include:
delivering a pledge to reduce the waiting list by 100,000. The waiting list is now at its lowest level since records began;
reducing the number of patients waiting over 13 weeks for a first out-patient appointment following general practitioner referral from over 338,000 in 1997 to less than 100 at the end of November 2007;
reducing over six month in-patient waits from over 283,000 in 1997 to 77 at the end of November 2007; and
introducing a diagnostic waiting time data collection, which has seen a reduction in the average waiting time from 6.8 weeks in April 2006 to 2.9 weeks at the end of November 2007.
These improvements have laid a solid base on which to reduce RTT times for all consultant-led elective care to a maximum of 18 weeks by December 2008. Latest data show that this pledge is already being delivered to over half of all admitted patients (patients who require admission to hospital for treatment) and over three quarters of non-admitted patients.
Mental Health Services: Greater London
Barnet, Enfield and Haringey Mental Health National Health Service Trust's public consultation for NHS foundation trust (NHSFT) status is due to be completed on 16 January 2008. We are informed that the trust will then discuss the timescale for continuing their application for NHSFT status with NHS London.
Midwives: Manpower
Local national health service organisations are responsible for the development of maternity services, ensuring that they meet the future needs of their local population and that there are sufficient staff, with the right skills.
The 2007-08 Operating Framework requires all NHS organisations to undertake a review of their maternity services, which included primary care trusts (PCTs) assessing the work force capacity required to deliver ‘Maternity Matters’. We have built on this requirement within the Operating Framework 2008-09, which states
“that PCTs should aim to ensure that sufficient numbers of maternity staff and neo-natal teams are in place to meet local needs”.
Local plans will need to consider a range of issues, including the projected number of births in their area to determine the work force capacity required to support the increased number of births and the implementation of ‘Maternity Matters’.
NHS: Administration
[holding answer 17 January 2008]: The national health service information governance toolkit, established in 2003, is a web-based resource developed by the Department, which enables NHS organisations to measure their compliance with a range of information governance requirements and best practice, including standards in records management. In this respect it is underpinned by the Department’s best practice guidance—“Records Management: NHS Code of Practice”, published in April 2006, and supports the Healthcare Commission’s NHS Standards for Better Health, many of which require quality and integrity of record-keeping systems.
Those bodies responsible for external monitoring of NHS performance, for example strategic health authorities and the Healthcare Commission, play a key role in ensuring that effective systems are in place to ensure conformity with the relevant requirements and standards.
NHS: Debts
There are no plans to write off the debts of the organisations within the financially challenged trust regime.
NHS: Manpower
The national health service hospital and community health services non-medical work force census results are scheduled for publication in March. The publication date will be confirmed in February.
The 2006 census results were published on 26 April 2007, 2005 results on 24 April 2006, 2004 results on 22 March 2005, 2003 results on 19 March 2004 and 2002 results on 24 June 2003.
Obesity
Obesity is a complex, multi-factoral problem. Given the complexity and scale of the problem and the requirement for comprehensive action, the Department's obesity, nutrition and physical activity teams have worked jointly with a large number of different partners, including Government at central and local level and external stakeholders such as the commercial and voluntary sectors, on the prevention and management of obesity.
Obesity: North West Region
The prevalence of childhood obesity is measured in the North West through the National Child Measurement Programme. This is a national programme through which the height and weight of children in reception (four and five-year-olds) and year 6 (10 and 11-year-olds) throughout the country are measured. This data is used to inform local planning and commissioning of services for children as well as providing population-level surveillance data to allow analysis of trends in growth patterns and obesity.
Assessment of the potential health impact will be made through a range of national studies. In particular, the Department has established the National Child Measurement Programme (which will report North West figures in 2008) as well as the Health Survey for England to measure obesity levels throughout England.
The North West strategic health authority reports that there are a number of actions being taken forward locally to help reduce overweight and obesity in the North West. This includes the development of two e-learning modules to provide flexible learning for front-line primary care staff in the region to enable them to support patients to reduce their levels of weight and obesity. The aim of these are to ensure that important messages about diet, physical activity and behavioural changes are consistent, high quality and that interventions are based in primary care settings across the North West.
Osteoporosis
[holding answer 17 January 2008]: We have taken no specific steps in the last 12 months to improve the level, quality or accessibility to information and support offered to those living with osteoporosis.
Osteoporosis: Stockport
(2) what assessment has been made of the effectiveness of provision of treatment for osteoporosis in (a) the Stockport Primary Care Trust area and (b) England.
[holding answer 17 January 2008]: We have made no assessment of the level, quality and accessibility of information and support, or the effectiveness of the provision of treatment, for those people living with osteoporosis in the Stockport primary care trust area, or in England.
Oxygen: Medical Equipment
[holding answer 17 January 2008]: Prior to the introduction of the new home oxygen service on 1 February 2006, patients received their oxygen through pharmacies and oxygen concentrator suppliers. Patient data prior to the introduction of the new service in 2006 are not held centrally.
The full transition to the new service was completed in November 2006. During transition the pharmacies continued to supply patients, therefore records from this period do not accurately reflect patient numbers. The first accurate patient data are available from January 2007 onwards. These data reflect the total number of patients receiving oxygen at home.
January 2007 January 2008 Total number of patients in England 74,000 82,000 Total number of patients in Wales 7,000 7,000
[holding answer 17 January 2008]: The current suppliers to the Home Oxygen Service are Air Products, Air Liquide and BOC. Air Liquide acquired Linde UK Gas on 31 May 2007, and Allied Respiratory on 30 September 2007, who were previous additional oxygen suppliers.
With the introduction of the new Home Oxygen Service on 1 February 2006, the service contract requires the suppliers to meet specific response times for each oxygen service provided under the contract.
These are:
emergency or urgent supply of oxygen to be delivered within four hours of receipt of an order from a healthcare professional;
an order supporting the discharge of a patient from hospital to be delivered on the day following receipt of the order or on a date specified by the healthcare professional in the order; and
an order for short burst oxygen therapy, long-term oxygen therapy, or an ambulatory oxygen service to be provided within three working days of receipt of an order either from a healthcare professional or from the patient directly.
Each supplier must meet these service requirements under the terms of the contract and delivery times are a key indicator used in monitoring supplier performance.
Patient Choice Schemes: Barnet
The number and percentage of Barnet primary care trust’s general practitioner (GP) referrals to first out-patient appointments booked through the choose and book system was 13,634 (20 per cent.) in 2006-07 and 14,364 (25 per cent.) in the first nine months of 2007-08 (April to the end of December). This compares with national averages of 27 per cent. in 2006-07 and 39 per cent. in 2007-08 to date.
Patients: Television
The Department has not estimated the average charge to patients to access personal television services in hospitals.
The service providers set their own charges. The Department is not party to the contracts which exist between the service providers and the individual national health service trusts. If patients do not wish to or are unable to afford the cost of the bedside television, they can still watch the free to view television in the hospital day room or communal areas.
It is a matter for each individual trust and the service providers to ensure that the bedside systems are operated with minimum disruption to other patients. Each bedside system is equipped with personal headphones to ensure that noise from the television is kept to a minimum and the screens can be turned off when not in use.
Primary Care Trusts and NHS Reconfigurations
(2) if he will place in the Library reconfiguration returns from the NHS from the last 12 months.
Proposals for the reconfiguration of services are a matter for the national health service locally, working in conjunction with clinicians, patients and other stakeholders.
Primary care trusts do not inform the Secretary of State of the outcomes of consultations and formal reviews which they have held into the future provision of services. Consequently, no returns relating to local consultations have been placed in the Library.
Psychological Therapist: Training
The information is not available centrally in the format requested. Psychological therapy encompasses a number of different disciplines and the associated training varies in time and cost.
Sheep Meat: Safety
Information on this type of enforcement action undertaken by local authorities is not held centrally.
Smoking: Health Services
The following table shows primary care trust (PCT) stop smoking services allocations from the Department's central budget programme which were included alongside their general revenue allocations for the last five years between 2003-04 and 2007-08.
The ‘Choosing Health’ White Paper funding separately identified in 2006-07 and 2007-08 PCT revenue allocations to support implementation of various public health initiatives included an additional £5 million each year for PCT stop smoking services. PCTs were informed of their shares of the total White Paper funding rather than their allocations for each initiative.
£000 2003-04 2004-05 2005-06 2006-07 2007-08 Ashton, Leigh and Wigan PCT 270 303 336 336 336 Barking and Dagenham PCT 163 183 203 203 203 Barnet PCT 254 285 316 316 316 Barnsley PCT 215 242 268 268 268 Bassetlaw PCT 88 98 109 109 109 Bath and North East Somerset PCT 128 143 159 159 159 Bedfordshire PCT 284 319 354 354 354 Berkshire East PCT 273 306 340 340 340 Berkshire West PCT 309 347 385 385 385 Bexley Care Trust 163 183 203 203 203 Birmingham East and North PCT 362 406 450 450 450 Blackburn with Darwen PCT 142 159 176 176 176 Blackpool PCT 143 160 178 178 178 Bolton PCT 238 267 296 296 296 Bournemouth and Poole Teaching PCT 269 302 335 335 335 Bradford And Airedale Teaching PCT 420 471 523 523 523 Brent Teaching PCT 269 301 334 334 334 Brighton and Hove City PCT 224 252 279 279 279 Bristol PCT 333 373 414 414 414 Bromley PCT 228 256 284 284 284 Buckinghamshire PCT 336 378 419 419 419 Bury PCT 149 168 186 186 186 Calderdale PCT 160 180 199 199 199 Cambridgeshire PCT 380 427 473 473 473 Camden PCT 219 246 273 273 273 Central and Eastern Cheshire PCT 322 361 400 400 400 Central Lancashire PCT 354 397 440 440 440 City and Hackney Teaching PCT 255 286 317 317 317 Cornwall and Isles Of Scilly PCT 409 459 509 509 509 County Durham PCT 469 526 583 583 583 Coventry Teaching PCT 280 314 348 348 348 Croydon PCT 269 302 335 335 335 Cumbria Teaching PCT 403 452 501 501 501 Darlington PCT 82 92 102 102 102 Derby City PCT 211 237 263 263 263 Derbyshire County PCT 547 614 681 681 681 Devon PCT 545 611 678 678 678 Doncaster PCT 267 300 332 332 332 Dorset PCT 297 333 369 369 369 Dudley PCT 248 278 309 309 309 Ealing PCT 277 311 345 345 345 East and North Hertfordshire PCT 392 440 488 488 488 East Lancashire Teaching PCT 343 385 427 427 427 East Riding of Yorkshire PCT 214 240 266 266 266 East Sussex Downs and Weald PCT 261 293 325 325 325 Eastern and Coastal Kent PCT 590 662 733 733 733 Enfield PCT 223 251 278 278 278 Gateshead PCT 189 212 235 235 235 Gloucestershire PCT 424 476 528 528 528 Great Yarmouth and Waveney PCT 189 212 235 235 235 Greenwich Teaching PCT 205 230 255 255 255 Halton and St Helens PCT 289 324 359 359 359 Hammersmith and Fulham PCT 156 175 194 194 194 Hampshire PCT 876 982 1,089 1,089 1,089 Haringey Teaching PCT 226 253 281 281 281 Harrow PCT 154 173 192 192 192 Hartlepool PCT 86 97 107 107 107 Hastings and Rother PCT 159 179 198 198 198 Havering PCT 194 217 241 241 241 Heart of Birmingham Teaching PCT 280 314 349 349 349 Herefordshire PCT 135 151 167 167 167 Heywood, Middleton and Rochdale PCT 191 215 238 238 238 Hillingdon PCT 189 212 235 235 235 Hounslow PCT 192 215 238 238 238 Hull Teaching PCT 241 270 299 299 299 Isle of Wight NHS PCT 120 135 149 149 149 Islington PCT 204 229 254 254 254 Kensington and Chelsea PCT 157 176 195 195 195 Kingston PCT 120 134 149 149 149 Kirklees PCT 311 349 387 387 387 Knowsley PCT 172 193 214 214 214 Lambeth PCT 277 311 344 344 344 Leeds PCT 592 664 736 736 736 Leicester City PCT 259 290 322 322 322 Leicestershire County and Rutland PCT 427 479 531 531 531 Lewisham PCT 239 268 297 297 297 Lincolnshire Teaching PCT 524 588 652 652 652 Liverpool PCT 499 560 621 621 621 Luton PCT 151 169 187 187 187 Manchester PCT 456 511 567 567 567 Medway PCT 198 222 246 246 246 Mid Essex PCT 238 267 296 296 296 Middlesbrough PCT 141 158 176 176 176 Milton Keynes PCT 155 174 193 193 193 Newcastle PCT 242 271 300 300 300 Newham PCT 276 310 343 343 343 Norfolk PCT 540 606 672 672 672 North East Essex PCT 257 288 319 319 319 North East Lincolnshire Care Trust Plus 136 153 169 169 169 North Lancashire Teaching PCT 268 301 333 333 333 North Lincolnshire PCT 122 137 151 151 151 North Somerset PCT 148 165 183 183 183 North Staffordshire PCT 163 183 203 203 203 North Tees Teaching PCT 148 166 184 184 184 North Tyneside PCT 177 199 221 221 221 North Yorkshire and York PCT 546 613 679 679 679 Northamptonshire Teaching PCT 471 529 586 586 586 Northumberland Care Trust 253 284 314 314 314 Nottingham City PCT 255 286 317 317 317 Nottinghamshire County Teaching PCT 497 558 618 618 618 Oldham PCT 207 232 258 258 258 Oxfordshire PCT 411 461 511 511 511 Peterborough PCT 122 137 151 151 151 Plymouth Teaching PCT 203 228 252 252 252 Portsmouth City Teaching PCT 152 171 189 189 189 Redbridge PCT 181 203 225 231 231 Redcar and Cleveland PCT 121 136 151 151 151 Richmond and Twickenham PCT 125 140 155 155 155 Rotherham PCT 214 240 266 266 266 Salford PCT 224 251 279 279 279 Sandwell PCT 286 321 355 355 355 Sefton PCT 250 280 311 311 311 Sheffield PCT 454 510 565 565 565 Shropshire County PCT 211 236 262 262 262 Solihull Care Trust 150 169 187 187 187 Somerset PCT 387 434 481 481 481 South Birmingham PCT 294 330 366 366 366 South East Essex PCT 261 293 325 325 325 South Gloucestershire PCT 158 177 196 196 196 South Staffordshire PCT 421 472 523 523 523 South Tyneside PCT 150 168 186 186 186 South West Essex PCT 305 342 379 379 379 Southampton City PCT 195 219 243 243 243 Southwark PCT 253 284 315 315 315 Stockport PCT 223 250 278 278 278 Stoke on Trent PCT 239 269 298 298 298 Suffolk PCT 417 468 519 519 519 Sunderland Teaching PCT 266 299 331 331 331 Surrey PCT 738 828 918 918 918 Sutton and Merton PCT 279 313 347 347 347 Swindon PCT 140 157 174 174 174 Tameside and Glossop PCT 202 226 251 251 251 Telford and Wrekin PCT 125 140 155 155 155 Torbay Care Trust 122 137 152 152 152 Tower Hamlets PCT 239 269 298 298 298 Trafford PCT 166 187 207 207 207 Wakefield District PCT 289 324 360 360 360 Walsall Teaching PCT 232 260 288 288 288 Waltham Forest PCT 212 238 264 258 258 Wandsworth PCT 219 246 273 273 273 Warrington PCT 150 168 186 186 186 Warwickshire PCT 371 416 461 461 461 West Essex PCT 195 219 242 242 242 West Hertfordshire PCT 388 436 483 483 483 West Kent PCT 468 525 582 582 582 West Sussex PCT 595 668 741 741 741 Western Cheshire PCT 192 216 239 239 239 Westminster PCT 181 204 226 226 226 Wiltshire PCT 305 343 380 380 380 Wirral PCT 296 332 368 368 368 Wolverhampton City PCT 224 251 278 278 278 Worcestershire PCT 401 450 499 499 499 England 41,000 46,000 51,000 51,000 51,000 Note: These allocations were made to 303 PCTs but are shown for the 152 PCTs which were formed on 1 October 2006.
Children, Schools and Families
Academies
I refer the hon. Member to my reply to his questions 165167, 165168 and 165169 on 19 November 2007, Official Report, column 624W.
(2) if he will list the (a) officials, (b) special advisers and (c) Ministers who attended the Academies Seminar on 1 November 2007.
I refer the hon. Member to my reply to his questions 165167, 165168 and 165169 on 19 November 2007, Official Report, column 624W. No special advisers attended the seminar referred to.
I refer the hon. Member to my reply to his questions 165167, 165168 and 165169 on 19 November 2007, Official Report, column 624W.
Academies: Curriculum
The Department does not collect the information requested.
Academies: Finance
Information on sponsors’ contributions received to date towards academies’ capital costs is given in the following table. In noting the contributions, which are made to academy trusts, the Department does not differentiate between those made by companies and those made by named individuals or other types of organisations, because evidence received from trusts does not identify the sponsor involved and many academies have more than one sponsor.
There may be some payments that have been made but are not recorded in the table as the relevant trusts have yet to submit evidence to the Department that sponsorship has been paid and used to meet capital costs.
We have now changed the sponsorship model and sponsors will now, in most cases, establish an endowment fund rather than contributing to capital costs. Detailed monitoring of such contributions will commence at the end of February 2008, in respect of contributions made in the first half of the 2007-08 academic year.
Academies may also receive other donations apart from sponsorship. The Department does not collect details of these, but they are recorded in academies’ published accounts.
Confirmed capital contribution from sponsors (£000) 2001-02 1,160 2002-03 2,958 2003-04 4,961 2004-05 12,091 2005-06 12,339 2006-07 15,723 Up to 31 December 2007 14,685 Total 63,917
Academies: Fire Extinguishers
It is our expectation that all academies will now be designed to incorporate sprinklers. This is not a compulsory measure, but to demonstrate that sprinklers are not needed, the academy trust will need to be able to demonstrate that its buildings are low risk and that incorporation of sprinklers would not represent good value for money. For academies in the Building Schools for the Future programme the decision to install sprinklers will be shared between the academy trust and the relevant local authority.
This information is not immediately available to the Department. However, we intend to gather the information and once this exercise is complete, I will write to the hon. Member.
Academies: Free School Meals
The annual School Census for January 2007 shows that of the 46 academies then open, 10—including four former city technology colleges (CTCs)—had a lower proportion of pupils known to be eligible for free school meals than the proportion living in the local authority area:
St Paul's Academy, Greenwich;
Burlington Danes Academy, Hammersmith and Fulham;
Habedashers’ Aske's Hatcham Academy (former CTC);
Sandwell Academy, Sandwell;
Walsall Academy, Walsall;
Salford City Academy, Salford;
Dixons City Academy (former CTC), Bradford;
The Kings Academy, Middlesbrough;
Macmillan Academy (former CTC), Middlesbrough; and
Landau Forte College (former CTC), Derby.
The 36 academies with a higher proportion of pupils known to be eligible for free school meals than the proportion living in the local authority area are
Mossbourne Community Academy, Hackney;
Petchey Academy, Hackney;
Lambeth Academy, Lambeth;
Haberdashers’ Aske’s Knights Academy, Lewisham;
City of London Academy, Southwark;
the Academy at Peckham, Southwark;
Harris Academy, Bermondsey, Southwark;
Harris Girls’ Academy, East Dulwich, Southwark;
Paddington Academy, Westminster;
Westminster Academy, Westminster;
London Academy, Barnet;
Business Academy, Bexley;
Capital City Academy, Brent;
West London Academy, Ealing;
Greig City Academy, Haringey;
Stockley Academy, Hillingdon;
Harefield Academy, Hiliingdon;
Harris Academy, Merton;
St Mark's Church of England Academy, Merton;
Walthamstow Academy; Waltham Forest;
Grace Academy, Solihull;
the Academy of St Francis of Assisi, Liverpool;
North Liverpool Academy, Liverpool;
Manchester Academy, Manchester;
Barnsley Academy, Barnsley;
Trinity Academy, Doncaster;
Sheffield Park Academy, Sheffield;
Sheffield Springs Academy, Sheffield;
David Young Community Academy, Leeds;
the City Academy Bristol, City of Bristol;
Unity City Academy, Middlesbrough;
John Madejski Academy, Reading;
Gateway Academy, Thurrock;
Marlowe Academy, Kent;
Djanogly City Academy, City of Nottingham; and
Northampton Academy, Northamptonshire.
Details of the number and proportion of pupils eligible for free school meals in each academy and their local authorities are given in the following table.
Predecessor academy Year open Local authority Number of pupils known to be eligible for free school meals Percentage of pupils known to be eligible for free school meals Number known to be eligible for free meals Percentage known to be eligible for free meals St. Pauls Academy 2005 Greenwich 179 25.6 4,050 28.1 Mossbourne Community Academy 2004 Hackney 249 40.6 2,460 37.3 Petchey Academy 2006 Hackney 86 47.8 2,460 37.3 Burlington Danes Academy 2006 Hammersmith and Fulham 166 20.6 1,520 25.3 Lambeth Academy 2004 Lambeth 229 43.0 3,060 37.4 Haberdashers’ Aske’s Hatcham College1 2005 Lewisham 181 17.5 2,860 25.7 Haberdashers’ Aske’s Knights Academy 2005 Lewisham 321 44.1 2,860 25.7 City of London Academy 2003 Southwark 273 36.5 2,660 31.9 The Academy at Peckham 2003 Southwark 530 50.8 2,660 31.9 Harris Academy, Bermondsey 2006 Southwark 532 60.6 2,660 31.9 Harris Girls’ Academy, East Dulwich 2006 Southwark 312 40.6 2,660 31.9 Paddington Academy 2006 Westminster 428 54.7 1990 29.7 Westminster Academy 2006 Westminster 304 40.7 1990 29.7 London Academy 2004 Barnet 432 43.0 2,920 15.0 The Business Academy, Bexley 2002 Bexley 543 39.2 1,500 8.1 Capital City Academy 2003 Brent 313 34.9 3,750 22.6 West London Academy 2003 Ealing 439 40.6 3,930 25.6 Greig City Academy 2002 Haringey 251 37.4 4,010 33.8 Stockley Academy 2004 Hillingdon 274 40.8 2,880 16.8 The Harefield Academy 2005 Hillingdon 88 17.4 2,880 16.8 Harris Academy, Merton 2006 Merton 195 30.0 880 12.2 St Marks Church of England Academy 2006 Merton 194 27.1 880 12.2 Walthamstow Academy 2006 Waltham Forest 214 31.7 3,270 24.7 Sandwell Academy 2006 Sandwell 26 14.4 4,020 20.3 Grace Academy 2006 Solihull 319 29.6 1,440 10.1 Walsall Academy 2003 Walsall 82 12.0 3,480 16.8 The Academy of St Francis of Assisi 2005 Liverpool 312 47.2 8,430 27.8 North Liverpool Academy 2006 Liverpool 406 41.1 8,430 27.8 Manchester Academy 2003 Manchester 399 51.2 8,930 38.6 Salford City Academy 2005 Salford 105 18.0 2,650 23.3 The Barnsley Academy 2006 Barnsley 159 37.5 2,150 16.2 Trinity Academy 2005 Doncaster 176 16.4 2,780 13.8 Sheffield Park Academy 2006 Sheffield 385 36.3 4,170 14.3 Sheffield Springs Academy 2006 Sheffield 342 34.9 4,170 14.3 Dixons City Academy1 2005 Bradford 59 7.2 8,070 23.7 David Young Community Academy 2006 Leeds 371 42.1 7,450 16.0 The City Academy, Bristol 2003 Bristol, City of 381 39.7 2,600 17.1 Unity City Academy 2002 Middlesbrough 466 45.0 1,750 31.8 The King’s Academy 2003 Middlesbrough 293 25.8 1,750 31.8 Macmillan Academy1 2005 Middlesbrough 293 25.8 1,750 31.8 Landau Forte College1 2006 Derby 88 11.2 2,450 15.6 John Madejski Academy 2006 Reading 150 30.4 630 11.4 The Gateway Academy 2006 Thurrock 296 36.2 860 10.7 The Marlowe Academy 2005 Kent 187 31.5 7,790 7.9 Djanogly City Academy, Nottingham 2003 Nottingham 446 32.7 3,750 27.9 Northampton Academy 2004 Northamptonshire 193 16.3 2,510 5.5 1 Former CTC.
Academies: Sponsorship
When setting up an academy, the Department places requirements on the academy trust set up by the sponsor, rather than the sponsors themselves. The requirements are set out in the Funding Agreement and Deed of Gift. Copies of the model Funding Agreement and Deed of Gift have been placed in the House Library.
The names of public-sector sponsors and co-sponsors for open academies are shown in the following table. Information relates to the quarter in which each academy was opened.
Academy name Opening date Sponsor Co-sponsor Opening quarter City of London Southward Academy September 2003 Corporation of London — 3rd quarter Macmillan Academy September 2005 Macmillan CTC — 3rd quarter Dixons City Academy September 2005 Dixons CTC — 3rd quarter Madeley Academy April 2007 Thomas Telford School (CTC) — 2nd quarter John Cabot Academy September 2007 John Cabot CTC Trust — 3rd Quarter The Bristol Brunei Academy September 2007 John Cabot Academy — 3rd quarter Marsh Academy September 2007 Microsoft and Tonbridge School Kent CC 3rd quarter Leigh Technology Academy September 2007 Leigh CTC — 3rd quarter Harris City Academy, Crystal Palace September 2007 CTC Trust/Harris Federation of South London Schools Trust — 3rd quarter Cornwallis (name TBC), South Maidstone Federation September 2007 Cornwallis Online Learning Kent CC 3rd quarter New Line Learning Academy September 2007 Cornwallis Online Learning Kent CC 3rd quarter
Prior to 1 May 2007 Funding Agreements had been signed for academies where the Royal borough of Kensington and Chelsea and Kent county council were co-sponsors, and where the Corporation of London was the lead sponsor. In addition to these, Funding Agreements had been signed where the following public sector bodies are acting as lead sponsors of academies:
Macmillan City Technology College;
Dixons City Technology College;
Thomas Telford School;
John Cabot City Technology College;
Leigh City Technology College;
Harris City Technology College; and
Brooke Weston City Technology College.
Academies: Standards
A range of possible measures available to the Department to deal with underperforming academies, similar to the range of interventions are available for dealing with other underperforming state-funded schools. These range from providing support through School Improvement Partners and Educational Advisers to powers vested in the Secretary of State, which include the power to close an academy in the unlikely event that other interventions have not worked.
Academies are independent schools, and local authorities have no powers of intervention relating to an Academy’s performance. However, each academy has at least one local authority representative on its governing body.
The February 2007 National Audit Office report on the academies programme found that for three main measures of GCSE performance in 2006, academy pupils gained on average better results than fresh start schools. The percentage of pupils in academies with five or more grades A*-C was 40 per cent. in comparison to 35 per cent. in fresh start schools; the percentage in academies with five or more grades A*-G was 80 per cent. in comparison to 79 per cent., and the percentage with five or more grades A*-C including English and maths was 22 per cent. in comparison to 17 per cent. in fresh start schools.
Assessments
The Joint Council for Qualifications (JCQ) is responsible for setting the timetable for GCSE and A level examinations and does this after consulting on a provisional timetable a year in advance of when the examinations are taken. In the 2007 summer examination series, the final date for GCSE examinations was 27 June, the final date for GCE examinations was 28 June and for the final date for AEA examinations was 29 June. Across England local authorities (and independent schools) set term dates in full knowledge of these dates and typically finish summer term in mid-July.
Assessments: Standards
My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State announced on 26 September 2007 his intention to establish an independent regulator of examinations and tests. On 17 December my Department, with the Department for Innovation, Universities and Skills, published the consultation paper “Confidence in Standards: Regulating and developing qualifications and assessment” (Cm 7281), which sets out the detail of our proposals. Copies of the consultation paper are available in the House Library.
We are consulting on these proposals until 10 March 2008 and will bring forward legislation to establish the new regulator at the earliest opportunity.
Biometrics: Fingerprints
The Department has no plans to commission a review of the academic literature on the reversibility of biometric templates to recreate fingerprints. The British Educational Communications and Technology Agency is responsible for monitoring this and other aspects of technology in schools and will take appropriate action as it considers necessary. BECTA published guidance on the use of biometric technology in July 2007.
Buildings Schools for the Future Programme: Sustainable Development
The Department recently introduced new standards for carbon emissions from new school buildings. The Children's Plan contains a new requirement for all new build schools to reduce carbon emissions by at least 60 per cent. It also includes our longer-term ambition for all new school buildings to be zero carbon by 2016 and we are now appointing a taskforce to advise on how this can be achieved.
These targets for carbon emission complement our requirements for environmental assessments using BREEAM, the Building Research Establishments Environmental Assessment Methodology, which we have adapted for schools. Since 2005 it has been our requirement that major school building projects achieve a minimum BREEAM rating of ‘very good’.
Education Maintenance Allowance
The education maintenance allowance (EMA) was piloted in England from 1999, and launched nationally from September 2004. The administration costs increased as the scheme became available across the country from that date.
Education Maintenance Allowance: Copeland
(2) how many pupils were eligible in (a) Cumbria and (b) Copeland to receive education maintenance allowance at (i) £30, (ii) £20 and (iii) £10 over the last three years.
These are matters for the Learning and Skills Council (LSC) which operates the education maintenance allowance (EMA) for the Department for Children, Schools and Families (DCSF) and holds the information about take-up and payments made under the scheme. Mark Haysom, the council's chief executive, will write to the hon. Gentleman with the information requested and a copy of his reply will be placed in the House Library.
Letter from Mark Haysom, dated 8 January 2008:
I am writing in response to your Parliamentary Questions that asked:
“How many pupils within Copeland have been eligible to receive education maintenance allowance over the past three years”; and
“How many pupils were eligible in (a) Cumbria and (b) Copeland to receive education maintenance allowance at (i) £30, (ii) £20 and (iii) £10 over the last three years.”
Information on the number of young people who have applied, enrolled and received Education Maintenance Allowance (EMA) is available at Local Authority Level, but not at constituency level. EMA take-up is defined as young people who have received one or more EMA payments in the academic year.
To be eligible for an EMA a young person must be aged 16-19 and be in full-time learning or following a valid Entry to Employment Programme led Apprenticeship (at least 16 guided learning hours per week). Applications are income assessed, based on the learner’s total household income, with the maximum income to be eligible in 2007-08 of £30,810.
In the first year of national roll out (2004/05) EMA was available to all 16 year olds across England and to 17 and 18 year olds in former pilot areas (as Cumbria was not a pilot area this did not apply to them). In 2005/06 EMA roll out continued and EMA was available to all 16 and 17 year olds nationally. In 2006/07 EMA is available to all 16, 17 and 18 year olds nationally.
The following table shows the percentage of young people receiving EMA in Cumbria Local Authority area during each academic year since national roll out. The reasons why young people did not receive EMA may be that: they were not eligible, they did not apply, or they were in employment, NEET, etc.
Percentage 2004-05 (16-year-olds only) 33 2005-06 (16 and 17-year-olds) 27 2006-07 (16, 17 and 18-year-olds) 23 2006-071 (16, 17 and 18-year-olds) 29 1 To end December.
The following table shows EMA take-up data split by payment band for Cumbria Local Authority area during each academic year since national roll out.
Band £30 £20 £10 Total Number Percentage Number Percentage Number Percentage 2004-05 1,587 74 238 11 329 15 2,154 2005-06 2,845 76 445 12 458 12 3,748 2006-07 3,724 79 504 11 491 10 4,719 2007-081 3,494 79 468 11 439 10 4,401 1 To end December.
I hope you find this information useful. EMA take-up data showing the number of young people who have received one or more EMA payments during 2004/05, 2005/06, 2006/07 and to date in 2007/08 is now also available on the LSC website, at the following address:
http://www.lsc.gov.uk/providers/Data/statistics/learner/EMA_take_up.htm
Education Maintenance Allowance: Peterborough
This is a matter for the Learning and Skills Council (LSC), which operates the education maintenance allowance (EMA) for the Department for Children, Schools and Families (DCSF) and hold the information about take-up and payments made under the scheme. Mark Haysom, the council’s chief executive, will write to the hon. Gentleman with the information requested and a copy of his reply will be placed in the House Library.
Letter from Mark Haysom, dated 19 December 2007:
I am writing in response to your Parliamentary Question that asked:
"How many young people in Peterborough constituency received education maintenance grants in the last year for which figures are available."
Information on the number of young people who have applied, enrolled and received Education Maintenance Allowance (EMA) is available at Local Authority Level, but not at constituency level.
EMA take-up is defined as young people who have received one or more EMA payments in the academic year. EMA take-up for City of Peterborough Local Authority area is as follows:
2006/07—2,017
I hope you find this information useful. EMA take-up data showing the number of young people who have received one or more EMA payments during 2004/05, 2005/06, 2006/07 and to date in 2007/08 is now also available on the LSC website at the following address:
http://www.lsc.gov.uk/providers/Data/statistics/learner/EMA_take_up.htm
Further Education: Essex
The following table shows the proportion of all academic age 16-year-olds participating in full-time education in Essex local authority in each year since 1997. These figures are not currently available at parliamentary constituency level.
Participation of 16-year-olds in education and training is published in the Statistical First Release: Participation in Education, Training and Employment by 16 to 18-year-olds in England: 2005 and 2006 and Participation in Education and Training by 16 and 17-year-olds in each local area in England: 2004 and 2005. See the following link:
http://www.dfes.gov.uk/rsgateway/DB/SFR/s000734/index.shtml
Participation of 16-year-olds in full-time education, EssexPercentage19971998199920002001 (a)2001 (b)2002200320042005Essex171727170686971707274Essex1—717270677072717375Southend-on-Sea—787976776574677474Thurrock—646064616464676672England70707271717172727376 1 The two figures for Essex are for (i) Essex county council and (ii) Essex unitary authority (UA). The former contains Essex UA, Southend-on-Sea UA and Thurrock UA. Figures for these UAs are not available for 1997.Notes:1. Learner in Special Designated Institutes (SDIs) and External Institutes (EIs) have been included from 2002 onwards.2. For 2001 onwards, information for pupils in maintained schools, CTCs and academies is included by the pupil’s residence, rather than the address of the school. The table 2001 (a) provides the figures on the old basis, 2001 (b) on the new basis.
Further Education: Staffordshire
The following table shows the proportion of all academic age 16-year-olds participating in full-time education in Staffordshire local authority in each year since 1997. These figures are not currently available at parliamentary constituency level.
Participation of 16-year-olds in education and training is published in the Statistical First Release: Participation in Education, Training and Employment by 16-18 Year Olds in England; 2005 and 2006 and Participation in Education and Training by 16 and 17 Year Olds in each Local Area in England: 2004 and 2005, please see the following link:
http://www.dfes.gov.uk/rsgateway/DB/SFR/s000734/index.shtml
Percentage 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 (a) 2001 (b) 2002 2003 2004 2005 Staffordshire1 64 65 67 67 67 68 67 70 71 72 Staffordshire1 68 69 70 68 69 70 69 72 73 74 Stoke-on-Trent 50 52 58 61 59 60 59 62 64 67 England 70 70 72 71 71 71 72 72 73 76 1 The two figures for Staffordshire are for (a) Staffordshire county council and (b) Staffordshire unitary authority (UA). The former contains both Staffordshire UA and Stoke-on-Trent UA. Notes: 1. Learners in special designated institutes (SDIs) and external institutes (EIs) have been included from 2002 onwards. 2. For 2001 onwards, information for pupils in maintained schools, CTCs and academies is included by the pupil’s residence, rather than the address of the school. The table 2001 (b) provides the figures on the new basis, 2001 (a) on the old basis.
GCE A-Level
[holding answer 17 January 2008]: All young people should receive high-quality information, advice and guidance on learning and careers options from their schools and from other learning providers, and from the Connexions service so that they can make informed choices. We expect this advice to promote the proven benefits of further education and training. However, it is important that information, advice and guidance are impartial, reflecting needs of the learner, not of the institution providing the advice.
It is not the Department’s policy to promote one learning route over another. Our interest in ensuring that each learner is helped into education and training that is the best for that individual and which is most likely to sustain their participation in learning and lead to the highest level of attainment. For many learners A-levels are the most appropriate way forward; for others, different routes will be appropriate.
GCE A-Level: Standards
The information can be provided only at disproportionate cost.
General Certificate of Secondary Education
The information for the past two years can be found in the Library or on table 21 at the following links:
2005/06: http://www.dcsf.gov.uk/rsgateway/DB/SFR/s000702/index.shtml
2006/07: http://www.dcsf.gov.uk/rsgateway/DB/SFR/s000768/index.shtml
The information for other years can be provided only at disproportionate cost.
Information for the last four years is in the Library.
Information for further years can be provided only at disproportionate cost.
General Certificate of Secondary Education: Standards
As part of the 2007 comprehensive spending review (CSR), a new set of public service agreements and national targets was announced in October 2007. From 2009 onwards there is a dual focus on ensuring that pupils reach the levels expected for their age in both English and mathematics (threshold targets) and improving the rates of progress made by pupils from five to 16 (new progression targets) with increased attention to achieving faster progress for underachieving groups such as children in care and ethnic-minority pupils.
The key stage 4 threshold target is for 53 per cent. of pupils to achieve 5A*-C GCSEs (and equivalent), including GCSEs in both English and maths by 2011.
The progression targets will be a major factor in helping all pupils—regardless of their background and circumstances—to realise their potential in English and mathematics in particular. By 2011 we want to see a 15 percentage point improvement in the number of pupils making two levels of progress in English and a 13 percentage point improvement in those making two levels of progress in mathematics between key stage 3 and key stage 4.
We have also made the commitment that, by 2012, no secondary school should have fewer than 30 per cent. of pupils achieving five GCSEs at grade A*-C including English and mathematics. This children’s plan, launched last month, also sets out the ambition that, by 2020, at least 90 per cent. of young people should achieve the equivalent of five higher GCSEs at age 19.
Gifted Children: Staffordshire
The available information is given in the tables. Information on gifted and talented pupils was collected for the first time via the school census in 2006.
2006 Tamworth parliamentary constituency Staffordshire local authority England3 Number of pupils2 Number of gifted and talented pupils2 Percentage of gifted and talented pupils4 Number of pupils2 Number of gifted and talented pupils2 Percentage of gifted and talented pupils4 Number of pupils2 Number of gifted and talented pupils2 Percentage of gifted and talented pupils4 Maintained primary schools n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a Maintained secondary schools5 5,878 395 6.7 60,645 4,697 7.7 3,294,710 373,160 11.3 Total n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a
Tamworth parliamentary constituency Staffordshire local authority England3 Number of pupils2 Number of gifted and talented pupils2 Percentage of gifted and talented pupils4 Number of pupils2 Number of gifted and talented pupils2 Percentage of gifted and talented pupils4 Number of pupils2 Number of gifted and talented pupils2 Percentage of gifted and talented pupils4 Maintained primary schools 7,740 223 2.9 62,845 1,522 2.4 4,137,620 302,850 7.3 Maintained secondary schools5 5,677 480 8.5 59,671 5,629 9.4 3,256,370 425,830 13.1 Total 13,417 703 5.2 122,516 7,151 5.8 7,393,990 728,680 9.9 n/a = Not available. 1 Includes middle schools as deemed. 2 Includes pupils with sole and dual (main) registration. 3 National figures have been rounded to the nearest 10. 4 The number of gifted and talented pupils expressed as a percentage of the total number of pupils. 5 Excludes city technology colleges and academies. Source: School Census.
Home Education
Yes: this is explained in the guidelines for local authorities on monitoring elective home education that were published in November 2007. A copy of the guidelines has been placed in the House of Commons Library.
I have no plans to meet Education Otherwise and other home education organisations. My officials are in regular contact with them.
Languages: General Certificate of Secondary Education
The numbers of maintained mainstream schools with no students entered for a GCSE in a modern language in each of the last three years are as follows:
Number 2006/07 27 2005/06 27 2004/05 38
The 2004/05 figure relates to French, German or Spanish only.
Languages: Primary Education
(2) which modern foreign languages are taught in primary schools in London.
The table details the proportion of primary schools in each London borough which reported in autumn 2006 that they were teaching languages in class time. The data were obtained from ongoing research commissioned by the Department, which estimated the proportion of schools teaching languages in class time. The figures are based on a representative sample of maintained primary schools and the survey achieved a 48 per cent. response rate nationally.
The major languages taught in primary schools in London were French, German, Italian and Spanish. Other languages taught in a small number of schools included Chinese, Japanese, Urdu, Panjabi, Hebrew, Turkish, Albanian and Bengali.
London LAs Percentage of responding primary schools teaching languages in class time Camden 100.00 Greenwich 78.57 Hackney 77.78 Hammersmith and Fulham 83.33 Islington 100.00 Kensington and Chelsea 83.33 Lambeth 81.25 Lewisham 50.00 Southwark 78.57 Tower Hamlets 25.00 Wandsworth 93.75 Westminster 100.00 Barking and Dagenham 100.00 Bamet 66.67 Bexley 100.00 Brent 71.43 Bromley 86.67 Croydon 63.16 Ealing 72.22 Enfield 86.67 Haringey 71.43 Harrow 100.00 Havering 86.67 Hillingdon 76.92 Hounslow 84.62 Kingston on Thames 66.67 Merton 91.67 Newham 90.91 Redbridge 57.14 Richmond upon Thames 100.00 Sutton 90.91 Waltham Forest 36.36
Mandarin: Primary Education
The Children's Plan, published in December 2007, confirmed that the primary curriculum will be reviewed, including introducing languages as a compulsory subject. This takes forward the recommendation in Lord Dearing's Languages Review that languages should become a compulsory part of the primary curriculum, and builds on the existing entitlement for all Key Stage 2 pupils to learn a language in class time by 2010.
Members: Correspondence
A reply to this letter was provided by Lord Adonis on 20 December 2007.
Private Education: Academic Year
We want an ‘independent educational institution’ to be one that provides the main part of a child’s education. As 28 weeks’ education per year and 12.5 hours’ education per week together constitute more than half a school year and more than half a typical school week for primary age children, these institutions will provide the main part of their pupils’ education.
Pupils: Accidents
The Health and Safety Executive has provided details, as requested, in the following table:
Non-fatal injuries 2002/03 4 2003/04 — 2004/05 1 2005/06 5 2006/071 7 1 Provisional. Notes: 1. Injuries are reported and defined under the Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations (RIDDOR) 1995. The information available under RIDDOR 95 includes two categories of severity for members of the public (the category under which students are recorded): fatal injuries and non-fatal injuries that cause a person to be taken from the site of the accident to hospital. Across the period shown there are no recorded fatal injuries to students in Tamworth reported to HSE under RIDDOR. 2. Identified using Standard Occupational Classification 2000 (SOC2000) code 0002 'Student'. 3. Identified using Standard Industrial Classification 1992 (SIC92) codes 80100 'Primary education', 80200 'Secondary education' and 80210 'General secondary education'. 4. The annual basis is the planning year from 1 April to 31 March.
Pupils: Data Protection
The British Educational Communications and Technology Agency is responsible for producing and publishing guidance for schools on how to ensure the security of their IT systems. BECTA's latest guidance was published in September 2007 and is available on its website. This guidance includes information for schools on monitoring the physical security of ICT equipment, data security and the security of pupil information and data.
Pupils: Drugs
The requested information is not collected centrally.
Information on the number of exclusions (permanent and fixed period) from schools by reason for exclusion (which includes the category ‘drug and alcohol related’) has been placed in the Library.
Pupils: English Language
The available information shows the number of pupils whose first language is known or believed to be other than English. Figures for the years requested have been placed in the Library. Data for the earlier years (1997 and 2001) have been included in the workbook but as the information is not directly comparable owing to a change in the coding framework, it has not been amalgamated into the time series.
The information is published annually in Schools and Pupils in England: January 2007 (Final). The latest figures relate to 2007 and are available at:
http://www.dfes.gov.uk/rsgateway/DB/SFR/s000744/index.shtml
The Department does not collect this information. It is a matter for each local authority to determine locally the level of funding for each of its services in the light of local circumstances.
School Leaving
Without compulsion, there is a risk that young people with lower aspirations, who may come from families and communities which have a poor experience of education and training, are missed as participation increases, and this group will become more marginalised. That is why we believe that to galvanise the system to provide better for this group we must go further, and a different approach is needed. The experience of other countries suggests that if this policy is to have the impact we want, we need to be clear that it can be enforced if necessary. For example, Western Australia raised the participation age from 15 to 16 and has seen the participation rate at 16 rise from 80 per cent. to 98 per cent. The Netherlands has recently changed the law too, and we will look to learn from its experience. Under plans to raise the participation age, sanctions will only be used as a last resort and the focus will be on ensuring there is the right provision and the right support for young people to participate in education and training post-16.
School Meals
Schools may spend all their income, whether from the Dedicated Schools Grant or other sources, including profit on school meals where the service is not contracted out, on expenditure for the purposes of the school or pupils in other maintained schools. Local Management of Schools means that schools are expected to budget within their resources however they are derived, and to manage their own expenditure in the way that best fits the priorities and local needs of the school.
Schools: Admissions
The Department does not collect this information.
Schools: Armed Forces
The Defence Committee recommendations for the then DfES that have been implemented are as follows.
We have included an indicator in the January 2008 school census which will facilitate research into service children’s outcomes;
We are working closely with the devolved Administrations on the MOD’s new cross border forum discussing provision for service children across the whole UK, particularly provision for those with statements of special educational needs (SEN) who move between countries within the UK;
To improve the transfer of pupil records when they move school, we have continued to publicise the statutory “15 school day rule” to ensure that all schools are aware of their responsibilities;
We are working with a group of heads of schools which have high mobility due to large numbers of service children, to develop best practice guidance to help schools deal with the difficulties mobility causes, and to ease the impact that frequent moves can have on the children;
The School Admissions Code requires admission authorities to take account of service families’ needs and allows them to allocate places in advance where families are moving to their area, using the unit HQ address if necessary where families have yet to be given an address. These provisions have been welcomed by the MOD.
One recommendation about children with statements of SEN was not accepted. For those children with statements who move frequently, there are regulations governing the transfer of information between local authorities, and the timing of reviews of the statements and any necessary reassessments of the children’s SEN. Previously statemented children who return from abroad may have been away for a considerable period and their needs may have changed. It is right that their needs are reassessed on return.
Schools: Biometrics
The Department has no plans to commission an assessment of the security systems used in schools (a) in libraries, (b) in canteens and (c) for registration. The British Educational Communications and Technology Agency is responsible for monitoring this and other aspects of technology in schools and will take appropriate action as it considers necessary. BECTA published guidance on the use of biometric technology in July 2007.
Schools: Buildings
Data on school temporary buildings were supplied to my Department by local education authorities in 2001, 2003 and 2005. However, checks on recent months indicate that the completeness and quality of the data was not good enough to accurately assess the number of buildings.
Central Government capital support for investment in schools has increased from under £700 million in 1996-97 to £6.4 billion in 2007-08 and will rise further to £8 billion by 2010-11. Progress is being made year by year on improving the quality of the school building stock. The bulk of schools capital is now allocated by formula to authorities and schools so that they can address their local priorities, including the replacement of decayed temporary accommodation, on which we have set a high priority. Given the high levels of funding, authorities have the opportunity to replace temporary buildings when they are considered to be unsuitable.
Modern, high-quality mobile or demountable buildings provide a good environment for teaching and learning where there is short-term need. When they are new, they are required to meet the same building environmental standards as buildings that are not demountable. They might, for instance, be needed to cope with a short-term increase in pupil numbers, or where extensive remodelling or rebuilding of permanent accommodation means providing temporary accommodation on the school site, rather than transporting children elsewhere.
The Education (School Premises) Regulations 1999 set out minimum standards for schools. These regulations are currently under review. The Department has also published a wide range of guidance and building bulletins on design and standards for school buildings.
Schools: Buses
[holding answer 17 January 2008]: I have been asked to reply.
The Department does not hold information on the number of designated school buses that are fitted with safety belts.
Schools: Curriculum
(2) when he will reply to question 173812, on the Opening Minds curriculum, tabled by the hon. Member for Bognor Regis and Littlehampton on 10 December 2007.
We do not collect data about which approaches schools take to planning their curriculum. That is a matter for schools themselves, as long as they meet the statutory requirements. The Opening Minds website www.rsa.org.uk, however, suggests that
“there are now over 135 schools using the Opening Minds framework of competences”.
Schools: Finance
The schools for which the Department holds cost information are academies, as follows, with estimated costs including sponsorship. My Department does not hold cost information for other recently completed schools, which were procured locally, Building prices vary significantly according to the size of school, site development costs and local prevailing construction pricing levels.
Academy Area £ million Bradford Academy Bradford 20 5 Brunei Academy Bristol 24.0 City of London Academy (Southwark) Southwark 33.7 David Young Community Academy Leeds 23.6 Djanogly City Academy Nottingham 23.7 Folkestone Academy Kent 36.8 Grace Academy Solihull 31.7 Haberdashers’ Aske’s Knights Academy Lewisham 40.5 Harris Academy Croydon 38.0 John Madejski Academy Reading 27.7 Leigh Technology Academy Kent 36.6 London Academy Barnet 34.4 Northampton Academy Northampton 27.4 Paddington Academy Westminster 31.5 Salford City Academy Salford 16.7 Sandwell Academy Sandwell 27.1 Stockley Academy Hillingdon 27.5 The Academy at Peckham Southwark 30.2 The Academy of St. Francis of Assisi Liverpool 20.9 The Bridge Academy Hackney 47.7 The City Academy Bristol 27.7 The Marlowe Academy Kent 27.8 The Petchey Academy Hackney 34.2 The Samworth Enterprise Academy Leicester 19.5 Thomas Deacon Academy Peterborough 50.4 Trinity Academy Doncaster 25.1 West London Academy Ealing 32.2 Westminster Academy Westminster 30.6
The Department allocates education so funding to local authorities the requested information for the Hendon constituency is not available. The guaranteed unit of funding per pupil for Barnet local authority for 2007-08 was £4,344 and for 2008-09 it will be £4,559. We do not apply a guaranteed unit of funding to specific grants.