The following answer outlines the (a) most recent annual budget, (b) purpose and (c) staff complement of the each of the Department's (i) advisory bodies, (ii) tribunals and (iii) corporations.
(i) Advisory Bodies
Teenage Pregnancy Independent Advisory Group
(a) Net annual budget is £0.04 million.
(b) The Teenage Pregnancy Independent Advisory Group is an advisory NDPB which monitors and advises Ministers on the Government's 10-year teenage pregnancy strategy to reduce teenage conceptions and improve support for teenage parents. It is funded through Teenage Pregnancy Programme.
(c) The body does not employ any staff.
Teachers' TV board of Governors
(a) Net annual budget is £0.14 million.
(b) The board acts as a high-powered advisory body that informs decisions taken by the Department. The board provides open accountability about the plans and performance of Teachers TV to the channel's audience, stakeholders and to the public. The board upholds the editorial independence of Teachers TV; ensures that the channel supplier adopts the best practices of a UK public service broadcaster; advises the Department on ways that Teachers TV could develop so that it best meets the need of its audience; approves the supplier's Statement of Content Policy; helps ensure the Teachers TV supplier is held accountable for the public funds it receives via an annual performance review; and acts as an ambassador for the service.
(c) The board is supported by one FTE employed by the Department.
Children's Plan Expert Group
(a) The group does not have a dedicated budget.
(b) There are three expert groups (ages 0-7, 8-13, and 14-19) whose remit will be to look at services and policies affecting children, young people and families and to make recommendations to the Secretary of State on how best to deliver his long-term objectives to:
Improve the health and well-being of children and young people.
Safeguard the young and vulnerable.
Close the gap in educational achievement between those from disadvantaged backgrounds and their peers.
‘Raise our game’ on raising standards.
Increase post-16 participation and attainment.
Increase the number of children and young people on the path to success.
(c) The group does not employ any staff.
Information Standards Board
(a) Net annual budget of £0.74 million.
(b) The Information Standards Board (ISB) for education, skills and children's services in England is the system-wide authority for all information and data standards. Its mission is to facilitate information sharing across the system; agree information standards to aid frontline delivery; improve efficiency, reduce costs and minimise bureaucracy. The ISB is designated as an Internal Advisory Committee, but has ministerial authority to make recommendations and approve decisions on behalf of the system.
(c) The board does not employ staff directly. A part-time independent Chairman is appointed by the Ministers. A Secretariat of 0.75 full-time equivalent (FTE) staff is provided is provided by the Department. A Technical Support Service of 2.5 FTE is provided under contract.
Talent and Enterprise Taskforce
(a) The net annual budget is £4 million.
(b) The purpose of the Talent and Enterprise Taskforce is to promote the imperative of enabling everyone to discover, develop and apply their talents to fulfil their own aspirations and contribute to Britain's success in the new global economy. The Talent and Enterprise Taskforce is based in the Department of Children, Schools and Families (DCSF) but reports through to the cross-government Talent and Enterprise Committee.
(c) The taskforce currently employs 4.6 FTE.
National Council for Educational Excellence
(a) The net annual budget is £0.01 million.
(b) The National Council for Educational Excellence (NCEE) was set up to provide advice to the Prime Minister and Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families about strategy and measures to achieve world-class education performance for all children and young people from birth to age 19. It published its recommendation in October 2008. Since then council members have been working on implementation. Council members act as advocates and champions to transform expectations and aspirations for the education system, and to rally the teaching professions, businesses, the third sector, universities and colleges, schools and parents to raise standards year on year.
(c) The council does not employ any staff however currently one FTE co-ordinates its activities.
National Young People's Advisory Group
(a) The net annual budget is £0.02 million.
(b) The purpose of the advisory group is to draw on the expertise of young people's panels across thee country to help consider issues relating to delivery of the Youth Opportunity and Youth Capital Funds.
(c) The advisory group employs one FTE for 10 days and one contractor for 10 days.
Children and Youth Board
(a) The annual budget is £0.2 million.
(b) The Children and Youth Board (CYB) was established in 2004 as part of the ‘Every Child Matters’ programme, where a commitment was made to enduring the participation of children and young people in shaping services that affect their lives. They provide advice to the Department on policies that affect them.
(c) The Children and Youth Board is managed by the National Children's Bureau (NCB) on the Department's behalf. The number of NCB staff involved in managing the CYB is three.
Young Muslims Advisory Group
(a) The annual budget is £0.25 million.
(b) The Young Muslims Advisory Group is a jointly funded project with CLG. The group was established in October 2008 to provide young Muslims in England a platform to directly engage with the Government on the issues affecting them, particularly the causes of violent extremism.
(c) OPM is the lead contractor of a consortium supporting CLG and DCSF managing the Young Muslims Advisory Group, with a dedicated project manager providing support throughout the two-year project. There is a seconded youth worker based in CLG who supports the 23 members of YMAG in meeting the aims and objectives of the group. Total number of staff therefore is two (however the group is made up of 23 young people between the ages of 17-25).
Child Safety Reference Group
(a) The group does not have a dedicated budget.
(b) The group was set up to provide advise and challenge the delivery of the improvements outlined in the PSA 13 Delivery Agreement; to provide a view on delivery based on experience at the frontline of service delivery; and to drive delivery through their organisations.
(c) The group consists of approximately 30 members.
(ii) Tribunals
Currently, the Department is not responsible for any tribunals.
(iii) Corporations
General Teachers Council of England
(a) Net annual budget of £18.97 million.
(b) The General Teaching Council for England is the independent professional body for teaching in England. It works for children, through teachers, in the interests of the public. It is committed to making sure young people have the best possible standards of learning and achievement. It keeps a register of qualified teachers in England and sets out and enforces standards for the teaching profession in the interests of the public. It provides advice to Government and other agencies on important issues that affect the quality of teaching and learning. It works with teachers to make sure its advice is based on practical experience and reliable research. It brings together teachers and other partners with an interest in the education service, including parents, governors and employers.
(c) The staff complement is 206.