Written Answers
University Grants Allocation
asked Her Majesty's Government:Whether a decision has been taken on university grant allocations for 1988–89.
The University Grants Committee's initial allocation of recurrent grant to universities for 1988–89 was announced on 11th February. A copy of the chairman's general letter of guidance to all universities is in the Library.
Education Policy And Des Personnel
asked Her Majesty's Government:What are the total numbers of administrative grade civil servants in the Department of Education and Science in the ranks of (i) Principal, (ii) Assistant Secretary, and (iii) Under Secretary, who have had (
a) any teaching experience in schools, further education colleges, polytechnics or universities, or ( b) any administrative experience in local government or higher education.
The information requested could only be provided at disproportionate cost. In formulating their education policies the Government draw on a wide range of advice, including in particular from HMI, who have a wealth of teaching and administrative experience in all sectors of education.
Handicapped Children: Educational Provision
asked Her Majesty's Government:How many children are known to have special educational needs for physical or mental reasons, how many of these have "statements", and how many attend (
a) special local authority schools, ( b) other schools run by local authorities and ( c) grant-maintained schools.
The information is not available in the form requested. Since 1983 pupils in England and Wales have not been classified in accordance with categories of handicap. The total number of children with statements in England and Wales in January 1987 was 144,841. Of these 94,693 were attending special schools maintained by local education authorities and 35,082 were attending ordinary schools maintained by local education authorities. The Bill to establish grant-maintained schools is at present before Parliament.
Social Security Single Payment Expenditure
asked Her Majesty's Government:What was the total budget for the social security single payment fund for 1986–87; what was the actual expenditure on single payments, and what was the cost of administration as a percentage of the budget.
Single Payment expenditure is not budgeted. The outturn expenditure for 1986–87 was £330 million. The cost to the Department of salaries and employer's national insurance contributions was a further £39 million, equivalent to 12 per cent. of the benefit disbursed.
Social Fund: Administration Costs
asked Her Majesty's Government:Whether the report in
New Society of 22nd January 1988 that "no less than 18 per cent. of the money set aside for the [social] fund would be spent on administration", is correct; and if it is correct, will the money be deducted from, or added to, that already allocated to local DHSS offices.
The administration costs of the social fund will not be met from the national social fund budget for the discretionary parts of the social fund scheme of £203 million. The salary costs (including employer's national insurance contributions) of the administration of these parts of the scheme will be £37 million at 1988–89 prices, which will be met from the department's administration vote. This is equivalent to 18 per cent. of the budget.
Pensioners' Benefits In The Ec
asked Her Majesty's Government:Which is the most recent year for which they have information about retirement pensions and other benefits for pensioners in all member states of the European Community.
The most recent year for which we have this information is set out in the publication Tables of Social Benefit Systems in the European Communities (Position at 1 January 1987), a copy of which is in the Library.
It is expected that the next edition reflecting the position at 1st January 1988 will be published by August 1988.
Dhss Staff Shortfall Statistics
asked Her Majesty's Government:What difficulties are being encountered in the staffing of local DHSS offices, what steps they are taking to improve conditions, especially in view of the changes in benefits due to take place in April 1988 and to what extent the number of personnel falls short of the required establishment.
The table gives details of the shortfall of staff in post below the planned staffing levels for 1st February 1988. The figures provided indicate the position in the regional and local offices of this department. The department continues to develop initiatives to ease the situation where difficulties are encountered in the recruitment and retention of staff.The Treasury announced proposals in September 1987 for the introduction of "local pay additions". These have been designed specifically to alleviate problems of recruitment and retention in the areas where they occur. The timescale for implementation will depend upon the progress of consultation with the Civil Service trade unions.Opportunities for part-time working, job sharing, reinstatement, as well as flexible working hours are already available to staff. A recent report on
Working Patterns by Anne Mueller, CB, Second Permanent Secretary of the Cabinet Office, is currently being discussed within the department. Proposals put forward in this report would offer staff a variety of terms and conditions of employment tailored to suit the needs of the individual employee.
| SHORTFALL OF STAFF?POSITION ON 1st FEBRUARY 1988 | |||
Region
| Planned staff in
| Actual no. of
| Percentage shortfall
|
post target
| staff in post
| of staff
| |
| North East | 11,085 | 11,027.5 | 0.52 |
| Midlands | 10,994.5 | 10,919 | 0.69 |
| London North | 11,409 | 11,348 | 0.54 |
| London South | 11,484 | 11,432.5 | 0.45 |
| Wales and South Western | 9,358 | 9,225 | 1.42 |
| North West | 10,304 | 10,255.5 | 0.47 |
| Scotland | 8,882 | 8,807 | 0.84 |
| Total | 73,516.5 | 73,014.5 | 0.68 |
"Ulster Year Book" 1985
asked Her Majesty's Government:What was the cost of publishing the 1985 edition of the
Ulster Year Book, How many copies were published and how many sold, and whether they will review the proposal to discontinue publication.
Printing costs for the 1985 edition of the Ulster Year Book amounted to £11,000. The cost of staff time could only be obtained at disproportionate cost. The total print was 2,000, of which only 500 were sold.It is not proposed to resume publication of the
Ulster Year Book because of:
Channel Islands: Drug Trafficking Legislation
asked Her Majesty's Government:Whether the drug trafficking legislation to be introduced in Jersey and Guernsey is likely to come into force before the end of 1988.
The States of Jersey and of Guernsey, the parliaments of the Channel Islands, have undertaken to produce such legislation. I am assured that it is likely to be enacted in the next six months.