Written Answers to Questions
Monday 17 July 2006
Treasury
Annuities
The Exchequer cost arising from this proposal depends upon behavioural responses. But, assuming that the technical deficiencies with the proposal would be corrected, we stated a conservative overall initial cost of the measure of around £100 million per annum. Our longer term estimate of the overall costs is around £175 to £225 million per annum.
This potential cost consists of two main elements. First, allowing larger lump sums to be taken out and taxed at marginal rate at age 75 would have a tax cost because additional pension savings would be induced.
The up-front tax cost of these additional pension savings is estimated to be in the region of £300 to £500 million per annum. Around three quarters of this would be reclaimed as income tax on the resulting retirement benefits. This gives a broad range for this part of the costing of £75 to £125 million per annum. We used the lower range of this estimate for our conservative initial cost.
Secondly, allowing individuals to leave pensions untouched until death and then bequeath the capital would reduce income tax on pensions in payment. As any additional savings held in pension assets at death would largely displace other liquid assets, held inheritance tax (IHT) would not increase to offset this income tax lost. Even if wealth held at death were to increase as a result of the tabled amendments, the average effective rate of IHT on such assets would still be far below the rate of income tax. Only 6 per cent. of estates have an IHT charge.
The longer term costs of this behaviour are very uncertain but are estimated at £100 million per annum in lost income tax. But this would take time to build up and we have used one quarter of this amount for our conservative initial cost.
Computer Learning Centres
I have been asked to reply.
The term “computer learning centres” potentially covers a wide range of provision, not all of which would have been funded by Government.
However, I can say that between 1999 and 2003, with funding from the Capital Modernisation Fund and the New Opportunities Fund, around 6,000 UK online centres were established across England.
I have been asked to reply.
The term “computer learning centres” potentially covers a wide range of provision, not all of which would have been funded by Government.
However, I can say that between 1999 and 2003, a total of £396 million from the Capital Modernisation Fund and the New Opportunities Fund was invested in setting up UK online centres across England.
Data Protection
[holding answer 13 July 2006]: The response meeting this description was the case cited in my reply of 26 June. The original letter was an appeal against a separate HMRC decision, although it also contained a subject access request.
Demographics
The information requested falls within the responsibility of the National Statistician, who has been asked to reply.
Letter from Karen Dunnell, dated 17 July 2006:
As National Statistician, I have been asked to reply to your question concerning the percentage of the population of (a) the UK (b) Peterborough Constituency and (c) Peterborough Unitary Authority aged (i) under 25, (ii) between 25 and 34, (iii) between 35 and 44, (iv) between 45 and 54, (v) between 55 and 64 and (vi) over 65. (85992)
The latest available data for the UK and Peterborough Unitary Authority (UA) are the mid-2004 population estimates. The mid-2005 population estimates for the UK and local authorities in England and Wales are due to be published on 24 August 2006.
Mid-year population estimates are not produced for parliamentary constituencies. For this reason, the latest data available for Peterborough Constituency is from the 2001 Census.
The attached table shows the percentages requested for each age group and area, based on the latest available figures for these areas.
Age Group UK Peterborough Unitary Authority Peterborough Parliamentary Constituency Under 25 31 33 34 25 to 34 13 15 15 35 to 44 15 15 14 45 to 54 13 12 13 55 to 64 12 10 9 Over 65 16 14 14 Source: Office for National Statistics.
ECOFIN
Ministerial attendance and the outcome of each ECOFIN have been reported either by written ministerial statement, written answer or, occasionally, by letter to the Chairman of the European Scrutiny Committee.
Enterprise Insight
Enterprise Insight was created in 1999 to promote a culture of enterprise in the UK by running a national campaign promoting the spirit of enterprise to young people and those who influence them. It is funded by the Small Business Service to cover activities in England only and it does not provide business support services for enterprises based in Northern Ireland. Treasury Ministers regularly meet a wide range of individuals and organisations in the course of policy development. As is the case with previous administrations, it is not the practice of the Government to provide details of these meetings.
EU Budget
The UK’s contributions to the EU budget are determined in accordance with the Own Resources Decision, details of which can be found at paragraph 2.15 of the “European Community Finances” White Paper (Cm 6770, page 7). The level of these contributions is also dependent in negotiation of the annual EU budget and HM Treasury plays an active role in these discussions, see below. The UK’s contributions fluctuate from year to year as can be seen in Tables 31 and 3.2 of the “European Community Finances” White Paper (Cm 6770, page 15 and 17). These fluctuations occur for a variety of reasons, as explained in paragraph 3.6 of the “European Community Finances” White Paper (Cm 6770, page 15).
The Government also participate in Council negotiations on the setting of the annual budget, where we seek to control budget growth in line with genuine needs and implementation capacity, and to focus spending where it adds most value and is most cost effective. This budget disciplined approach helps restrict the growth in UK contributions.
Of course most of the annual budget is pre-set by treaty obligations and multi-annual spending programmes. Furthermore the UK is but one of 25 member states. Decisions in the Council on the annual budget are taken by Qualified Majority, and the final budget must be agreed with the European Parliament. Nevertheless by working effectively with like-minded member states, the Government are able to influence the outcome.
In the last five years Council/EP negotiations have amended the Commission’s preliminary draft budget (PDB) proposal and these figures are published annually in the “European Community Finances” White Paper.
Illegal Food Imports
(2) what estimate his Department has made of the amount of (a) meat and (b) fruit, vegetables and plant products entering the UK illegally in each of the last three years;
(3) how many seizures of prohibited (a) products of animal origin and (b) fruit, vegetables and plant products there were at UK ports and airports in each of the last six years, broken down by product type; and what weight of each type of product was seized in each year;
(4) what proportion of passengers searched by HM Revenue and Customs at UK ports and airports in each of the last six years were found to be carrying prohibited (a) products of animal origin and (b) fruit, vegetables and plant products in their luggage.
HM Revenue and Customs’ central records for POAO, fruit and vegetable and plant products seized by customs officers at ports and airports in Great Britain for the past three financial years are as follows:
2003-04 2004-05 January to December 2005 Total number of seizures of POAO 15,316 25,286 22,597 Total weight of seized POAO items (kg) 174,206 216,889 175,435 Total number of seizures of fruit, vegetable and plant products 1,246 1,497 1,276 Total weight of fruit, vegetable and plant products seized (kg) 21,253 28,189 25,409
2003-04 2004-05 January to December 2005 Number of meat seizures 6,473 10,792 9,890 Weight of meat seizures (kg) 70,083 77,087 57,562 Number of fish seizures 5,156 8,235 7,189 Weight of fish seizures (kg) 67,625 84,563 72,944 Number of dairy seizures 3,108 5,091 4,477 Weight of dairy seizures (kg) 27,564 40,265 35,667 Number of honey seizures 530 1,168 1,041 Weight of honey seizures (kg) 8,934 14,975 9,262
Information on POAO seizures made prior to April 2003 can be found in DEFRA's Annual Review of Controls on Imports of Animal Products last published in July 2005.
HMRC do not produce estimates on the amount of illegal meat imported into the UK. Such estimates are held by the Veterinary Laboratories Agency (VLA).
HMRC make no estimates of the proportion of passengers entering the UK each year with POAO and fruit, vegetables and plant products in their luggage.
Income Tax
Information can be found on the Office for National Statistics (ONS) website in table 14, “Average incomes, taxes and benefits by decile groups of all households” in the article “The effects of taxes and benefits on household income” from the ONS’ Economic Trends publications.
For 2004-05:
http://www.statistics.gov.uk/articles/economic_trends/ET_May_Francis_Jones.pdf
For 2003-04:
http://www.statistics.gov.uk/articles/nojournal/taxesbenefits200304/taxesbenefits200304.pdf
For 2002-03:
http://www.statistics.gov.uk/articles/economic_trends/ET607Lakin.pdf
Similar information for 2005-06 and 2006-07 is not yet available.
Malawi
[holding answer 4 July 2006]: I understand that the Chancellor has never visited Malawi.
Modern Apprenticeship Taskforce
The Apprenticeship Task Force (ATF) met for the first time in April 2003 and subsequently seven times with the final meeting in May 2005. In April 2006, the Apprenticeship Ambassadors Network (AAN) was established to continue the work of the ATF.
National Lottery
The information requested is publicly available on the UK Trade Info website (http://www.uktradeinfo.com).
Under European agreements we may keep our zero rates, but may not extend them or introduce new ones.
VAT is chargeable on the construction of all new non-residential buildings, other than those that will be used at least 90 per cent. for a relevant charitable purpose—such as free-of-charge activities provided by a charity, a village hall or similar.
Where VAT is chargeable on construction and is not reclaimable through the VAT system, it is reasonable to expect this cost to be taken into account when an organisation makes a bid for national lottery funding.
Whether an athlete is liable for income tax and national insurance contributions on a National Lottery Sports Fund grant will depend on whether he or she is earning an income as a self-employed person from competing in any sport (including any associated activities such as sponsorship or journalism). That is a question of fact to be determined in individual cases. Detailed guidance on these issues is provided in the HMRC Business Income Manual (beginning at page BIM50650), available on the HMRC website at:
http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/manuals/bimmanual/BIM50650.htm
Online Tax Reduction Claims
The number of small companies that have submitted their Employer’s Annual Returns online and a “special tax reduction” has been made as follows:
Return for year to 5 April: 2000 0 2001 1,400 2002 0 2003 0 2004 0 2005 900,000
Parliamentary Questions
Treasury Ministers endeavour to answer parliamentary questions promptly wherever possible. Of the 173 written questions which were awaiting answer on 10 July, 119 had been received at least a fortnight previously and 85 of these questions had been received at least three weeks previously.
Treasury Ministers had answered 5,252 questions in the present session up to 10 July. For the Treasury's performance in answering written questions within the timescales set by the House, I refer the hon. Gentleman to the answer I gave to the hon. Member for Yeovil (Mr. Laws) on 11 July 2006, Official Report, columns 1724-5W.
Question 38754 was a duplicate of the hon. Member’s question 38697, which was answered on 10 January, and as such was withdrawn by the Table Office and never appeared in the Questions Book. Some of the other questions concerned have already been answered. Those that have not will be answered as soon as possible.
Treasury Ministers endeavour to answer questions within the timescales set by the House. The provision of timely answers depends in part upon the number of questions the Department is dealing with. The Treasury has answered 554 questions from the hon. Gentleman in the present Session, the great majority of which have concerned tax credits.
Planning Gain Supplement
I refer the hon. Member to the answers I gave the hon. Member for Brentwood and Ongar (Mr. Pickles) on 6 and 16 March 2006, Official Report, columns 1105W and 2417W respectively.
Population Statistics
The information requested falls within the responsibility of the National Statistician who has been asked to reply.
Letter from Karen Dunnell, dated 17 July 2006:
As National Statistician I have been asked to reply to your recent Parliamentary Question asking whether the Chancellor of the Exchequer plans to review the methods of collecting local authority population statistics in order to take account of immigration from EU accession countries in the period since May 2004. (85001)
Migration of accession country citizens to and from the UK is captured via existing data sources that are used to estimate population change. For population estimation purposes, the definition of a migrant is someone who changes their country of usual residence for a period of at least a year which is the UN recommended definition of a long term migrant. The 2005 mid-year population estimates, due to be published on 24 August 2006, will therefore include an estimate of the number of long term immigrants from the EU accession countries, based on the UN definition.
It is recognised that information about short-term migrants is needed, both nationally and at local levels, for policy and planning purposes and for service provision. In May of this year, ONS set up an Inter-departmental Task Force on Migration Statistics. The Task Force will report to me by the end of August, making recommendations on timely improvements that could be made to the estimates of migration and migrant populations in the United Kingdom, both nationally and at local level.
ONS are also carrying out an extensive programme of work titled Improving Migration and Population Statistics (IMPS) Project which is designed to investigate improvements to the population and migration statistics produced by ONS. Further information on this work can be found at: www.statistics.gov.uk/IMPS. In particular:
The IMPS programme of research is taking forward recommendations from the National Statistics Quality Review (NSQR) into International Migration. The quality review made recommendations for improving the estimation of total migration flows to and from the UK and the allocation of international migration to local areas. This work includes investigating administrative sources that may be used in producing or quality assuring the international migration estimates (such as the Worker Registration Scheme data), investigating potential sources of information about short-term migrants and making improvements to the current source of information on international migrants, the International Passenger Survey (IPS).
The latest Progress Report on taking forward the recommendations of the NSQR on International Migration can be found at http://www.statistics.gov.uk/about/data/methodology/quality/reviews/population.asp
Also, as part of the IMPS programme, ONS are conducting Local Authority case studies. These aim to get a better understanding, from a local perspective, of the administrative data sources that are currently used in the population estimation procedure. They will also investigate any other high quality sources that the local areas use themselves for population purposes. The local areas selected for these studies are ones that are known to have reasons which make their population difficult to estimate, e.g. those with a high volume of migratory moves. It is intended that these studies will contribute towards the improvement of both internal and international migration statistics.
Sniffer Dogs
Meat detection dogs were introduced by DEFRA in 2002, and were transferred to HMRC in 2003. The number of animal origin detector dogs used at ports and airports in Great Britain since 2002 is in the following table:
Number of dogs 2002 2 2003 2 2004 6 2005 10 2006 9 (+2 in training)
These dogs are employed on a mobile basis across Great Britain.
We cannot disclose further information about the deployment of the dogs as this would provide information of value to those seeking to circumvent HMRC controls, thereby prejudicing the prevention and detection of crime.
Statutory Instruments
Since October 2005, two statutory instruments sponsored by HM Treasury have been reported by the JCSI as defective:
One in its report of 2 November 2005, and
One in its report of 8 November 2005.
In addition one instrument sponsored by HM Revenue and Customs was so reported in the Committee's report of 1 February 2006.
Taskforce on Migration Statistics
The information requested falls within the responsibility of the National Statistician who has been asked to reply.
Letter from Karen Dunnell, dated 17 July 2006:
As National Statistician I have been asked to reply to your recent Parliamentary Question asking the Chancellor of the Exchequer when he expects the Taskforce on Migration Statistics to report to Ministers. (85002)
The aim of the Task Force is to report to me, as National Statistician, by the end of August, making recommendations on timely improvements that could be made to the estimates of migration and migrant populations in the United Kingdom, both nationally and at local level. I will report to Ministers in October, after the Parliamentary recess.
Tax Credits
Child tax credit (CTC) includes a family element of £545 per year. It also includes a baby addition at a rate of a further £545 per year for families for periods when they are responsible for a child aged under one year. Equivalent payments are made to families receiving their child support via income support or jobseeker’s allowance. Abolishing these elements would reduce expenditure on CTC by around £3.3 billion per year, based on 2004-05 awards. The extra child benefit expenditure resulting from adding the weekly equivalents to the rate for the eldest child would be around £4.3 billion per year. Therefore, the net cost would be £1 billion per year.
The recent Joseph Rowntree Foundation report “What will it take to end child poverty?” suggested that the child tax credit was probably the most cost-effective way of reducing child poverty. To achieve the same effect by raising child benefit would be up to three times as expensive.
(2) how many tax credit claims in payment have been stopped since June 2004 because of fraud or suspected fraud; and if he will make a statement;
(3) how many employees of Network Rail had their identities used in tax credit fraud in 2005-06; what the cost to the Exchequer was; and if he will make a statement;
(4) what his estimate is of the scale of identity fraud in relation to tax credits; how many tax credits staff have been involved in identity fraud since 2003-04; and if he will make a statement;
(5) what recent action his Department has taken to reduce the level of tax credit fraud;
(6) what his latest estimate is of the cost of tax credit fraud for each quarter from April 2003 to April 2006; and if he will make a statement;
(7) what his latest estimate is of the number of people who experienced identity fraud as a result of tax credits fraud in (a) 2005-06 and (b) 2006-07 to date; and if he will make a statement;
(8) what his latest estimate is of the level of (a) fraud and (b) error in respect of tax credit payments in (i) 2003-04 and (ii) 2004-05; and if he will make a statement;
(9) when he plans to publish the final assessment of tax credit fraud for 2003-04; and if he will make a statement;
(10) what his latest estimates are of the number of cases of tax credit fraud in each reporting period since 2001-02; and if he will make a statement;
(11) if he will make a statement on the level of fraud in claims for the childcare tax credit;
(12) how many tax credit claims have been stopped due to fraud and suspicion of fraud in each month from January to May; and if he will make a statement;
(13) if he will make a statement on tax credit fraud by people claiming as lone parents;
(14) what assessment he has made of the level of tax credit fraud by people claiming disabled worker status;
(15) what information on tax credit fraud his Department has made available to the National Audit Office since 1 January; and if he will make a statement;
(16) how many planned measures to reduce tax credit fraud had not been implemented as at 1 June 2006; and if he will make a statement;
(17) on what date he sent the National Audit Office estimates of tax credit fraud and error for 2003-04 based upon the assessment of a sample of 4,700 cases;
(18) whether (a) Ministers and (b) special advisers have seen (i) drafts and (ii) a final version of the HM Revenue and Customs report into tax credit fraud and error which was due to be published in spring 2006; and if he will make a statement;
(19) what his latest estimate is of the breakdown between (a) fraud, (b) official error and (c) claimant error in the existing estimates for tax credit fraud and error; and if he will make a statement;
(20) if he will publish the report received by the Paymaster General in June 2005 on suspected fraudulent activity in the tax credit system; and if he will make a statement.
I refer my right hon. Friend the Member for Birkenhead (Mr. Field) and the hon. Members for Yeovil (Mr. Laws) and for Inverness, Nairn, Badenoch and Strathspey (Danny Alexander) to the statement I made to the House on 11 July 2006, Official Report, columns 1281-82. I refer them also to the HMRC publications “Child and Working Tax Credits: Error and fraud statistics 2003-04” and “Tackling error and fraud in the Child and Working Tax Credits”, available on the HMRC website at www.hmrc.gov.uk/news/index.htm., and to “HM Revenue and Customs 2005-06 Accounts: The Comptroller and Auditor General’s Standard Report”, part 2, available at http://www.nao.org.uk/pn/05-06/05061159.htm.
Tax Rebates (IT Equipment)
Small companies are able to claim tax relief in the form of capital allowances for expenditure on a wide range of assets. Claims for capital allowances are not broken down to the level of detail required for firm estimates of the number of small companies investing in computers or information technology specifically.
Tax Receipts (Energy)
Receipts from taxes on energy are published by the Office for National Statistics in table 3.1 of the Environmental Accounts that can be found at: http://www.statistics.gov.uk/downloads/theme_environment/EAMay06.pdf.
Taxable Homecare Allowance
This information is not available except at disproportionate cost.
Education and Skills
Access to Work Scheme
The Department does not collect information about the Access to Work scheme in the form requested centrally and it could be obtained only at disproportionate cost. Since 2003, my Department has provided assistance for its disabled staff from its own reasonable adjustments fund. This fund has assisted over 500 staff.
Adult Education
Our records for the last 12 months indicate that we have received 221 letters from MPs on a range of FE funding issues including proposed changes to adult courses. Some letters from MPs include correspondence forwarded from FE college principals and in addition to these letters we have received 18 letters directly from FE college principles on FE funding issues.
We do not have records of any representations made in person by or on behalf of colleges. However, both I and my colleagues have regular meetings with providers and stakeholders including representative organisations such as the Association of Colleges and the Association of Learning Providers about adult education.
Bullying
We are unable to provide this information because we do not collect these data centrally. However, individual schools may record incidents of bullying and some local authorities keep records for their own area, which we welcome as best practice within our anti-bullying guidance to schools, “Don’t Suffer in Silence”.
Since 2003-04, however, we have collected data on the reasons for exclusions from schools. In the 2004-05 academic year, 130 pupils were permanently excluded and 7,680 were given fixed period exclusions for bullying. This information comes from the Statistical First Release on “Permanent and Fixed Period Exclusion from Schools and Exclusion Appeals in England, 2004/05”.
The Department for Education and Skills does not record the information that my hon. Friend has requested. Bullying of teachers by anyone is unacceptable. Teachers who feel that they have been subjected to bullying should report incidents to their employer and, where appropriate, their professional association immediately.
Chat Rooms
[holding answer 10 July 2006]: There has been a series of discussions between DfES and Home Office officials about the provisions in the Bill for vetting chat room moderators. These discussions have also included representatives of the industry. They have been helpful in clarifying the extent of the vetting requirement.
Children Leaving Care
Information on the proportion of young people who left care in the last 12 months who are in education, training or employment is not collected by the Department for Education and Skills (DfES). However, the following table shows information on care leavers on their 19th birthday who were looked after in their 17th year and is available at national level and for the local authority of Lancashire. Information is not available at constituency level.
Numbers and percentages Care leavers on 19th birthday In education, training or employment Percentage in education, training or employment England (National) 5,200 3,100 59 Lancashire (local authority) 100 45 47 1Source: DfES—Figures are taken from the SSDA903 return which since 2003-04 covered all looked after children. Excerpt from Table 22 of the Statistical Volume on Children looked after by Local Authorities Year Ending 31 March 2005—Volume 2: Local Authorities 2 Historical data may differ from older publications. This is mainly due to the implementation of amendments and corrections of amendments and corrections sent by some local authorities after the publication date of previous materials. Note: To maintain the confidentiality of each individual child, data at national level are rounded to the nearest 100 if they exceed 1,000 to the nearest 10 otherwise. At local authority level, data are rounded to the nearest 5.
The following table shows the average age of children leaving care in Lancashire in 2004 and 2005. Information at constituency level is not collected centrally.
year:month 2003-04 2004-05 England (National) Average age at end of stay (yr:mth) 10:7 10:9 Lancashire (local authority) Average age at end of stay (yr:mth) 11:2 10:6 1Source: DfES—Figures are taken from the SSDA903 return which since 2003-04 covered all looked after children. 2 Historical data may differ from older publications. This is mainly due to the implementation of amendments and corrections sent by some local authorities after the publication date of previous materials. 3 To maintain the confidentiality of each individual child, data at national level are rounded to the nearest 100 if they exceed 1,000 to the nearest 10 otherwise. At local authority level data are rounded to the nearest 5.
The following table shows the number of children leaving care in Lancashire in 2004 and 2005. Information for 2006 will be available at local authority level in March 2007. Information at constituency level is not collected centrally.
Number 2003-04 2004-05 England (national) 25,800 25,600 Lancashire (local authority) 525 515 1 Historical data may differ from older publications. This is mainly due to the implementation of amendments and corrections sent by some local authorities after the publication date of previous materials. 2 To maintain the confidentiality of each individual child, data at national level are rounded to the nearest 100 if they exceed 1,000, to the nearest 10 otherwise. At local authority level data are rounded to the nearest 5. Source: DfES—Figures are taken from the SSDA903 return which since 2003-04 covered all looked after children.
Information on young people who left care in 2005 is not available by the breakdown requested. However, the following table shows how many young people in Lancashire who left care in 2005 had as their last placement, a placement in (a) an independent living, (b) with own parents and (c) in home and hostels. Note that a placement in independent living includes staying in a flat, or staying in lodgings without supported staff, staying in a bed and breakfast and finally staying with friends. Information at constituency level is not collected centrally.
Children who ceased to be looked after in 2005 whose last placement was in independent livings, with own parents or in homes and hostels1NumberPlacements2All children3Independent livings4Own parents5Homes and hostels6Others7England (national)25,6001,5002,5002,50019,100Lancashire (local authority)5152565803401 Historical data may differ from older publications. This is mainly due to the implementation of amendments and corrections sent by some local authorities after the publication date of previous materials. 2 To maintain the confidentiality of each individual child, data at national level are rounded to the nearest 100 if they exceed 1,000, to the nearest 10 otherwise. At local authority level data are rounded to the nearest 5. As a consequence of our rounding and suppression, figures may not sum to the total. 3 Total number of children looked after who left care in 2005. 4 Independent livings include in flat or lodgings without formal support staff, or in bedsit, B&B, or with friends. 5 Own parents means placed with own parents or other person with parental responsibility. 6 Homes and hostels inside and outside local authority boundary. 7 “Others” include looked after children placed for adoption, in foster placement with relatives or friends, in other foster placements provided by the local authority or provided by an agency, in residential employment, in secure units, in residential accommodation not subject to regulation, in other residential care home, in schools, in temporary placements, children missing from placements, children missing from care and other placements not listed above. Source: DfES—Figures are taken from the SSDA903 return which since 2003-04 covered all looked after children.
Services to care leavers in Lancashire are provided directly by Lancashire county council. Services for care leavers in West Lancashire are co-ordinated by the county’s south area leaving care team which supports young people who live in a wide area, from Skelmersdale to the boundaries of Preston and Southport.
Every care leaver must have a pathway plan based on an assessment of their personal needs, setting out the services that will be necessary to support them to greater independence. Leaving care services in the West Lancashire area draw on a wide range of professional staff to contribute to the support of individual care leavers including foster carers, children’s home staff, social workers, specialist leaving care staff, Connexions staff and specialist welfare rights and housing staff. Care leavers in West Lancashire also have opportunities to take up work experience arranged by the Looked After Children Employment Skills (LACES) project.
The exact level of financial support provided to any care leaver will be recorded in the individual’s pathway plan. Up until the age of eighteen, the local authority will usually be his/her primary source of income. Lancashire, as is the case for other local authorities, is responsible for funding accommodation, maintenance and other expenses (e.g. travel and leisure costs). Once care leavers reach 18, they are entitled to have access to the same mainstream arrangements for obtaining financial help as other young people. It will be the role of their leaving care personal adviser to assist them to access this help. However Lancashire, as the responsible local authority, has a continuing duty to provide assistance, for as long as the young person remains in an approved programme, with the costs of education or training.
Services to care leavers in Lancashire are provided directly by Lancashire county council. Services for care leavers in West Lancashire are provided by the south area leaving care team. This team comprises a manager, one qualified social worker, one support worker, two leaving care co-ordinators and an administrator. Two members on this team are specifically available to provide support as leaving care personal advisers.
The level of contact that is maintained with each individual care leaver depends on their personal needs. In Lancashire, where young people entitled to care leaving services continue to remain looked after by the local authority, their social workers must visit at least every three months. However, when young people are being actively prepared to leave care, contact will be far more frequent than this and where a young person requires intensive support, contact might take place several times a week. The team estimates that, on average, all care leavers in West Lancashire are seen at least fortnightly.
Young people are also able to make contact with the leaving care team without formal appointments. They make regular contact by phone, occasionally write letters or e-mail and increasingly prefer to communicate by text message. All young people have their social worker’s mobile phone number and if they leave a message in working hours their social worker will aim to respond the same day.
Children's Centres
The delivery of first phase children’s centres began in 2003-04, with expenditure during this period totalling £2.2 million capital and £1.9 million revenue. For the period 2004-06, local authorities were allocated £111 million revenue and £315 million capital funding for children’s centres.
In addition to this funding, we allocated £313 million capital to Sure Start Local Programmes (SSLP) in 2004-06 and we expect that most of this budget would have been used to facilitate SSLPs to become children’s centres.
Class Sizes
The information requested is shown in the table.
Maintained primary Maintained secondary Urban areas Rural areas Urban areas Rural areas 19972 27.8 26.3 21.7 21.5 19983 27.9 26.6 21.7 21.7 19994 27.7 26.3 21.8 21.9 2000 27.4 25.9 22.0 22.0 2001 26.9 25.4 22.0 22.1 2002 26.6 24.9 21.9 22.0 2003 26.6 24.9 21.9 22.0 2004 26.5 25.0 21.8 22.0 2005 26.5 25.0 21.6 21.9 2006 26.6 25.0 21.4 21.7 1 Includes middle schools as deemed 2 Excludes three primary schools for which there is no urban/rural indicator 3 Excludes six primary schools for which there is no urban/rural indicator 4 Excludes three primary and three secondary schools for which there is no urban/rural indicator. Source: Schools Census
Deaf Children
We cannot provide information relating specifically to deaf pupils. However, in 2004 information on type of Special Educational Need (SEN) was collected for the first time via the Pupil Level Annual School Census for those pupils at “School Action Plus” and with statements of SEN. The “type of SEN” indicator includes a category for those pupils with Hearing Impairment, and information for the pupils who have Hearing Impairment listed as their primary SEN is provided in the following table. Other pupils with statements of SEN or School Action Plus who may have a hearing impairment but for whom this is not listed as their primary SEN are not included in this table.
Lancashire LA3 England 2004/05 2003/04 2004/05 2003/04 Number of eligible 11-year-old pupils4 in reading 48 31 1,486 970 Number achieving level 4+ in reading5 30 17 911 478 Percentage achieving level 4+ in reading 62.5 54.8 61.3 49.3 Number of eligible 11-year-old pupils4 in writing 48 31 1,486 970 Number achieving level 4+ in writing5 24 8 565 309 Percentage achieving level 4+ in writing 50.0 25.8 38.0 31.9 Number of eligible 11-year-old pupils4 in maths 48 31 1,503 975 Number achieving level 4+ in maths5 29 15 793 426 Percentage achieving level 4+ in maths 60.4 48.4 52.8 43.7 1 Number of KS2 eligible pupils with a valid result. 2 Including attempts and achievement in previous academic years. 3 Figures for West Lancashire have not been provided as the number of pupils involved is too small. 4 Numbers relate to pupils with a statement of SEN or School Action Plus and with hearing impairment as their primary SEN who were eligible for the KS2 test. 5 Maths results are checked by schools as part of the checking exercise for the Primary School Achievement and Attainment Tables. Reading and writing results are not checked by schools.
Departmental Publications
Documents which are laid before Parliament as unnumbered Command Papers are generally restricted to Explanatory Notes to Treaties, Explanatory Memorandum to Statutory Instruments and some Treasury Minutes. All other documents are published in the numbered Command Papers series.
A complete list of unnumbered Command Papers can only be produced at disproportionate cost.
Copies of all unnumbered Command Papers are made available via the Vote Office.
Departmental Staff (Sickness Absence)
In 2005,1,264 members of staff had two or more periods of sickness of less than five days; in 2004, the number was 1,389. In addition, there were 1,461 in 2003.
I am now able to give the information requested for 2003. It is set out in the following table.
Periods of sick leave of less than five days Number of staff 2 677 3 384 4 201 5+ 219 Total 1,481
Edison Schools
Lord Andrew Adonis had a breakfast meeting with Chris Whittle of Edison Schools on 1 December. To the best of our knowledge, there have been no other meetings or correspondence between Ministers and Edison Schools. A visit was made to Thorpe Bay School, Southend, by the then Secretary of State my right hon. Friend the Member for Bolton, West (Ruth Kelly) in January 2006. Thorpe Bay School has benefited from school improvement support from Edison, but we are not aware that the Secretary of State met any Edison representative on this occasion.
Education Funding
The available information has been placed in the House Library.
Environmental Standards
The New Framework for Sustainable Development in Government (the framework) targets mandate Government to have Environmental Management Systems based, or modelled upon, a recognised system.
The Department has commissioned consultants to introduce a Sustainable Operations Management System (SOMS) into all DfES HQ buildings in this financial year.
The new system will be based upon the ISO 14001:2004 standard but is not currently required to achieve accreditation to that standard.
Further Education
Information on applicants to undergraduate courses is collected by the Universities and Colleges Admissions Service (UCAS). The figures cover students who apply to full-time courses via UCAS, but they exclude students who apply to part-time courses and those who apply for full-time courses directly to institutions.
Data on the number of students living in the London borough of Bexley applying to full time undergraduate courses through UCAS are given in the table.
There is no comparable central organisation which processes applications for further education courses; students apply directly to the relevant FE institution.
Year of entry Applicants 2003 entry 1,314 2004 entry 1,273 Source: Universities and Colleges Admissions Service (UCAS)
In terms of the students from Bexley actually enrolling on courses, the available information covering enrolments at English further education institutions and full-time and part-time undergraduate entrants at UK higher education institutions is given in the table.
Type of Institution 2003/04 2004/05 Learners at FE institutions: General FE and tertiary 4,880 9,170 Sixth form college 30 90 Other college 245 370 External institution 1,495 2,940 Entrants to HE institutions 2,060 2,135 1 Covers students on both full-time and part-time courses. Council (LSC) Individualised Learner record (ILR). HE entrant figures are on a HESA Standard Registration Population basis. Figures have been rounded to the nearest 5. Source: Higher Education Statistics Agency (HESA) student record data and the Learning and Skills Council.
Gap Years
The Department has not commissioned any research in recent years which was specifically focused on the potential link between taking gap years and university non-completion rates. However, there have been two studies in the past four years which provide relevant information.
The first, “Dropping Out: A Study of Early Leavers from Higher Education” (DfES, RR386, December 2002), surveyed around 1,500 early leavers from HE. Just under a quarter cited “mistaken choice of course” as the most important influence on withdrawal. The survey also noted that:
“Many respondents felt that they had been pushed by their schools to enter university. They instead felt that they would have benefited from a year out of education to think about their choices more carefully and to enter HE with greater maturity.”
The second, “Review of Gap Year Provision” (DfES, RR555, July 2004), provided a comprehensive summary and analysis of existing literature and research into gap years. It noted a range of benefits of gap years to individuals, employers and society. These included “improved educational performance”. However, it did identify a couple of studies which suggested that
“a break in academic work and routine may have negative effects on motivation and progress.”
It noted that some university careers support services make reference to this and offer advice on how gap year applicants might address this on arriving at university.
GCSE
The following table shows the percentage of 15-year-old pupils1 achieving nine or more GCSEs at grade A or A* in each year since 1997, broken down by school type2.
1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 Community School 1.2 1.4 1.7 1.9 1.9 2.0 1.9 2.0 2.3 Voluntary Aided School 2.3 2.4 3.7 4.3 4.3 4.7 4.9 5.2 5.8 Voluntary Controlled school 2.7 3.0 3.7 4.4 4.4 4.4 4.6 4.7 5.9 Foundation School 2.8 3.4 3.3 4.1 4.1 4.4 4.6 4.8 5.1 City Technology College 2.5 2.4 2.5 3.8 3.8 4.4 4.3 5.2 5.3 City Academy — — — — — — 0.0 0.3 0.2 Community Special School 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 Foundation Special School 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 Non Maintained Special School 0.2 0.2 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.5 0.3 0.5 0.5 Independent Special School3 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 Independent School 14.7 16.9 18.6 20.1 20.1 20.8 21.6 21.7 22.4 Hospital School and PRU4 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 All Schools 2.6 3.0 3.4 3.9 3.9 4.0 4.1 4.3 5.1 1 Pupils aged 15 at the start of the academic year, i.e. 31 August. 2 Institution type as recorded through secondary school achievement and attainment tables. 3 Independent special school approved to take pupils with special educational needs. 4 Including community and foundation hospital schools and pupil referral units.
Gifted and Talented Students
The number of members of National Academy for Gifted and Talented Youth (NAGTY) in each maintained school in Brent is set out in the following table. Membership of NAGTY is available to pupils aged 11-19 in the top 5 per cent. of the ability range.
Brent local authority area schools NAGTY members Academy Capital City Academy 18 Secondary—community Wembley High Technology College 28 Secondary—foundation Alperton Community School 2 Claremont High School 0 Copeland (A Specialist Science Community College) 18 John Kelly Boys' Technology College 0 John Kelly Girls' Technology College 48 Kingsbury High School 32 Preston Manor High School 92 Queen's Park Community School 66 Secondary—voluntary aided Cardinal Hinsley High School 0 Convent of Jesus and Mary Language College 36 JFS School 5 St. Gregory RC High School 68 Total NAGTY membership in Brent 413
The Department has a wide-ranging strategy in place to improve gifted and talented education with national support provided by the National Academy for Gifted and Talented Youth (NAGTY) at the University of Warwick. The recent White Paper “Higher Standards, Better Standards, Better Schools for All” sets out the next stages of this programme, including development of a national register of gifted and talented pupils and an expert teacher in every secondary school and for every group of primary schools.
Individual Learning Accounts
As at November 2001, some 2.6 million individuals in England had opened an individual learning account through the national framework launched in September 2000. Of these, over 347,000 were opened during 2000. (Prior to the launch of the national framework, over 200,000 members applied via TECs, of whom, nearly 80,000 transferred their membership to the national framework and are included in the overall total.)
Total expenditure to the point of closure was £261 million, the majority representing payments to learning providers but also including Capita contract payments, development pilots and other related programme costs. The Department paid learning providers £223 million from the inception of the scheme to its closure. £31.1 million of this was paid during 2000 and £191.9 million during 2001.
Key design principles of the national ILA framework were to encourage more people into learning by helping to tackle the financial barriers to learning and to allow people to take responsibility for their own learning. ILAs were not intended to be a guarantee of quality for learning or learning providers. Nevertheless, many account holders who used their account to book a course stated that the learning met or exceeded their expectations (York Consulting Research Report 295). The Government initially made the decision to withdraw the programme in light of an increasing number of complaints. Subsequently, Ministers closed the programme early because of the compelling and growing evidence of abuse.
Kings Copse Primary School
The Government remain committed to protecting school playing fields. In this respect there is a general presumption against the need to change the current pattern of school playing field provision by disposal or change of use. However, some playing fields can be genuinely surplus and it can make sense to allow them to be sold and the proceeds used to provide new or improved sports or education facilities.
In the first instance, applications to dispose of school playing fields are considered by the independent school playing fields advisory panel. Each application is considered against strict criteria. Briefly, these fall under three headings which can be described as schools’ needs, community use, and finance.
In this particular case, the panel considered that Hampshire county council's application in respect of Kings Copse primary school failed to demonstrate how the schools’ needs and finance criteria would be met.
In accordance with normal procedure Hampshire county council will be given an opportunity to address the panel's concerns at its next meeting on 7 September 2006.
Learning and Skills Council
The Learning and Skills Council (LSC) funds learning which is (a) for externally accredited qualifications, (b) for qualifications which are not externally accredited (e.g. college certificated) and (c) non-qualification based.
It is possible to distinguish learning programmes by level—even where that learning is non-qualification based. That is shown in the table which gives the number (in thousands) and proportion of learners aged 19 and over on LSC funded Further Education (FE), Work Based Learning (WBL) and Adult and Community Learning (ACL —now know as personal and community development learning (PCDL)) provision in 2004-05.
Highest qualification level of learner WBL learners (thousand) WBL (percentage) FE learners (thousand) FE (percentage) ACL learners (thousand) ACL (percentage) Level 1 and Entry 3 1 1,489 43 814 91 Level 2 118 52 968 28 58 7 Level 3 103 45 475 14 14 2 Level 4, 5 and HE 3 1 70 2 0 0 Level not specified 0 0 475 14 4 0
However, it is not possible to fully distinguish between qualification and non-qualification based learning across all LSC funded learning. Non-accredited learning is currently funded mainly through safeguard personal and community development funding (PCDL), but also within WBL and FE. In WBL, Entry to Employment (a programme of other training and life skills for learners not in employment) has been introduced in response to the Cassells Review of Modern Apprenticeships. Funding for internally certificated learning is also available through FE institutions. Additionally, courses co-financed with European funding are not necessarily qualification based.
However, in 2004-05 it is estimated that 39 per cent. of FE learners and 98 per cent. of PCDL learners were taking non-externally accredited courses (which could be either qualifications which are not externally accredited or non-qualification based).
Missing Children
[holding answer 5 July 2006]: Information about the numbers of unaccompanied asylum seeking children who have been looked after from 2002 to 2005 and the numbers of these who have gone missing from their agreed care placement for more than 24 hours is shown in the following table.
Number of UASC looked after Number with at least one missing placement1 2002-03 2,400 50 2003-04 2,900 70 2004-05 2,900 90 1 A ‘missing’ placement is defined as a child being absent from their agreed placement for over 24 hours. 2 Children looked after who went missing more than once in the years ending 31 March 2003 until 2005 were only counted once. Notes: 1. Figures exclude any children whose asylum seeking status ceased before going missing. 2. For the purpose of preserving confidentiality, national figures have been rounded to the nearest 100 if they exceed 1,000 and to the nearest 10 otherwise.
Local authorities may also be responsible for looking after other foreign nationals from time to time. Data about this group of children, in terms of missing from placement data by foreign country of birth, are not collected centrally.
Outdoor Learning
(2) what recent discussions his Department has had with teaching unions about outdoor learning and pupil safety.
We expect to publish the Education Outside the Classroom Manifesto in the new school term. It will contain information about good safety management, and references to other relevant documents. A number of teaching unions responded to the public consultation on the draft vision and aims for the Education Outside the Classroom Manifesto that ran from November 2005 to February 2006. We will consult them further on next steps in relation to safety guidance once the manifesto is published.
Out-of-school Clubs
As part of the National Childcare Strategy, the Department has made funding available to local authorities since 1999 for childcare provision of a range of types, including out-of-school clubs. However, information on expenditure specifically for out-of-school clubs, or attendance at such clubs, is not held centrally.
Overseas Students
The latest available information is given in the table:
Country Number China (People's Republic of) 52,680 Hong Kong 10,780 Macao 145 Taiwan 5,880 Singapore 3,630 1 Refers to the country of the student's permanent or home address prior to entry to the programme of study. Notes: 1. Figures are on a HESA Standard Registration Population basis. 2. Figures have been rounded to the nearest 5. Source: Higher Education Statistics Agency (HESA) student record data.
Parliamentary Questions
The Department's parliamentary question tracking system is unable to break down the data as requested. The answer could be supplied only at a disproportionate cost.
Departments aim to ensure that Members receive a substantive response to their named day question on the named day, and endeavour to answer ordinary written questions within a working week of being tabled.
Pathfinder Grants
The following table shows the value of significant Government pathfinder grants offered to Greater London authorities by the DfES in 2004 and 2005. In some cases resource was allocated over two years and separate figures for the two years are not available.
£ Enterprise learning pathfinders2 Key stage 2 language pathfinders2 15-19 pathfinders3 (academic year) Building schools for the future pathfinders4 Early support pathfinders Local authority 2004-05 2004-05 2004-05 2005-06 2005-06 2004-06 Barking and Dagenham 0 88,150 0 0 0 200,000 Barnet 38,000 0 0 0 0 0 Bexley 3,500 0 0 0 0 0 Brent 36,200 0 0 0 0 0 Bromley 116,571 0 0 0 0 158,900 Camden 0 0 0 0 0 0 City of London 0 0 0 0 0 0 Croydon 50,000 0 0 0 0 0 Ealing 0 0 0 0 0 200,000 Enfield 0 100,000 0 0 0 236,000 Greenwich 130,000 0 0 0 3213,025,000 0 Hackney 185,000 0 0 0 0 0 Hammersmith and Fulham 18,000 0 0 0 0 0 Haringey 72,000 0 0 0 0 0 Harrow 0 0 384,778 0 0 159,000 Havering 11,000 0 0 0 0 235,000 Hillingdon 0 0 0 0 0 0 Hounslow 110,940 0 0 0 0 0 Islington 0 0 369,084 242,000 0 0 Kensington and Chelsea 0 0 0 0 0 0 Kingston upon Thames 76,770 0 0 0 0 0 Lambeth 15,000 0 0 0 0 0 Lewisham 10,200 0 250,000 0 498,985.000 0 Merton 24,000 0 0 0 0 200,000 Newham 64,500 0 265,000 0 0 0 Redbridge 63,400 0 0 0 0 0 Richmond upon Thames 0 159,165 0 0 0 0 Southwark 0 0 705,700 372,000 0 0 Sutton 0 0 0 0 0 294,000 Tower Hamlets 210,500 0 659,591 0 0 0 Waltham Forest 0 0 0 0 0 200,000 Wandsworth 75,000 0 0 0 0 0 Westminster 67,828 0 560,000 0 0 0 Total London 1,378,409 347,315 3,194,153 614,000 312,010,000 1,882,900 1 No money was paid out for diversity pathfinders in either year. 2 Pathfinder ended in 2004-05. 3 Partly paid through Learning and Skills Council. 4 Pathfinder began in 2005-06. Notes: 1. Includes £116 million of PFI credits. 2. Includes £58 million of PFI credits.
Primary Teachers
On a national basis there is no evidence of oversupply, but there will of course be differences between regions. The table shows that most regions do have vacancies for primary teachers.
A survey conducted by the Training and Development Agency for Schools this year among 6,590 newly qualified primary teachers showed that 95 per cent. had teaching jobs.
This Department periodically reviews the need for teachers in future years and this informs the number of training places that will be offered. The model takes account of such factors as falling pupil rolls, retirements and teachers returning to the profession after having children.
Vacancies as a percentage of teachers in post2 Number of vacancies 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006(p) 2006 (p) All vacancies 0.6 0.8 0.8 0.8 1.2 1.0 0.6 0.5 0.4 0.4 700 Grade3,4 Head or Deputy/Assistant 0.9 1.4 13 1.0 1.2 1.0 0.8 0.7 0.8 0.8 280 Head 0.6 1.0 0.9 0.8 0.8 0.7 0.5 0.5 0.7 0.7 130 Deputy head/Assistant head 1.3 2.0 1.7 1.3 1.8 1.2 1.1 1.0 0.8 0.9 150 Classroom teacher 0.5 0.6 0.7 0.8 1.2 1.1 0.6 0.4 0.4 0.3 420 Government Office Region North East 0.4 0.4 0.5 0.3 0.6 0.6 0.4 0.2 0.3 0.3 30 North West 0.3 0.3 0.3 0.3 0.4 0.5 0.3 0.3 0.3 0.2 60 Yorkshire and the Humber 0.1 0.4 0.2 0.3 0.3 0.8 0.3 0.3 0.3 0.4 70 East Midlands 0.4 0.5 0.4 0.6 0.7 0.5 0.3 0.3 0.2 0.3 50 West Midlands 0.2 0.4 0.7 0.6 0.7 0.8 0.5 0.4 0.4 0.3 70 East of England 0.7 0.7 0.8 0.9 1.7 1.6 0.8 0.6 0.5 0.5 90 London5 1.7 2.5 2.3 2.0 3.3 2.4 1.7 1.0 1.0 1.0 250 South East 0.8 0.8 0.8 1.0 1.6 1.1 0.8 0.4 0.3 0.3 70 South West 0.5 0.6 0.4 0.7 0.6 0.4 0.3 0.3 0.3 0.2 30 England excluding London 0.4 0.5 0.5 0.6 0.9 0.8 0.5 0.4 0.3 0.3 460 Total vacancies (numbers) 1,090 1,390 1,370 1,420 2,110 1,800 1,110 780 740 700 (p) Provisional 1.Advertised vacancies for full-time permanent appointments (or appointments of at least one term's duration). Includes vacancies being filled on a temporary basis of less than one term. 2 Teachers in post include full-time qualified regular teachers in (or on secondment from) maintained nursery and primary schools, plus the primary portion of full-time regular divided service, peripatetic, advisory and miscellaneous teachers. 3.The number of teachers in post by grade is from the 618g survey for 2001 onwards, previous years were estimated using the Database of Teacher Records. 4 The role of assistant head was created in 2001. 5 The 2006 vacancy rates for the inner and the outer London weighting areas are 1.3 per cent. and 0.6 per cent. respectively, (in 2005 they were 1.2 per cent and 0.8per cent). Totals may not appear to equal the sum of the component parts because of rounding. Source: 618g survey
Private Finance Initiative
The Department for Education and Skills does not itself undertake private finance initiative (PFI) projects. PFI projects for the provision of schools are delivered through contracts between local authorities and private sector contractors.
There are currently 100 such projects with signed contracts covering over 800 schools. The names, locations and other details of these schools can be accessed at www.teachernet.gov.uk/pfi.
A key aspect of the private finance initiative is that the risk of projects going over budget in the construction phase is transferred to the private sector contractor and we do not have information on any such costs that may have accrued to various private sector contractors for this reason. The public sector does not pay anything until the contracted services are available and thereafter payments are linked to satisfactory performance and availability.
School Meals
(2) whether he has set a maximum limit for the amount of trans fats to be present in school meals.
[holding answer 12 July 2006]: The School Meals Review Panel considered the need for a specific standard for trans-fatty acids to be included within their proposals, and concluded against imposing a specific standard for the following reasons:
Evidence shows that adult intakes of trans-fatty acids are well below the maximum threshold level for health;
Adopting a standard to limit the fat content of school meals would contribute towards controlling levels of trans-fatty acids; and
Food-based standards would include restrictions on foods which tend to be higher in trans-fatty acids (for example, savoury snacks and confectionery).
The School Food Trust supported the panel's view that their proposals would sufficiently control trans- fatty acids, and that there was no need to develop a specific standard for trans-fatty acids which had the potential to complicate the new standards unnecessarily, making it more difficult for schools and local authorities to implement them.
School Places Appeals
[holding answer 13 July 2006]: The information requested is shown in the table.
Maintained primary Appeals heard Appeals decided in parents favour Admission appeals lodged by parents Number1 Percentage Number Percentage2 2000/01 50 39 78.0 17 43.6 2001/02 132 87 65.9 25 28.7 2002/03 78 53 67.9 11 20.8 2003/04 80 60 75.0 20 33.3 2004/05 101 63 62.4 31 49.2
Appeals heard Appeals decided in parents favour Admission appeals lodged by parents Number Percentage1 Number Percentage2 2000/01 230 207 90.0 92 44.4 2001/02 125 90 72.0 29 32.2 2002/03 227 205 90.3 90 43.9 2003/04 200 170 85.0 50 29.4 2004/05 424 371 87.5 127 34.2 1 Number of appeals heard by a committee expressed as a percentage of the number of appeals lodged by parents. 2 Number of appeals decided in parents' favour expressed as a percentage of the number of appeals heard by a committee. Source: Schools Census and Admission Appeals Survey
School Staff (Assaults)
[holding answer 10 July 2006]: The number of assaults on school staff is not collected centrally.
For the academic year 2004/05, information is available on the reasons for pupil exclusions. These reasons include “physical assault against an adult”. A local authority breakdown of the number of pupils who have been excluded from school (permanently or for a fixed period) for physical assault against an adult, together with total numbers of exclusions, is given in the following table.
Permanent exclusions Number of pupils on roll4 Exclusions for physical assault against an adult Exclusions per 1,000 pupils5 Total number of exclusions (all reasons) Total exclusions per 1,000 pupils5 England 7,606,040 1,270 0.2 9,400 1.2 North East 398,660 90 0.2 460 1.2 841 Darlington 15,404 6— 6— 30 2.2 840 Durham 75,863 16 0.2 90 1.2 390 Gateshead 28,840 10 0.3 30 1.1 805 Hartlepool 16,035 6— 6— 20 1.4 806 Middlesbrough 20,165 8 0.4 20 0.9 391 Newcastle upon Tyne 37,260 17 0.5 60 1.7 392 North Tyneside 30,600 7— 7— 30 0.9 929 Northumberland 50,547 9 0.2 70 1.4 807 Redcar and Cleveland 24,083 — 7— 20 1.0 393 South Tyneside 23,762 12 0.5 40 1.9 808 Stockton-on-Tees 30,857 8 0.3 20 0.7 394 Sunderland 45,241 6— 6— 20 0.3 North West 1,086,590 240 0.2 1,440 1.3 889 Blackburn with Darwen 24,603 6— 6— 30 1.2 890 Blackpool 21,190 9 0.4 60 2.8 350 Bolton 45,797 6 0.1 60 1.4 351 Bury 28,254 6— 6— 30 1.2 875 Cheshire 104,163 30 0.3 170 1.6 909 Cumbria 76,831 11 0.1 60 0.8 876 Halton 18,910 6— 6— 50 2.4 340 Knowsley 26,438 8 0.3 40 1.4 888 Lancashire 173,101 62 0.4 270 1.6 341 Liverpool 73,239 6— 6— 80 1.1 352 Manchester 65,644 27 0.4 80 1.3 353 Oldham 40,513 7 0.2 40 1.0 354 Rochdale 34,820 7— — 40 1.1 355 Salford 32,960 16 0.5 90 2.6 343 Sefton 45,132 7— 7— 30 0.7 342 St. Helens 28,272 0 0.0 7— — 356 Stockport 40,944 9 0.2 50 1.2 357 Tameside 36,731 12 0.3 60 1.7 358 Trafford 35,964 6— 6— 20 0.5 877 Warrington 32,137 6 0.2 50 1.4 359 Wigan 48,712 12 0.2 70 1.4 344 Wirral 52,231 6— 6— 60 1.2 Yorkshire and the 806,660 150 0.2 840 1.0 370 Barnsley 34,496 6— 6— 7— 7— 380 Bradford 86,686 7 0.1 60 0.7 381 Calderdale 34,765 7— 7— 50 1.3 371 Doncaster 50,302 17 0.3 90 1.8 811 East Riding of Yorkshire 50,036 6 0.1 30 0.6 810 Kingston Upon Hull, City 39,262 34 0.9 80 2.1 382 Kirklees 63,113 8 0.1 60 1.0 383 Leeds 111,538 24 0.2 120 1.1 812 North East Lincolnshire 26,023 — 7— 60 2.4 813 North Lincolnshire 25,047 0 0.0 0 0.0 815 North Yorkshire 88,139 9 0.1 60 0.7 372 Rotherham 45,113 7 0.1 30 0.6 373 Sheffield 75,753 16 0.2 100 1.3 384 Wakefield 52,231 7— 7— 50 1.0 816 York 24,159 — 7— 40 1.7 East Midlands 667,600 160 0.2 970 1.5 831 Derby 37,832 14 0.4 90 2.2 830 Derbyshire 115,455 19 0.2 140 1.2 856 Leicester 47,168 22 0.5 80 1.7 855 Leicestershire 96,577 20 0.2 130 1.4 925 Lincolnshire 102,884 20 0.2 180 1.8 928 Northamptonshire 103,694 34 0.3 140 1.3 892 Nottingham 38,195 17 0.4 70 1.9 891 Nottinghamshire 120,891 18 0.2 150 1.2 857 Rutland 4,907 0 0.0 0 0.0 West Midlands 864,790 120 0.1 1,060 1.2 330 Birmingham 175,226 37 0.2 360 2.1 331 Coventry 49,307 6— 6— 10 0.1 332 Dudley 50,251 7 0.1 90 1.8 884 Herefordshire 24,005 7 0.3 30 1.1 333 Sandwell 50,581 7— — 70 1.3 893 Shropshire 40,761 7— 7— 40 0.9 334 Solihull 36,360 7 0.2 60 1.6 860 Staffordshire 128,800 20 0.2 140 1.1 861 Stoke-on-Trent 36,594 6— 6— 10 0.4 894 Telford and Wrekin 26,491 10 0.4 40 1.5 335 Walsall 48,005 7— — 30 0.5 937 Warwickshire 76,698 10 0.1 150 1.9 336 Wolverhampton 40,675 6— 6— 20 0.4 885 Worcestershire 81,031 6— 6— 30 0.3 East of England 842,380 110 0.1 930 1.1 820 Bedfordshire 63,800 11 0.2 130 2.0 873 Cambridgeshire 77,582 6— 6— 10 0.1 881 Essex 201,078 45 0.2 200 1.0 919 Hertfordshire 174,931 12 0.1 240 1.4 821 Luton 31,075 — 7— 30 1.0 926 Norfolk 113,477 7— 7— 100 0.8 874 Peterborough 28,680 6— 6— 30 1.0 882 Southend-on-Sea 27,270 7— 7— 40 1.4 935 Suffolk 101,555 20 0.2 150 1.5 883 Thurrock 22,936 — — 20 0.9 London 1,060,180 160 0.2 1,510 1.4 Inner London 360,840 60 0.2 420 1.2 202 Camden 21,565 6— 6— 10 0.6 201 City of London8 224 n/a n/a 6— 6— 204 Hackney 25,572 7— 7— 30 1.1 205 Hammersmith and Fulham 17,102 6— 6— 20 0.9 309 Haringey 33,565 7 0.2 30 0.8 206 Islington 22,694 7— 7— 10 0.4 207 Kensington and Chelsea 10,664 7— 7— 20 1.6 208 Lambeth 28,220 0 0.0 40 1.5 209 Lewisham 34,117 6— 6— 20 0.7 316 Newham 48,646 9 0.2 80 1.7 210 Southwark 33,760 6 0.2 40 1.1 211 Tower Hamlets 36,728 7 0.2 40 1.1 212 Wandsworth 28,286 — 7— 50 1.9 213 Westminster 19,693 6— 6— 30 1.7 Outer London 699,350 110 0.2 1,090 1.6 301 Barking and Dagenham 31,005 13 0.4 50 1.5 302 Barnet 45,939 13 0.3 60 1.2 303 Bexley 39,513 7— 7— 60 1.6 304 Brent 39,396 15 0.4 90 2.2 305 Bromley 46,894 6— 6— 60 1.2 306 Croydon 49,099 7— — 100 2.1 307 Ealing 41,644 7 0.2 80 1.9 308 Enfield 49,670 6— 6— 60 1.2 203 Greenwich 36,303 19 0.5 110 3.0 310 Harrow 28,772 6— 6— 50 1.8 311 Havering 36,568 — — 40 1.1 312 Hillingdon 42,027 7— 7— 60 1.4 313 Hounslow 35,840 0 0.0 80 2.1 314 Kingston upon Thames 21,431 6— 6— 10 0.3 315 Merton 23,547 — 7— 30 1.4 317 Redbridge 44,622 7— 7— 60 1.3 318 Richmond upon Thames 20,108 0 0.0 20 1.1 319 Sutton 31,277 6— 6— 30 0.8 320 Waltham Forest8 35,692 n/a n/a 60 1.7 South East 1,161,570 160 0.1 1,400 1.2 867 Bracknell Forest 15,119 6— 6— 40 2.8 846 Brighton and Hove 29,961 11 0.4 40 1.2 825 Buckinghamshire 75,866 7— — 50 0.6 845 East Sussex 66,612 16 0.2 110 1.7 850 Hampshire 173,289 17 0.1 160 0.9 921 Isle of Wight 19,586 6— 6— 10 0.4 886 Kent 212,811 26 0.1 360 1.7 887 Medway 43,998 6 0.1 50 1.2 826 Milton Keynes 36,186 6 0.2 50 1.4 931 Oxfordshire 85,281 6 0.1 40 0.4 851 Portsmouth 24,722 6 0.2 20 0.8 870 Reading 16,522 7 0.4 30 1.6 871 Slough 20,274 6— 6— 10 0.5 852 Southampton 28,576 9 0.3 30 1.1 936 Surrey 140,069 19 0.1 150 1.1 869 West Berkshire 24,626 6— 6— 30 1.3 938 West Sussex 105,642 12 0.1 160 1.5 868 Windsor and Maidenhead 18,984 6— 6— 30 1.6 872 Wokingham 23,444 7— 7— 40 1.5 South West 717,610 70 0.1 780 1.1 800 Bath and North East Sor 25,161 6— 6— 40 1.6 837 Bournemouth 20,891 6— 6— 20 1.1 801 Bristol, City of 46,702 6— 6— 50 1.1 908 Cornwall 73,227 7— 7— 120 1.6 878 Devon 97,698 7— 7— 60 0.7 835 Dorset 55,849 7— 7— 50 0.8 916 Gloucestershire 85,937 12 0.1 90 1.0 420 Isles of Scilly 251 0 0.0 0 0.0 802 North Somerset 28,141 6— 6— 20 0.6 879 Plymouth 39,243 7 0.2 40 1.1 836 Poole 19,305 6— 6— 20 1.0 933 Somerset 71,328 12 0.2 70 1.0 803 South Gloucestershire 39,981 6— 6— 70 1.7 866 Swindon 28,735 6 0.2 30 1.0 880 Torbay 19,625 6— 6— 10 0.7 865 Wiltshire 65,540 11 0.2 90 1.3
Numbers of pupils on roll4 Exclusions for physical assault against an adult Exclusions per 1,000 pupils5 Total number of exclusions (all reasons) Total exclusions per 1,000 pupils5 England 7,606,040 18,480 2.4 389,560 51.2 North East 398,660 830 2.1 17,580 44.1 841 Darlington 15,404 78 5.1 1,430 92.5 840 Durham 75,863 145 1.9 4,800 63.3 390 Gateshead 28,840 41 1.4 710 24.7 805 Hartlepool 16,035 10 0.6 590 36.9 806 Middlesbrough 20,165 37 1.8 730 36.3 391 Newcastle upon Tyne 37,260 106 2.8 1,930 51.7 392 North Tyneside 30,600 50 1.6 760 24.8 929 Northumberland 50,547 98 1.9 2,450 48.4 807 Redcar and Cleveland 24,083 44 1.8 880 36.4 393 South Tyneside 23,762 49 2.1 1,070 44.9 808 Stockton-on-Tees 30,857 120 3.9 1,050 34.1 394 Sunderland 45,241 54 1.2 1,180 26.1 North West 1,086,590 2,700 2.5 56,720 52.2 889 Blackburn with Darwen 24,603 108 4.4 1,400 56.7 890 Blackpool 21,190 63 3.0 1,440 67.8 350 Bolton 45,797 133 2.9 3,000 65.4 351 Bury 28,254 68 2.4 1,780 62.9 875 Cheshire 104,163 249 2.4 6,270 60.2 909 Cumbria 76,831 139 1.8 5,460 71.0 876 Halton 18,910 27 1.4 570 29.9 340 Knowsley 26,438 110 4.2 1,030 38.8 888 Lancashire 173,101 476 2.7 9,480 54.8 341 Liverpool 73,239 95 1.3 1,830 25.0 352 Manchester 65,644 358 5.5 4,420 67.3 353 Oldham 40,513 91 2.2 2,640 65.1 354 Rochdale 34,820 87 2.5 1,780 51.2 355 Salford 32,960 102 3.1 1,980 60.0 343 Sefton 45,132 27 0.6 540 11.9 342 St. Helens 28,272 42 1.5 1,410 49.9 356 Stockport 40,944 102 2.5 2,350 57.4 357 Tameside 36,731 107 2.9 2,420 65.9 358 Trafford 35,964 50 1.4 1,260 34.9 877 Warrington 32,137 74 2.3 2,070 64.3 359 Wigan 48,712 174 3.6 2,580 53.0 344 Wirral 52,231 22 0.4 1,040 19.9 Yorkshire and the 806,660 2,340 2.9 47,650 59.1 370 Barnsley 34,496 71 2.1 1,430 41.4 380 Bradford 86,686 236 2.7 4,100 47.2 381 Calderdale 34,765 91 2.6 1,660 47.8 371 Doncaster 50,302 149 3.0 3,090 61.4 811 East Riding of Yorkshire 50,036 100 2.0 2,550 51.0 810 Kingston Upon Hull, City 39,262 288 7.3 3,110 79.1 382 Kirklees 63,113 197 3.1 3,780 59.9 383 Leeds 111,538 368 3.3 7,610 68.2 812 North East Lincolnshire 26,023 99 3.8 2,310 88.8 813 North Lincolnshire 25,047 71 2.8 1,940 77.3 815 North Yorkshire 88,139 164 1.9 3,610 40.9 372 Rotherham 45,113 164 3.6 2,220 49.3 373 Sheffield 75,753 157 2.1 5,090 67.2 384 Wakefield 52,231 138 2.6 3,800 72.7 816 York 24,159 48 2.0 1,360 56.2 East Midlands 667,600 1,790 2.7 34,610 51.8 831 Derby 37,832 99 2.6 2,600 68.6 830 Derbyshire 115,455 226 2.0 5,000 43.3 856 Leicester 47,168 108 2.3 3,030 64.2 855 Leicestershire 96,577 167 1.7 4,080 42.3 925 Lincolnshire 102,884 257 2.5 4,470 43.4 928 Northamptonshire 103,694 381 3.7 6,280 60.5 892 Nottingham 38,195 241 6.3 2,260 59.3 891 Nottinghamshire 120,891 300 2.5 6,730 55.7 857 Rutland 4,907 9 1.8 160 32.4 West Midlands 864,790 2,170 2.5 41,210 47.7 330 Birmingham 175,226 505 2.9 8,300 47.4 331 Coventry 49,307 142 2.9 1,470 29.9 332 Dudley 50,251 66 1.3 2,840 56.5 884 Herefordshire 24,005 62 2.6 1,500 62.6 333 Sandwell 50,581 120 2.4 2,170 42.8 893 Shropshire 40,761 93 2.3 2,230 54.7 334 Solihull 36,360 70 1.9 1,680 46.3 860 Staffordshire 128,800 172 1.3 5,700 44.3 861 Stoke-on-Trent 36,594 136 3.7 2,410 65.8 894 Telford and Wrekin 26,491 284 10.7 2,320 87.5 335 Walsall 48,005 127 2.6 2,770 57.6 937 Warwickshire 76,698 119 1.6 3,020 39.4 336 Wolverhampton 40,675 55 1.4 1,260 31.1 885 Worcestershire 81,031 221 2.7 3,530 43.6 East of England 842,380 1,650 2.0 40,860 48.5 820 Bedfordshire 63,800 115 1.8 2,520 39.5 873 Cambridgeshire 77,582 89 1.1 2,510 32.3 881 Essex 201,078 472 2.3 12,210 60.7 919 Hertfordshire 174,931 249 1.4 6,730 38.5 821 Luton 31,075 72 2.3 1,250 40.1 926 Norfolk 113,477 177 1.6 5,620 49.5 874 Peterborough 28,680 54 1.9 1,490 51.8 882 Southend-on-Sea 27,270 132 4.8 1,480 54.4 935 Suffolk 101,555 214 2.1 5,310 52.3 883 Thurrock 22,936 71 3.1 1,750 76.3 London 1,060,180 2,490 2.3 42,850 40.4 Inner London 360,840 1,110 3.1 14,110 39.1 202 Camden 21,565 69 3.2 1,020 47.2 201 City of London8 224 0 0.0 — 7— 204 Hackney 25,572 143 5.6 1,240 48.6 205 Hammersmith and Fulham 17,102 55 3.2 810 47.3 309 Haringey 33,565 121 3.6 1,650 49.1 206 Islington 22,694 87 3.8 530 23.2 207 Kensington and Chelsea 10,664 25 2.3 340 32.0 208 Lambeth 28,220 34 1.2 1,090 38.7 209 Lewisham 34,117 103 3.0 1,310 38.5 316 Newham 48,646 39 0.8 1,140 23.4 210 Southwark 33,760 119 3.5 1,240 36.6 211 Tower Hamlets 36,728 100 2.7 1,260 34.2 212 Wandsworth 28,286 157 5.6 1,580 55.7 213 Westminster 19,693 61 3.1 910 46.4 Outer London 699,350 1,370 2.0 28,740 41.1 301 Barking and Dagenham 31,005 79 2.5 820 26.6 302 Barnet 45,939 86 1.9 1,490 32.5 303 Bexley 39,513 53 1.3 1,720 43.4 304 Brent 39,396 108 2.7 1,860 47.3 305 Bromley 46,894 40 0.9 1,950 41.7 306 Croydon 49,099 94 1.9 1,310 26.6 307 Ealing 41,644 68 1.6 2,000 48.1 308 Enfield 49,670 110 2.2 2,050 41.3 203 Greenwich 36,303 227 6.3 2,750 75.6 310 Harrow 28,772 47 1.6 1,090 37.9 311 Havering 36,568 44 1.2 1,820 49.9 312 Hillingdon 42,027 65 1.5 1,140 27.0 313 Hounslow 35,840 0 0.0 1,270 35.5 314 Kingston upon Thames 21,431 15 0.7 700 32.8 315 Merton 23,547 77 3.3 1,280 54.3 317 Redbridge 44,622 29 0.6 450 10.0 318 Richmond upon Thames 20,108 22 1.1 900 45.0 319 Sutton 31,277 43 1.4 1,440 46.1 320 Waltham Forest8 35,692 167 4.7 2,690 75.3 South East 1,161,570 2,810 2.4 67,820 58.4 867 Bracknell Forest 15,119 18 1.2 670 44.4 846 Brighton and Hove 29,961 147 4.9 2,210 73.6 825 Buckinghamshire 75,866 123 1.6 2,410 31.8 845 East Sussex 66,612 262 3.9 5,940 89.1 850 Hampshire 173,289 449 2.6 11 ,730 67.7 921 Isle of Wight 19,586 47 2.4 1,010 51.5 886 Kent 212,811 353 1.7 11,900 55.9 887 Medway 43,998 139 3.2 2,830 64.3 826 Milton Keynes 36,186 32 0.9 1,140 31.4 931 Oxfordshire 85,281 221 2.6 4,310 50.5 851 Portsmouth 24,722 209 8.5 2,980 120.6 870 Reading 16,522 69 4.2 1,050 63.3 871 Slough 20,274 32 1.6 540 26.5 852 Southampton 28,576 159 5.6 2,890 101.1 936 Surrey 140,069 210 1.5 7,110 50.8 869 West Berkshire 24,626 38 1.5 1,580 64.1 938 West Sussex 105,642 228 2.2 5,800 54.9 868 Windsor and Maidenhead 18,984 20 1.1 700 36.9 872 Wokingham 23,444 49 2.1 1,050 44.7 South West 717,610 1,710 2.4 40,280 56.1 800 Bath and North East Sor 25,161 40 1.6 1,800 71.7 837 Bournemouth 20,891 45 2.2 1,120 53.4 801 Bristol, City of 46,702 297 6.4 5,610 120.1 908 Cornwall 73,227 85 1.2 3,160 43.2 878 Devon 97,698 201 2.1 5,680 58.1 835 Dorset 55,849 39 0.7 1,680 30.2 916 Gloucestershire 85,937 123 1.4 3,490 40.6 420 Isles of Scilly 251 0 0.0 0 0.0 802 North Somerset 28,141 94 3.3 1,440 51.2 879 Plymouth 39,243 96 2.4 1,390 35.5 836 Poole 19,305 69 3.6 1,340 69.2 933 Somerset 71,328 206 2.9 4,310 60.4 803 South Gloucestershire 39,981 67 1.7 2,360 59.0 866 Swindon 28,735 143 5.0 2,190 76.0 880 Torbay 19,625 79 4.0 970 49.4 865 Wiltshire 65,540 126 1.9 3,750 57.3 n/a = not available. 1 Includes middle schools as deemed. 2 Includes maintained special schools, excludes non—maintained special schools. 3 The distribution of exclusions by reason has been derived from the Termly Exclusions survey and applied to the number of permanent exclusions as confirmed by LEAs as part of the Schools census checking exercise. 4 The number (headcount) of all pupils (excluding dually registered pupils) in January 2005. 5 The number of exclusions in 2004/05 divided by how many thousands of pupils were on roll in January 2005. 6 Less than 3, or a rate based on less than 3. 7 Less than 5, or a rate based on less than 5. 8 The reasons for permanent exclusions are not available for Waltham Forest and City of London. Notes: 1. National and regional totals and total number of exclusions have been rounded to the nearest 10. 2. Totals may not appear to equal the sum of component parts because numbers have been rounded to the nearest 10.
Schools (Employee Vetting)
Pre-appointment vetting checks are necessary to ensure that people who are appointed to work with children are safe to do so. My Department's guidance to schools on the vetting of potential employees is contained in “Child Protection: Preventing Unsuitable People from Working with Children in the Education Service” (May 2002) and “Criminal Records Bureau: Managing the Demand for Disclosures” (December 2002).
As the Secretary of State announced on 20 June, we are preparing consolidated guidance to replace these documents. This will be issued for consultation shortly.
The guidance will be further revised in the light of the requirements placed on schools by the Safeguarding Vulnerable Groups Bill.
Schools Sports
This is a matter for Ofsted. HM Chief Inspector, Maurice Smith, has written to my hon. Friend and a copy of his reply has been placed in the Library.
Letter from Maurice J. Smith dated 5 July 2006:
Your recent parliamentary question has been passed to me, as Her Majesty's Chief Inspector, for reply.
You asked what criteria Ofsted use to assess school sporting provision.
Since September 2005 Ofsted's school inspections have focused on the school's overall effectiveness. During one of these inspections Ofsted inspects sports provision in a very general way as part of the inspection of the quality of education provided. There is not a specific focus on physical education unless it is a particularly important subject in the school. Schools with specialist sports college status, for example, will have their distinctive aims and characteristics taken into account and the extent to which the specialist aims are met.
Every child matters: The Framework for the inspection of schools in England from September 2005 sets out the principles for school inspections. The guidance outlines what inspection will cover and the work that inspectors need to do. This common inspection schedule for schools and other post-1 provision is supported by non-statutory guidance, published in two parts:
Guidance on using the schedule
Guidance on conducting inspections.
The Guidance on using the schedule contains specific criteria and benchmarks to support inspectors in knowing where to pitch their judgments. Equally, they should be an aid to schools in the process of self-evaluation. The amount of evidence on physical education will vary according to the priorities and focus of the inspection.
In addition to section five inspections, Ofsted has a new subject inspection programme which, in the case of physical education, involves 30 primary and 30 secondary schools each year. Every third year a report on physical education is published using the accumulated evidence from these visits. The first is due in 2008. General guidance is provided for the HMI and additional inspectors who are involved with this programme. Ofsted is currently developing subject-specific guidance which exists in draft form. The contents are intended to help inspectors and all other staff to evaluate standards and achievement, quality of provision, leadership and management and other factors that might have a bearing on what learners achieve in physical education. For example, when reporting on the standards achieved by pupils in physical education inspectors:
interpret test, examination results and awards gained by pupils
judge the standards of work seen, highlighting what pupils do well and could do better
evaluate how well pupils are achieving, evaluating standards by the ends of the different key stages and highlighting any differences in achievement for different groups of pupils.
During the inspection, an inspector's view of standards is supplemented by:
examining pupils' targets in physical education and the basis on which they were set and progress towards achieving them any performance trends over time
identifying strengths and weaknesses in attainment against the knowledge, skills and understanding set out in the National Curriculum attainment target.
Grade characteristics are illustrated in order to help inspectors make judgments. For example, when judging standards in physical education to be good, inspectors will look for the following characteristics:
Standards achieved in examination courses are good, above national averages or as reflected in contextual value added. Standards show upward trends over time. Learners' skills, knowledge and understanding in most of the four aspects of the attainment target and across most areas of activity are good. The progress of the great majority of learners, across key stages, is good and for some it is very good, and show that almost all achieve well compared with their prior attainment and ability in physical education, and compared with those in similar schools.
When making judgements on standards and achievement, inspectors will also look for evidence on the 10 high quality outcomes promoted by the Physical Education, School Sport and Club Links (PESSCL) strategy.
Most subject inspections focus on a specific subject issue, identified from the previous inspection, performance data or as part of a specific survey on, for example, the PESSCL strategy. For the subject 'issue' being inspected, a single grade is required and for this the general grade criteria have been interpreted in terms of the particular issue. Guidance pages are provided for each issue to support grading.
A copy of this reply has been sent to Jim Knight and will be placed in the Library of both Houses.
Sign Language
British sign language is not recognised as a foreign language for the purposes of the national curriculum, or for the prospective entitlement for pupils learning a language at Key Stage 2. Schools may, however, choose to offer pupils the opportunity to study British sign language over and above the national curriculum requirements. We have no plans to change this.
Somali Children
The requested information is not held centrally.
As part of the Pupil Level Annual Schools Census (PLASC), schools are required to record ethnicity data to reflect the main categories used in the 2001 National Population Census. Children of Somali ethnic origin are recorded under the category of “Black African”. Following a consultation exercise in 2002, local authorities (LAs) were given the option of using extended ethnicity categories in their schools if they felt that the main ones did not meet their local management needs. The extended ethnicity categories do include a separate “Somali” code but not all LAs have chosen to use the extended categories. The majority of authorities use a mixture of main and extended codes and, therefore, the Department does not hold complete data for the extended ethnic background categories.
Specialist School Teachers
(2) how many (a) vacancies and (b) temporary replacements there were for head teachers in (i) rural and (ii) non-rural areas in the most recent period for which figures are available; and if he will make a statement.
The information requested is not available in the required format because vacancy level information is collected from a local authority rather than a school level survey and it is not possible to define which of these vacancies are in schools in rural and non-rural areas or which relate to specialist schools.
Table 1 provides the number of full-time classroom teacher vacancies in local authority maintained secondary schools in England in English, mathematics, science, languages and information technology in January 2006.
2Number of vacancies 2006 English 160 Mathematics 190 All sciences 210 Languages 40 Information Technology 90 1 Advertised vacancies for full-time permanent appointments (or appointments of at least one term’s duration). Includes vacancies being filled on a temporary basis of less than one term. 2 Provisional. Figures are rounded to the nearest 10. Source: Survey of teachers in service and teacher vacancies, (618g)
Table 2 shows the number of full-time head teacher vacancies and full-time temporarily filled head teacher posts in local authority maintained schools in England in January 2006. For comparison with table 1, it also shows figures for maintained secondary schools only.
All maintained schools Maintained secondary schools Full-time head teacher vacancies 180 30 Full-time temporarily filled head teacher posts1 660 80 1 Temporarily-filled full-time permanent appointments. The definition used is wider than the vacancy definition (bullet points (b) and (c) below are in addition to the normal vacancy definition). A post is included in this row of the table: a. where there is no incumbent who is expected to return to the post; b. whether or not filled on a temporary basis, i.e. either without a contract or on a contract of les than one year; c. whether or not advertised; d. where an appointment has been made by not yet taken up. 2 Provisional Figures are rounded to the nearest 10. Source: Survey of teachers in service and teacher vacancies, (618g)
Student Finance
Her Majesty’s Revenue and Customs (HMRC) issues a booklet entitled “Collection of Student Loans”, which outlines an employer's responsibilities in relation to making student loan deductions from pay and tables which show how much they should deduct. This guidance is available in hardcopy or employers can access it via HMRC's employer website. Employers are also able to obtain help and further guidance from the HMRC Employer Helpline and face-to-face advice is available at regular HMRC employer events.
The information requested is not available. While the Student Loans Company does record information about categories of inquiries made by customers at individual account level, it is unable to provide a global picture to this level of detail.
As at June 2006, Her Majesty’s Revenue and Customs (HMRC) reports that 5,4001 borrowers are recorded as repaying on a self-assessment basis (self-employed). An additional 80,7001 borrowers are recorded as repaying under both PAYE and self-assessment arrangements (self-assessment and in employment). These figures reflect the status at the point at which HMRC originally matched the borrowers to taxpayer records.
1 Numbers are rounded to the nearest hundred.
Student Numbers
The available information has been placed in the Library.
This shows that 83 local authorities have reported an increase in the number of pupils in the Key Stage 3 age group between 2001 and 2005; and over the same period, 126 local authorities have reported an increase in the number of pupils in the Key Stage 4 age group.
This information is not available. The Youth Cohort Study (YCS) estimates that overall 70 per cent. of young people in England who had attended a comprehensive school in year 11 in 2002/03 were in full-time education in the spring following completion of compulsory education. Neither the breakdown by size of school or rural/non-rural area is available from the YCS.
Teacher Recruitment
The costs below relate to the costs of advertising media and include TV, press, radio, magazine, online and outdoor advertising. All costs include VAT.
£ 2001-2002 6,648,414 2002-2003 7,761,572 2003-2004 8,620,899 2004-2005 7,815,576 2005-2006 8,101,055
The key advertising objective is to increase the number of able and committed people recruited to teaching, particularly in the secondary priority subjects (mathematics, sciences, modern languages, religious education, music, design and technology and information and communications technology). The last five years have seen successive increases in the numbers of people entering initial teacher training.
Newly Qualified Teachers
Information on the number of newly qualified teachers in service is available for March of each year. The latest information available is March 2004. The following table provides the number of teachers who attained qualified teacher status (QTS) in each year from 1999 to 2003 and the number of those who were not in full-time service in March of the following year. This number will include those in part time service.
The proportion of qualifiers without teaching service usually falls substantially over the first year or two after qualification, and in the long-term has been around 9-10 per cent.
Teachers gaining qualified teacher status (QTS)1 in England: 1999 to 2003, service position in March of the following year.Calendar year of qualification1999200020012002120031,2Total gaining QTS324,19021,88021,87023,05024,580Of these4:In full-time maintained sector service in England 16,59015,69016,65017,51017,510In full-time service elsewhere5920790730800900Not in full-time service6.6905.,3904,4904,7406,1701 Provisional data 2 Numbers in service are likely to be underestimated due to the late receipt of service information. 3 Excludes teachers qualifying through employment based routes. 4The service position shown is at the first March following the year of qualification. 5 In service in Wales or Further and Independent sector service in England and Wales. Source: Database of Teacher Records
Teachers (Bristol)
The table shows the full-time equivalent number of regular qualified teachers who were employed in maintained nursery/primary and secondary schools in Bristol local authority in January 1997 and 2005, the latest information available. The table also shows figures for England for comparison.
It is anticipated that local authority level information for January 2006 will be published in September.
Nursery/primary Secondary Bristol England Bristol England 1997 1,540 190,660 1,120 187,660 2005 1,390 189,920 1,070 204,080 Note: Figures are rounded to the nearest 10. Source: Survey of teachers in service and teacher vacancies, (618g)
The information requested is not available in the required format because the number of teaching posts in Bristol local authority is not collected centrally.
The table provides the number of occasional teachers (on contracts of less than one month) who were employed in maintained nursery/primary and secondary schools in Bristol local authority and England in January 1997 and 2005, the latest information available. The full-time equivalent number of regular qualified teachers is also provided.
It is anticipated that local authority level teacher numbers for January 2006 will be published in September.
Nursery/primary Secondary Occasional teachers1 FTE regular qualified teachers2 Occasional teachers1 FTE regular qualified teachers2 Bristol England Bristol England Bristol England Bristol England 1997 110 8,310 1,540 190,660 60 4,390 1,120 187,660 2005 90 8,570 1,390 189,920 40 5,700 1,070 204,080 1 2005 figures include occasional teachers without qualified teacher status (QTS). 2 Excludes occasional teachers. Note: Figures are rounded to the nearest 10. Source: Survey of teachers in service and teacher vacancies, (618g)
University for Industry
Figures for 2001-02 onwards are:
£ million 2001-02 153.7 2002-03 164.9 2003-04 239.6 2004-05 181.9 2005-06 1209.4 2006-07 2176.3 1 Estimated outturn 2 Planned
Full details of UFI funding are available only from 2001-02 onwards. Prior to 2001-02 funding was made available through the FEFC, for which we do not hold information. UFI (initially called the “University for Industry”), the organisation responsible for learndirect, has successfully pushed the boundaries of learning methods, by making innovative use of technology to make learning more flexible. It is the largest Government supported e-learning initiative in the world, and provides high quality learning for the post-16 learning and skills sector. It particularly reaches those with few or no skills and qualifications who are unlikely to participate in more traditional forms of learning. It is not an awarding body and does not have the status of a university.
Since 1999, more than 2 million people have improved their skills either at a learndirect centre, from work, or from their home computer. Since April 2003, over 120,000 people have achieved their first skills for life test pass in literacy or numeracy through learndirect. UFI is now delivering over one fifth of the post-19 sector’s skills for life test passes annually. Almost 200,000 small and medium sized employers have also used learndirect services. The learndirect advice service has delivered more than 33 million information and advice sessions on the telephone and online.
Defence
Access to Work Scheme
The Ministry of Defence makes full use of the Access to Work scheme in assessing the needs of its disabled staff for reasonable adjustments in the workplace. However, it does not collect the numbers of disabled staff receiving adaptations and equipment paid for by Access to Work, and this information could be provided only at disproportionate cost.
Afghanistan
Under the terms of NATO's operational plan for the International Security Assistance Force (ISAF), ISAF forces can provide, within means and capabilities, training and operational support to Afghan counter-narcotics forces. But they are not there to take direct action against the drugs trade or to eradicate opium poppy in the fields; that is a job for the Afghan Government.
Airborne Stand Off Radar
There are currently no aircraft equipped with Airborne Stand Off Radar in service.
Aircraft Carriers
I refer the hon. Member to the written ministerial statement made by my right hon. Friend the then Secretary of State for Defence on 14 December 2005, and to the answer I gave to the hon. Member for Wellingborough (Mr. Bone) on 6 February 2006, Official Report, column 824W, which outlined the major steps taken in our plans for the future aircraft carriers including details of our co-operation with France.
My noble Friend Lord Drayson, the Minister for Defence Procurement, subsequently announced that on 13 April the Aircraft Carrier Alliance signed a formal Alliance Agreement and individual works contracts totalling more than £140 million to continue to refine and mature all aspects of the ship design and its equipment, including mission systems. These contracts and the Alliance Agreement cover the key demonstration phase of the work and involve shipyards and industry in maturing the design to the point at which we can commit to manufacture. When we are satisfied that all this work is sufficiently mature, the main investment decision can be taken and orders placed. At this point, we will also set the in-service dates.
Approved Projects
The following table details the number of approved projects that fell into categories A to C in 2005-06 and the aggregated approved expenditure for each category.
Category Number of projects Aggregated approved expenditure (£ million) A 43 20,247 B 29 954 C 32 456
Records on category D approvals are not held centrally and the information requested could be provided only at disproportionate cost.
Armed Forces Pensions
Any claims for compensation as a result of incorrect payments are considered in accordance with Government accounting procedures. The general principle adopted is that the individual may be recompensed where it can be shown that a financial loss has occurred through maladministration.
Those affected by the pension error that I announced on 11 July 2006, Official Report, columns 60-61 WS, will receive, in addition to any back payments due, interest in accordance with Government accounting rules. The Department is currently considering whether any additional recompense should be paid when the errors are corrected.
I refer the hon. Member to the ministerial statement I made on 17 July 2006.
The error was found while making payments to rectify pension errors under Projects Haven and Scribe during the period 2003-06. As these projects moved towards a conclusion, specialist resources were freed up to scope this new problem. In view of the work that has been done to review pension files, the likelihood of further errors being uncovered is low, and robust arrangements have been put in place to prevent similar problems occurring in the future.
The total pension arrears payable are estimated to be some £8.8 million plus interest, and I shall be considering as a matter of priority whether additional recompense is appropriate.
New entrants to the armed forces on or after 6 April 2005 have joined the new Armed Forces Pension Scheme 2005. The impact of recent improvements in life expectancy was fully taken into account in developing the benefit structure of this scheme, including by setting a preserved pension age at 65. There have also been changes to the benefit structure of the old pension scheme, the Armed Forces Pension Scheme 1975, to ensure its long term affordability. The age at which a preserved pension is paid was delayed from 60 to 65 for all service, from 6 April 2006. Some of these savings were reinvested in the scheme in the form of an increase in the death in service lump sum to three times pay. The impact of changing life expectancy and other relevant factors is monitored by the Government Actuary's Department, the actuary for the schemes, through regular assessments of the employer's contribution for the two AFPS schemes.
Army Continuous Attitude Survey
I refer the hon. Gentleman to my answer of 6 July 2006, Official Report, column 1352W. Whereas question 66 in the seventh Serving Personnel survey provided a menu of possible responses, question 39c in the ninth Serving Personnel survey is an open-ended question, and does not offer a menu of responses. This approach is designed to provide a richer source of data by enabling respondents to answer the question in their own terms. The breakdown of negative comments in my answer of 6 July reflects an analysis of actual responses to question 39c conducted by occupational scientists. A sample of respondents’ comments was extracted and similar types were summarised into a category. Categories were arranged under appropriate headings to provide a coding framework, which was validated using a further sample of comments. Respondents typically made more than one comment and all comments were read and assigned the relevant code(s) to calculate their frequencies.
Army Personnel (Basing)
The strength of United Kingdom regular forces posted in the UK by Government office region is available in tri-service publication (TSP) 10—UK Regular Forces Distribution Across UK.
TSP 10 is published quarterly; the most recent publication shows the numbers of service personnel at 1 April 2006.
Copies of TSP 10 are held in the House of Commons Library and are also available at www.dasa.mod.uk.
Bearskins
At present the Ministry of Defence does not have a research contract for producing an alternative to real bearskin. A number of contracts have previously been let with commercial companies but none of these produced a useable product. A faux-fur sample has, however, been submitted by People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) and this is currently being assessed for its suitability.
Chinook ZD 576 (Mull of Kintyre Crash)
Officials need to research archived records and I will therefore write to the right hon. Member and place a copy of my letter in the Library of the House.
Colombia
The type of training provided includes de-mining training and training in improvised explosive device disposal.
The bespoke counter-narcotics training provided by the Ministry of Defence is in support of HMG's wider engagement with Colombia on counter- narcotics matters.
Providing further information on this issue could endanger the safety of individuals and reduce the effectiveness of the Colombian law enforcement mission by raising the public profile of this counter- narcotics work, including in Colombia. It would also be contrary to the wishes of the Colombian authorities.
Combat Troops
The Commanding Officer of the International Security Assistance Force has confirmed that he has the forces required to do the job asked of him. The precise composition of the force package provided by nations in support of either Operation Enduring Freedom or the International Security Assistance Force is a matter for the nations concerned.
Comprehensive Spending Review
No.
CRV 7 Multi-Purpose Sub Munition
(2) what use has been made of the CRV 7 Multi-Purpose Sub Munition in combat in each of the last 10 years.
The Multi-Purpose Sub Munition variant of the CRV 7 system is one of the weapons systems available for use by Apache Mk 1 Attack Helicopters in Afghanistan.
As at 10 July 2006 no use has been made of the CRV 7 Multi Purpose Sub Munition in combat by any element of UK armed forces since it came into service in 2003.
Defence Food Supply Contract
The new food supply contact will commence on 1 October 2006. Transitional arrangements are still being discussed with the contractor, Purple Foodservice Solutions. At this stage we are therefore unable to provide the information requested.
Defence Information Structure
All payments in respect of Increment 1 of the DII contract are and will be made to EDS as the prime contractor for DII. Payments are made through the service delivery charges of the contract. These charges are commercially sensitive and cannot be disclosed.
A range of changes to the Defence Information Infrastructure programme have taken place since contract award in March 2005. A level of change was always expected and is allowed for under the provisions of the contract. In terms of the overall value of Increment 1 of the DII contract the value of these changes is not significant.
Increment 1 of the Defence Information Infrastructure contract was awarded to the ATLAS Consortium, led by EDS, in March 2005 with an estimated value of £2.3 billion. This estimated value remains extant. There is no “in service delivery date” as such within the contract. The contracted “New Services Commencement Date” was originally March 2006. This date was subsequently revised to May 2006 and was met successfully.
Helicopters
This information is not centrally held. Although individual units hold details of all flight paths undertaken by their own helicopters this information is not centrally collated and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.
The number of actual and required helicopter crew personnel for each regular regiment of the Army Air Corps (AAC) is as follows:
Regiment Helicopter Crew Established (Required) Helicopter Crew Held (Actual) 1 Regt AAC 60 54 3 Regt AAC 85 57 4 Regt AAC 85 63 5 Regt AAC 93 64 9 Regt AAC 85 69
These figures include qualified helicopter instructors and regimental headquarters personnel, whose primary role is not as helicopter crew. The figures do not include aviation crewmen, such as air door gunners and winch operators, because this is not a long-term Career Employment Group. The established figure for 5 Regiment AAC will reduce to 31 by 1 April 2007, as part of the planned reductions in Northern Ireland. The deficits shown in the table in 3,4 and 9 Regiments AAC are mainly due to the re-roling of these regiments to Apache helicopters. As a consequence of re-roling, some aircrew are posted away for retraining.
The number of spare engines held by the Ministry of Defence differs for each helicopter type and is determined by a number of factors including the size of the fleet, the scheduled training flying hour requirement, industrial considerations (e.g. the lead time to procure an engine) and operational requirements. At any one time, some engines may be undergoing repair and maintenance. We currently have sufficient spare engines to meet operational and training requirements for each helicopter type.
HMS Argyll
The operational requirement is for 12 Type 23 frigates to be modified to operate the Merlin helicopter. The decision on which ships are to be modified is determined by the fitting opportunities within the frigate upkeep programme. HMS Argyll will not be modified as the requirement will be met by other frigates with earlier fitting opportunities within the upkeep programme. Should the programme change, the situation will be reviewed. On current plans HMS Argyll is due to be withdrawn from service in 2019.
Meal Budgets
The budget per person per day for meals for members of the armed forces serving in both Iraq and Afghanistan is currently £3.11 per day (July 2006 rate). It is intended to provide 2,900 calories per day, based on three meals per day. This Daily Messing Rate is based on a “basket” of food items, and is calculated on a monthly basis by applying prices obtained from the main Ministry of Defence Food Supply Contractor to the Home Ration Scale.
Meat Procurement
The procurement of meat in the Falkland Islands is consistent with the Ministry of Defence’s wider procurement policy. In accordance with this policy, contractors are encouraged to purchase British produce whenever it is competitive and consistent with meeting quality standards. The MOD is, however, bound by European legislation, and is required to seek value for money in the Single European Market. The MOD’s Food Supply Contractor sources all meat procured for use by the UK armed forces.
Merchant Naval Ships
Issues relating to merchant vessels are in the first instance the responsibility of the Department for Transport.
The Ministry of Defence administers the Protection of Military Remains Act 1986, which allows it to protect from unauthorised interference the remains of aircraft and ships lost while in military service.
Whether an individual merchant vessel is eligible for designation under the Act depends on whether it can be said to have been “in military service”. This will be a case-by-case determination, depending on the circumstances of the individual vessel's loss.
Military Afloat Reach and Sustainability Programme
On current plans the RFA out-of- service dates are as follows:
Date RFA Sir Tristram 2006 RFA Sir Galahad 2006 RFA Grey Rover 2006 RFA Gold Rover 2009 RFA Brambleleaf 2009 RFA Orangeleaf 2009 RFA Black Rover 2010 RFA Oakleaf 2010 RFA Bayleaf 2010 RFA Sir Bedivere 2011 RFA Fort Rosalie 2013 RFA Fort Austin 2014 RFA Diligence 2014 RFA Fort George 2019 RFA Fort Victoria 2019 RFA Argus 2020
As with all projects, the in-service dates for the vessels in the Military Afloat Reach and Sustainability programme will only be set following the main investment decision. This decision has not yet been taken.
Military Equipment Exports
The Ministry of Defence does not supply the Colombian armed forces with military equipment. We currently have no plans to alter this policy. I refer the hon. Member to my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State’s reply on 3 July 2006, Official Report, column 703W.
Military Vehicles
As my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Defence announced on 26 June we are conducting a review of the options for protected patrol vehicles to determine what can be done as soon as possible and in the longer term.
The information requested on Snatch, the Mine Protected Vehicle and RG-31 is:
Vehicle Length Width Height Max Speed Acceleration Turning Circle1 Snatch 4.80m 1.69m 2.37m lOOkm/h2 Not measured 12.8m MPV3 6.28m 2.75m 3.04m 80km/h Not measured 17m RG-314 6.40m 2.47m 2.84m 100km/h Not stated 16m 1 Kerb to kerb distance. 2 For Snatch 2; Snatch 1 and 1.5 are slightly less. Since high speed is not a requirement for Snatch, its maximum speed has not been tested precisely. 3 The vehicle chosen to replace Mamba as the Mine Protected Vehicle (MPV) was initially called Tempest but this name is no longer used and the in service vehicle, based on the Cougar vehicle produced by Force Protection Inc, is known simply as MPV. 4 RG-31 is not in service with the UK armed forces, but this data was obtained from BAES during the ongoing review of our patrol vehicle capability.
The full capitation cost for the Warrior Armoured Fighting Vehicle (all variants) based on peacetime usage is calculated for financial year 2006-07 as £154.04 per kilometre. Specific operational track mile data is not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost. The Ministry of Defence does not own any RG-31M vehicles.
Phoenix UAV
The Phoenix unmanned aerial vehicle system has cost approximately £345 million since inception.
Premature Voluntary Releases
Between 1 April 2001 and 31 March 2006, there were 18, 660 voluntary outflow release exits in these arms/services.
Arm/service 2001-02 2002-03 2003-04 2004-05 2005-06 Total The Household Cavalry/Royal Armoured Corps 330 320 330 310 350 1,650 Royal Regiment of Artillery 410 390 430 450 420 2,100 Royal Corps of Engineers 560 500 530 660 660 2,910 Royal Corps of Signals 630 450 400 470 420 2,380 The Infantry 1,600 1,460 1,430 1,460 1,530 7,480 Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers 420 370 440 480 440 2,140 Total 3,950 3,500 3,550 3,830 3,830 18,660 1 The term premature voluntary release (PVR) has been changed to voluntary outflow (VO) although the methodology for producing this information remains the same. voluntary outflow is defined as all exits from trained personnel which are generated by the individual before their time expiry. 2 Figures for officers in the general staff (officers with the rank of colonel or above) are excluded. Note: Figures are rounded to the nearest 10. Due to rounding the totals may not equal the sum of the pans.
Private Land (Military Use)
In financial year 2005-06, 161 sites were used for military training on private land in Herefordshire. So far this financial year, 92 sites have been used of which nine were for adventure training. The military training undertaken on private land in Herefordshire is primarily, though not exclusively, operational in nature rather than being designated exercises.
No rent is paid for military training on private land in Herefordshire, apart from camp site fees which are sometimes paid for adventure training exercises. Fees have been incurred for five of the adventure training exercises that have taken place this year.
The owners’ permission is sought in advance of any training on private land.
Raptor Reconnaissance Pods
There are currently four Reconnaissance Airborne Pod Tornado pods undergoing acceptance flight trials for the Tornado GR4/4A. A further four pods are undergoing maintenance activity with the equipment manufacturer, Goodrich Company.
Recruitment
Estimated soldier enlistments for 2005 are shown in the following table:
Government office region Enlistments North East 440 North West 1,870 Yorkshire and the Humber 1,160 East Midlands 730 West Midlands 990 East of England 700 London 590 South East 800 South West 860 Notes: 1. Figures have been rounded to the nearest 10. When rounding to the nearest 10, numbers ending in five have been rounded to the nearest multiple of 20 to prevent systematic bias. 2. Figures are based on the location of armed forces career office to which the applicant applied rather than the residence of the applicant. Due to the nature of Army officer recruitment procedures, it is not possible to provide an estimate for the number of Army officers recruited from each Government office region.
Reserve Forces
[holding answer 14 July 2006]: The proportion of ethnic minorities1 in the volunteer reserve forces for 1 April 20062:
Percentage Tri-Service 4.5 Royal Navy Reserve 2.8 Royal Marines Reserve 2.7 Territorial Army3 4.7 Royal Auxiliary Air Force 3.1 1 Ethnic minority proportions are calculated as a percentage of those personnel for whom we hold a record of ethnic origin, ie excluding those of unspecified ethnic origin. 2 Due to the introduction of a new Personnel Administration System for RAF, all RAF data are for 1 March 2006. 3 Figures include Mobilised TA personnel and University Officer Training Corps but exclude Non Regular Permanent Staff and Full Time Reserve Service personnel.
Royal Navy
The requirement and numbers serving for engineering ratings, submariner nuclear watchkeepers and medical assistants, as at 1 June 2006, are:
Specialisation Trained requirement Trained strength Untrained strength Engineering ratings 10,020 9,670 1,580 Submariner nuclear watchkeepers 850 730 0 Medical assistants 680 640 70 Notes: 1. The Navy is currently restructuring the engineering branches, moving from the artificer/mechanic career streams to a single technician stream. This process is in mid transition, so no meaningful figures can be obtained for mechanics alone. The figures provided are for all ratings engineers (mechanics, technicians and artificers). 2. The figures for submariner nuclear watchkeepers are for the petty officer. Chief petty officer and warrant officer 2 ranks of the marine engineer (submariner) specialisations. 3. The figures for medical assistants are for the medical assistant (general service), medical assistant (submariner) and medical assistant (commando) specialisations. 4. The requirement relates to posts that need to be filled by trained personnel. To enable valid comparisons the “numbers serving” figures have been split into trained and untrained. 5. All figures are rounded to the nearest 10. Numbers ending in 5 have been rounded to the nearest multiple of 20 to prevent systematic bias.
Saudi Arabia
Statistics on the value of exports of military equipment have been published by country for each year since 1997 in the Annual Report on Strategic Export Controls. It is planned to publish the Annual Report for 2005 towards the end of this month.
Service Children (Education)
Of the students who sat three or more A-level examinations at service children's education schools since 1997, the following percentages achieved a pass mark graded at A-E in three or more subjects:
Percentage 1997 72 1998 84 1999 78 2000 94 2001 88 2002 98 2003 89 2004 91 2005 94
These figures relate to A-level examinations only and not A-level equivalent examinations which are becoming an increasingly common option for students.
Spectrum Utilisation
The bands subject to spectrum pricing in 2004-05 and 2005-06 and the basis of pricing were as follows:
Band Min. (MHz) Band Max. (MHz) Pricing Basis Band Min. (MHz) Band Max. (MHz) Pricing Basis 70 70.5 Mobile 70 70.5 Mobile 72.8 74.8 Mobile 72.8 74.8 Mobile 75.2 76.7 Mobile 75.2 76.7 Mobile 78 80 Mobile 78 80 Mobile 84 85 Mobile 83.5 85 Mobile 137 138 Mobile 137 138 Mobile 141.9 143 Mobile 141.9 143 Mobile 149 149.9 Mobile 149 149.9 Mobile 153.5 154 Mobile 153.5 154 Mobile 401 406 Mobile 401 406 Mobile 406.1 410 Mobile 406.1 410 Mobile 410 430 Mobile 410 430 Mobile 430 450 Mobile 430 450 Mobile 870 872 Mobile 870 872 Mobile 876 880 Mobile 876 880 Mobile 915 917 Mobile 915 917 Mobile 921 925 Mobile 921 925 Mobile 1375 1400 Fixed 1375 1400 Fixed 1427 1452 Fixed 1427 1452 Fixed 2025 2070 Fixed 2025 2070 Fixed 2200 2245 Fixed 2200 2245 Fixed 2290 2300 Fixed Released to Ofcom 2310 2390 Fixed 2310 2390 Mobile 2390 2450 Fixed 2390 2450 Mobile 3400 3600 Fixed 3400 3600 Fixed 4400 5000 Fixed 4400 5000 Fixed 5650 5850 Fixed 5650 5850 Fixed 7900 7975 Fixed 7900 7975 Fixed 8025 8400 Fixed 8025 8400 Fixed 8500 8750 Fixed 8500 8750 Fixed 8850 9000 Fixed 8850 9000 Fixed 9500 10125 Fixed 9500 10125 Fixed 10125 10225 Fixed 10125 10225 Fixed 10225 10475 Fixed 10225 10475 Fixed 10475 10500 Fixed 10475 10500 Fixed 13400 14000 Fixed 13400 14000 Fixed 14620 15230 Fixed 14620 15230 Fixed
Pricing for 2006-07 is yet to be concluded with Ofcom but it is expected that the priced bands and the basis (either fixed or mobile) for pricing will remain as in 2005-06.
The bands used by the MOD that are not subject to pricing other than the above are those available for military use that are listed in the United Kingdom Frequency Allocation Table (2004 Issue No. 13) that is issued by the National Frequency Planning Group on behalf of the Cabinet Official Committee on UK Spectrum Management.
The payments made to Ofcom for spectrum in each of the last two financial years were:
£ million 2004-05 24 2005-06 55
The change in cost was as a result of agreements reached following a review of spectrum pricing policy and procedures.
A sum of £56 million has been allocated for spectrum expenditure in financial year 2006-07 but funding for subsequent years is still under discussion.
Type 23 Frigates (Sonar 2087)
HM Ships Montrose, Monmouth, Iron Duke, Lancaster and Argyll are not scheduled to receive Sonar 2087. These ships will be employed across the normal range of standing strategic, home and overseas commitments. These include Fleet Ready Escort duties around home waters, operational deployments to the Gulf and Arabian Sea, and standing tasks in the South Atlantic (APT(S)), Caribbean (APT(N)) and within NATO's Standing Maritime Group in the Mediterranean (SNMG2). They will also continue to contribute to the UK's Maritime Joint Rapid Reaction Force (JRRF) held at high readiness for contingent operations, and deploy on pre-planned activities as JRRF elements within a Task Group.
On current plans the ships will be withdrawn from service in:
Date HMS Argyll 2019 HMS Lancaster 2019 HMS Iron Duke 2020 HMS Monmouth 2021 HMS Montrose 2021
Veterans
We have seen no need so far for specific discussions between my right hon. Friends the Secretaries of State for Defence and for Work and Pensions on ensuring that employers are informed of the skills of Service leavers. High rates of employment for Service leavers are already achieved through the Department’s Career Transition Partnership (CTP) as part of the resettlement process. Of those who wish to work and are eligible for the service, over 50 per cent. are in employment within one month of discharge, rising to about 95 per cent. six months post-discharge.
The CTP commercial partner, Right Management Ltd. is a highly experienced outplacement company with a proven track record. It has a very effective marketing arm that carefully targets prospective employers who can offer quality jobs to Service leavers. Those employers who engage Service leavers are seldom disappointed and tend to seek more when vacancies arise.
The cultivation of prospective employers is a continuing process, not only for Right Management but for all others involved in the resettlement of departing Service personnel. It is an area of further development under the new CTP contract, with particular emphasis on tying together, at both local and national level, jobs and resettlement training opportunities and exploiting those who have passed successfully through the CTP process to attain posts of influence in civilian employment.
For the minority of early Service leavers who are not eligible for CTP services, a resettlement briefing is provided which signposts employment help available from Other Government Departments and ex-Service charities: contacts are arranged on their behalf as necessary, and these are followed up by the briefing officer. This group of early leavers is also assessed for vulnerability to social exclusion and extra help is given where this is identified as a concern. The effectiveness of these arrangements is being kept under review.
There have been no recent discussions on the subject between Secretaries of State. Since 1948, it has been the policy of successive Governments that health care for veterans should be provided by the NHS. Priority NHS treatment applies to veterans who are war pensioners for their accepted disorders. Officials in the Ministry of Defence and the four UK Health Departments work closely together, and they are at present developing delivery models to ensure high quality mental health services for veterans across the UK. My predecessors and I have been closely briefed on this and other work in the area of veterans' health. Should there be any issues following this work, or otherwise, I will discuss these with Ministers from the Department of Health and devolved Administrations through the Veterans Ministerial Task Force, as appropriate.
Assistance is given through such schemes as Long Service Advance of Pay and advice offered by the Joint Services Housing Advice Office. Guidance is available to local authorities generally about the allocation of accommodation, the provision of homelessness assistance and the prevention of rough sleeping. This includes guidance on the circumstances when people leaving the armed forces would have a priority need for accommodation.
The Ex-Service Action Group, of which the Ministry of Defence and the Department for Communities and Local Government are members, has commissioned research to look into the effectiveness of interventions in preventing rough sleeping and homelessness among ex-Service personnel in London. The MOD will meet about 70 per cent. of the cost of this research from the Veterans Challenge Fund. The Department is not currently undertaking any research into veterans in prison but is leading a project with the Home Office, ex-Service charities and other voluntary sector organisations to assist ex-Service offenders in custody and on release, and their families, to reduce the risk of re-offending. In a related area, the Department has funded research on the possible merits of mentoring for vulnerable veterans which looked in particular at the needs of personnel discharged from the Military Corrective Training Centre. We are currently considering how best to take forward the results of this work.
Weapons Expenditure
The 40 mm Cased Telescope Ammunition weapon has been developed using private venture capital by CTA International. The Ministry of Defence is conducting a Technology Demonstrator Programme to assess its effectiveness when vehicle-mounted. No study has yet been made of the through-life costs of the system.
Work and Pensions
Advertising Campaigns
The Department runs a number of promotional campaigns aimed at increasing awareness of rights and responsibilities. The dates and costs are given as follows:
Financial year (a) Date of activity (b) Annual cost Age Partnership Group 2005-06 April 2005 to March 2006 19 2006-07 April 2006 to May 2006 8 Age Positive 2004-05 April 2004 to March 2005 29 2005-06 April 2005 to March 2006 68 Council Tax Benefit 2004-05 January 2005 674 March 2005 2005-06 January 2005 to February 2005 526 March 2005 Direct Payment 2004-05 April 2004 8,379 June 2004 to December 2004 January 2005 -March 2005 Disability Discrimination Act 2004-05 March 2004 to September 2004 1,992 January 2005 to March 2005 2005-06 December 2005 to May 2006 888 IB Reforms Pilot 2004-05 April 2004 to May 2004 106 Images of Disability 2005-06 September 2005 2 Lone Parent Leaflet Promotion Marketing 2004-05 March 2005 216 National Sector Campaign 2005-06 July 2005 to September 2005 23 October 2005 to December 2005 January 2006 to March 2006 National Vacancy Campaign 2004-05 October 2004 to March 2005 390 Pension Credit 2004-05 April 2004 to July 2004 4,388 2005-06 January 2005 to March 2005 362 State Pension Deferral 2004-05 November 2004 to July 2005 115 2005-06 January 2006 to March 2006 392 2006-07 April 2006 to May 2006 51 State Second Pension 2005-06 January 2006 to February 2006 675 Targeting Benefit Fraud 2004-05 June 2004 to July 2004 6,017 October 2004 to November 2004 December 2004 to February 2005 2005-06 June 2005 to July 2005 7,042 October 2005 to November 2005 February 2005 to March 2005 Winter Fuel Payments 2004-05 June 2004 to March 2005 515 2005-06 June 2005 to March 2006 918 Notes:1. The table does not include the following as the information is not held centrally and to obtain it would incur disproportionate cost: spend by non-departmental bodies for which the Department is responsible details of highly localised publicity activity by the Department’s customer-facing businesses recruitment or procurement advertising. 2. The figures refer to media spend only, excluding production and other costs. 3. All figures have been rounded to the nearest 1,000. 4. All figures are exclusive of VAT.
Benefit Take-up
Estimates are not available below national level for income-based jobseeker’s allowance. The national estimates are available in the DWP report entitled “Income Related Benefits Estimates of Take-Up”. Copies of the latest publication, which describes patterns in take-up since 1997-98, together with past reports, are available in the Library.
No estimates are available for incapacity benefit.
Computer Software
The Department has a policy to depreciate software using a straight-line method, at rates calculated to write off the current replacement cost, less estimated residual value, of each asset in equal instalments over its expected useful life.
Assets are depreciated from the month following acquisition or from when the asset is brought into use, if later.
Software purchases are depreciated over a period of five years. Software licences and software development costs are depreciated over a period of five years or the life of the asset or licence period, if shorter.
No extraordinary charges have been made in the last three years in respect of software.
Crisis Loans
The information is not available in the format requested. Such information as is available is in the table.
Expenditure (£) 2001-02 229,000 2002-03 322,000 2003-04 332,000 2004-05 273,000 2005-06 279,000 Notes: 1. Data is not available by parliamentary constituency or county, but only by Jobcentre Plus district. 2. From April 2002, Stroud parliamentary constituency and the county of Gloucestershire were in Gloucestershire Jobcentre Plus district, previously known as Gloucestershire Social Fund district. This district merged with another district in April 2005. The figure for 2005-06 in the table is for the area covered by the former Gloucestershire Jobcentre Plus district. 3. Figures have been rounded to the nearest 1,000. Source: DWP Social Fund Policy, Budget and Management Information System.
The information is not available in the format requested. Such information as is available is in the table.
Crisis loans for area covered by Coventry and Warwickshire Jobcentre Plus districtExpenditure (£)2001-02762,0002002-03765,0002003-04907,0002004-05915,0002005-061,100,000 Notes: 1. Data is not available by parliamentary constituency but only by Jobcentre Plus district. 2. The parliamentary constituency of Coventry South is in the Jobcentre Plus district of Coventry and Warwickshire. This district was formed in September 2002 by merging the Social Fund district of Coventry and the Social Fund district of Warwickshire. The expenditure for these two districts has been combined in the table. 3. Figures have been rounded to the nearest 1,000. Source: DWP Social Fund Policy, Budget and Management Information System.
Departmental Staff (Sickness Absence)
Full information on how many staff in the DWP have had more than two periods of sickness of less than five days or more in two or more years is not collated and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.
Disability Living Allowance
The administration of disability living allowance is a matter for the chief executive of the Disability and Carers Service, Mr. Terry Moran. He will write to the hon. Member with the information requested.
Letter from Terry Moran, dated 17 July 2006:
You asked the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many households in Oxfordshire include a person with a learning disability who receives the care component of disability living allowance at the (a) highest rate (b) middle rate and (c) lowest rate.
The Minister for Disabled People, Anne McGuire MP, promised you a substantive reply from the chief Executive of the Disability and Carers Service.
The information available is in the following tables:
Care component Total with care component Highest rate Middle rate Lowest rate County of Oxford total 1,940 540 340 1,070 Banbury 370 90 70 220 Henley 200 60 30 110 Oxford East 430 120 70 240 Oxford West and Abingdon 290 70 50 170 Wantage 320 100 60 170 Witney 330 100 60 160 Notes: 1. Numbers are rounded to the nearest 10. 2. Totals may not sum due to rounding. 3. Parliamentary constituencies are assigned by matching postcodes against the relevant postcode directory. 4. Figures are based on the care component condition only. Source: DWP, WPLS 100 per cent. data.
Care component Total with care component Highest rate Middle rate Lowest rate Oxfordshire total 1,940 530 340 1,070 Cherwell 440 110 70 250 Oxford 480 120 80 280 South Oxfordshire 330 100 60 160 Vale of White Horse 370 90 70 220 West Oxfordshire 320 100 60 160 Notes: 1. Numbers are rounded to the nearest 10. 2. Totals may not sum due to rounding. 3. Local authorities are assigned by matching postcodes against the relevant postcode directory. 4. Figures are based on the care component condition only. Source: DWP, WPLS 100 per cent. data.
I hope this is helpful.
The administration of disability living allowance is a matter for the Chief Executive of the Disability and Carers Service, Mr. Terry Moran. He will write to the hon. Member with the information requested.
Letter from Terry Moran, dated 17 July 2006:
You asked the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many households in Somerset include a person with a learning disability who receives the care component of disability living allowance at the (a) highest (b) middle and (c) lowest rate.
The Minister for Disabled People, Anne McGuire MP, promised you a substantive reply from the Chief Executive of the Disability and Carers Service.
The information available is in the following table:
Recipients of disability living allowance with learning difficulties by rate of care award as at November 2005 in Somerset local authorities.Care ComponentTotal with care componentHigher rateMiddle rateLowest rateSomerset total2,0105204301,060Mendip430100110220 Sedgemoor43011090230South Somerset560160120280Taunton Deane44013090220West Somerset1603030110Notes: 1. Numbers are rounded to the nearest 10. 2. Totals may not sum due to rounding. 3. Local authorities are assigned by matching postcodes against the relevant postcode directory. 4. Figures are based on the care component condition only. 5. Information is only available for the Somerset local authorities. Source: DWP, WPLS 100 per cent. data.
I hope this is helpful.
Financial Assistance Scheme
(2) what estimate he has made of the additional resources needed to extend the provision of the financial assistance scheme to those who otherwise fulfil the eligibility criteria but who are aged (a) below 55 and (b) between 55 and 59; and if he will make a statement.
Eligibility for the financial assistance scheme is based on the number of years to normal scheme retirement age when the financial assistance scheme was introduced in May 2004. People within three years of their normal scheme retirement age qualify for payments when they reach 65. Not all schemes have a retirement age of 65. Estimates of the cost of extending the financial assistance scheme to individuals of specific ages are not available.
Health and Safety
The number of Health and Safety inspectors employed in the Field Operations Directorate for each of the last five years broken down by region are listed in the following table.
On 1 April 2005, management responsibility for 72 inspectors transferred from field operations directorate to policy group but their role remains essentially unchanged.
As at 1 April each year Scotland North West Yorkshire and North East Midlands Wales South West East South East London Total 2002 120 119 129 163 105 183 83 902 2003 110 98 108 155 144 195 86 896 2004 103 96 133 141 112 164 77 826 2005 87 86 111 133 107 168 73 765 2006 89 91 113 121 112 159 70 755
From October 2004, we have also had a front-line force of health and safety awareness officers, numbering 97 in 2006. The proportion of front-line staff remains at 21 per cent. of HSE staff in 2006 as it was in 2005, so essentially front-line delivery remains the same.
Over the last four years, the FOD has consistently increased the proportion of time it spends on front-line activities—standing at 61 per cent. for the 2005-06 work year.
The Health and Safety Executive carries out no work under contract for overseas Governments, public bodies and commercial interests. It does, however, carry out a considerable amount of collaborative work with other agencies abroad. The principal items of such work and the agencies, etc., with whom they are done are listed in table A.
The work currently being carried out by Health and Safety Laboratory (HSL) on contract for overseas Governments and public bodies and for overseas commercial interests is set out in tables B1, B2 and B3.
In addition, HSL operates the Great Britain Explosives Notified Body, which offers a service to industry throughout the world to certify explosives falling within the scope of the European Directive 93/15/EEC and the Placing on the Market and Supervision of Transfers of Explosives Regulations (POMSTER). Explosives that meet the requirements of the directive and POMSTER may be marked with the CE mark. HSL currently has 80 overseas commercial applicants for certification.
HSL collaborates with a large number of overseas laboratories, principally in the area of quality control. In addition, HSL has formal collaboration agreements in place with the following overseas organisations: Korea Occupational Safety and Health Agency; Canadian Explosives Research Laboratory; Institut de Recherche Robert Sauve en Sante et en Securite du Traveil (IRSST) Canada; and the National Institute for Occupational Health of the National Health and Laboratory Service, South Africa. Together with 11 other laboratories in member states of the EU, HSL is a signatory to the Framework Agreement on the Foundation of the Partnership for European Research in Occupational Safety and Health (PEROSH); and is also a World Health Organisation Collaborating Centre.
In addition to these formal collaborative arrangements, Both HSE and HSL staff also regularly exchange information with the counterparts, experts and scientists throughout the world, both in the public and private sectors.
Organisation Area of work World Health Organisation Health effects of exposure to static/time varying electro magnetic fields; occupational safety and health statistics. Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development Nuclear Energy Agency Nuclear energy safety. International Labour Organisation Developing and maintaining occupational safety and health standards. International Social Security Association: International Agriculture Section Occupational safety and health in agriculture. International Organisation for Standardization International health and safety standards. International Atomic Energy Agency Nuclear energy safety. United Nations Group of Experts on the Globally Harmonised System for the Classification and Labelling of Chemicals Classification and labelling of chemicals. International Conference of Chief Inspectors of Explosives Exchange of information and good practice on the regulation of explosives. International Association of Labour Inspectorates Exchange of information and good practice on occupational safety and health enforcement. International Regulators' Offshore Safety Forum Offshore occupational safety and health. International Group of Experts on the Explosion Risk of Unstable Substances Energetic and oxidising substances and explosives, propellants and pyrotechnics. International Collaborative Group on Environmentally Assisted Cracking Nuclear energy safety. European Agency for Safety and Health at Work European Week of Safety and Health at Work, occupational safety and health statistics. European Union Administration and Cooperation Groups Occupational safety and health in machinery, pressure, lifts and equipment for use in explosive atmospheres. European Commission: Eurostat Occupational safety and health statistics. European Foundation for the Improvement of Living and Working Conditions Occupational safety and health statistics. European Committee for Standardization (CEN) Occupational health and safety standards. European Trade Union Institute for Research, Education and Health and Safety Collaboration to develop methodology to obtain user information for the design of tools. European Senior Labour Inspectorate Committee Exchange of information and good practice on occupational safety and health enforcement. European Working Group on Reactor Dosimetry Nuclear energy safety. European Chemicals Bureau and competent authorities in all EU Member States Classification, labelling and safe use of chemicals. North Sea Offshore Authorities Forum Offshore occupational safety and health. French Government-Ministere des Affaires Sociales (Ministry for Social Affairs) Developing joint policy on machinery safety issues. German Government- Ministerium fur Umwelt und Verkehr (Ministry for Environment and Transport) Machinery safety issues. Dutch Government-Arbeidsinspectie Expertisecentrum Developing procedure to deal with the application of EU Supply Directives. Dutch State Supervision of Mines Offshore occupational safety and health. Danish Energy Authority Ministry of Economic and Business Affairs Offshore occupational safety and health. Petroleum Safety Authority Norway Offshore occupational safety and health. US Occupational Safety and Health Administration Occupational safety and health in ground handling activities in air transport. Atlantic Alliance (UK, USA, Germany, Ireland, Australia) Occupational safety and health in quarries.
Organisation Area of work European Commission Creation and the promotion of an inclusive risk governance culture. European Commission Quantification and control of the hazards associated with the transport and bulk storage of fireworks. European Commission Handbook for approval of hydrogen refuelling stations. European Commission Sharing experience on risk management to design future industrial systems. European Commission Safety of hydrogen as an energy carrier. European Commission Safe production and use of nanomaterials. Health and Safety Inspectorate, Gibraltar Dock work safety. Health and Safety Authority, Ireland Exchange of information, advice and support on process safety issues. Finnish Institute of Occupational Health Occupational health and safety research topic centre. Institut National de I'Environment Industriel et des Risques (INERIS), France Hydrogen safety course. Institut Quimic de Sarria, Spain Explosives and explosives prevention. National Institute of Occupational Hygiene, South Africa Assessment of measurement and analysis of chemicals. County Wexford Garda, Ireland Diving equipment examination. University of Wuerzburg, Germany Risk assessment TNO Quality of Life, The Netherlands Development of worked examples for exposure scenarios of biocidal products to humans. CRP Centro para la Prevencion de Riesgos Professionales, Columbia Urine sample analysis.
Organisation Area of work European Chemical Industry Council (CEFIC), Belgium Analysis of chemicals. The Oil Companies European Organisation for Environment, Health and Safety (CONCAWE), Belgium Analytical support for gasoline risk assessment. Hilti Aktiengesellschaft, Leichtenstein Tests on two fastening tools to assist the client in self-certification. Adisseo France SAS, France Measurement of dustiness of one powder. Saint Gobain Cree, France Measurement of dustiness of three carbon powders. Microclean Environmental Ltd, Ireland Analysis of chemical samples. EHS Risk Management Services, Ireland Nitrous oxide sampling. AB Achema, Lithuania Testing resistance to detonation. Borax Rotterdam NV, The Netherlands Testing chemicals in air filter samples.
Organisation Area of work Danish Gas Technology Centre, Denmark; Gastec Technology BV, The Netherlands; Directorate for Civil Protection and Emergency Planning, Norway Group sponsored research project on area classification for secondary releases from low-pressure natural gas systems in naturally and mechanically ventilated indoor locations.
Housing Benefit
The most recent available information is for November 2005. Information for November 2004 has been provided for comparison. The information is in the table.
London borough November 2004 November 2005 LA RSL Private LA RSL Private Barking 61.46 70.27 117.92 65.32 74.97 124.07 Barnet 75.61 125.66 143.45 78.07 125.15 148.85 Bexley 253.40 69.47 112.63 303.64 71.98 116.12 Brent 88.11 113.09 135.05 91.61 117.11 139.48 Bromley 1— 75.36 121.71 1— 78.33 127.93 Camden 80.68 96.81 135.21 84.12 101.08 141.62 City of London 75.53 85.77 110.38 76.44 89.77 111.83 Croydon 69.09 90.35 127.80 71.58 91.80 133.00 Ealing 92.41 98.10 130.38 99.98 99.26 137.08 Enfield 98.23 106.05 128.97 103.04 108.71 137.66 Greenwich 60.94 76.02 112.39 63.19 78.93 119.36 Hackney 76.67 86.32 128.13 78.59 90.91 137.90 Hammersmith and Fulham 78.40 87.04 120.70 85.42 94.85 141.35 Haringey 105.11 107.77 116.30 114.35 111.44 121.95 Harrow 71.75 139.92 138.63 72.12 142.06 143.18 Havering 52.33 73.71 113.11 58.64 75.67 117.82 Hillingdon 97.76 80.94 121.59 105.93 80.89 128.95 Hounslow 72.63 80.71 122.84 77.47 82.33 128.36 Islington 75.14 83.13 118.71 77.55 89.17 126.52 Kensington and Chelsea 101.99 84.59 165.65 113.43 89.19 170.65 Kingston upon Thames 89.74 82.26 127.91 94.23 86.42 132.34 Lambeth 81.02 73.48 110.43 86.58 77.75 115.03 Lewisham 59.12 80.29 88.31 63.52 85.00 137.71 Merton 60.85 80.87 125.17 65.18 84.05 132.83 Newham 100.09 120.11 116.30 120.81 120.60 123.35 Redbridge 130.24 92.45 123.13 141.16 94.38 131.01 Richmond upon Thames 251.81 69.50 130.61 245.84 72.82 138.23 Southwark 65.45 78.87 118.05 67.95 81.51 119.76 Sutton 60.29 78.44 120.86 63.31 82.80 126.01 Tower Hamlets 89.13 79.20 120.60 92.91 82.18 140.05 Waltham Forest 89.11 76.67 105.61 96.46 79.13 114.55 Wandsworth 77.78 100.29 130.60 83.01 101.83 175.69 Westminster 119.12 115.58 171.96 144.40 109.52 179.86 1 Data is nil or non applicable. This includes cases where the average amounts have been suppressed if the corresponding caseloads are nil or negligible. Notes: 1. Average amounts have been rounded to the nearest penny. 2. “LA” = local authority, “RSL” = registered social landlord. 3. LA figures include non-HRA rent rebates. Source: Housing Benefit and Council Tax Benefit Management Information System Quarterly 100 per cent. caseload stock-count taken in November 2004 and November 2005.
Information Technology
Information that is available is in the following table.
Contract Supplier Original contract estimate (£ million) Most recently estimated (£ million) Accord / Standard Services Business Allocation (SSBA) EDS 3,433.5 2,396.8 Accord / Integrated Communications and Network Services (ICONS) BT 1,411.3 870.0 Pensions Transformation Project Accenture 129.0 122.0 Benefits Processing Replacement Programme / Working Age Transformation and Change Programme IBM 123.4 79.7 Central Payment System Siemens 59.6 59.6
Medical Assessments
I have been asked to reply.
I refer the hon. Member to the response I gave to his question of 27 June 2006, Official Report, column 286W, as the information asked for is not available in the format requested. Data are collected by benefit type rather than by whether a medical assessment is carried out.
New Deal for Disabled People
(2) what equipment is available for those on New Deal for Disabled People.
New Deal for Disabled People (NDDP) services are available to people with a health condition or disability, including those who are partially sighted, who are in receipt of a range of benefits. Eligible benefits include incapacity benefit and income support with a disability premium, but not jobseeker's allowance (JSA). We have no plans to change the eligibility criteria for the programme.
There is no specific funding for equipment for NDDP customers and it is not a requirement of the programme to provide equipment. However, NDDP job brokers have the flexibility to use their funds to provide equipment, if they feel it is appropriate to do so. Equipment can also be accessed through other provision, for example, the adviser discretion fund (ADF), which enables the purchase of almost anything, up to a limit of £100 within a 12-month period, that will help a customer obtain a job or take up an offer of employment. NDDP customers can access ADF through Jobcentre Plus advisers.
Access to Work also helps disabled people enter and stay in employment by providing a range of practical help to them and their employers, including the provision of equipment to help overcome barriers faced at work as a result of disability.
Office Equipment
DWP central asset registers do not hold the requested data in national and regional splits. Assets owned by DWP are held against individual business units and by financial cost centre. The information is therefore provided below by year and by business unit.
In addition to the assets owned by DWP, the Department also utilises equipment owned by our major IT service provider EDS, under PFI arrangements. The figures for these supplier-owned assets are included separately.
There were approximately 130,000 staff in DWP in March 2005 and significantly more PCs than people. There are several reasons for this, including PCs allocated to;
Part-time staff on an individual basis
Staff who work from more than one site or from home
Business testing and training (e.g. for our large modernisation programme)
The time lag between staff reductions and equipment removals.
The figure continues to fall. We estimate that the current figure is 147,794 PCs and 8,169 laptops. The contractual and budgetary provisions of the recently aligned contract with EDS are designed to drive the numbers down further and to provide significantly improved asset management services.
The returns for non-departmental bodies for which DWP is responsible have been obtained from each individual body.
Photocopiers can be purchased or leased by local management and central figures are not available, however, a central DWP leasing arrangement for mid-range copiers indicates that 5,123 copiers were leased as at March 2005.
The information is contained within the following tables:
PCs Laptops Servers Printers Scanners Copiers Fax Appeals Agency (inc Tribunal non-Departmental Public Bodies) 1,384 238 55 686 10 7 90 Jobcentre Plus 69,742 2,618 951 14,498 195 408 27 Child Support Agency 13,408 1,080 135 1,525 14 43 27 Corporate Centre 34,803 4,362 3,981 6,932 179 53 0 Disability and Carers 60 7 1 11 0 0 0 Pensions 19,457 2,562 134 2,894 58 13 8 Health and Safety Executive, Health and Safety Commission, Health and Safety Laboratory 904 207 50 292 65 164 45 Rent Service Part of Office of Deputy Prime Minister so no data available for this year Disability Rights Commission 294 71 33 38 9 7 9 Independent Living Funds 190 19 11 53 0 4 8 Pensions Protection Fund 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Health and Safety Commission1 — — — — — — — Pensions Regulator 280 55 43 40 6 5 10 Remploy Limited 800 900 123 1,600 200 100 250 Disability Employment Advisory Committee2 — — — — — — — Disability Living Allowance Advisory Board 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Industrial Injuries Advisory Council 5 0 0 0 0 0 0 National Employment Panel 39 10 0 13 1 0 1 Social Security Advisory Committee 5 1 0 2 0 0 1 Office Pensions Ombudsman 43 2 1 14 1 2 1 Motability 150 9 11 15 2 6 3 Independent Review Service and Social 189 3 5 51 3 5 12 Fund Commissioner Pensions Advisory Service 44 4 3 16 1 3 2 EDS owned equipment 48,237 4,002 1,900 13,265 117 0 0 Total 190,034 16,150 7,437 41,945 861 820 494 1 Included in House 2 Included in Corporate Centre Note: Disability Living Allowance Advisory Board has no equipment.
PCs Laptops Servers Printers Scanners Copiers Fax Appeals Agency (inc Tribunal non Departmental Public Bodies) 1,358 233 47 706 7 4 81 Jobcentre Plus 65,310 1,552 1,084 11,336 116 404 27 Child Support Agency 12,830 835 151 1,350 14 43 27 Corporate Centre 20,702 3,657 3,699 3,579 131 35 10 Disability and Carers 8,020 263 161 1,739 14 4 0 Pensions 18,915 2,874 148 2,802 61 13 1 Health and Safety Executive, Health and Safety Commission, Health and Safety Laboratory 981 270 56 131 22 132 27 Rent Service 908 235 161 333 25 39 90 Disability Rights Commission 314 82 43 51 14 7 9 Independent Living Funds 250 33 17 54 0 4 9 Pensions Protection Fund 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Health and Safety Commission1 — — — — — — — Pensions Regulator 400 60 65 42 6 5 12 Remploy Limited 800 900 123 1,600 200 120 300 Disability Employment Advisory Committee2 — — — — — — — Disability Living Allowance Advisory Board 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Industrial InjuriesAdvisory Council 5 0 0 0 0 0 0 National Employment Panel 39 10 0 13 1 0 1 Social Security Advisory Committee 6 2 0 2 0 0 1 Office Pensions Ombudsman 43 2 1 14 1 2 1 Motability 120 15 11 15 4 6 3 Independent Review Service and Social Fund Commissioner 211 5 6 51 3 5 12 Pensions Advisory Service 44 4 3 16 1 3 2 EDS owned equipment 44,975 4,553 1,900 12,757 121 0 0 Total 176,231 15,585 7,659 36,591 741 826 613 1 Included in House 2 Included in Corporate Centre Note: Disability Living Allowance Advisory Board has no equipment.
Official Visits
In the last 12 months the Secretary of State has made the following number of official visits to each region:
Number East 1 East Midlands 5 London 3 North East 1 North West 2 Northern Ireland 1 Scotland 2 South West 1 West Midlands 1 Yorkshire and Humber 1
All visits were conducted in accordance with the ministerial code. The official visits figures do not include speeches in London or departmental visits without an external dimension.
Outsourcing
None of the administrative functions for which the Department for Work and Pensions is responsible are outsourced overseas.
Currently the Department has no intention to locate administration functions overseas, therefore no assessment has been made of the merits.
Pension Credit
The Pensions Commission made no projections of receipt of pension credit in its second report “A New Pension Settlement for the Twenty-First Century”, giving figures for eligibility instead. These are shown in figure 6.42 on page 294.
Public Appointments
Details of the public appointments to public bodies sponsored by The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) can be found in “Public Bodies”, copies of which are in the Library. “Public Bodies” has been published annually since 1980 and the most recent edition provides figures for 2005. Each edition of “Public Bodies” contains details on the number of public appointments and remuneration details for that particular year. DWP was established in June 2001 and stewardship of those of its public bodies in existence before this time sat within its predecessor Departments. Comparable information for 1976, 1986 and 1996 in respect of DWP public bodies could be provided only at disproportionate cost.
Details of the latest remuneration for each of the 130 public appointments to the bodies sponsored by DWP are set out in the following table:
Non-departmental public body (NDPB)/Year established Public appointments Remuneration Disability Employment Advisory Committee (DEAC) 2002 Chair Unpaid1 14 Members Unpaid1 Disability Living Allowance Advisory Board (DLAAB) 1991 Chair £286.00 per day 7 Medical Members £243.00 per day £121. 50 per half day 10 Non-Medical Members £134.00 per day £67.00 per half day Disability Rights Commission (DRC) 2000 Chair £117,000 per annum 14 Members £150.00 per day Health and Safety Commission (HSC) 1974 Chair £126,594 per annum 9 Members £15,435.00 per annum Independent Living Funds (ILF) 1993 Chair Unpaid 6 Members Unpaid Industrial Injuries Advisory Council IIAC) 1948 Chair £260.00 per full council meeting and £141 per council sub-group meeting 15 Members £141.00 per meeting National Employment Panel (NEP) 2001 Chair Unpaid 23 Members Unpaid Pensions Ombudsman (PO) 1991 Pension Protection Fund Ombudsman (PPFO) 2005 Ombudsman £122,186.00 per annum Deputy Ombudsman £83,946.00 per annum Pensions Protection Fund (PPF) 2005 Chair £82, 934. 80 per annum 5 Members £15,171.00 per annum Remploy Ltd. 1945 Chair £38,634 per annum 6 Non-Executive Directors £7,500.00 per annum Social Security Advisory Committee (SSAC) 1980 Chair £21,000 per annum 13 Members £210.00 per day The Pensions Regular (TPR) 2005 Chair £103,668.50 per annum 5 Members £10,114.00 per annum 1 Loss of earnings up to a maximum daily rate of £138 may be claimed.
Redundancies
The amount spent by the Department on all staff early release schemes in each of the last four years is in the following table.
Business Area 2002-03 2003-04 2004-05 2005-06 Total The Pension Service 0.2 0.19 1.29 14.1 15.7 Child Support Agency 0.83 0.82 0.84 4.5 7.0 Disability and Carers Service n/a n/a 0 7.0 7.0 The Appeals Service 0.15 0.17 0.2 0.2 0.7 Jobcentre Plus 0 0.18 0.55 69.0 69.7 Health and Safety Executive 2.08 0.65 0.75 0.0 3.5 The Rent Service n/a n/a 1.7 0.0 1.7 Departmental Corporate Units 16.17 14.11 9.58 43.5 83.3 Total 19.43 16.12 14.91 138.3 188.6 n/a = Denotes that the Agency did not exist in the Department in the year in question. Notes: 1. A proportion of the ongoing annual pension payments for early retirement cases are held centrally and included in the Departmental Corporate Units' line from 2004-05 and 2005-06. 2. The figures do not include the provisions made in the accounts for costs associated with staff approved for early release in 2006-07.
Remploy
[holding answer 26 June 2006]: I refer the hon. Member to the written answer I gave on 26 June 2006, Official Report, column 64W.
Sulphuric Acid
The European Commission’s Scientific Committee for Occupational Exposure Limits (SCOEL) does not make formal recommendations concerning the classification of chemicals. The responsibility for this falls to the Classification and Labelling Working Group established by the European Chemicals Bureau and this Group has not considered the classification of sulphuric acid as a carcinogen. However, in its deliberations leading to recommendations on occupational exposure limits, SCOEL undertakes an assessment of the evidence on all aspects of the substances under consideration, including whether or not a substance may have particular properties, including the potential to cause cancer in humans.
In relation to sulphuric acid mist, for which a Recommendation for an occupational exposure limit was published in October 2004, SCOEL felt that the balance of evidence from studies in worker populations was sufficient to indicate that sulphuric acid mist has the potential to cause laryngeal cancer in humans. However, there were insufficient data to reliably inform on the airborne exposure conditions that were associated with the increased incidence of laryngeal cancer in these studies. In relation to the mechanism whereby sulphuric acid mist causes laryngeal cancer, SCOEL concluded that it is based on long-term chronic irritation of the laryngeal epithelium, and that airborne exposures that are below the threshold for the induction of such irritant effects would not lead to any increased risk of cancer.
SCOEL recommended that an 8-hour time-weighted average occupational exposure limit, set at 0.05 mg.m-3, would not lead to any adverse health effects in workers, and would not be associated with any increased risk of cancer.
In November 2001 the Health and Safety Executive published a Chemical Hazard Alert Notice for sulphuric acid mist, which recommended that employers should control mist exposure to below 0.3 mg.m-3, in line with advice from the National Sulphuric Acid Association. The 8-hour time-weighted average occupational exposure standard (OES) for sulphuric acid, formerly set at 1 mg.m-3, was withdrawn by the Health and Safety Commission in May 2003. There is currently no British occupational exposure limit.
Tax Credits
Ministers and officials have meetings with a wide range of organisations both within Government and outside as part of the process of policy development and delivery. As was the case with previous Administrations, it is not the practice to provide details of all such meetings.
Health
Animal-based Insulin
(2) what recent assessment she has made of the supply of raw materials required to produce animal-based insulin; and if she will make a statement.
The Department has had no involvement with NovoNordisk’s production of insulin crystals, although I am aware that it acquired the Brazilian company, Biobras, a number of years ago. NovoNordisk has announced that it is discontinuing its animal derived insulins on a worldwide basis. However, animal insulins will remain available from Wockhardt UK, who has confirmed that future supplies of these products are independent of NovoNordisk.
Avian Influenza
Although the H5N1 virus has a reported fatality rate of around 50 per cent. in humans, there is some question regarding the accuracy of this figure. This is partly because we cannot guarantee that all H5N1 cases have been recorded. It is important to remember that fatality rates for pandemic flu have historically been lower than H5N1 avian flu. For example, the 1918 pandemic was the most severe in the 20th century and this had a fatality rate of around 2 per cent. This 2.5 per cent. figure was informed by international consensus and expert advice. Our modellers have taken the fatality rate of the H5N1 virus into consideration when agreeing this figure.
Community Hospitals
This information is not collected centrally.
This information is not held by the Department. It is now for primary care trusts in partnership with strategic health authorities and other local stakeholders to plan, develop and improve services for local people.
The information requested is not held centrally.
[holding answer 13 July 2006]: We will set out shortly our plans for the national tariff in 2007-08, but we have never said there will be a community hospital tariff.
Crystal Blue Consulting
The advisory committee on resource allocation (ACRA) is carrying out a review of the approach to calculating the staff market forces factor (MFF). To inform the review and following a competitive tendering exercise, the Department has let a contract with Crystal Blue Consulting to examine the feasibility of using national health service costs in calculating the staff MFF. It is expected that the work will be completed by autumn this year. The publication of the findings will be considered later.
Dentistry
No formal discussions have been held between the Department, the then North West London strategic health authority and Hillingdon primary care trust (PCT) about the devolved dentistry budget for Hillingdon. However, I have been informed that Hillingdon PCT has now resolved this matter to its satisfaction.
Electrical Fields
The Health Protection Agency’s radiation protection division (HPA-RPD) keeps the worldwide research findings on electric and magnetic fields (EMF) and health under review. In 2004 the HPA-RPD, previously the National Radiological Protection Board, undertook a comprehensive review of the existing body of research to date and formally recommended the adoption of EMF exposure guidelines published in 1998 by the International Commission on Non-Ionizing Radiation Protection (ICNIRP). The HPA advice is available on its website at www.hpa.org.uk/radiation/publications/documents_of_nrpb/pdfs/doc_15_2.pdf. The ICNIRP guidelines also form the basis of the 1999 European Recommendation (EC/519/1999) on limiting EMF public exposure.
English Partnerships
Of the 96 former hospital sites acquired by English Partnerships in April 2005, the following four sites have been sold so far:
Park Prewett, Basingstoke (part)
Linton Hospital, Maidstone
Renny Lodge, Newport Pagnell
Sheppey Hospital, Isle of Sheppey
Three of these sites—Renny Lodge, Linton Hospital and part of Park Prewett— will provide over 300 homes as part of the Design for Manufacture competition.
English Partnerships is working with partners to bring forward sites as quickly as possible and hopes to be able to announce preferred developers for a further four sites later this year.
Environmental Management
This Department is committed to maintaining the best possible standards of environmental management. We are working towards certification under IS014001. We have not been externally certified but are working towards certification.
FIFA World Cup
The Secretary of State for Health and Ministers in her Department attended none of the FIFA World Cup matches in their ministerial capacity, so there was no cost to public funds.
Fraser Day Hospital
(2) what estimate she has made of the annual saving to Milton Keynes Primary Care Trust (PCT) of the proposed closure of the Fraser Day Hospital in Newport Pagnell, expressed in (a) real terms and (b) as a percentage of the PCT’s annual budget.
[holding answer 13 July 2006]: The continued use of the suite of rooms forming the Fraser Day Hospital for health-related services is being investigated and, as such, the value of the primary care trust’s legal interest in this accommodation is not required at the present time. The provision of local health care facilities is the responsibility of the Milton Keynes Primary Care Trust (PCT), with the support of their strategic health authority. It is for the PCT to estimate any costs of changes in service arrangements.
Healthcare Commission
The Chairman of the Healthcare Commission has confirmed that the Commission has now started to review this case. The Chairman has added that a member of the Commission’s complaints staff has contacted the complainant.
In-patient Operations
The information requested is not currently available. Waiting times data relating to the end of June will be published on Friday 28 July.
Maternity Services
The National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) is developing a guideline on care during labour. During the preparation of the draft guideline, the Department, as one of the instituted stakeholders, asked whether or not the available evidence precisely supported one of the recommendations made in the guideline. This related to advice on the risks and benefits of the different places of birth. NICE reflected on this, took further advice, and made a minor change to the relevant recommendation.
Multiple Sclerosis
(2) if she will meet the MS Society to discuss the terms of reference of the North Staffordshire Review Panel assessing the cost-effectiveness of disease- modifying therapies for people with multiple sclerosis.
The Secretary of State has received no recent representations on the availability of disease modifying therapies for people with multiple sclerosis in Staffordshire. The local health community is responsible for decisions around the provision of national health service treatment. The Multiple Sclerosis Society may wish to discuss its concerns about the terms of reference of the North Staffordshire review panel with NHS West Midlands.
National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence
The National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence’s (NICE) “Guide to the Methods of Technology Appraisal” is published on NICE’s website at www.nice.org.uk, and gives details of the methodology NICE uses in carrying out its appraisals. NICE reviews its methods guide approximately every three years following consultation with stakeholder organisations, including those representing patients, carers, health care professions and manufacturers. The guide was last updated in 2004.
Newham PCT
The 2005-06 provisional unaudited financial position of all national health service organisations was announced on 7 June. A full report on the 2005-06 NHS financial performance and a series of tables showing the financial position of all NHS organisations is available in the Library.
It is for the local national health service to assess the primary care trust’s progress in meeting the six national NHS priorities.
NHS Complaints
[holding answer 4 July 2006]: The chairman of the Healthcare Commission has confirmed that in 2005-06 31 per cent. of cases were referred back for further work by the health care provider concerned following a review of the local complaint handling by the Healthcare Commission.
[holding answer 4 July 2006]: The chairman of the Healthcare Commission has confirmed that the Commission which faces a higher than expected numbers of referred cases, has introduced an eight week target to cases received since 1 April 2006. There are currently 2,261 cases awaiting further investigation, of which 1,136 are over six months old with none over 12 months old.
NHS Finance
Our analysis of the 2005-06 financial positions of national health service organisations has shown that there is no strong relationship between financial performance and any single factor, including distance from capitation target. A full report on 2005-06 financial performance is available in the Library.
(2) what assessment she has made of the likelihood of there being a need for additional contributions by London primary care trusts to the London strategic health authority risk pool in 2007-08;
(3) when London primary care trusts are expected to be informed of any need to contribute funds to a London strategic health authority risk pool for 2007-08;
(4) when Newham Primary Care Trust is expected to receive a refund of its contribution to the risk pool for the London strategic health authority.
The new strategic health authorities (SHAs) will take the lead locally in developing and implementing a service and financial strategy for managing the financial position within their locality. This will include creating local reserves to deal with local problems.
It is for SHAs locally to determine the level of contribution to reserves and the application of those reserves. The level determined will reflect local financial circumstances.
London primary care trusts (PCTs) were advised of their financial obligation to the London risk pool formally at the beginning of March 2006. London PCTs were made aware of this matter some weeks prior to that date via briefing from their previous local SHAs. PCT contributions will be repayable within three years with 2006-07 contributions expected to be repaid over the period 2007 to 2010. Repayment schedules are currently being agreed with deficit organisations.
The London SHA is still working on its plans for this year and is closely engaged with the Department on this issue. There is no timetable yet for the 2007-08 national operating framework and any contributions for 2007-08 will be subject to review.
Tackling health inequalities is within the remit of all primary care trusts (PCTs). Those PCTs with the worst health and deprivation indicators work to support public service agreement targets to narrow the health inequalities gaps in life expectancy, cardiovascular disease and cancer between their areas and the England average. To support this work, the weighted capitation formula takes account of deprivation.
Strategic health authorities (SHAs) are responsible for the performance management of their national health service organisations and ensuring they achieve financial balance. SHAs should take the lead locally in developing and implementing a service and financial strategy for managing the financial position within their locality. For 2006-07, this will include creating local reserves to deal with local problems.
The reserves will have to be paid back to organisations in future years when the organisations currently in deficit start producing surpluses. It will be repaid, normally in the three-year allocation period. SHAs have been asked to ensure that primary care trusts with the greatest health need are the first to be repaid.
NHS IT Support
The information requested has been placed in the Library.
Nurses
This information is not collected centrally.
The estimated average annual cost to public funds of training a nursing student in each year since 1997 is shown in the table, although the data have been collected on different basis thereby making comparisons difficult.
Cost per individual—bursary or salary and tuition (£) 1997-98 11,625 1998-99 10,500 1999-2000 11,000 2000-01 13,000 2001-02 12,850 2002-03 13,690 2003-04 14,710 2004-05 15,000 Notes: 1. 1997-98 and 2004-05 are forecasts (actual outturn was only collected from 1999 onwards and the last data collected was in November 2004 covering 2003-04 outturn). 2. Average bursary costs for nurses and midwives added to tuition costs from 2000-01 onwards.
Nursing and Care Homes
Information on the number of homes was collected by the Department for the years 1996 and 2001. Table 1 shows the numbers of residential and nursing care homes in Gloucestershire as at 31 March in 1996 and 2001. Data are not available at constituency level.
Rounded numbers Type of home 1996 2001 Residential1 200 305 Nursing2,3 140 110 Total homes4 345 415 1 Residential data are for Gloucestershire unitary authority. 2 Nursing data are for Gloucestershire health authority. 3 Nursing data include general nursing homes, mental nursing homes and private hospitals and clinics. 4 Totals may not equal the sum of parts due to rounding. Sources:For 1996—Department of Health RAC 5 and K036 returns. For 2001—Department of Health RA and RH(N) returns.
The Commission for Social Care Inspection (CSCI) produces data on the number of care homes and places registered as at 31 March each year, beginning with 2003. There are some definitional differences between this data and that for the years up to 2001.
I understand from the chair of CSCI that the numbers of residential and nursing care homes, as at 31 March 2005, in Gloucester and South Gloucester local authorities are as shown in table 2. Data are not available at constituency level.
Local authority Gloucester South Gloucester Total Residential care 276 97 373 Nursing 64 23 87 Total 340 120 460 Source: CSCI registration and inspection database.
Ormskirk Hospital Site
The information requested is not held centrally. It can be obtained directly from the Southport and Ormskirk Hospital National Health Service Trust.
The Ormskirk Hospital site is one of several locations, named by the preferred bidder, from which services will be provided as part of the Cheshire and Merseyside electives surgery scheme, part of the next phase of the procurement in the independent sector treatment centre (ISTC) programme. The scheme is still currently being negotiated.
As stated in “The NHS in England: the operation framework for 2006/07”, patient choice will be extended to include any national health service foundation trust and any nationally procured ISTC, and any other subsequently centrally accredited independent-sector providers.
The case mix planned for the Cheshire and Merseyside electives surgery scheme includes gynaecology, ear, nose and throat, gastroenterology, orthopaedics, general surgery and plastics. Detailed discussions are still in progress between the bidder and the Southport and Ormskirk National Health Service Trust but at this stage, it is anticipated that, if required, the independent sector treatment centre will follow the protocol established at Ormskirk Hospital, which is to use intensive care and high dependency facilities at Southport Hospital.
Osteoporosis
To maximise the benefits of practice- based commissioning (PBC), the Department has resourced and put in place a comprehensive programme providing training, support, and guidance material for general practitioner (GP) practices and primary care trusts (PCTs).
This includes publication of the document “Practice based commissioning: early wins and top tips”, which contains tips to support PBC and suggestions as to how it can be used to redesign care pathways. This publication is available on the Department's website at www.dh.gov.uk/assetRoot/04/12/82/74/04128274.pdf and has been issued directly to all GP practices.
This document does not specifically encourage GPs to take advantage of programmes to identify patients for their risk of osteoporosis. However, the document does encourage GP practices to take the principles of the case studies featured and extend these to providing services tailored to a particular practice's local population.
Oxygen Supplies
The transfer of patients to new suppliers is taking place over a six-month transitional period that ends on 31 July 2006. Working with the national health service, we are closely monitoring each company’s capacity to deliver the required standard of service to all patients using oxygen therapy in the home. During this period, there is continuous assessment of suppliers with regular meetings to discuss suppliers’ reports on progress and action to tackle emerging issues.
Paediatric Special Care
The Department has facilitated the development of 24 neonatal managed clinical networks to provide the safest and most effective service for mothers and babies. Since April 2003 over £70 million additional funding has been made available to support the development of networks. It is for individual networks to ensure there is an appropriate level of provision, including special care, to meet prevalent local demand.
Payment by Results
There are currently no tariffs for neonatal intensive care. Critical care is outside the scope of payment by results, and funding for the service continues to be locally negotiated between commissioners and providers. The range of services covered by payment by results is kept under review.
Prescription Charges (Exemptions)
Certain foods are listed in part XV of the drug tariff in order that they may be prescribed. We have no plans to extend the existing list of medical conditions that give exemption from prescription charges.
Prescription charges are currently being looked at by the Health Committee as part of its inquiry into national health service charges.
Primary Care Trust Budgets
I can confirm that funding for specialist chronic fatigue syndrome/myalgic encephalomyelitis services is included in the baseline budgets for primary care trusts.
Waiting Time Target
(2) which pioneer sites to assess the prospects for delivery of the 18-week waiting time target amongst category B procedures deemed high risk have so far been established; on which procedures they are concentrating in each case; where they are situated; and if she will make a statement.
The areas of greatest challenge identified in the delivery resource pack in relation to 18 weeks are orthopaedics, endoscopy, echocardiography and audiology. National projects are required in these category ‘A’ areas.
In orthopaedics, a co-ordinating group of key stakeholders has been established, and a musculoskeletal services framework was published on 12 July 2006 on the Department's and the 18 week patient pathway websites. Work continues to identify and then tackle local performance levels.
In endoscopy, work is well under way to identify performance levels and best practice, building on the work begun by the NHS Modernisation Agency. In cardiology, the project is identifying those tests that present the greatest challenge in terms of intervention rates and performance, including echocardiography.
In audiology, most adult hearing services are accessed directly from primary care, and are therefore provided outside of the pathways covered by the 18-week target. However, waiting times for adult hearing services are too long and do need to be tackled, not least to ensure that referrals to such services are not diverted via ear, nose and throat departments (which are covered by 18 weeks) to benefit from the 18-week maximum wait that will apply by December 2008. Work is under way at official level, with stakeholders to be involved, and a plan will be published in due course, following ministerial approval.
In terms of the high risk, category B areas, the eight 18-week pioneer health communities will soon turn their attention from developing the mechanisms by which whole pathways will be measured to redesigning pathways in the high risk areas identified in the delivery resource pack. The table shows the specialties being addressed by each of the pioneers. Magnetic resonance imaging, computerised tomography and non-obstetric ultrasound diagnostic tests are being addressed as part of these pathways.
Pioneer health community Delivery solutions being addressed East Kent General surgery, gastroenterology, orthopaedics, cardiology Huntingdonshire Orthopaedics, endoscopy, neurology, dermatology North Nottinghamshire Gastroenterology, gynaecology, rheumatology, diabetes Devon and Exeter Cardiology, oral surgery, diabetes, plastic surgery Gateshead Orthopaedics, cardiology, rheumatology King's Orthopaedics, audiology, respiratory medicine North East Sector of Greater Manchester Trauma and orthopaedics, general surgery, general medicine South Bedfordshire Urology, ears, nose and throat, cardiology, ophthalmology
(2) what progress she has made in establishing the stakeholder group to support delivery of the 18-week waiting time target.
Dr. David Colin-Thomé has been appointed clinical lead for the 18 weeks programme in addition to his role as national clinical director for primary care, as announced in “Tackling Hospital Waiting: The 18 Week Patient Pathway—An Implementation Framework” (paragraph 3.4). Dr. Colin-Thomé's role on 18 weeks is to lead engagement with the clinical community, act as national lead for the clinical leads of particular specialty areas, co-chair the 18-week stakeholder group and provide advice on implementation issues as they arise.
The 18-week pathway stakeholder group is made up of nominees from a range of national organisations, senior clinicians, managers and patients. It is intended that the group should normally meet monthly, alternating between the full group and a subset made up of the strategic health authority leads for 18 weeks. The subset met for the first time in June. The full group should meet for the first time in September.
(2) what key messages have been agreed to support delivery of the 18-week waiting time target, as stated on page 22 of her Department's document, “18 Week Patient Pathway: Delivery Resource Pack”, published on 10th May 2006.
Key areas of challenge to delivering the 18-week waiting target were outlined in section two of the publication, “Tackling Hospital Waiting: The 18 Week Patient Pathway—An Implementation Framework”. Since publication, national projects have begun in orthopaedics and endoscopy, and the national project in cardiology is in development. Work is under way at official level on an audiology action plan and this will be published in due course following ministerial approval. The 18-week programme team and the Department have highlighted the key challenges at numerous events in the past few months, including the NHS Confederation conference. The team will shortly be holding events in each of the new strategic heath authorities to help prepare for delivery.
This publication, which is available in the Library and on the Department's website at: www.dh.gov.uk/assetRoot/04/13/46/69/04134669.pdf also sets out the key messages for all groups involved in the delivery of 18 weeks, including the key actions required by various parties.
Written Answers to Questions
Tuesday 18 July 2006
International Development
Afghanistan
After decades of conflict, the lack of investment in basic infrastructure, poor governance and drought, much of Afghanistan's productivity has been lost or re-directed towards poppy cultivation and drug trafficking. As 70 per cent. of the population are rural, agriculture provides the best opportunity for alternative income generation.
Helmand province was once one of the most agriculturally advanced and productive areas in Afghanistan. It might have the potential to be so again. For examples, the DFID-funded research into alternative livelihoods programme (RALF) is looking at the export potential of grapes, tomatoes, mushrooms egg plants and okra in Helmand and has made contacts with raisin importers, which involves organic and fair trade. The programme is also evaluating at least 10 different small scale agri-processing industries such as tomato paste production.
Growth in small and medium enterprises and construction has the potential to bring new employment opportunities in all 34 provinces of Afghanistan. DFID supports the micro finance investment support facility programme, which provides much needed credit for investment in agriculture, manufacturing, retail and service industries. To date, the programme has brought financial services for some 161,000 people in and around half of the provinces of Afghanistan.
The development of Afghanistan's natural resources could also provide alternative jobs. Afghanistan possesses energy and mineral resources, many of which are underdeveloped, such as coal, gas, oil, precious metals and semi-precious stones. DFID is funding the British Geological Survey to strengthen the Afghan Geological Survey to develop and promote the mining sector.
Angola
DFID has provided over £1.1 million for land mine clearance work in Angola since 2003. A further £400,000 will be spent this year to support land mine clearance activities in the country.
DFID is currently funding the work of two mine action NGOs operating in Angola—the Halo Trust and the Mine Awareness Group. Most of this work is taking place in areas where humanitarian operations are ongoing in order to allow UN Agencies such as the World Food Programme to access populations in need, and to do so safely.
DFID's aid programme in Angola is focused on providing support to meet urgent humanitarian needs. Funding for transport infrastructure has been made in the context of support provided for humanitarian programming. DFID provided £1.15 million to the WFP last year to support the construction of bridges to enable quicker humanitarian access to populations in need. This support has also reduced costs because aid can now travel by road instead of only by air transport.
Support for infrastructure development in southern Africa has been identified as a priority area in DFID's southern Africa regional plan. Angola will benefit from this work, which is currently at the design stage.
Darfur
The United Nations-African Union technical assessment mission recently returned from Darfur. Their report has yet to be released, though it is expected before the end of July. We expect that it will make recommendations on how the UN can support the African Union, and ultimately take over in Darfur. We do not know yet what form the report will take. It may be an oral briefing, a letter from Kofi Annan or a formal written report. Assuming any written report is made public, I will arrange for copies to be placed in the Libraries of the House.
Malawi
DFID is co-financing a Concern Universal project with the European Union Water Facility. The project is in two districts of Malawi and will deliver 550 boreholes, household sanitation, and training, and help build capacity in the districts. DFID is contributing £620,000 over five years, which is 25 per cent. of the overall funding.
DFID has agreed to co-finance a project in 13 districts of Malawi if the NGO consortium involved can secure European Union Water Facility funding. The consortium of six NGOs is led by Concern Universal and also includes Oxfam, Emmanuel International and World Vision. This project will work with local government and is expected to deliver over 3,000 functioning boreholes and safe sanitation for 250,000 people. DFID has agreed to contribute £860,000 over five years which is 25 per cent. of the overall funding.
DFID is funding WaterAid to complete a nationwide digital map showing who has and does not have access to a safe water supply. This tool will help the Government and others to concentrate their efforts on supplying water to those who have no access at present. DFID is spending £65,000 on this work.
As part of support to primary education, DFID has been funding improvements to primary school water supply and sanitation for the past nine years. In 2005, DFID spent approximately £1,000,000 on primary school water supply and sanitation in Malawi. Apart from their health benefits, the availability of latrines and their sensitive siting is one of a number of factors that can help keep girls at school.
Somalia
DFID has a rising aid programme in Somalia. Subject to political and other developments within Somalia, this year we plan to disburse approximately £15.5 million, of which around 40 per cent. is likely to be spent in Somaliland. This is planned to rise further next year, again with a substantial portion benefiting Somaliland—either as support for specific Somaliland activities or as part of a Somalia-wide programme.
Our programmes in Somalia are focused around three objectives agreed:
i. To help achieve a just and viable political settlement in Somalia. Programmes include a Dialogue for Peace project and Democratisation project through WSP International.
ii. To work with others to establish the basis for effective development assistance, with an initial focus on improving governance and service delivery. Programmes include a partnership agreement with UNICEF and the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) for support to primary education and a United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) Rule of Law Programme supporting re-establishment and strengthening of police services and justice systems.
iii. To ensure timely provision of humanitarian relief. For example, we provided approximately £13 million in response to the recent drought in the Horn of Africa, specifically for relief in Somalia.
We do not provide bilateral aid directly to any Somali authority; however, projects under the objectives above, undertaken by the UN and NGOs, involve collaboration with local and regional authorities and the Transitional Federal Government in their delivery.
Solicitor-General
Foreign Travel
The Law Officers’ Departments have spent the following amounts on foreign travel in the last eight years. Figures are rounded to the nearest thousand, or hundred if under 1,000. All foreign travel by Ministers and officials is undertaken in accordance with the Ministerial Code and the Civil Service Management Code.
Crown Prosecution Service Revenue and Customs Prosecutions Office Serious Fraud Office Treasury Solicitor's Department Attorney General's Office HM Crown Prosecution Service Inspectorate 1998-99 25,000 1— 55,000 8,000 21,000 — 1999-2000 39,000 1— 114,000 200 15,000 — 2000-01 77,000 1— 191,000 600 25,000 — 2001-02 151,000 1— 203,000 5,000 28,000 — 2002-03 166,000 1— 110,000 7,000 61,000 — 2003-04 281,000 1— 204,000 8,000 82,000 — 2004-05 135,000 1— 186,000 12,000 23,000 1,000 2005-06 166,000 20,000 2317,000 14,000 63,000 — 1 RCPO was established on 18 April 2005. 2 Provisional figures pending finalisation of 2005-06 accounts.
Law Officers Departmental Report
The Stationery Office produced 780 copies of Cm 6821, “Law Officers' Departments Report 2006”. Of the 780 copies, the Law Officers' Departments received 320 copies at a cost of £4,248. The 320 were allocated as follows:
Number of copies allocated Attorney-General's Office 20 Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) 180 HM Crown Prosecution Service Inspectorate 20 Revenue and Customs Prosecutions Office 50 Serious Fraud Office 25 Treasury Solicitor's Office 25
Copies of the report are circulated within departments, including the 42 CPS geographical areas, and to criminal justice system partners. No central records are kept of individual recipients or cost of distribution.
The report is prepared within all the Law Officers Departments. Treasury and other CJS Departments are consulted during preparation.
A hard copy of the report can be obtained through the Stationery Office priced £14.75. It is also available on the Law Officers departments websites.
Transport
A303
The Olympic Delivery Authority (ODA) will be responsible for identifying the roads to be included in the Olympic route network and considering their impact on traffic flows, as well as on the roads adjoining them. The ODA will also consider the general traffic flow caused by Olympic spectators.
Our estimate of the economic benefits of this scheme does not distinguish between the economic benefits to the south-west and to other regions.
Air Traffic Control
On 3 July 2006, the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) issued a Civil Aviation Publication (CAP 764) entitled “Policy and Guidelines on Wind Turbines”. This guidance provides assistance to aviation stakeholders when addressing wind energy related issues and includes a description of the various areas of aviation, including radar, which have the potential to be affected by wind turbine developments. The guidance is available on the CAA website at www.caa.co.uk/cap764
We have regular meetings with various stakeholders, including representatives from the CAA, to discuss a range of issues.
Asylum Seekers
The Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency does not retain the information requested.
Automatic Identification System
The Department has already advised masters of UK and Red Ensign Group registered shipping that they may temporarily cease broadcasting automatic identification system signals when in open waters, if they judge that the security of the vessel is being compromised by them. More detailed advice to masters on this issue is contained in the Department’s counter piracy note issued to mariners, published in November 2005, as Marine Guidance Note 298.
The Department has also reached an agreement with an internet provider of AIS information to introduce a package of risk mitigation measures including a time delay and a reduction in the quantity of information accessible from the site.
Cycling
No formal assessment has been made of the merits or otherwise of introducing regulations to require all new bicycles to be fitted with operational lights and all purchasers to be provided with safety helmets.
Existing regulations require the use of lights on pedal cycles between sunset and sunrise: non-compliance is an offence. Requiring the fitment of operational lights at point of sale would not ensure that the lights were thereafter maintained in working order, nor would it ensure that riders turned them on. However, such regulation would deprive cyclists of choice, as there are several legally acceptable varieties of cycle lights, ranging from dynamo to battery-operated and steady to flashing, from which cyclists are currently free to choose.
Our policy on cycle helmets is to persuade cyclists to protect themselves by using them, but providing helmets with each new bicycle would not guarantee that they would be used. The Government will keep their policies in this—as in all areas—under review in the light of discussion in Parliament and elsewhere.
Funding for cycling outside London is primarily provided through the local transport plan system which funds local highway authorities. We do not have a breakdown between cities and other areas. Expenditure on cycling outside London for the past five years is set out in the following table:
Spend on cycling (£000) 2001-02 29,583 2002-03 39,889 2003-04 32,128 2004-05 39,891 2005-06 35,387
In addition, we created Cycling England in March 2005 with a budget of £5 million per annum to work with local authorities and others to co-ordinate the development of cycling. The Secretary of State recently announced a doubling of its annual budget to £10 million per annum for the next three years. Cycling England is investing £8.4 million over three years in six cycle demonstration towns—Aylesbury, Brighton, Darlington, Derby, Exeter and Lancaster.
In addition the Department has spent over £12 million on the links to school programme between 2003-04 and 2004-05. We also provided £4.47 million between 2002-03 and 2003-04 through our cycling projects fund to support nearly 300 local cycling projects across England.
Bus Routes
(2) on how many occasions the traffic commissioners have intervened (a) to prevent and (b) to modify a change to a bus route of which they had been notified in each of the last three years for which figures are available.
[holding answers 14 July 2006]: The traffic commissioner must accept all properly completed applications to register or vary a local bus service. New registrations can only be refused where the operator concerned has a condition on their licence which prevents them from providing the service as applied for.
Information on the number of new and varied local bus service registrations is published in the traffic commissioners annual report. Copies of the publications are available in the House of Commons Library and can also be found on the DFT website at:
http://www.dft.gov.uk/stellent/groups/dft_control/documents/contentservertemplate/dft_index.hcst?n=9759&l=3
Child Seats (Cars)
Advertising consisting of press, online, and radio activity will commence on 24 July and will run until mid-September explaining the change to the law and encouraging people to ring our campaign hotline for further information.
PR activity will run from week commencing 17 July beginning with the GMTV car safety week with features on TV each morning. Thereafter, we shall continue to target national and local press and broadcast media, online media and magazines until the end of September, encouraging features as children return to school.
Road safety officers in local authorities will also be raising awareness of the new regulations. Stakeholder and brand partner materials have been developed for local use including posters, leaflets and online creative, full details of which are available on the THINK! road safety website—www.thinkroadsafety.gov.uk—along with full details of the new regulations.
Commercial partners are also lending support—Mothercare, Halfords and Toys R Us will be raising awareness of the new regulations and disseminating literature to their customers.
Congestion (Liverpool)
The local highway authority, Liverpool city council, is responsible for tackling congestion and the delivery of improvements in the Hall lane strategic gateway.
We provisionally approved the Hall lane improvement scheme for funding through the local transport plan programme in 2000 and the Edge lane west scheme in 2004. It is for the city council to obtain the necessary statutory powers for the implementation of these schemes before seeking final funding approval from the Department.
Correspondence
My officials replied on 12 July. I apologise for the delay.
Crossrail
The amounts spent on the Crossrail project in each year since 2004-05 are shown in the following table. The figures provided set out expenditure by both Cross London Rail Links Ltd, and the Department for Transport.
Financial year CLRL costs DfT costs 2004-5 44.4 2,657,209 2005-06 41.4 3,664,948 2006-07 (to June 06) 21.1 944,571
Dart Harbour and Navigation Authority
Our intention is to determine this case and issue the substantive reply before August.
Detrunking
The data required to make the calculation can be found on the Department's website.
The breakdown of routine maintenance funding for 2006-07 for each local authority in England with a detrunked road can be found in the maintenance of roads grant determination 2006. The grant information is available on the Department's website at: http://www.dft.gov.uk/stellent/groups/dft_roads/documents/page/dft_roads_611492.hcsp
The additional capital maintenance funding provided to each of these local authorities for their detrunked roads can be found in the local transport plan settlement decision letters, issued in December 2005. The letters also contain details of each authority's local transport capital settlement for financial year 2006-07. These letters are also available on the Department's website at: http://www.dft.gov.uk/stellent/qroups/dft_localtrans/documents/divisionhomepage/610730.hcsp.
Digital Tachographs
Driver cards for digital tachographs have been available in this country for over a year. The Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency issued its first such card on 5 July 2005.
Driving Licences
The agency operates a premium checking facility at four local offices located at Wimbledon, Glasgow, Nottingham and DVLA reception area in Swansea. It is available to holders of full EEA, Gibraltar and designated countries driving licences exchanging their licences for a UK one. The designated countries are:
Australia, Barbados, British Virgin Islands, Canada, Falkland Islands, Hong Kong, Japan, Monaco, New Zealand, Republic of Korea1, Singapore, South Africa, Switzerland and Zimbabwe.
Applicants opting to use this service must hold a current passport from one of the countries referred to above. In these circumstances staff will check their application for accuracy and completeness and return their passport to them over the counter. A fee of £4 is levied for this service.
1Motorcycle entitlement from the Republic of Korea is not exchangeable.
First Great Western
The Department was first informed of First Great Western’s intended fares strategy in its franchise bid received in September 2005. First Great Western has already implemented a new range of fares which offer significantly lower prices than anything previously available for both first and standard class travel for passengers who book ahead. In addition, since the commencement of the franchise in April, First Great Western has obtained secure station accreditation status at a further five stations as part of a continuing programme and have also signed two major contracts worth nearly £150 million which will significantly improve the interiors and technical reliability of the high speed train fleet over the next 18 months.
Foreign Vehicle (Road Traffic Offences)
The Government are aware that it can be too easy for non-UK resident drivers to avoid paying fines when found guilty of traffic offences. We are determined to address this and enabling provisions for a new system of graduated fixed penalties are contained in the Road Safety Bill currently before Parliament. These provisions will also allow enforcement agencies to take an immediate cash deposit, equal to a fixed penalty notice or court- imposed fine, from foreign drivers who commit offences, bringing us into line with our continental neighbours.
The graduated fixed penalties and deposit scheme, could be in place during next year and should improve compliance through increased deterrence as well as providing for more effective enforcement.
Freight Containers
Directive 96/53/EC effectively prohibits the carriage of conventional 45ft ISO deep sea containers. In 2004 there were an estimated 142,000 of these containers in circulation worldwide—around 1.4 per cent. of the deep sea container market—but we have no data on the numbers that may be in use on UK roads.
As the directive includes a 10-year derogation until 31 December 2006 which permits the carriage of such containers on oversize vehicles in service before implementation, there are expected to be few in number, and that those containers still in circulation can be used elsewhere other than on the EU road network.
Government Car Fleet
The Department for Transport is a member of the European new car assessment programme (EuroNCAP). Performance against the EuroNCAP tests is one of the criteria the Government Car and Despatch Agency uses when choosing suitable official cars.
Heysham M6 Link
We are currently considering Lancashire county council's business case for the inclusion of the Heysham to M6 link road in the Department's programme of major schemes. A decision on programme entry for this scheme and funding from the Department will only be taken once we have resolved a number of appraisal issues. Should the scheme be approved for programme entry, our response of 6 July to the north-west region on Regional Funding Allocations confirms that we would expect to provide funding for this scheme during the period 2009-10 to 2015-16 but only subject to it securing all necessary statutory approvals.
High Occupancy Vehicle Lanes
The issue of whether to allow coaches to use high occupancy (HOV) lanes is still being considered. Coaches are clearly high occupancy vehicles but they are speed restricted, which could therefore impede the flow of traffic in the HOV lane. A key consideration is whether the proposed HOV lane is on the outside of the motorway (as proposed for M1 junction 7 to 10) or the inside of the motorway (as proposed for M62/M606).
A final decision will only be made once we have finalised the exact details of each scheme and we have satisfied ourselves that the lanes will operate safely.
Left-hand Drive Vehicles
Information on the number or percentage of left-hand drive vehicles on British roads is not available. In 2005, there were 1,760 personal injury road accidents reported to the police involving left-hand drive foreign registered vehicles. The total number of personal road injury accidents was 198,735. The proportion of road accidents involving left-hand drive foreign registered vehicles was just under 1 per cent.
Rail Services
A route utilisation strategy for the east coast main line is being prepared by Network Rail. The analysis that will underpin this strategy will include an assessment of the capacity of the route, and an assessment of the most effective use of that capacity. The consultation draft for this strategy is expected to be published before the end of this year.
The Government made a manifesto commitment to look at the feasibility and affordability of a new north-south high speed link. The Government have committed to take this forward in the development of a long-term strategy for the railways, drawing on Sir Rod Eddington’s advice on the long-term impact of transport decisions on the UK’s productivity, stability and growth. In so doing the Department will draw on a range of evidence and commissioned work.
The letter was replied to on 13 July, and a copy has been placed in the Libraries of the House.
These are operational matters for Network Rail, as the owner and operator of the national rail network. The hon. Member should contact Network Rail's chief executive at the following address for a response to his question:
Mr. John Armitt
Chief Executive
Network Rail
40 Melton Street
London NW1 2EE
The Department for Transport is currently involved in discussions with Transport for London regarding the manner in which rail interchange stations within London are operated in the future. As these stations are Network Rail's assets, the final arrangements for any transfer would be a matter for Transport for London and Network Rail.
The operation of services on the East London line is a matter for Transport for London.
The then Secretary of State allocated £154 million to CLRL for Crossrail in 2001. The amount spent by CLRL is shown in the table, as well as expenditure within the Department for Transport since 2003-04, when the Crossrail hybrid Bill was introduced. In December 2005, the then Secretary of State allocated a further £100 million for the continued development of the project and support of the hybrid Bill. The Department is discussing with CLRL what further sums would be needed for the period to Royal Assent, which is hoped for during 2007.
Financial year CLRL costs (£ million) DfT costs (£) 2001-02 5.3 — 2002-03 25.2 — 2003-04 31.5 1,445,019 2004-05 44.4 2,657,209 2005-06 41.4 3,664,948 2006-07 (to June 2006) 21.1 944,571
This information is not held by the Department for Transport. Information relating to incidents of people riding on the outside of moving trains and reported to the British Transport police is held by the force who can be contacted at:
British Transport Police
25 Camden Road
London NW1 9LN
E-mail: general.enquiries@btp.pnn.police.uk
Road Safety
The information available relates to factors that are judged by the police as having contributed to a road accident in which someone was injured. The number of personal injury road accidents reported to the police that have "Driver using mobile phone" assigned as a contributory factor in 2005 was 429.
The number of (a) fatalities and (b) injuries in personal injury road accidents reported to the police in (i) Sunderland local authority and (ii) Houghton and Washington, East constituency in each year from 1997 to 2005 are shown in the table. Constituency level data for 2005 are not yet available.
(a) Killed (b) Injured (a) Killed (b) Injured 1997 15 1,460 8 454 1998 11 1,344 5 456 1999 11 1,295 9 421 2000 4 1,342 1 454 2001 8 1,307 6 449 2002 10 1,245 5 406 2003 8 1,338 6 442 2004 8 1,228 5 402 2005 10 1,091 — —
Roads
The M25 Holmesdale tunnel refurbishment project has a total forecasted cost of £70 million. It comprises repairs to the existing road, the tunnel structure and associated mechanical and electrical equipment.
Roadside Checks
The Vehicle and Operator Services Agency (VOSA) is responsible for roadside enforcement. Greater detail on the results of their work is published in its effectiveness report which is available on-line at www.vosa.gov.uk.
The following table is based on financial year and amalgamates roadside checks and fleet checks. The data cannot be broken down further without disproportionate cost.
2004-05 2005-06 Prohibitions issued in relation to brakes 24,955 25,357 Percentage of vehicle encounters that resulted in such prohibitions 14.4 13.9
Although visual inspection will identify the majority of potential defects, VOSA staff can also utilise temperature checks and roller brake tester equipment.
Brake defects are in the top 10 fail items for heavy goods vehicles, trailers and passenger service vehicles at roadside and fleet checks and annual test. Defects in braking systems are a concern.
Stansted Airport
The Secretary of State for Transport has met the chairman of Grupo Ferrovial SA to discuss their plans for BAA.
On 6 July, ADI, the consortium led by Ferrovial, confirmed its commitment to developing a second runway at Stansted as soon as possible although it would review the costs and plans for the second runway. A press release on this announcement can be found on BAA’s website.
Transport Direct
The original business case for Transport Direct recorded three key value for money measures:
Achieve one million user sessions in the first year of service.
Achieve 10 million user sessions by the end of 2006.
10 per cent. of users reassess their travel habits as a result of the information provided by Transport Direct.
Of these measures:
The one millionth user session was achieved ten months after soft-launch of the service (soft-launched in July 2004, achieved in May 2005)
We are on course to achieve our ten millionth user session by the end of 2006.
Early results of user surveys have indicated that 64 per cent. of those who completed our surveys were considering a change of travel mode preference.
The portal service includes a self-completion feedback questionnaire that has been designed to form part of the independent evaluation framework for the portal. The analysis of the first 1,002 forms (December 2005) indicates that:
64 per cent. of users who responded indicated a change of original travel mode preference for at least part of the journey.
In 33 per cent. of cases the respondent had made the journey previously and of these 51 per cent. indicated a change in original mode preference.
Transport Direct usage is recorded in “user sessions”. A user session is defined as:
“One continuous dialogue with the Transport Direct Portal through one browser window”.”
By the end of June 2006 Transport Direct had recorded 6,055,702 user sessions. The current rate is around 150,000 user sessions a week, viewing an average of seven to eight pages each.
Advertising costs across the financial years 2004-05 to 2005-06 were £1,063,000.
The portal provides the user with two choices for assessing the costs of car travel. One is “fuel costs”; including exceptional costs such as tolls, ferry charges and congestion charges, and the other is ‘total running costs’ which take into account the cost of owning a car.
Transport Direct’s purpose is to give users an impartial series of travel options and to enable them to select choices that meet their needs. Market research strongly indicates that motorists are overwhelmingly interested in seeing information about the ‘point of use’ of costs of their car. Therefore the default is to display the fuel costs and other direct costs. Showing full costs as the default would result in this functionality not being used by the majority of motorists, thus negating any potential effect on their travel choice.
Users do have the option to select an estimate of the total running costs. This is based on advice and information provided by the major motoring organisations and provides a figure which reflects the total cost of motoring, on a per mile basis. If the user chooses this option, then fuel costs, the exceptional costs and the total ownership costs are displayed.
The information is as follows:
Construction of www.transportdirect.info.
Overall capital spend on the Transport Direct portal design, build and operate (DBO) contract has been as follows:
Period £ million 2002-03 1.3 2003-04 9.3 2004-05 9.6 2005-06 7.3 2006-07 0.4 Total to end March 2006 27.9
These figures represent the sums paid to Atos Origin (the DBO contractor) for all aspects of the DBO contract excluding non-capital elements.
The DBO contract has been just one part of the overall Transport Direct programme. Whilst the portal DBO contract cost more than we originally estimated, the overall programme budget under spent.
Operational costs are in the region of £225,000-£250,000 per calendar month, while data supply costs are in the region of £100,000 per month.
Vehicle Excise Duty Licences
DVLA estimates the number of vehicle licences issued within each band for the “Private and Light Goods” tax class, as the following table:
Class Licences issued Band A 543 Band B 392,320 Band C 4,710,235 Band D 3,907,106 Band E 3,039,718 Band F 2,945,879 Band G 1,618,549 Cars registered before 1 March 2001 22,388,865 Total 39,003,215
Additionally, 554,153 licences were issued for heavy goods vehicles in 2004-05. No statistical information is available to indicate how many licences in each band were paid for by (a) private individuals and (b) incorporated businesses.