House of Commons Hansard Written Answers for 11 Dec 1995 (pt 23)

Teachers' Pensions

Mr. Kilfoyle: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what are the most recent statistics available for (a) the average amount paid out per pension under the teachers' superannuation scheme, (b) the number of pensioners currently receiving pensions under the teachers' superannuation scheme on a region-by-region basis, (c) the average age of the recipients of pensions under the teachers' superannuation scheme for each year since 1988 and (d) how many people have left the scheme to date to take up private pensions. [4821]

Mr. Robin Squire: The average amount paid out per pension under the teachers' superannuation scheme at 31 October 1995 was £6,144 per annum. The number of pensioners currently receiving pensions under the teachers' superannuation scheme at 31 October 1995 was 367,961. A regional analysis could be produced only at disproportionate cost. The average age of recipients of pensions under the teachers' superannuation scheme at 31 October 1995 was 66 years. Figures for earlier years are not available. Information on the number of teachers who have left the scheme to take up private pensions is not collected.

English-medium Schools Abroad

Mr. MacShane: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what supervision her Department exercises over schools abroad which use English as a language of teaching and which prepare children for English GCSE and A-level examinations. [4800]

Mr. Forth: None.

Free School Meals

Mr. Chris Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment how many children were in receipt of free school meals, by region, in each of the last five years. [4922]

Mrs. Gillan: Information on the take-up of free school meals in maintained schools in England in the years 1991 to 1995 is shown in the following table:

Pupils taking free school meals in maintained nursery, primary, secondary and special schools by region in England 1991-95 Position in January each year

1991 1992 1993 1994 (24)1995

North 80,111 88,703 95,102 99,500 101,456

North West 165,598 191,052 207,690 217,154 218,516

East Anglia 20,844 27,657 33,369 35,868 36,607

Yorkshire and Humberside 102,672 120,243 130,571 136,066 137,382

West Midlands 110,564 133,311 148,944 155,509 154,062

East Anglia 57,511 68,415 78,212 83,624 85,763

Greater London 136,456 169,787 196,965 219,229 230,650

Other South East 95,582 134,528 167,783 184,492 185,469

South West 52,075 68,272 82,690 85,684 84,932

England 821,413 1,001,968 1,141,326 1,217,126 1,234,684

	1991	1992	1993	1994	(24)1995


North	80,111	88,703	95,102	99,500	101,456

North West	165,598	191,052	207,690	217,154	218,516

East Anglia	20,844	27,657	33,369	35,868	36,607

Yorkshire and Humberside	102,672	120,243	130,571	136,066	137,382

West Midlands	110,564	133,311	148,944	155,509	154,062

East Anglia	57,511	68,415	78,212	83,624	85,763

Greater London	136,456	169,787	196,965	219,229	230,650

Other South East	95,582	134,528	167,783	184,492	185,469

South West	52,075	68,272	82,690	85,684	84,932

England	821,413	1,001,968	1,141,326	1,217,126	1,234,684

(24) Provisional.

11 Dec 1995 : Column: 537

Mobile Classrooms

Mr. Jamieson: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment under which items of their budgeted provision governors of grant-maintained schools may make capital purchases of mobile classrooms. [4607]

Mr. Robin Squire: A grant-maintained school may make capital purchases of mobile classrooms using its formula or named capital allocations, or its annual maintenance grant.

Assisted Places Scheme

Mr. Jamieson: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment by how much the proposed budget for the assisted places scheme was underspent in the years 1992-93, 1993-94, 1994-95 and 1995-96. [5034]

Mrs. Gillan: I refer the hon. Member to the answer that I gave to the hon. Member for Sheffield, Brightside (Mr. Blunkett) on 24 October 1995, Official Report, column 623, for the years up to and including 1994-95; 1995-96 is still in progress.

Mr. Jamieson: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment how many pupils benefited in the years 1992-93, 1993-94, 1994-95 and 1995-96 from the assisted places schemes. [5035]

Mrs. Gillan: I refer the hon. Member to the answer that I gave to the hon. Member for Sheffield, Brightside (Mr. Blunkett) on 24 October 1995, Official Report, column 623, and to the hon. Member for Rotherham (Mr. MacShane) on 4 December 1995, Official Report, column 117.

European Directives

Mr. Steen: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment, pursuant to the statement of the Secretary of State for the Environment on 21 November 1995, Official Report, column 454, if she will make it her policy to review past legislation in respect of additional burdens imposed by regulations implementing European directives. [5065]

Mr. Forth: It is the policy in the Department to ensure that we do not gold-plate European directives by the addition of unnecessary burdens when implementing them in the United Kingdom. We will take every opportunity to look at existing legislation in the light of this policy.

11 Dec 1995 : Column: 538

Grant-maintained Schools

Mr. Don Foster: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what advice she has offered to the Funding Agency for Schools regarding publicity for agency proposals to open new grant-maintained schools; what financial limits are imposed in each case; and if she will make a statement. [5251]

Mr. Robin Squire: My Department issued general guidance, in circular 23/94, regarding consultations prior to the publication of statutory proposals. The Funding Agency for Schools is under a statutory duty to consult on its proposals to establish new grant-maintained schools. It is for the agency to decide what are appropriate consultations in the light of guidance from the Secretary of State and to determine expenditure accordingly.

NORTHERN IRELAND

Public Expenditure

Mr. Nigel Evans: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will make a statement about the allocation to individual programmes in Northern Ireland of the public expenditure totals announced on 28 November. [5433]

Sir Patrick Mayhew: In his unified Budget statement on 28 November my right hon. and learned friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer announced total public expenditure planning figures for the Northern Ireland programme. I have now decided on the allocations to individual programmes as shown in the following table. Copies of a more detailed statement have been placed in the Library. These allocations reflect my assessment of how best to distribute the Northern Ireland public expenditure totals in response to local needs and circumstances.

£ million

Programme 1996-97 1997-98 1998-99

Northern Ireland Office:

Law, Order, Protective and Miscellaneous Services 858 860 850

Northern Ireland Departments

Northern Ireland Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry Services and Support 149 150 140

Industry, Trade and Employment 483 480 470

Energy 58 60 60

Roads and Transport 176 170 180

Housing 248 270 270

Environmental and Miscellaneous Services 243 250 220

Law, Order and Protective Services (Fire Service) 43 40 40

Education, Arts and Libraries 1,404 1,430 1,430

Health and Personal Social Services 1,578 1,620 1,630

Social Security Administration 162 160 160

Other Public Services 59 60 60

NI Block (excluding Social Security Benefits) 5,461 5,560 5,510

Social Security Benefits 2,383 2,480 2,590

NI Block 7,844 8,040 8,100

National Agriculture and Fisheries Support 165 170 170

NI Programme 8,009 8,210 8,270

			£ million
Programme	1996-97	1997-98	1998-99


Northern Ireland Office:

Law, Order, Protective and Miscellaneous Services	858	860	850



Northern Ireland Departments

Northern Ireland Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry Services and Support	149	150	140

Industry, Trade and Employment	483	480	470

Energy	58	60	60

Roads and Transport	176	170	180

Housing	248	270	270

Environmental and Miscellaneous Services	243	250	220

Law, Order and Protective Services (Fire Service)	43	40	40

Education, Arts and Libraries	1,404	1,430	1,430

Health and Personal Social Services	1,578	1,620	1,630

Social Security Administration	162	160	160

Other Public Services	59	60	60



NI Block (excluding Social Security Benefits)	5,461	5,560	5,510

Social Security Benefits	2,383	2,480	2,590



NI Block	7,844	8,040	8,100

National Agriculture and Fisheries Support	165	170	170



NI Programme	8,009	8,210	8,270

Notes:

(25) Figures are rounded to the nearest £1 million in 1996-97 and to

the nearest £10 million in 1997-98 and 1998-99.

(26) The figures to 1996-97 will form the basis for preparation by

Northern Ireland Departments and the Northern Ireland Office of main estimates for the coming year. These will be presented to Parliament in due course.

(27) Northern Ireland will also receive additional resources for the extra

spending which will result from the Budget measures to help meet the costs of long-term care.

(28) The EU peace and reconciliation programme has been

provisionally allocated to the individual programmes and is included in the figures above. The allocation set aside for the partnership measure is for the time being included with the environmental and miscellaneous services figures.

11 Dec 1995 : Column: 540

Road Safety Education

Mr. Worthington: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what is the recommended staffing level for road safety education officers; and what is the current number of staff in post. [2718]

Mr. Moss: There are no recommended staffing levels for the road safety education officer service within Northern Ireland. The current number of staff in post is 13.

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