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Periodicals
Mr. Malcolm Bruce: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what is his estimate of the expenditure of his Department on newspapers and magazines in (a) 1995-96, (b) 1996-97, (c) 1997-98 to date and (d) 1997-98 full year; and if he will list the newspapers and magazines purchased or subscribed to on a regular basis. [26636]
Mr. Spellar
[holding answer 5 February 1998]: There is no central record of expenditure on newspapers and magazines, or of individual titles of commercial publications purchased by the Department and this information could be provided only at disproportionate cost.
19 Feb 1998 : Column: 843
Departmental Child Care
Mr. Barnes: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what provision his Department makes for child care facilities for staff; what subsidy is provided for (a) nursery places and (b) holiday play schemes; if he will list the organisations used by his Department for child care; and if child care vouchers are made available to staff. [30009]
Dr. Howells: DfEE is committed to promoting equality of opportunity for its staff and supports child care facilities which help staff to balance family and working life.
The Department currently supports holiday play scheme facilities on all of the Department's four HQ sites. It also provides nursery facilities on its Runcorn and Sheffield sites. Facilities are often shared with other government organisations, in particular with the Employment Service HQ in Sheffield and with the Office of National Statistics in Runcorn.
The Department meets approximately half of the full cost of nursery provision through making premises available and by a contribution to the provider's management fees. The exact level of subsidy varies according to occupancy and has fluctuated between 45-60 per cent. during the current contract. For play scheme provision, the Department normally meets approximately half the cost.
The organisations the Department uses for child care are Early Years plc and Kinderquest Ltd.
The Department does not issue child care vouchers to staff.
Mr. Paice:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what administrative arrangements he plans to implement for the introduction of contributions towards tuition fees for higher education. [30431]
Dr. Howells:
From 1998-99, most new entrants to full-time higher education will be eligible for assistance with their contribution to tuition fees if they are from a lower income family. The amount of assistance from public funds will be assessed by the student's local education authority in accordance with regulations which will be laid before Parliament in due course. The assessed amount will be paid direct to the student's institution in due course. Where the applicant is an EU national seeking assistance with fees only, the Department will assist his authority in making the assessment in 1998-99 and from 1999/2000 will be directly responsible for providing assistance in accordance with regulations to be laid in due course.
The student will pay the balance of the contribution to fees, if any, personally to the institution. It will be for institutions themselves to decide on the arrangements for collecting private contributions from students. I have no doubt that universities and colleges will want to ensure that students are not prevented from taking up a place because they are unable to pay the full fee in a single lump sum; for example, by taking account of individual students' circumstances in allowing the fee to be paid in more than one instalment.
19 Feb 1998 : Column: 844
Mr. Paice:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment if he proposes to alter the existing arrangements for the assessment and administration concerned with student grants currently operated by local education authorities. [30430]
Dr. Howells:
The reform of student support arrangements will require some changes to the existing arrangements for assessment and administration carried out by local education authorities in respect of new entrants to higher education.
For the academic year 1998-99, new entrants will be liable to contribute to tuition fees. Local education authorities will assess the support from public funds for fees and how much maintenance grant is payable, taking account of the students' own income and that of their parents or spouse. The Mandatory Award Regulations to be laid in due course will set out the relevant conditions. Local education authorities will pay the fee support direct to the higher education institution and will pay any maintenance grant direct to the student in the same way as now. Where the applicant is an EU national seeking assistance with fees only, the Department will assist his authority in making the assessment in 1998-99 and from 1999-2000 will be directly responsible for providing assistance in accordance with regulations to be laid in due course.
For the academic year 1999-2000, new students and those who started in 1998-99 will receive support for living costs solely through loans which will be partly income-assessed. These arrangements will be administered by a scheme involving local education authorities, the Student Loans company and a central unit within the Department. Local education authorities will have an important role in determining the eligibility of 'home' applicants for fees, loans and grants and for carrying out the means test. I am planning to review the current means testing arrangements to allow the system to be simplified wherever possible.
A detailed review will look at the best way of administering higher education student support in the long term. This review is due to be completed in 2000 once the new system of HE student support has bedded down.
Mr. Matthew Taylor:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment, pursuant to his answer of 26 January 1998, Official Report, column 89, on environmental placements under the New Deal, if he will publish the guidance relating to those New Deal tenders including an element to cover the cost of materials. [27280]
Mr. Alan Howarth:
Responsibility for the subject of the question has been delegated to the Employment Service agency under its Chief Executive. I have asked him to arrange for a reply to be given.
Letter from Leigh Lewis to Mr. Matthew Taylor, dated February 1998:
19 Feb 1998 : Column: 845
Jacqui Smith:
To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department what proposals the Government has to (a) review the administration of legal aid in Northern Ireland, with particular reference to the difference between the administration arrangements for legal aid in Great Britain and in Northern Ireland and (b) extend to Northern Ireland reforms of legal aid which are proposed for England and Wales. [30797]
Mr. Hoon:
The Lord Chancellor and I have instructed my officials in the Northern Ireland Court Service to:
My Officials will be available to hear views from interested parties on these important matters.
A Green Paper will be published for full consultation purposes in due course. In the meantime, I would encourage all those with an interest in these matters to meet with my officials and contribute their views at an early stage.
Mr. Malcolm Bruce:
To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department what is his estimate of the expenditure of his Department on newspapers and magazines (a) in 1995-96, (b) 1996-97, (c) 1997-98 to date and (d) 1997-98 full year; and if he will list the newspapers and magazines purchased or subscribed to on a regular basis. [26671]
Mr. Hoon:
The Lord Chancellor's Department purchases a range of publications. The estimated expenditure on newspapers and magazines by the Department, including the Court Service, is as follows:
The Secretary of State for Education and Employment has asked me to reply to your question about the guidance relating to New Deal tenders under the Voluntary and Environment Task Force Option.
Guidance relating to New Deal tenders, which includes guidance on the cost of materials, has been distributed widely to organisation who have expressed interest in tendering for the Environment Task Force and Voluntary Sector options and a copy has been placed in the Library.
I hope this is helpful.
(a) undertake a review into arrangements for the administration and provision of legal aid in Northern Ireland, bringing forward recommendations for change where necessary; and
(b) consider in the Northern Ireland context the proposed reforms to legal aid in England and Wales.
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