House of Commons Hansard Written Answers for 16 Sept 2004 (pt 13)

16 Sept 2004 : Column 1689W—continued

CABINET OFFICE

Departmental Expenditure

Mr. Swayne: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office what the total cost of printing departmental headed notepaper was in (a) 1996–97 and (b) the latest year for which figures are available. [185382]

Ruth Kelly: The majority of management units within the Cabinet Office use an electronic Word template to produce departmental headed notepaper at little or no cost to the Department. However, a small number of Management Units do produce their own headed notepaper at an estimated cost of £30,000 in 2003–04.

Financial information prior to the 1997–98 financial year was produced on a previous accounting system and cannot be readily retrieved without incurring disproportionate cost.

EDUCATION AND SKILLS

Academic Standards

Mr. Clappison: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what representations he has received on changes in the academic standard of (a) GCSE and (b) A levels; and what research he has commissioned into changes in the academic standard of each. [188812]

Mr. Miliband: The Qualifications and Curriculum Authority (QCA) is the body with statutory responsibility for ensuring that the standards of GCSE and A level qualifications are maintained over time. QCA has a rolling programme of standards reviews, which began in 1997. The reports are available on the QCA website.

16 Sept 2004 : Column 1690W

Following the 2002 Inquiry into A Level Standards, QCA has also appointed an independent panel to advise it publicly on whether or not standards are being maintained. They will report for the first time in the autumn.

Education (York)

Hugh Bayley: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what the capital investment in schools in the City of York has been in each year since the formation of the City of York unitary council. [188944]

Mr. Miliband: The majority of schools capital funding is now allocated to local authorities and schools by needs-related formulae. Authorities invest according to priorities agreed locally in their asset management plans. The following table shows the total of my Department's capital allocations to the City of York local education authority and its schools since the formation of the unitary authority in 1996–97.
City of York LEA capital allocations

£000

1996–97 830

1997–98 1,263

1998–99 1,501

1999–2000 4,281

2000–01 6,877

2001–02 3,987

2002–03 ⁽⁵⁾24,379

2003–04 9,561

2004–05 ⁽⁶⁾9,047

⁽⁵⁾ Includes £12.4 million of PFI credits.
⁽⁶⁾ Further allocations may be made.

	£000
1996–97	830
1997–98	1,263
1998–99	1,501
1999–2000	4,281
2000–01	6,877
2001–02	3,987
2002–03	⁽⁵⁾24,379
2003–04	9,561
2004–05	⁽⁶⁾9,047

Education Finance

Brian Cotter: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills pursuant to his answer of 26 April 2004, Official Report, column 798W, on education finance, if he will break down the total education funding per child in (a) primary and (b) secondary schools in (i) England and (ii) North Somerset; and if he will estimate the sums that would be available for education in North Somerset if the average funding per pupil for primary and secondary schools in North Somerset were the same as for England. [188685]

Mr. Miliband: The information requested is not available by sector (primary and secondary) as this is not how the funding is distributed. Therefore the following two tables set out the information requested using pupils aged 3–10 as the most appropriate figures for primary funding and pupils aged 11–15 as the most appropriate for secondary funding. The formula for the Education Formula Spending Share calculation comprises a basic entitlement for each pupil, which is the same across the country, plus a top-up for each pupil with additional educational needs, which is again the same across the country, plus top-ups for areas where it costs more to recruit and retain teachers. Local education authorities with a greater proportion of pupils with additional educational needs or higher average earnings will receive a higher level of funding per pupil.

16 Sept 2004 : Column 1691W

Pupils aged 3–10

North Somerset (£ per pupil)
England (£ per pupil)
North Somerset

SSA/EFS Grants Total SSA/EFS Grants Total Estimated total
(£ million)

1997–98 2,020 180 2,190 2,220 170 2,380 34.9

1998–99 2,190 100 2,300 2,390 80 2,470 37.0

1999–2000 2,280 180 2,460 2,480 150 2,630 39.8

2000–01 2,340 320 2,660 2,540 320 2,860 43.2

2001–02 2,360 400 2,760 2,600 430 3,020 46.8

2002–03 2,380 420 2,810 2,640 460 3,100 48.6

2003–04 2,650 340 2,990 2,930 360 3,290 52.3

2004–05 2,740 330 3,070 3,020 380 3,400 54.5

Pupils aged 11–15

North Somerset (£ per pupil)
England (£ per pupil)
North Somerset

SSA/EFS Grants Total SSA/EFS Grants Total Estimated total
(£ million)

1997–98 2,960 30 2,990 3,220 30 3,260 33.7

1998–99 3,020 60 3,080 3,290 40 3,320 34.8

1999–2000 3,080 120 3,200 3,340 100 3,440 36.1

2000–01 3,180 260 3,440 3,460 270 3,730 40.5

2001–02 3,220 340 3,560 3,520 410 3,930 43.5

2002–03 3,260 380 3,630 3,570 440 4,010 45.4

2003–04 3,250 490 3,740 3,560 520 4,080 47.2

2004–05 3,400 490 3,880 3,700 550 4,250 50.0

Notes:
1. The North Somerset estimated totals have been calculated by multiplying the England per pupil total for each year, by the total number of relevant pupils (aged 3–10 and 11 -15) in North Somerset in the relevant year.
2. 2003–04 and 2004–05 figures are provisional as some grants have not yet been finalised/audited. Updates will be available in the autumn.
3. Figures reflect education Standard Spending Assessment/Education Formula Spending settlement (all sub-blocks), plus all revenue grants in DfES Departmental Expenditure Limits relevant to EFS pupils aged 3–10 and 11–15.
4. Figures exclude Education Maintenance Allowance, grants not allocated at LEA level and the pensions transfer to EFS for 2003–04 and 2004–05. For those LEAs in receipt of advance of grant under the transitional support arrangements for 2004–05, advance grant funding is included in the year of payment (2004–05).
5. The pupil numbers used are those underlying the SSA/EFS settlement calculations plus PLASC 3-year-olds maintained pupils and estimated 3–4 year olds funded through state support in maintained and other educational institutions where these are not included in the SSA pupil numbers.
6. Per pupil figures are rounded to the nearest 10.
7. Total figures are rounded to the nearest £0.1 million.
8. 1997–98 figures for LEAs subject to Local Government Reorganisation in that year have been estimated, pro-rata to their post LGR figures.
9. Real terms at 2003–04 prices, based on GDP deflators as at 30 June 2004

	North Somerset (£ per pupil)	England (£ per pupil)	North Somerset
	SSA/EFS	Grants	Total	SSA/EFS	Grants	Total	Estimated total (£ million)
1997–98	2,020	180	2,190	2,220	170	2,380	34.9
1998–99	2,190	100	2,300	2,390	80	2,470	37.0
1999–2000	2,280	180	2,460	2,480	150	2,630	39.8
2000–01	2,340	320	2,660	2,540	320	2,860	43.2
2001–02	2,360	400	2,760	2,600	430	3,020	46.8
2002–03	2,380	420	2,810	2,640	460	3,100	48.6
2003–04	2,650	340	2,990	2,930	360	3,290	52.3
2004–05	2,740	330	3,070	3,020	380	3,400	54.5

	North Somerset (£ per pupil)	England (£ per pupil)	North Somerset
	SSA/EFS	Grants	Total	SSA/EFS	Grants	Total	Estimated total (£ million)
1997–98	2,960	30	2,990	3,220	30	3,260	33.7
1998–99	3,020	60	3,080	3,290	40	3,320	34.8
1999–2000	3,080	120	3,200	3,340	100	3,440	36.1
2000–01	3,180	260	3,440	3,460	270	3,730	40.5
2001–02	3,220	340	3,560	3,520	410	3,930	43.5
2002–03	3,260	380	3,630	3,570	440	4,010	45.4
2003–04	3,250	490	3,740	3,560	520	4,080	47.2
2004–05	3,400	490	3,880	3,700	550	4,250	50.0

GCSEs

Mr. Willis: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what percentage of students in each year from 1997–98 to 2003–04 achieved Grade C or above in GCSE (a) mathematics, (b) science and (c) English. [188830]

Mr. Miliband [holding answer 14 September 2004]: The information requested is as follows:
Percentage of 15-year-old pupils achieving grade C or higher at GCSE/GNVQ

English Mathematics Science

2003 56 48 48

2002 55 49 48

2001 54 48 48

2000 54 46 47

1999 53 45 46

1998 51 43 45

Note:
GCSE/GNVQ results are reported as standard as the results of pupils aged 15 at the start of the academic year i.e. 31 August and therefore reaching the end of compulsory education at the end of the school year.

16 Sept 2004 : Column 1692W

	English	Mathematics	Science
2003	56	48	48
2002	55	49	48
2001	54	48	48
2000	54	46	47
1999	53	45	46
1998	51	43	45

Mrs. Iris Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many pupils in England obtained (a) fewer than five GCSEs at A*-C grades and (b) no GCSEs at A*-C grade in each year since 1990. [188574]

Mr. Miliband: The information requested is as follows:

Number of 15 year old pupils⁽⁷⁾ achieving less than five A*-C grades at GCSE/GNVQ Number of 15 year old pupils⁽⁷⁾ achieving no A*-C grades at GCSE/GNVQ Total number of 15 year old pupils⁽⁷⁾

2003 292,589 151,641 622,122

2002 293,833 150,480 606,554

2001 301,680 156,699 603,318

2000 294,666 153,121 580,393

1999 302,412 159,382 580,972

1998 308,779 164,741 575,210

1997 321,874 172,907 586,766

1996 329,498 176,887 594,035

1995 326,893 178,998 578,197

1994 301,637 161,798 532,273

1993 307,459 164,635 522,447

1992 335,654 186,462 544,068

⁽⁷⁾ GCSE/GNVQ results are reported as standard as the results of pupils aged 15 at the start of the academic year i.e. 31 August and therefore reaching the end of compulsory education at the end of the school year.

16 Sept 2004 : Column 1693W

	Number of 15 year old pupils⁽⁷⁾ achieving less than five A*-C grades at GCSE/GNVQ	Number of 15 year old pupils⁽⁷⁾ achieving no A*-C grades at GCSE/GNVQ	Total number of 15 year old pupils⁽⁷⁾
2003	292,589	151,641	622,122
2002	293,833	150,480	606,554
2001	301,680	156,699	603,318
2000	294,666	153,121	580,393
1999	302,412	159,382	580,972
1998	308,779	164,741	575,210
1997	321,874	172,907	586,766
1996	329,498	176,887	594,035
1995	326,893	178,998	578,197
1994	301,637	161,798	532,273
1993	307,459	164,635	522,447
1992	335,654	186,462	544,068

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