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10 Oct 2005 : Column 333W—continued
Private Finance Initiatives
Mr. Davey:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills (1) what steps she is taking to ensure that private finance initiative projects for which her Department is responsible create the minimum of environmental damage; [16128]
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(2) what assessment her Department has made of (a) the sustainability and environmental impacts of private finance initiative (PFI) projects for which it is responsible and (b) the effectiveness of the PFI process as used by her Department to deliver environmentally sustainable projects; [16129]
(3) what plans she has to make those private finance initiative contracts for which her Department is responsible more accountable and transparent in terms of environmental sustainability. [16130]
Jacqui Smith: 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.
However, my Department gives high priority to sustainability and environmental impact in all school building projects. We want all new school buildings to meet the highest environmental standards, whether procured through the private finance initiative or conventionally. To that end, we have worked with the building research establishment to develop a new specific environmental assessment methodology (BREEAM) for schools. This was launched in 2004. Further information on the schools BREEAM method is available at http//www.breeam.org/schools.html.
It is now a condition of capital funding from my Department that all major new build and refurbishment projects valued at £500,000 for primary schools and £2 million for secondary schools and involving rebuilding or complete refurbishment of more than 10 per cent. of the floor area of a school should be subject to this BREEAM assessment. This includes PFI projects. All these projects must aim to achieve a 'very good' assessment under the schools' BREEAM. This is a tough new requirement for schools that will ensure that environmental sustainability is considered in design and construction.
Mr. Philip Hammond: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills pursuant to the answer of 9 June 2005, Official Report, columns 1076–77W, on private finance projects, what total value of assets and liabilities for each of the listed private finance initiatives and public private partnerships is recorded on the Government balance sheet; what proportion of assets and liabilities is listed; what the accounting treatment is for assets and liabilities; and whether it is compatible with (a) generally-accepted accounting practices and (b) international financial reporting standards. [15965]
Jacqui Smith: 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. None of the assets or liabilities of these contracts is therefore recorded on the Government balance sheet (GBS).
The Department is itself undertaking one public private partnership (PPP) project in partnership with Capita, for the delivery of the Connexions card across England. There are no assets or liabilities in respect of this project recorded on the GBS.
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Balance sheet treatment of PFI/PPP projects is determined by an independent auditor following United Kingdom generally accepted accounting practice, in accordance with Financial Reporting Standards issued by the independent Accounting Standards Board.
PSE Advisers
Mr. Hands: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many personal, social, health and citizenship education advisors there are in each London borough. [16330]
Jacqui Smith: The information requested is not collected centrally.
Pupil Funding (London)
Susan Kramer: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what the per capita pupil funding in (a) primary schools and (b) secondary schools was in each London borough, in the last year for which figures are available; and if she will make a statement. [15878]
Jacqui Smith: The information requested is contained within the following table:
Notes:
1.Total funding includes funding via education formula spending (EFS)/standard spending assessment and revenue grants allocated at an LEA level. It includes the pensions transfer to EFS and the Learning and Skills Council.
2.Total funding also includes all revenue grants in DfES departmental expenditure limits relevant to pupils aged 3–10 and 11–15 and exclude EMAs and grants not allocated at LEA level.
3.The pupil numbers used to convert £m figures to per pupil are those underlying the EFS settlement calculations.
4.Data as reported by the LEA and reported in cash terms rounded to the nearest £10.
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School Buildings (Out of Term Use)
Mr. Davey: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what percentage of school buildings and sports fields was used during the school holidays in (a) England, (b) each region and (c) each local authority in 2004–05. [16040]
Beverley Hughes: The information requested is not held centrally. While it is Government policy to encourage schools to make their facilities available out of school hours, the extent to which they do so is a matter for each individual school.
School Meals
Susan Kramer: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many pupils were eligible for free school meals in (a) primary schools and (b) secondary schools in each London borough in the last period for which figures are available. [15879]
Jacqui Smith: The information requested is shown in the table.
(115)Includes middle schools as deemed.
(116)Includes dually registered pupils and boarders.
Note:
Totals may not appear to equal the sum of the component parts because numbers have been rounded to the nearest 10.
Source:
Annual Schools' Census
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