HC Deb 18 July 2001 vol 372 cc247-9W
Mr. Woodward

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills if she will make a statement on the level of Government funding awarded per sixth form student in(a) a sixth form further education college and (b) a sixth form situated in a secondary school in the 2000–01 academic year. [4463]

Mr. Ivan Lewis

In the 2000–01 financial year the range of funding delegated to schools across LEAs for their school sixth form pupils was £2,600 to £4,100. Funding for each further education college depends on the size of each individual student's programme of study, but the average for all full-time equivalent students in 2000–01 was some £3,300. Figures for funding comparisons on an academic year basis are not currently available.

Mr. Selous

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what plans she has to enable schools in Bedfordshire to fund more programmes to tackle drug abuse. [4711]

Mr. Ivan Lewis

Funding to support drug, alcohol and tobacco education will rise from £14.5 million in 2001–02 to £15.5 million in 2002–03 and £17.5 million in 2003–04. This funding will improve the quality and coverage of drug education programmes in schools, provide funding for every school to have access to an LEA drug adviser and will fund drug education training for teachers and Connexions advisers. Bedfordshire LEA will receive £98,600 in 2001–02 as part of this funding. No specific figures are available beyond 2001–02.

In addition to this specific funding, schools will receive £15 million in 2001–02 to support Personal Social and Health Education and Citizenship, which they can choose to spend on programmes to tackle drug misuse if they wish. Bedfordshire LEA have been allocated £87,300 from this fund.

Mr. Selous

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many unfilled vacancies there are in the further education sector for lecturer posts in Bedfordshire; and how many there were in 1997. [4712]

John Healey

The information requested is not collected centrally. The Learning and Skills Council collect information on staff numbers in Further Education (FE) sector colleges by the Staff Individualised Record (SIR). SIR does not include details on vacancies, leavers, salary or grade.

Mr. Selous

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what proportion of three year olds in(a) Bedfordshire and (b) England have free early years places. [4713]

Mr. Timms

In March 2001, around 55 per cent. of three year olds in England had access to a free part-time early education place. We are currently on target to provide 66 per cent. of all three year olds with a free place by March 2002. We are committed to providing all three year olds with a free place by September 2004.

Bedfordshire local education authority estimate that around 44 per cent. of three year olds have access to a free early education place in their area.

Mr. Selous

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many(a) full-time and (b) part-time teaching vacancies there are in (i) lower, (ii) middle, (iii) upper and (iv) special schools in Bedfordshire. [4716]

Mr. Timms

The number of full-time vacancies for teachers in the maintained schools sector in Bedfordshire local authority at January 2001 (provisional) is as follows:

Vacancies Vacancy rate (percentage)
Nursery/Primary 23 2.3
Secondary 48 2.7
Special 5 3.7
Total 76 2.6

Data are not collected on part-time vacancies.

Data are not collected on a lower, middle or upper school basis.

Mr. Selous

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many(a) lower, (b) middle and (c) upper school teachers there were in Bedfordshire on 1 May; and how many are projected for 1 May 2002. [4719]

Mr. Timms

Full-time equivalents of regular teachers (excluding short-term supply) employed in the maintained nursery, primary and secondary sector in Bedfordshire local authority at January 2001 (provisional) are as follows:

Number
Nursery 30
Primary 1,100
Secondary 1,970
Total 3,090

Notes:

Figures rounded to the nearest 10.

The total does not equal the sum of the component parts because of rounding.

Regular teacher data are collected in January of each year. Figures for May 2001 and projected figures for May 2002 will not be collected or estimated.

Data are not collected on a lower, middle or upper school basis.