HC Deb 15 January 2002 vol 378 cc213-4W
Matthew Taylor

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, pursuant to the Chancellor of the Exchequer's answer of 12 December 2001.Official Report, column 889W, on capital assets, if she will place in the Library information on the accounting treatment of the public private partnership projects relating to (a) Birmingham Schools refurbishment project, (b) Sheffield city council Group Schools Projects, (c) Imperial College, (d) Essex LEA New School, Loughton, (e) Kingston upon Hull Primary School and (f) Human Resources Partnership; and if she will make a statement. [24178]

John Healey

The following private finance initiative projects have all been assessed against the Accounting Standards Board financial reporting standard known as FRS5:

  • Birmingham group schools;
  • Sheffield city council group schools;
  • Essex LEA—Loughton school;
  • Kingston upon Hull primary school.

All of these projects were considered by the financial advisers of the LEAs concerned to be 'off-balance sheet'. In each case, the district auditor for the authority confirmed that they had not seen any evidence that would conflict with that judgment.

Imperial College is an independent body and the Secretary of State is not required to hold information on its commercial contracts or activities. The Employment Service human resource partnership project is a matter for the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions.