§ Dr. CableTo ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills if he will list the website links associated with his Department, including sites now dormant or closed, and indicating whether they are live, dormant or closed; what the start up costs were for each site listed; what the operating costs were in each year since start up for each site; which company hosted each site; what assessment takes place for each site; which company does the assessment; if he will place the assessment reports in the Library; and if he will make a statement. [75589]
§ Mr. Charles ClarkeCore programme costs for the Department for Education and Skills central website www.dfes.gov.uk (real terms figures in 2001–02 prices) were as follows:
Year £ 1998–1999 43,200 1998–2000 84,200 1999–2000 140,300 2002–01 266,600 2001–02 654,800 Separate start up costs are not available. These costs include central hosting via EduSery (including, for the majority of the associated sites (listed below), maintenance and research.
The planned research programme for the core departmental site comprises an annual exit poll on site performance and user satisfaction, regular usage statistics, and other user research on specific issues as needed.
The initial exit poll research conducted by Research International will be placed in the HOC Library.
Archived parts of the site are available to the public at www.dfes.gov.uk/dfee.
The Department has a small number of separate websites aimed at specific campaigns and users. The majority of these sites are hosted by the Department's central hosting agreement and do not have separate hosting costs. Sites are typically subject to user research and usage statistics. Information on programme costs for each site, where it is separately available, is given below. (Real terms figures are in 2001–02 prices).
567WChildren and young people unit: www.cypu.goy.uk
Hosted through our central contract with EduServ, separate programme costs not available.
Connexions: www.connexions.gov.uk
2001–02 —£30,600
www.connexionscard.com.
2001–02—£800,000
www.connexions-direct.com
Hosted through our central contract with EduServ, separate programme costs not available.
Foundation degree: www.foundationdegree.org.uk
Hosted through our central contract with EduServ, separate programme costs not available.
Lifelong Learning: www.lifelonglearning.dfes.gov.uk
£ 1997–98 38,000 1998–99 42,000 1999–2000 38,900 2000–01 42,800 2001–02 43,600 The site was hosted by Transcend Technology Ltd. between 1995–97 and 1997 onwards by Demon Internet.
The company who manages and maintains the site (Lifelong Learning Internet Services) completes a report for the Department annually. The report will be placed in the HOC Library.
Millennium Volunteers: www.mvonline.gov.uk
Hosted through our central contract with EduServ, separate programme costs not available.
Planet Science: www.scienceyear.com
Annual budget:—£192,000
The site is hosted by Cyberstride on behalf of Planet Science, the company set up by NESTA to run the whole project.
The site currently features an online survey, the results of which will placed in the HOC Library when they are available in the new year.
Sure start: www.surestart.gov.uk
2001–02—£26,200
Standards: www.standards.dfes.gov.uk
Annual budget:—£,250,000
The site is currently hosted via the Central Office of Information. Qualitative assessment on usage and customer satisfaction is under way. The National Literacy and Numeracy areas have recently been assessed by Central Office of Information Communications.
568WTeacher net: www.teachernet.gov.uk
Annual budget:—£140,000
Research on image and customer satisfaction has been carried out by Netpoll and Prospero. Technical quality assurance is carried out by PJ Net Solutions Ltd. Research will be placed in the HOC Library.