HC Deb 05 November 2003 vol 412 cc699-700W
Dan Norris

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how much money Bath and North East Somerset received in total capital funds from central government in(a) 1996–97 and (b) 2003–04; and if he will list the main components of that spending. [136318]

Mr. Miliband

The following table sets out the capital allocations made by this Government to Bath and North East Somerset local education authority (LEA) and its schools in 1996–97 and 2003–04. The LEA determines investment of these funds by prioritising the capital requirements of its schools in an asset management plan.

Capital allocations for Bath and North East Somerset LEA
£000
1996–97 2003–041
LEA Co-ordinated Voluntary Aided Programme 140
Basic Need 1,545 1,364
NDS Condition 1,519
NDS Devolved Formula 2,383
NDS Modernisation 864
Schools Access Initiative 45 334
Schools Renewal Challenge Fund 511
Seed Challenge 224
Staff Workspace 96
Supplementary Credit Approvals 425
Targeted Capital Funding 4,924
Teaching Environments for the Future 350
Voluntary Aided School Grant 750
Total 3,276 12,198
1 Figures for 2003–04 are to date.

Dan Norris

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills (1) what the pupil-computer ratio was in(a) primary and (b) secondary schools in Bath and North East Somerset in (i) 1997 and (ii) 2003; [136335]

(2) how many computers there were in (a) primary and (b) secondary schools in Bath and North East Somerset in (i) 1997 and (ii) 2003. [136336]

Mr. Miliband

Information on the pupil-computer ratio and the number of computers in schools is not available in the form requested. Figures for England, which were derived from a sample of schools, are shown in the table.

Average number of computers per school and average number of pupils1 per computer (used solely or mainly for teaching and learning purposes) by type of school—England—1998 and 2003 (position as at 31 March)
Maintained primary schools Maintained secondary schools
Average number of number computers per school Average number of pupils per computer Average number of number computers per school Average number of pupils per computer
2003 28.6 7.9 192.7 5.4
1998 13.3 17.6 100.9 8.7
1 Full-time equivalent numbers of pupils within maintained primary and secondary schools.

The latest information on ICT in schools was published in Statistical Bulletin "Survey of Information and Communications Technology in Schools 2003", which is available on the Department's website www.dfes.gov.uk/statistics.

Dan Norris

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many(a) three-year-olds and (b) four-year-olds were in receipt of free nursery education in Bath and North East Somerset in (i) 1997 and (ii) 2003; and if he will estimate what proportion of the local three-year-old population these figures represent. [136337]

Mr. Miliband

Information is not available in the form requested. The available information is shown in the table.

Number1 of three and four-year-olds taking up free early education places that are fully funded—Bath and North East Somerset Local Education Authority area 1997 and 2002 (position in January each year)
1997 2002
Three-year-olds 2310 730
Four-year-olds 1,700 1,800
1 Part-time equivalent number of children.
2 Only includes three-year-olds attending maintained nursery and primary schools. (There was no Nursery Education Grant available for places for three-year-olds in 1997.)

In every local education authority area, there is an early education place for every four year old whose parents want one in either the maintained, private or voluntary sector. We have made the commitment that by April 2004, six months ahead of our original target, all three-year-olds whose parents want one, will have access to a free, part-time early education place.

Latest figures on three-year-olds and four-year-olds in early years providers were published by the Department in the Statistical Bulletin Provision for Children under five years of age in England—January 2002' (08/02) in December 2002, a copy of which is available from the Library. An electronic copy of this publication is also available on the Department's website (www.dfes.gov.uk/statistics).