§ Mrs. HumbleTo ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment if he will set out, including statistical information, the effect on the Blackpool, North and Fleetwood constituency of his Department's policies and actions since 2 May 1997. [150720]
§ Mr. WillsOutlined are details of the effects of a range of the Department's policies on the Blackpool, North and Fleetwood constituency and on Blackpool LEA.
Background
Blackpool, formerly part of Lancashire LEA, achieved unitary status on 1 April 1998 following local government reorganisation.Sure Start
The programme is centred on Mereside. There is a strong emphasis on community capacity building, particularly through training both to increase self-confidence and to promote 359W self-sufficiency. Parents and grandparents are involved in providing some of the services, such as running storytelling and rhyme clubs. Total funding up to £1,950,070.Beacon Schools
Anchorsholme County Primary School and Christ the King Catholic Primary School.Specialist Status Schools
Bispham High School (Arts) and Montgomery High School (Language). Both have gained their specialist school status since May 1997.Excellence in Cities (EiC)
Blackpool is included in Phase 3 of the Excellence in Cities programme and will be submitting plans for implementation to begin in September 2001. Under EiC Blackpool is expected to receive allocations of some £3.7 million over the next three years.Performance Results
Kay Stage 2 test results: pupils achieving level 4 or above Percentage 2000 1999 1998 English: LEA 72 64 60 England 75 71 65 Maths: LEA 66 64 56 England 72 69 59 Science: LEA 79 70 62 England 85 78 69
GCSE and GNVQ results Percentage 2000 1999 1998 5+ A* -C: LEA average 36.1 36.5 34.6 England average 49.2 47.9 46.3 5+ A* -G: LEA average 85.3 84.7 83.8 England average 88.9 88.5 87.5 No passes: LEA average 6.3 7.3 6.9 England average 5.6 6.0 6.6 360W
New Deal for School (NDS); Blackpool, North and Fleetwood constituency School Cost NDS 1 (1997–98) 14 school package for improvements to toilet facilities. Some schools in the constituency may have been included in package Lancashire LEA NDS 1 allocation £2,006,000 NDS 2 (1998–99) Anchorsolme Primary—Treatment of flat felt roof surfaces with liquid plastics £58,200 Claremont Primary—Re-roofing of ground floor teaching area £21,500 Moor Park Junior—Completion of over roofing £21,500 NDS 4 (2000–01) Montgomery High Part of three school package for replacement of temporary classrooms totalling £570,688 Montgomery High Part of four school package for replacement of windows totalling £220,000
Infant class size £ Revenue Capital 1998–99 73,000 414,500 1999–2000 351,000 278,125 2000–01 588,710 171,200 The September 2000 figure shows that in Blackpool there are now only 192 (4.1 per cent.) pupils remaining in infant classes of 31 or more. The figure in January 1997 was 2,369 (45.4 per cent.).Partnership Programme for Independent and State Schools
Langdale Preparatory School (ind) and Claremont Primary School (maintained), Blackpool, received Independent/State School Partnerships grant of E 1 7,000 in 1999–2000 for one year. The schools worked together to explore "The Development of Blackpool and its Relationship to Tourism". The project involved most areas of the curriculum with emphasis on history, geography, science, an, mathematics and English.
Capital £000 2001–02 2000–01 1999–2000 1998–99 ACG 3,117 3,437 2,124 642 SCA — 70 50 624 NDS — 1,863 1,259 661 NDS condition 258 — — — VA grant 251 226 93 69 SEED 124 115 — — Nursery grant — 58 — — PPP — — — — Capital formula — 805 — — NGfL — 371 376 234 NDS devolved formula 437 — — — Science labs 103 103 — — SSLUs 31 35 — — Assistance with AMP — — 14 — Access at 85 per cent. 116 — — 9 Security — 37 37 36 Outside Toilets — — — 47 Energy — — — 41 PPP
361WCollegiate High School—This project (supported by NDS) was signed during summer 2000 between the School, LEA and Uforia (private contractor). Work commenced on 11 September and is expected to be completed by 7 May 2001. The project is to construct an indoor sports centre on the school grounds, which will also be available to another special school. The private sector partner will contribute capital and be granted a lease to operate the upgraded facilities out of school hours. The school currently pays rent for indoor sports facilities. Total value of the project is £1,200,000 (£750,000 NDS and £450,000 private sector contribution).Beacon FE College
Blackpool and the Fylde College.Modern Apprenticeships
Since 2 May 1997, we know of 1,122 starts on Modern Apprenticeships in the Blackpool, North constituency (as at 30 November 2000). Broken down by financial year these are:
Financial year Foundation modern apprenticeships1 Advanced modern apprenticeship2 Total 1997–98 0 166 166 1998–99 17 157 174 1999–2000 193 205 398 2000–01 (to date) 197 187 384 Total 407 715 1,122 Further Education
Student numbers at all FEFC fielded institutions where home postcode is in the local authority district of Blackpool 1996–97 to 1999–2000 FEFC funded Non-FEFC funded 16–18 Adult 16–18 Adult Full time Part time Full time Part time Full time Part time Full time Part time 1996–97 1,488 479 489 6,747 150 191 178 198 1997–98 1,488 551 528 7,387 112 239 183 261 1998–99 1,432 550 490 7,565 162 236 272 725 1999–2000 1,511 571 545 7,577 124 291 338 848 New Deal for Young People
In the Blackpool, North and Fleetwood constituency to the end of November 2000, 833 young people have joined the New Deal, with 419 finding employment. Of these, 303 have entered sustained employment.Labour market statistics
The working age employment rate in Blackpool UA in autumn 2000 was 77.8 per cent., above the UK rate of 74.7 per cent. The rate in autumn 1997 was 68.9 per cent.The claimant unemployment rate has fallen from 7.9 per cent. in January 1997 to 5.8 per cent. in January 2001 in the Blackpool, North and Fleetwood constituency.