§ Mr. Peter AtkinsonTo ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what arrangements exist to pay education authorities for post-16 school transport. [4665]
§ Mr. TimmsFunding for post-16 transport is distributed via local education authorities as part of the Education Standard Spending Assessment (SSA). LEAs will continue to receive recognition in SSAs for this after the responsibility for funding post 16-school provision passes to the Learning and Skills Council in 2002–03. LEAs also receive School Access Funds to help students meet the costs of their learning, including travel. Education Maintenance Allowances, which are means tested payments to the student, are being piloted in 56 LEAs and this money is frequently used to cover transport costs. Five of the pilots are specifically designed to address transport costs.
252Wrecent increases in the cost of examinations; and if she will make a statement. [4660]
§ Mr. Ivan LewisIt is for the independent awarding bodies to determine their own procedures with regard to notifying examination centres about examination fees. However, I understand that for the summer 2001 examinations, the notice given centres varied from March to November 2000, depending upon the awarding body. Awarding bodies also post details of fees on their websites.
§ Mr. WillisTo ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what the average examination fee was for(a) GCSEs, (b) AS-levels and (c) A-levels, for each year since 1990 in (i) cash prices and (ii) real terms prices against a 1990 baseline. [4661]
§ Mr. Ivan LewisAs the fees are set by the individual awarding bodies and can vary between subjects, it is not possible to provide precise figures. Also, given the changes to the complement of, and services provided by, the awarding bodies over the period it is not possible to provide figures before the academic year 1995–96. Estimates of the amounts charged in cash prices and real terms from 1995–96 are given in the table.