HC Deb 08 May 2001 vol 368 cc99-101W
Siobhain McDonagh

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment if he will set out, with statistical information relating as directly as possible to the constituency, the effects on the Mitcham and Morden constituency of his Department's policies and actions since 2 May 1997. [159511]

Mr. Wills

Outlined are details of the effects of a range of the Department's policies on Mitcham and Morden constituency and Merton LEA.

Beacon Schools

Wimbledon Chase1

Type—Middle

Start—September 1999

1 School is spreading good practice in raising achievement in KS 2, pupil behaviour, monitoring and assessment, classroom management and support for NQTs.

Connexions Partnership

Merton as part of the London South area is one of the 12 areas where the Connexions Partnership began to deliver the service from 1 April 2001. The London South area has been allocated a provisional budget allocation of £9,408,621 and covers the boroughs of Merton, Kingston Upon Thames, Sutton, Croydon and Bromley.

Infant Class Sizes

Progress in implementing plan:

As at January 2001, Merton LEA had no infants in classes of more than 30. The figure in January 2000 was 1,470 (30.8 per cent.).

The authority has been allocated £2.4 million in capital funding and £1.7 million in revenue funding between 1999–2000 and 2001–02.

Performance Data (England averages include independent schools)

Key stage 2: pupils achieving level 4 and above
Percentage
2000 1999 1998 1997
English
LEA 75 69 66 58
England 75 71 65 63
Maths
LEA 69 68 53 55
England 72 69 59 62
Science
LEA 85 78 68 62
England 85 78 69 69

GCSE and GNVQ results
Percentage
2000 1999 1998 1997
5+ A*-C
LEA average 40.5 38.8 37.3 37.5
England average 49.2 47.9 46.3 45.1
5+ A*-G
LEA average 85.8 86.3 84.8 82.9
England average 88.9 88.5 87.5 86.4
No passes
LEA average 7.4 8.1 7.7 9.8
National average 5.6 6.0 6.6 7.7

GCE A/AS examinations and Advanced GNVQs
2000 1999 1998 1997
Average points for two or more A/AS levels
LEA average 15.0 14.6 13.2 12.3
National average 17.3 18.2 17.8 17.3
A/AS average per entry
LEA average 4.9 4.7 4.4 4.6
National average 5.5 5.5 5.4 5.3
Advanced GNVQ point score
LEA average 9.7 9.2 11.4 n/a
National average 10.1 9.9 9.6 n/a

LEA capital funding
£000
2001–02 2000–01 1999–2000 1998–99 1997–98
ACG 2,829 357 289 139 47
SCA 750 48 177 53 24
NDS 2,074 1,217 1,287 360
VA Grant 3,774 187 138 104 105
Seed 131 121
Devolved Formula Capital 531
Additional Devolved Formula Capital 463
NGfL 669 478 326 294
Science Labs 103 103
Access at 85 per cent. 232 96 11
Security 33 47 47 45 36
Class size 1,351 1,076
Outside toilets 23
Energy Efficiency 42
Assistance with AMP 21
Nursery Provision
NDS Condition Funding 404
NDS Devolved formula 802
SLSU 28 32
PFI Credits 20,700
Total 30,455 5,888 3,291 1,987 583

Funding per pupil

In Merton LEA, funding per pupil has increased by £600 in real terms between 1997–98 and 2001–02.

Private Finance Initiative (PFI)

A PFI project to reorganise its secondary schools as part of a wider reorganisation was approved by the Project Review Group in July 2000 and is currently working towards contract signature.

Further Education

Student numbers at all FEFC funded institutions where home postcode is in the local authority district of Merton.

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 1,812 330 920 6,530 23 95 126 355
1997–98 1,812 369 858 6,978 23 102 134 619
1998–99 1,833 333 827 6,832 50 116 193 644
1999–2000 1,857 365 809 5,925 60 171 159 946

Modern Apprenticeships

Information on Modern Apprenticeships for all English constituencies was placed in the Library of the House of Commons on 30 March 2001.

New Deal for Young People

In the Mitcham and Morden constituency, 988 young people have joined the New Deal to end January 2001. 461 have found jobs, 361 of which are sustained.

Labour Market Statistics

The working age employment rate in Merton in winter 2000–01 was 73.9 per cent., below the UK rate of 74.5 per cent. The rate in winter 1996–97 was 74.6 per cent., in winter 1997–98 78.3 per cent., in winter 1998–99 81.1 per cent., and in winter 1999–2000 77.1 per cent. These figures are volatile at this level, and our best interpretation of the trend in the employment rate for Merton since 1997 is that it has been broadly flat.

The claimant unemployment rate has fallen from 13.8 per cent. in March 1997 to 6.3 per cent. in March 2001 in the Mitcham and Morden constituency.