§ Mr. WillisTo ask the Secretary of State for Education' and Skills how many local education authorities have had PFI school schemes approved in the first four tranches; which ones are within their approved timed programme; and how many months of delay have elapsed for those which are behind schedule. [15551]
§ Mr. Timms72 local education authorities have now had a total of 80 PFI projects approved. This includes 36 projects which have already signed, 24 projects which have already been approved by the Treasury-chaired Project Review Group and 20 projects which have been approved provisionally by this Department.
We do not impose a timed programme on local education authorities, other than to indicate the financial year in which we expect contract signature to take place. Contract negotiations and building schedules are a matter for local education authorities and private contractors to determine. We are aware of no serious delays in opening PH schools against locally agreed schedules.
§ Mr. WillisTo ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills when she will publish the names of the successful local education authorities for PFI schemes in the next financial year. [15552]
§ Mr. TimmsLocal education authorities that were successful in gaining provisional approval for projects expecting to sign in the next financial year, that is 2002–03, were announced in March 2001. The closing date for the submission of bids for projects hoping to sign in 2003–04 is 17 December 2001. All bids received by that date will be assessed against published criteria, and announcements on those successful in gaining provisional approval from this Department are expected to be made in March 2002.