§ Mr. MaudeTo ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many boarding schools the National Care Standards Commission has inspected; how many were identified as having a significant defect; and if he will estimate the cost of such inspections in each year since the inspections began. [164263]
§ Margaret HodgeBoarding schools are inspected once every three years.
Between 1 April 2002 and 29 February 2004, 116 boarding schools have been inspected by the National Care Standards Commission. The estimated cost of each of these inspections was £1,477 for 2002–03 and £1,566 for 2003℃04.
Where the National Care Standards Commission had concerns about services failing to safeguard the welfare of children provided with accommodation by a school or college, they were required under section 105(2) of the Care Standards Act 2000, to make a statutory notification to (i) the relevant education authority or (ii) the Secretary of State. Two such notifications have been made between 1 April 2002 and 29 February 2004.