---

19 Jul 2004 : Column 99W—continued

Schools (Foundation Status)

Glenda Jackson: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills whether there will be an appeals system (a) against a school's decision to apply for and (b) against a decision to grant a school foundation status. [184890]

Mr. Miliband: The decision on whether to proceed to and adopt Foundation status will be for the governing body of a school alone, though they will be obliged to publish proposal of their intention to make the change of status.

Glenda Jackson: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills whether the enablement of a foundation school to appoint a majority of governors from (a) a charitable foundation and (b) a faith sponsor referred to in chapter 4, page 49 of his five-year strategy for children and learners will be subject to (i) consultation with and (ii) the agreement of all parents in the locality. [184891]

Mr. Miliband: We shall be consulting in due course on the proposals for foundation schools set out in the Department's five-year strategy. At that point we will set out in more detail our plans for ensuring that stakeholders, including local parents, are consulted and have the opportunity to make representations about proposed changes to the constitution of schools.

Solvent Abuse

Mr. Gray: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what funding the Government have provided for education on solvent abuse in each of the last five years; and if he will make a statement. [184579]

 
19 Jul 2004 : Column 100W
 

Mr. Stephen Twigg: The funding that the Department has allocated to local education authorities to support drug education and prevention in all schools in England since 1999 is provided in the table. This would include education about the effects of solvents; a statutory requirement of the National Curriculum. We have not directed the proportion of this funding that should be spent on education about solvent abuse.
£ million

	Funding
1999–2000	7.4
2000–01	(64)7.4
2001–02	13.1
2002–03	15.2
2003–04	14.3
Total	57.4

⁽⁶⁴⁾ Allocated as part of social inclusion grant

Since April 2004, the level of support for drug education in schools is for local education authorities and schools to decide.

"Drugs: Guidance to Schools" issued by DfES to all schools this year made clear that volatile substance abuse should be addressed at an early stage in the curriculum. We are also supporting teachers' professional development through the PSHE certification programme which will support teaching of drug education, including volatile substance abuse, in schools. 3,000 teachers are set the benefit this year.

The Department of Health is leading the development of a strategy for volatile substance abuse which will include measurable and achievable targets.

Specialist Schools

Glenda Jackson: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills whether a specialist school, applying for an additional specialism, will be required to undergo all the procedures inherent in its original application for specialist status. [184702]

Mr. Miliband: As set out in the Department's Five Year Strategy, the opportunity to develop a second specialism will be offered at re-designation (when specialist schools apply to retain the status for a further four year phase). This year, schools qualifying for the simplified re-designation procedure will be eligible. In recognition of what these schools have already achieved, on both exam performance and value added bases, the application process will be light touch—with short guidance asking for summary plans to be annexed to the main re-designation application. This light touch approach reflects wider policy moves towards a new relationship with schools. Applicants will also need to consult their LEAs, the Specialist Schools Trust and the Youth Sport Trust, including to ensure their choice of second specialism enhances the existing local specialist balance.

Students (Means-Testing)

Chris Grayling: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what effect university bursaries and grants will have on students in receipt of means-tested bursaries from 2006. [184878]

 
19 Jul 2004 : Column 101W
 

Alan Johnson: Bursaries are not treated as part of taxable income and so are not taken into account in the Government means test that determines entitlement to our grants.

Teachers' Salaries

Mr. Collins: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what his Department estimates to be the average salary cost in 2004 to (a) schools, (b) his Department and (c) local education authorities of (i) a newly qualified teacher, (ii) a teacher with five years' experience in teaching and (iii) a teacher nearing retirement. [183156]

Mr. Miliband: The salary costs of the majority of teachers in schools are met by school budgets. There are no additional costs to local authorities. The Department for Education and Skills provides special grants to meet the cost of teachers who pass the performance threshold and contributes to the cost of performance pay awards. In the financial year 2001/02 the performance threshold grant totalled £436,703, 000 and the performance pay grant totalled £19,887,000.

At 31 March 2002, the latest information available, the average salary of a newly qualified full-time entrant to the maintained school sector in England and Wales was £17,870. The salary for full-time qualified teachers with five years service was £25,310 and for full-time qualified teachers aged 55 to £59, 32,890. These figures are for all grades and include all allowances. Employer national insurance and pension contributions are excluded: for the average salaries above the contribution rates are 13.9 per cent. for new entrants, 14.6 per cent. for those with five years experience and 15.3 per cent. for those aged 55 to 59. The normal age for the retirement of teachers is 60.

This information is based on data from the Database of Teachers Records which is maintained primarily for pensions purposes.

University Attendance (Havering)

Mr. Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what percentage of 18 year olds (a) in Great Britain and (b) from Havering chose to go to university in (i) 1997, (ii) 1999, (iii) 2001 and (iv) 2003. [184251]

Alan Johnson: The available information is taken from the Universities and Colleges Admissions service (UCAS) and covers 18 year old, English domiciled applicants accepted through UCAS to full time first degree and HMD courses. Figures are given in the table.
Percentage of 18 year olds accepted through UCAS to HE courses

Year of Entry	Havering LEA	England
1997	16.2	20.5
1999	16.9	20.0
2001	19.0	21.5
2003	16.8	21.4

University Entrants

Mr. Flook: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what percentage of 18 year olds in
 
19 Jul 2004 : Column 102W
 
(a) England and (b) Somerset chose to go to university in (i) 1997, (ii) 2001 and (iii) 2003. [184642]

Alan Johnson: The available information is taken from the Universities and Colleges Admissions service (UCAS) and covers 18 year old, English domiciled applicants accepted through UCAS to full time first degree and HND courses. Figures are given in the table.
Percentage of 18 year olds accepted through UCAS to HE courses

Year of Entry	Somerset LEA	England
1997	21.6	20.5
2001	21.4	21.5
2003	19.9	21.4

NORTHERN IRELAND

Athletics Tracks

Lady Hermon: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what plans the Government have to develop an eight lane athletics track for international athletics meetings in Northern Ireland. [182617]

Angela Smith: Northern Ireland currently has three eight lane athletics tracks with facilities of the standard required to hold minor international athletic events. These are at Antrim Stadium, Ballykillaire Sports Centre in Bangor and Templemore Stadium in Londonderry. However, the facilities at these venues are not of a standard which would allow major international athletic events to be hosted.

Provision for an eight lane athletics track for major international athletic meetings in Northern Ireland is a matter in the first instance for the Governing body of athletics in Northern Ireland, the Northern Ireland Athletics Federation. To date I have received no proposals from them for such a facility.

---