Answers issued to Members on 17 July 2008

[R] signifies that the Member has declared an interest.
[W] signifies that the question was tabled in Welsh.

Contents

Questions to the Deputy First Minister and Minister for the Economy and Transport

Questions to the Minister for Children, Education, Lifelong Learning and Skills

Questions to the Deputy First Minister and Minister for the Economy and Transport

Nick Bourne (Mid and West Wales): What options are now being considered as alternative routes for improving the A458 between Buttington Cross to Wollaston Cross as a consequence of the Highways Agency failure to finance part of the previously identified preferred routes? (WAQ52243)

The Deputy First Minister and Minister for the Economy and Transport (Ieuan Wyn Jones): As stated in my response to your question on the same subject on 28 May 2008, there are still a number of issues to be resolved regarding funding for the A458 Buttington Cross to Wollaston Cross scheme. I aim to discuss this with the Secretary of State for Transport when I next meet her.

Michael German (South Wales East): When does the Minister expect to receive the new timetabling modelling study from Network Rail, and will he make this available to Members? (WAQ52244)

The Deputy First Minister: I understand that you are referring to the Ebbw Vale-Newport rail study. My officials are expecting to receive this by the end of the month. Once I have had the opportunity to consider the outcome of the study I will arrange for a copy to be placed in the Assembly library.

Questions to the Minister for Children, Education, Lifelong Learning and Skills

Angela Burns (Carmarthenshire West and South Pembrokeshire): Will the Minister detail the number of exclusions from schools in Pembrokeshire every year for the last five years breaking down the information into 6-10 years, 10-14 years, 14-18 years? (WAQ52203)

The Minister for Children, Education, Lifelong Learning and Skills (Jane Hutt): Data on school exclusions by year group have only been collected since 2003. Information for 2003 to the latest available year, 2006, is in the table below.

Exclusion by type, Pembrokeshire, 2003-2006 (a)

Number of exclusions

Source: Exclusions Monitoring Form

(a) Data shown are for pupils by academic school year; date by age is not available. Exclusions by school year were first collected in 2002-03.

Data are for the number of instances of exclusions and not the number of pupils. A pupil excluded more than once will be counted more than once.

Angela Burns (Carmarthenshire West and South Pembrokeshire): Will the Minister detail the number of exclusions from schools in Carmarthenshire every year for the last five years breaking down the information into 6-10 years, 10-14 years, 14-18 years? (WAQ52204)

Jane Hutt: Data on school exclusions by year group have only been collected since 2003. Information for 2003 to the latest available year, 2006, is in the table below.

Exclusion by type, Carmarthenshire, 2003-2006 (a)

Number of exclusions

Source: Exclusions Monitoring Form

(a) Data shown are for pupils by academic school year; date by age is not available. Exclusions by school year were first collected in 2002-03.

Data are for the number of instances of exclusions and not the number of pupils. A pupil excluded more than once will be counted more than once.

Angela Burns (Carmarthenshire West and South Pembrokeshire): Will the Minister detail the number of exclusions from schools across the whole of Wales every year for the last five years breaking down the information into 6-10 years, 10-14 years, 14-18 years? (WAQ52205)

Jane Hutt: Data on school exclusions by year group have only been collected since 2003. Information for 2003 to the latest available year, 2006, is in the table below.

Exclusion by type, Wales, 2003-2006 (a)

Number of exclusions

Source: Exclusions Monitoring Form

(a) Data shown are for pupils by academic school year; date by age is not available. Exclusions by school year were first collected in 2002-03.

Data are for the number of instances of exclusions and not the number of pupils. A pupil excluded more than once will be counted more than once.

Andrew R.T. Davies (South Wales Central): How much has been spent in each local authority in Wales on repairs to school property due to acts of arson for each year since 1999? (WAQ52206)

Jane Hutt: The information that you request is not held centrally.

Andrew R.T. Davies (South Wales Central): How much has been spent in each local authority in Wales on repairs to school property due to acts of vandalism for each year since 1999? (WAQ52207)

Jane Hutt: The information you request is not held centrally.

Andrew R.T. Davies (South Wales Central): Further to WAQ52110, will the Minister provide a breakdown for the number of children taking a free school breakfast and percentage of children in each local authority in Wales for each year since the scheme began? (WAQ52208)

Jane Hutt: As stated in my response to WAQ52110 this information is published on the breakfast website at:

http://new.wales.gov.uk/topics/educationandskills/policy_strategy_and_planning/schools/breakfast_initiative/?lang=en

Andrew R.T. Davies (South Wales Central): How many surplus places are there in each local authority in Wales and will the Minister provide a distinction between primary and secondary education? (WAQ52209)

Jane Hutt: The following table has been compiled by the Welsh Assembly Government from information submitted by each local authority. It shows the total number of unfilled places in primary and secondary schools, and the total number of net unfilled places (overall surplus (1)). All authorities have some schools which are over-full. Not all unfilled places are surplus, because a margin of spare capacity needs to be retained in order to accommodate fluctuations in population, and not all surplus capacity can effectively be removed.

(1) Surplus capacity is calculated by subtracting the excess number of pupils in schools that are oversubscribed from the total number of empty school places.

All schools

Andrew R.T. Davies (South Wales Central): What consideration has the Minister given to the impact the Welsh birth rate may have on surplus school places? (WAQ52210)

Jane Hutt: From a recent low point in 2002 when there were 30,205 live births to residents in Wales, there has been a small but steady annual increase. The Office of National Statistics reported this month that in 2007 there were 34,414 live births to Welsh residents.

This needs to be set against the decline that took place up until 2002. Almost 39,000 births occurred in 1990, and those pupils will largely be leaving the school system by now. This was followed by more than a decade of steady decline, leading to a drop in full time numbers on roll in primary schools. Between January 2001 and January 2007 the number of full time primary school pupils fell by well over 20,000. There are over 50,000 empty primary school places in Wales, and over 47,000 net empty places (all authorities also have some schools which are oversubscribed). Whilst the recent increased numbers of births will in due course make an impact on that, it will not wipe out surplus (1).

The increased numbers of births are not evenly spread and authorities need to examine trends in their area. Authorities with substantial space in a large number of schools still need to address that situation and organise their schools more efficiently. In areas where levels of surplus capacity are low, authorities need to monitor the situation and ensure that provision is adequate.

(1) Surplus capacity is calculated by subtracting the excess number of pupils in schools that are oversubscribed from the total number of empty school places.

Andrew R.T. Davies (South Wales Central): How much money has the Welsh Assembly Government made available for the Free School Breakfasts for each year since the scheme began? (WAQ52211)

Jane Hutt:

It is important to note that these figures reflect provision not expenditure. The provision for 2008-09 was reviewed and adjusted during 2007-08 taking into account the then estimated cost of operating the initiative for that financial year and anticipated activity for the forthcoming financial year, that is 2008-09. We will continue to revisit and revise our forecast for 2008-09, and in light of this information will consider any necessary in-year adjustments that may need to be made to the current and future year’s provision.

Andrew R.T. Davies (South Wales Central): Will the Minister list the date when each local authority in Wales responded to the Welsh Assembly Government’s consultation on the foundation phase? (WAQ52212)

Jane Hutt: The most recent formal consultation on the foundation phase—when comments were sought on the framework for children’s learning—was completed on 30 March 2007. However, more recently, my officials have requested information from local authorities in response to the foundation phase grant conditions. These were issued to local authorities on 22 May 2008 and my officials have received signed grant acceptance forms from each local authority. A full list of when these forms were signed is below.

Andrew R.T. Davies (South Wales Central): Will the Minister make a statement on the teaching of cookery lessons in Welsh secondary schools? (WAQ52213)

Andrew R.T. Davies (South Wales Central): What percentage of secondary schools have kitchen facilities to teach cookery lessons and will the Minister provide a breakdown for each local authority in Wales? (WAQ52217)

Jane Hutt: As part of the revised design and technology Order in the new school curriculum to be implemented from September 2008, food will become a compulsory material in the programmes of study for both key stages 2 (7-11 year olds) and key stage 3 (11-14 year olds). Pupils will have opportunities to practise, safely and hygienically, a broad range of practical food preparation and cooking tasks and to consider current healthy eating messages and nutritional needs. This information was sent to schools in Wales in January.

Guidance is being prepared on 'Food and Fitness’, for issue in the autumn, to help schools in Wales plan and provide this aspect more effectively.

The information requested regarding the number of schools with kitchen facilities is not held or collected by the Welsh Assembly Government.

Andrew R.T. Davies (South Wales Central): Is the Welsh Assembly Government contributing any funding towards the construction of a new campus for the University of Wales Newport? (WAQ52214)

Jane Hutt: I am aware of the University of Wales Newport’s intention to construct a new city centre campus on the banks of the Usk, and that this has been seen as an essential element in the regeneration of the city.

I understand that the overall budget for the project is estimated to be circa £35 million, with known contributions made up as follows:

• £5 million from Newport City Council;

• £5 million from Newport Unlimited; and

• £10 million (anticipated) from the sale of the University’s current Allt-yr-yn campus.

The Welsh Assembly Government is making a £5 million grant to this project, via Newport Unlimited, which will be paid on completion of the project, anticipated to be in 2010.

Andrew R.T. Davies (South Wales Central): How are Welsh higher education institutions encouraging entrepreneurship? (WAQ52215)

Jane Hutt: The importance of creating and developing links between entrepreneurship and education has been clearly identified in our One Wales agenda. A network of entrepreneurship champions in higher education institutions across Wales are facilitating the development of institutional strategies for entrepreneurship and are supporting a culture change within universities. We have seen significant growth in graduate start-ups in Wales. The latest HE-BCI (Higher Education—Business and Community Interaction) survey (for the academic year 2006-07) reports that while Welsh higher education accounts for some 5 per cent of the UK total, it generated 10.7 per cent of all UK graduate start ups. The Welsh Assembly Government will continue to encourage universities to promote entrepreneurship within their institutions.

Andrew R.T. Davies (South Wales Central): Will the Minister make a statement on relations between higher education institutions and Welsh business? (WAQ52216)

Jane Hutt: Higher education institutions in Wales are continuing to strengthen their relationships with Welsh business. Welsh HEIs have already established links with all 25 employer-led sector skills councils to address employers’ higher level skills needs in Wales. In addition, a new £50 million EU funded project, Academia 4 Business, incorporates a range of programmes aimed at maximising the economic impact of academia through strengthened commercial offices and collaboration with business. Through the Graduate Opportunities Wales (GO Wales) programme, run by Welsh HEIs through the Higher Education Funding Council for Wales (HEFCW), thousands of Welsh students in HE have gained work experience with small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs).

Welsh higher education accounts for 5 per cent of the UK total but in the latest Higher Education—Business and Community Actions (HE-BCI) survey for the academic year 2006-07, it accounted for 7.3 per cent of UK income from consultancy contracts with SMEs and 6.3 per cent of total UK contracts. From 2007/8 the third mission funding made available though HEFCW has increased to £6.1 million, which will further support HEIs in working closely with Welsh business across Wales.

Andrew R.T. Davies (South Wales Central): What percentage of headteachers at Welsh secondary schools are due to reach retirement age within the next ten years and will the Minister provide a breakdown for each local authority in Wales? (WAQ52220)

Andrew R.T. Davies (South Wales Central): What percentage of headteachers at Welsh primary schools are due to reach retirement age within the next ten years and will the Minister provide a breakdown for each local authority in Wales? (WAQ52221)

Andrew R.T. Davies (South Wales Central): Will the Minister make a statement on the age profile of primary school headteachers in Wales? (WAQ52222)

Andrew R.T. Davies (South Wales Central): Will the Minister make a statement on the age profile of secondary school headteachers in Wales? (WAQ52223)

Jane Hutt: The information you requested is not held by the Welsh Assembly Government.

Andrew R.T. Davies (South Wales Central): What percentage of the money ring-fenced for the implementation of the foundation phase will be spent on staff training, and will the Minister provide a breakdown for each local education authority in Wales? (WAQ52224)

Jane Hutt: My officials have now received foundation phase expenditure/delivery plans from each local authority which set how they propose to utilise their share of the £25 million grant available in 2008-09. The level of funding allocated to training is for each local authority to determine, taking account of local need and the amount of training already delivered to practitioners in its schools and settings. The table below sets out each local authority’s share of the £25 million and the level of funding allocated to training.

* Excludes £5 million for pilot and early start schools

Ann Jones (Vale of Clwyd): How many people are employed at Rhyl and Llandrillo Colleges? (WAQ52231)

Jane Hutt: 970 members of staff were directly employed by Coleg Llandrillo in 2005/06 (source: Staff Individualised Record (SIR)).

Rhyl College was re-launched as part of Coleg Llandrillo in November 2007. The SIR does not enable the identification of numbers of staff based at the specific sites constituting Coleg Llandrillo.

Andrew R.T. Davies (South Wales Central): How many incidences of vandalism on school property have taken place in each local authority in Wales for each year since 1999? (WAQ52232)

Jane Hutt: The information you request is not collected centrally and will be an issue for each individual local authority.

Andrew R.T. Davies (South Wales Central): Will the Minister provide a breakdown of teaching standards based on Estyn inspections at primary and secondary schools for each local authority in Wales and for each year since 1999? (WAQ52238)

Jane Hutt: The Welsh Assembly does not hold this information for each year since 1999.

The Estyn annual reports for 2006-07 and 2005-06 present the grades for individual schools inspected within these periods. The breakdowns of these grades are provided as an attachment to this file.

Andrew R.T. Davies (South Wales Central): Will the Minister provide a breakdown of teaching standards based on Estyn inspections at English-medium and Welsh-medium schools in Wales for each year since 1999? (WAQ52239)

Jane Hutt: The Welsh Assembly does not hold this information for each year since 1999.

The Estyn annual reports for 2006-07 and 2005-06 present the grades for individual schools inspected within these periods. The breakdowns of these grades are provided as an attachment to this file.

Andrew R.T. Davies (South Wales Central): Will the Minister provide a breakdown of truancy levels at English-medium and Welsh-medium schools in Wales for each year since 1999? (WAQ52240)

Jane Hutt: The information requested is in the table below.

Unauthorised absence by pupils of compulsory school age, 1999-2007 (a)

(a) Secondary schools only prior to 2003

Andrew R.T. Davies (South Wales Central): Will the Minister provide a breakdown of truancy levels at primary and secondary schools for each local authority in Wales and for each year since 1999? (WAQ52242)

Jane Hutt: Data on primary school absenteeism were only collected for the first time in 2003. The available information is in the two tables below.

Table 1 Unauthorised absence in maintained primary schools, 2003-2007 (a)

(a) Pupils of compulsory age only

(b) Includes independent and special schools

'..’ = The date item is not available

Table 2 Unauthorised absence in maintained secondary schools, 1999-2007 (a)

(a) Pupils of compulsory age only

(b) Includes independent schools