Results 1-20 of 789 for in the 'Written Answers' speaker:Edward Balls

Written Answers — Children, Schools and Families: Autism (15 Jun 2009)

Edward Balls: I have made it clear that schools should actively avoid permanently excluding children with SEN other than in the most exceptional circumstances. This includes children with autism whose disability often results in challenging behaviour. We have reduced exclusions of children with SEN because schools are intervening early and providing targeted support and we have accepted all Sir Alan...

Written Answers — Children, Schools and Families: Secondary Schools (15 Jun 2009)

Edward Balls: In 2008, 129,000 more pupils achieved 5+ A*-C GCSEs than in 1997, an increase of 19.7 percentage points; the corresponding figure including English and maths is 76,500 pupils—an increase of 12 percentage points.

Written Answers — Children, Schools and Families: School Buildings: Expenditure (15 Jun 2009)

Edward Balls: £939 million of school capital funding allocations to schools and to 121 local authorities are being brought forward from 2010-11 to 2009-10. These will be spent on school buildings, ICT and other capital items. It is disappointing that 27 local authorities did not take up the offer of bringing forward a possible £183 million.

Written Answers — Children, Schools and Families: Standard Assessment Tests (27 Apr 2009)

Edward Balls: Over the last 10 years, testing and assessment have played a vital role in ensuring that more than 100,000 more pupils leave primary school secure in English and maths. As I said to this House in October, the Key Stage 2 tests provide an objective measure of pupils' performance, and a recent survey confirmed that they are greatly valued by parents. The Expert Group on assessment that I...

Written Answers — Children, Schools and Families: Children: Protection (19 Mar 2009)

Edward Balls: holding answer 18 March 2009 DCSF Ministers did not brief any individual or organisations on the contents of Lord Laming's report before mid-day on 12 March. Individuals and organisations whose representatives were briefed by DCSF officials or given embargoed access to the report before that time included: Annette Brooke MP Michael Gove MP Barry Sheerman MP Association of Chief Police...

Written Answers — Children, Schools and Families: Schools Commissioner (9 Mar 2009)

Edward Balls: The first Schools Commissioner, Sir Bruce Liddington, did an excellent job supporting the commissioning of new school places, expanding our academies programme and developing National Challenge Trusts. We have decided to wait until the post of director general for schools directorate is filled permanently before taking any decisions on how to continue this work and build on this track record...

Written Answers — Children, Schools and Families: Dyslexia (9 Mar 2009)

Edward Balls: Yes. My Department's guidance "Data Collection by type of Special Educational Need" (issued in 2005) explains that pupils with specific learning difficulties may have a particular difficulty in learning to read, write, spell or manipulate numbers so that their performance in these areas is below their performance in other areas. The guidance goes on to say that specific learning difficulties...

Written Answers — Children, Schools and Families: Informal Testing (26 Jan 2009)

Edward Balls: The use of informal tests is a matter for schools and, while advice and support is available, my Department does not issue formal guidance.

Written Answers — Children, Schools and Families: Child Protection (26 Jan 2009)

Edward Balls: Lord Laming is preparing an independent report of progress nationally in safeguarding children, including on the effectiveness of serious case reviews. He will submit his report by the end of February and I will respond fully to it.

Written Answers — Children, Schools and Families: Education: Chorley (20 Jan 2009)

Edward Balls: I regularly visit schools in the North West and I look forward to visiting a school in Chorley with my hon. Friend when I am next in the region.

Written Answers — Children, Schools and Families: Headteachers (15 Jan 2009)

Edward Balls: I welcomed the Pricewaterhouse Coopers report on school leadership. My Department has since provided funding of £10 million to the National College of School Leadership (NCSL) for succession planning. I have also made the development of new models of leadership one of the key priorities for the NCSL.

Written Answers — Children, Schools and Families: Departmental Official Hospitality (12 Jan 2009)

Edward Balls: The following table sets out spending on entertainment and hospitality in £ thousand for the Department for Children, Schools and Families and its predecessor Departments in the relevant years. £000 1996-97 24 1997-98 21 1998-99 31 1999-2000 21 2000-01 25 2001-02 11 2002-03 16 2003-04 20 2004-05 35 2005-06 45 2006-07 4 2007-08 16...

Written Answers — Children, Schools and Families: Departmental Official Hospitality (11 Dec 2008)

Edward Balls: DCSF is unable to identify separately the costs of alcohol from those of official hospitality as such expenditure is claimed and recorded under the general heading above. My Department's policy on hospitality, including that on alcohol, is in accordance with the principles of Treasury guidance in "Managing Public Money" and the handbook on "Regularity, Propriety and Value for Money". (a)...

Written Answers — Children, Schools and Families: Christmas (26 Nov 2008)

Edward Balls: The Department for Children Schools and Families (DCSF) did not host any Christmas functions in 2007, but did host two celebratory events in January 2008, which I attended. The cost of these events was approximately £2,350. I also attended six Christmas functions in 2007-8. The cost of attending these functions is not readily available and gathering this information would be at a...

Written Answers — Children, Schools and Families: Departmental Responsibilities (26 Nov 2008)

Edward Balls: The Department for Children, Schools and Families (DCSF) works with all nine of the English regional Government Offices. Each year my Department specifies its expectations of Government Offices in the delivery of DCSF policies and priorities. For 2008-09 these include supporting the implementation of the Children's Plan, Every Child Matters and achievement of the Public Service Agreements....

Written Answers — Children, Schools and Families: Training and Development Agency for Schools: Official Hospitality (26 Nov 2008)

Edward Balls: It has not proved possible to respond in the time available before Prorogation.

Written Answers — Children, Schools and Families: South East: Departmental Expenditure (13 Nov 2008)

Edward Balls: My Department does not make grant payments to Dartford borough, Kent Thameside, or the Thames Gateway. However it does make payments to Kent county council and local authorities in the South East region for children and families services. Tables showing the amount of Local Authority Grant funding which has been made available to these areas by my Department in each of the last five years are...

Written Answers — Children, Schools and Families: Education (5 Nov 2008)

Edward Balls: Table 1 lists the schools programmes aggregated under the "Other Miscellaneous'' title and their corresponding projected allocations for 2008-09, as shown in the 2008 Departmental Annual Report. Table 1: List of Other Miscellaneous Programmes Schools £ million Music and Dance Capital 34 Medical Fees and Services 1 Premature Retirement Compensation 12 Teacher...

Written Answers — Children, Schools and Families: Departmental Training (3 Nov 2008)

Edward Balls: I have undertaken no personal training courses at public expense since my appointment as Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families.

Written Answers — Children, Schools and Families: Departmental NDPBs (22 Oct 2008)

Edward Balls: holding answer 21 October 2008 The funding that has been agreed with each of DCSF's non-departmental bodies for the period 2008 to 2011 is detailed in the following table. £ million Non-departmental public body 2008-09 2009-10 2010-11 Total for CSR07 The British, Educational, Telecommunications and Technology Agency (BECTA) 11 11 11 33 Children and Family...