Nicholas Soames

Small modular reactors (SMRs) are a relatively new technology for civil nuclear power generation and whilst a small number of bespoke “small” reactors have been built and operated, no true SMRs have yet reached demonstration or deployment.

At Autumn Statement 2015 Government announced it would launch a competition to identify the best value SMR design for the UK. In March 2016 the first phase of the competition was launched. This phase will include structured engagement with technology developers, utilities, potential investors, funders and other parties interested in developing, commercialising and financing SMRs in the UK to inform subsequent stages of the competition. This is the beginning of a process that will enable bids from interested parties in subsequent phases of the competition.

As we are still in the early stages of the competitive process no decision has yet been made on a potential SMR design or levels of deployment.

Neodymium and dysprosium are rare earth elements, which means that they are included on the EU’s list of critical raw materials because of their high economic importance and high supply risk. Tellurium is not on that list but the Government is aware of its scarcity and importance to manufacturing of alloys and some electronic equipment. The UK is working with European partners and others in global organisations to ensure that there is sufficient supply in the future that is available in accordance global trade rules.

A full list of all the projects funded by European Regional Development Fund and European Social Fund in the South East since 2007 are provided on the GOV.UK site.

The total value of grants awarded to organisations in the South East from the Seventh Framework Programme (FP7) 2007-2013 was €1,175.3 million (figure correct at 11/11/2015). The total value of grants awarded to organisations in the South East under the Horizon 2020 (2014-2020) programme is €246.5 million (figure correct at 29/10/2015). The figures for both programmes include grants that were awarded under the complementary Euratom research and training activities programme.

The planned budgets (2016/17 to 2020/21) and locations of the four Centres for Agricultural Innovation are:

Centre for Crop Health and Protection (CHAP) - headquarters in York at the National AgriFood Innovation Campus in Sand Hutton

Centre for Innovation Excellence in Livestock (CIEL) - headquarters in York at the National AgriFood Innovation Campus in Sand Hutton

Agricultural Engineering Precision Innovation Centre (Agri-EPI) - hubs in Edinburgh, Harper Adams University (Shropshire) and Cranfield University (Bedfordshire)

Centre for Agricultural Informatics (Agrimetrics) - headquarters in Harpenden (Hertfordshire) at Rothamsted Research

UK Trade and Investment’s (UKTI) Regeneration Investment Organisation is promoting the Royal Haslar Hospital site for international investment. To date, no investment has been attracted into the site by UKTI.

There continues to be good progress on the free trade agreement currently being negotiated between the EU and US, also known as the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP), in particular on the technical work which would underpin the final deal.The next negotiating round is taking place 19-23 October in the US.

A trade and investment agreement between the EU and US offers an enormous economic benefit in jobs, investment and lower prices, worth potentially £10 billion a year to the UK Our ambition remains to reach political agreement during the Obama administration and this goal has been given renewed impetus by the completion of the Trans Pacific Partnership.

Information on apprenticeship starts in each academic year by sector framework is published in a supplementary table (first link) to a Statistical First Release (SFR) at the FE Data Library (second link).

https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/467751/apprenticeships-starts-by-sase-framework.xls

https://www.gov.uk/government/statistical-data-sets/fe-data-library-apprenticeships

Apprenticeship data are not available by industrial sector or financial year. Within an industry a learner may undertake a wide range of apprenticeship frameworks.

Cogent Skills, the industry strategic body for skills in the science industries, estimates that full time equivalent employment in the nuclear industry and its supply chain in the years requested was as follows:

• 2010-11 – 73200 employees;
• 2011-12 – 72400 employees;
• 2012-13 – 71600 employees;
• 2013 -14 – 70800 employees;
• 2014-15 – 70000 employees.

The Nuclear Industry Council (NIC) runs an annual Nuclear Workforce Assessment (NWA) initiative to gather labour market intelligence from the nuclear industry. The development of robust labour market intelligence is vital to ensuring that government, employers, and skills bodies have a clear view of the future skill demands of the UK nuclear programme, and the existing skills base.

The 2014 NWA shows that the average age of the workforce from the 38 companies included was 40-44.

http://www.nsan.co.uk/system/files/furtherinfo/Nuclear%20Workforce%20Assessment%202014_141222.pdf.

The Government publishes comprehensive information about export licences granted and refused on gov.uk. The most recently published information covers the period until 31 March 2015.

Since April 2010 782 licences have been granted for export of military goods and technology to Saudi Arabia. The end-use of each such licence could only be provided at disproportionate cost.

All export licences are issued in strict accordance with the Consolidated EU and National Arms Export Licensing Criteria.

In 2014, following restrictions imposed by Russia, total food, feed and drink exports to Russia totalled £93.7million, a 29.3 per cent drop compared to 2013.

Exports to Russia in these sectors accounted for around one per cent of the UK’s total global exports in these sectors, which amounted to £18.8 billion in 2014. We estimate that the total number of exports to Russia in these sectors had fallen by £39 million.

The ban on cleaning products was announced on 25 August 2015. It is too early to see any impact on UK exporters, but we will continue to monitor the situation.

This Government is committed to ensuring the Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths (STEM) workforce is diverse, reflects wider society and makes use of all the talents available to it, including those from low income backgrounds.

The Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS) funds and works with partners on a number of programmes which encourage a diverse range of people into STEM. BIS established a programme jointly run by the Royal Society and Royal Academy of Engineering aimed at understanding and addressing issues of diversity in the STEM workforce.

As part of this programme the Royal Academy of Engineering’s Diversity Steering group recently launched their Engineering Engagement Programme. The programme aims to increase the number of people from low income backgrounds, women and black and minority ethnic backgrounds in engineering by changing the way employers recruit engineers.

Over the last Parliament, the Statements of New Regulation set out the regulations introduced and removed, and the costs and savings this achieved for business. The Ninth Statement of New Regulation gives the overall account of measures introduced 2010- 2015 and their costs and savings. This can be found on the Gov.UK website.

Over the last Parliament, the Statements of New Regulation set out the regulations introduced and removed, and the costs and savings this achieved for business. The Ninth Statement of New Regulation gives the overall account of measures introduced 2010- 2015 and their costs and savings. This can be found on the Gov.UK website.

My Rt hon Friend the Prime Minister is leading a whole-of-government approach to increase UK exports. An Exports Implementation Taskforce has been established to monitor and drive delivery. Chaired by the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, the Taskforce meets every two weeks and reports to the Prime Minister and Cabinet quarterly.

My Department is working with Innovate UK to ensure that the best possible information and support is available for businesses that stand to gain from participation in the €79bn Horizon 2020 programme. Innovate UK’s support now includes National Contact Points providing advice to applicants and the Knowledge Transfer Network helping companies to identify suitable opportunities. The Catapult centres and other research and technology organisations also have an important role to play in helping build consortia and coordinate project applications.

The Department for Business, Innovation and Skills works with its partners to ensure investments are directed to areas in which the UK excels and has potential to excel. UK Trade and Investment helps identify foreign markets of strategic importance. Innovate UK and the Catapult Centres work to commercialise new and emerging technologies in areas where there are significant global market opportunities and a critical mass of UK capability. Through the recently announced Science and Innovation Audits, the Government will work with universities, cities, Local Enterprise Partnerships and businesses to map strengths and identify potential areas of strategic focus for different areas.

Zombie companies are companies that are allowed by banks to delay repayment of a loan so that they effectively only pay the interest due rather than the full loan amount. Bank of England analysis of this ‘loan forbearance’ suggests that only a relatively small proportion of small businesses are in receipt of any form of forbearance (around 6% of SME borrowers in 2013). The Bank concludes that forbearance by banks on loans to small businesses would therefore appear to account for only a small proportion of the weakness in aggregate UK productivity. The Bank’s analysis was published in the Bank’s quarterly bulletin which can be found on the Bank of England’s website.

The paragraph relates to professional and technical qualifications which are eligible for government funding and/or for inclusion in school performance tables. Since 2011, the government has applied more rigorous criteria for these, based on relevance to the needs of learners and employers and on demand from learners. As a result, the number of qualifications eligible for funding for learners aged 19 and over has been reduced from 10,000 in 2012 to 4,400 in the 2015-16 academic year; and the number included in 16-18 performance tables from 4,433 in 2013 to 321 in 2015-16.

We intend to continue the process of simplifying and streamlining the system and, as the Productivity Plan says, we will set out more details of our reforms in the autumn.

We are not aware of any studies into the link between employee ownership and national productivity. Research published in 2014 by the Employee Ownership Association showed that businesses with employee ownership (where employees have both a meaningful financial stake and a say in how the business is run) had a year-on-year increase in productivity of 4.5%.

The Government worked closely with experts, including from the Employee Ownership Association, in delivering the 2012 Nuttall Recommendations to reduce barriers to increasing the number of employee ownership businesses. This work was completed in 2014.

I refer my Rt hon. Friend to the answer I gave to him on 22 June 2015 to Question UIN 2838.

I can also confirm that UK Trade and Investment (UKTI) aims to identify and promote higher value and better quality inward investment projects to generate maximum benefits for the UK. UKTI uses an internal, multi-indicator framework to determine the relative value of all foreign direct investment projects UKTI teams support. These indicators include: total financial value of investment, total number and average salary of new jobs created, Research and Development element involved in investment, HQ function and the role of the UK site, type and quality of the investor and export potential of the investment.

Whilst no assessment has been made of the impact of foreign ownership in the aerospace sector on productivity, ONS labour productivity statistics from Q4 2014 show that productivity in the transport equipment sector, which includes aerospace, has been strong relative to the rest of the economy both before and after the financial crisis[1]. Since 2008, output per hour in the sector has grown at a rate of 5% per year. This was the highest rate of growth of any sector in the economy.

[1] ONS (2015) Labour Productivity, Q4 2014

http://www.ons.gov.uk/ons/rel/productivity/labour-productivity/q4-2014/stbq414.html

The Government is considering what further steps would be appropriate to encourage a culture of long-term investment on the part of UK companies and their shareholders. This is important in driving UK productivity and ensuring sustainable economic growth.

We will seek to build on significant progress made in the last Parliament, which included improvements to corporate reporting, and work with companies and investors to encourage the development of good practice for shareholder engagement and stewardship.

Approximately 40% of the UK aerospace sector by employment is foreign owned^[1].

Most of the world’s leading aerospace companies have a presence in the UK, including those headquartered overseas.

[1] BIS analysis of the ONS Inter-Departmental Business Register (IDBR) looking at the ultimate parent of a company to determine ownership

The UK’s traditional openness to trade and investment has served us well. This is increasingly important in a global economy where we compete for new investment and capital.

Certain investments, which may include those by state-owned enterprises or sovereign wealth funds, will be considered by the relevant competition authorities to assess whether they raise competition concerns. If a particular case gives rise to legitimate matters of public interest other than competition, UK Ministers have formal powers to intervene. In addition, the Takeover Panel has effective disciplinary powers and enforcement powers which can be used if it believes the Takeover Code has been contravened.

The UK Government currently invests well over £100 million in graphene research, training and innovation. This includes £50m Government capital investment to build national capability to support the commercialisation of applications for graphene (pledged by the Chancellor of the Exchequer, George Osborne, in October 2011), £34m for graphene innovation capability and over £24m in EPSRC research and training grants across UK universities.

The National Graphene Institute (NGI) at the University of Manchester is a key element of the UK’s global research and technology graphene hub to build national capability to support the commercialisation of applications for graphene. The NGI is a resource for research groups and businesses across the UK to facilitate collaborative work where appropriate. It has received funding of £38 million of the £50m capital funds from the UK Government via the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC), alongside £23 million of funds from the European Regional Development Fund to help accelerate the commercialisation of graphene. The NGI was officially opened by the Chancellor, the Rt Hon George Osborne, on 20 March 2015.

More than 35 companies from across the world have already chosen to partner with The University of Manchester working on graphene-related projects. University of Manchester researchers have also secured £9.5 million from EPSRC for ‘Graphene Engineering’ research projects and a Centre for Doctoral Training focussed on developing world-leading expertise in the science and technology of graphene.

In 2014, Innovate UK and EPSRC invested £2.5m in feasibility studies to accelerate commercial applications of graphene. The competition invested in projects that explored the potential of graphene to yield new products that could disrupt markets.

To build UK capacity in this area, £34m has been invested into graphene innovation capability. In 2014, £20m funding was announced (including £15m from HEFCE UK Research Partnership Investment Fund and £5m from Innovate UK) towards a £60m investment in Manchester called the Graphene Engineering Innovation Centre (GEIC), which is co-funded by the Abu Dhabi-based renewable energy company Masdar. UK Trade and Investment worked alongside Manchester City Council and the University of Manchester to secure this investment. Set to open in Manchester in 2017, the GEIC will complement the NGI and initiate further industry-led development in graphene applications with academic collaboration. The GEIC will contain substantial pilot production facilities and will be a leading test-bed for graphene process engineering and scale-up. It will link with international programmes for research project support, such as the €1 billion European Union Graphene Flagship.

Also in 2014, the Chancellor announced a £14 million investment for a “Graphene Applications Innovation Centre” to be based at the Centre for Process Innovation in the north-east of England (part of the High Value Manufacturing Catapult).

Subject to the availability of funding following the Spending Review, Innovate UK intends to further support business-led innovation in graphene by running competitions to accelerate the commercial applications of graphene. An efficient, longer-lasting ‘graphene lightbulb’, developed by a University of Manchester spin-out company, is believed to be the first commercial application of graphene to emerge from the UK.

In 2014, Innovate UK set up a Graphene Special Interest Group (SIG) to provide leadership and a focal point for the exploitation of graphene by UK industry and to help connect and align the developing UK graphene value chain. A scoping document produced for the Graphene SIG examined time to market for key graphene-enabled technologies, it can be found at:

https://connect.innovateuk.org/documents/10660253/14368155/Graphene%20Think%20Piece_Oct2013

The table below shows the number of published patent applications in the UK (filed by applicants based anywhere in the world) and the total number worldwide.

The Intellectual Property Office (IPO) does not hold worldwide patent data so this has been extracted from an external database, as used in the IPO’s 2015 graphene patent landscape report available from

https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/419651/Graphene_-_the_worldwide_patent_landscape_in_2015_-_accessible.pdf

The UK Government currently invests well over £100 million in graphene research, training and innovation. This includes £50m Government capital investment to build national capability to support the commercialisation of applications for graphene (pledged by the Chancellor of the Exchequer, George Osborne, in October 2011), £34m for graphene innovation capability and over £24m in EPSRC research and training grants across UK universities.

The National Graphene Institute (NGI) at the University of Manchester is a key element of the UK’s global research and technology graphene hub to build national capability to support the commercialisation of applications for graphene. The NGI is a resource for research groups and businesses across the UK to facilitate collaborative work where appropriate. It has received funding of £38 million of the £50m capital funds from the UK Government via the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC), alongside £23 million of funds from the European Regional Development Fund to help accelerate the commercialisation of graphene. The NGI was officially opened by the Chancellor, the Rt Hon George Osborne, on 20 March 2015.

More than 35 companies from across the world have already chosen to partner with The University of Manchester working on graphene-related projects. University of Manchester researchers have also secured £9.5 million from EPSRC for ‘Graphene Engineering’ research projects and a Centre for Doctoral Training focussed on developing world-leading expertise in the science and technology of graphene.

In 2014, Innovate UK and EPSRC invested £2.5m in feasibility studies to accelerate commercial applications of graphene. The competition invested in projects that explored the potential of graphene to yield new products that could disrupt markets.

To build UK capacity in this area, £34m has been invested into graphene innovation capability. In 2014, £20m funding was announced (including £15m from HEFCE UK Research Partnership Investment Fund and £5m from Innovate UK) towards a £60m investment in Manchester called the Graphene Engineering Innovation Centre (GEIC), which is co-funded by the Abu Dhabi-based renewable energy company Masdar. UK Trade and Investment worked alongside Manchester City Council and the University of Manchester to secure this investment. Set to open in Manchester in 2017, the GEIC will complement the NGI and initiate further industry-led development in graphene applications with academic collaboration. The GEIC will contain substantial pilot production facilities and will be a leading test-bed for graphene process engineering and scale-up. It will link with international programmes for research project support, such as the €1 billion European Union Graphene Flagship.

Also in 2014, the Chancellor announced a £14 million investment for a “Graphene Applications Innovation Centre” to be based at the Centre for Process Innovation in the north-east of England (part of the High Value Manufacturing Catapult).

Subject to the availability of funding following the Spending Review, Innovate UK intends to further support business-led innovation in graphene by running competitions to accelerate the commercial applications of graphene. An efficient, longer-lasting ‘graphene lightbulb’, developed by a University of Manchester spin-out company, is believed to be the first commercial application of graphene to emerge from the UK.

In 2014, Innovate UK set up a Graphene Special Interest Group (SIG) to provide leadership and a focal point for the exploitation of graphene by UK industry and to help connect and align the developing UK graphene value chain. A scoping document produced for the Graphene SIG examined time to market for key graphene-enabled technologies, it can be found at:

https://connect.innovateuk.org/documents/10660253/14368155/Graphene%20Think%20Piece_Oct2013

The table below shows the number of published patent applications in the UK (filed by applicants based anywhere in the world) and the total number worldwide.

The Intellectual Property Office (IPO) does not hold worldwide patent data so this has been extracted from an external database, as used in the IPO’s 2015 graphene patent landscape report available from

https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/419651/Graphene_-_the_worldwide_patent_landscape_in_2015_-_accessible.pdf

The UK Government currently invests well over £100 million in graphene research, training and innovation. This includes £50m Government capital investment to build national capability to support the commercialisation of applications for graphene (pledged by the Chancellor of the Exchequer, George Osborne, in October 2011), £34m for graphene innovation capability and over £24m in EPSRC research and training grants across UK universities.

The National Graphene Institute (NGI) at the University of Manchester is a key element of the UK’s global research and technology graphene hub to build national capability to support the commercialisation of applications for graphene. The NGI is a resource for research groups and businesses across the UK to facilitate collaborative work where appropriate. It has received funding of £38 million of the £50m capital funds from the UK Government via the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC), alongside £23 million of funds from the European Regional Development Fund to help accelerate the commercialisation of graphene. The NGI was officially opened by the Chancellor, the Rt Hon George Osborne, on 20 March 2015.

More than 35 companies from across the world have already chosen to partner with The University of Manchester working on graphene-related projects. University of Manchester researchers have also secured £9.5 million from EPSRC for ‘Graphene Engineering’ research projects and a Centre for Doctoral Training focussed on developing world-leading expertise in the science and technology of graphene.

In 2014, Innovate UK and EPSRC invested £2.5m in feasibility studies to accelerate commercial applications of graphene. The competition invested in projects that explored the potential of graphene to yield new products that could disrupt markets.

To build UK capacity in this area, £34m has been invested into graphene innovation capability. In 2014, £20m funding was announced (including £15m from HEFCE UK Research Partnership Investment Fund and £5m from Innovate UK) towards a £60m investment in Manchester called the Graphene Engineering Innovation Centre (GEIC), which is co-funded by the Abu Dhabi-based renewable energy company Masdar. UK Trade and Investment worked alongside Manchester City Council and the University of Manchester to secure this investment. Set to open in Manchester in 2017, the GEIC will complement the NGI and initiate further industry-led development in graphene applications with academic collaboration. The GEIC will contain substantial pilot production facilities and will be a leading test-bed for graphene process engineering and scale-up. It will link with international programmes for research project support, such as the €1 billion European Union Graphene Flagship.

Also in 2014, the Chancellor announced a £14 million investment for a “Graphene Applications Innovation Centre” to be based at the Centre for Process Innovation in the north-east of England (part of the High Value Manufacturing Catapult).

Subject to the availability of funding following the Spending Review, Innovate UK intends to further support business-led innovation in graphene by running competitions to accelerate the commercial applications of graphene. An efficient, longer-lasting ‘graphene lightbulb’, developed by a University of Manchester spin-out company, is believed to be the first commercial application of graphene to emerge from the UK.

In 2014, Innovate UK set up a Graphene Special Interest Group (SIG) to provide leadership and a focal point for the exploitation of graphene by UK industry and to help connect and align the developing UK graphene value chain. A scoping document produced for the Graphene SIG examined time to market for key graphene-enabled technologies, it can be found at:

https://connect.innovateuk.org/documents/10660253/14368155/Graphene%20Think%20Piece_Oct2013

The table below shows the number of published patent applications in the UK (filed by applicants based anywhere in the world) and the total number worldwide.

The Intellectual Property Office (IPO) does not hold worldwide patent data so this has been extracted from an external database, as used in the IPO’s 2015 graphene patent landscape report available from

https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/419651/Graphene_-_the_worldwide_patent_landscape_in_2015_-_accessible.pdf

The UK Government currently invests well over £100 million in graphene research, training and innovation. This includes £50m Government capital investment to build national capability to support the commercialisation of applications for graphene (pledged by the Chancellor of the Exchequer, George Osborne, in October 2011), £34m for graphene innovation capability and over £24m in EPSRC research and training grants across UK universities.

The National Graphene Institute (NGI) at the University of Manchester is a key element of the UK’s global research and technology graphene hub to build national capability to support the commercialisation of applications for graphene. The NGI is a resource for research groups and businesses across the UK to facilitate collaborative work where appropriate. It has received funding of £38 million of the £50m capital funds from the UK Government via the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC), alongside £23 million of funds from the European Regional Development Fund to help accelerate the commercialisation of graphene. The NGI was officially opened by the Chancellor, the Rt Hon George Osborne, on 20 March 2015.

More than 35 companies from across the world have already chosen to partner with The University of Manchester working on graphene-related projects. University of Manchester researchers have also secured £9.5 million from EPSRC for ‘Graphene Engineering’ research projects and a Centre for Doctoral Training focussed on developing world-leading expertise in the science and technology of graphene.

In 2014, Innovate UK and EPSRC invested £2.5m in feasibility studies to accelerate commercial applications of graphene. The competition invested in projects that explored the potential of graphene to yield new products that could disrupt markets.

To build UK capacity in this area, £34m has been invested into graphene innovation capability. In 2014, £20m funding was announced (including £15m from HEFCE UK Research Partnership Investment Fund and £5m from Innovate UK) towards a £60m investment in Manchester called the Graphene Engineering Innovation Centre (GEIC), which is co-funded by the Abu Dhabi-based renewable energy company Masdar. UK Trade and Investment worked alongside Manchester City Council and the University of Manchester to secure this investment. Set to open in Manchester in 2017, the GEIC will complement the NGI and initiate further industry-led development in graphene applications with academic collaboration. The GEIC will contain substantial pilot production facilities and will be a leading test-bed for graphene process engineering and scale-up. It will link with international programmes for research project support, such as the €1 billion European Union Graphene Flagship.

Also in 2014, the Chancellor announced a £14 million investment for a “Graphene Applications Innovation Centre” to be based at the Centre for Process Innovation in the north-east of England (part of the High Value Manufacturing Catapult).

Subject to the availability of funding following the Spending Review, Innovate UK intends to further support business-led innovation in graphene by running competitions to accelerate the commercial applications of graphene. An efficient, longer-lasting ‘graphene lightbulb’, developed by a University of Manchester spin-out company, is believed to be the first commercial application of graphene to emerge from the UK.

In 2014, Innovate UK set up a Graphene Special Interest Group (SIG) to provide leadership and a focal point for the exploitation of graphene by UK industry and to help connect and align the developing UK graphene value chain. A scoping document produced for the Graphene SIG examined time to market for key graphene-enabled technologies, it can be found at:

https://connect.innovateuk.org/documents/10660253/14368155/Graphene%20Think%20Piece_Oct2013

The table below shows the number of published patent applications in the UK (filed by applicants based anywhere in the world) and the total number worldwide.

The Intellectual Property Office (IPO) does not hold worldwide patent data so this has been extracted from an external database, as used in the IPO’s 2015 graphene patent landscape report available from

https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/419651/Graphene_-_the_worldwide_patent_landscape_in_2015_-_accessible.pdf

The Government published its response to “No Stone Unturned” by my noble Friend Lord Heseltine in March 2013. That response accepted, in full or in part, 81 out of Lord Heseltine's 89 recommendations.

The Government continues to take forward these recommendations to advance the main commitments of decentralisation and working with business-led Local Enterprise Partnerships (LEPs) to unleash the potential of local economies.

The Government has created a Local Growth Fund (LGF) of at least £12bn for the period 2015 to 2021 to drive local growth, which is under the strategic influence of the LEPs.

Funds will be allocated from the LGF as part of the Growth Deals with every LEP, which were announced on 7 July 2014. Earlier this year the government announced further investment of £1 billion in local economies across England by expanding these Growth Deals.

The Government is also supporting those areas seeking to go further, as demonstrated by the devolution deals agreed with the Greater Manchester and the Sheffield City Region areas.

The Office for National Statistics (ONS) have published experimental estimates of Multi-Factor Productivity (MFP), which is the terminology the ONS uses for total factor productivity. This is shown in Table 1.

Table 2 displays an index of these data, showing cumulative growth in MFP over the last 15 years.

Table 1: Annual Growth Rate of Multi-Factor Productivity

Table 2: Multi-Factor Productivity (1998=100)

Source: Multi-factor Productivity (experimental), Estimates to 2013, ONS (Jan 2015) http://www.ons.gov.uk/ons/publications/re-reference-tables.html?edition=tcm%3A77-386314

The Government supports learning for the full range of purposes. Apprenticeships, including Higher Apprenticeships, are the Government’s key priority to enable people of all ages to acquire new skills, improve their skills or update them as part of an employer- led skills system. Wider freedoms and flexibilities offered by the adult skills budget give colleges and training organisations more ability to respond to the learning needs of individuals and employers in their locality, and we have increased loan support for learners aged 24 and over studying at Levels 3 and 4. 24 + Advanced Learning Loans continue to be accessed in large numbers with over 123,000 applications in total to December 2014. The National Careers Service provides high quality, information and guidance to help people choose the right learning pathway and to understand whether funding is available to help them.

The Department for Business, Innovation and Skills also invests £210m per annum in Community Learning, which offers flexible local provision for post-19 adults of all ages and from a wide range of backgrounds. Courses meet a variety of learning needs, from personal development to pre-employment skills, health and wellbeing, parenting skills, arts, crafts and languages.

Businesses now have simpler and easier access to business advice and support as a result of steps taken by the Government.

We have brought together all Government advice and support in one place at GREATbusiness.gov.uk. The ‘My Business Support Tool’ helps businesses find the support they need quickly, and businesses can speak to or webchat with a helpline adviser direct using the Business Support helpline.

Businesses can also access our new Business Growth Service on the same website, which brings together expert advice to improve and grow in one place, including GrowthAccelerator, the Manufacturing Advisory Service, and export advice and finance.

Finally, businesses can now access local support through Growth Hubs which join up local resources.

The World Bank recognises the UK as one of the best places in the world to do business. Their latest Ease of Doing Business ranking saw the UK climb to 8^th. This is evidence that our economic plan is delivering a more competitive economy; we are delivering on our commitment to make Britain the best place in the world to start and grow a business.

There is clearly still more to do.

With regard to specific action on the indicators mentioned:

Starting a business: The UK already has an online company registration system that compares favourably with the best in the world. In their latest Doing Business report, the World Bank applauded the efficiency of the UK’s company registry, Companies House, in a case study. Our Employment Allowance means no business pays the first £2000 of employers NICs, helping businesses create jobs.

We have improved the tax registration system for new businesses so processing new PAYE applications takes 3 days instead of 8. We are developing a one-click registration tool that should reduce the time and procedures to register even further. Delivery for this is planned for 2017.

Registering property: The Infrastructure Bill, which received Royal Assent on 12^th February this year, contains provisions to enable Land Registry to provide a single digital Local Land Charges service. This service will improve access, standardise fees and improve turnaround times for property professionals and citizens.

Getting electricity: The Department for Business Innovation and Skills, the Department for Energy and Climate Change and the energy regulator Ofgem have worked closely to improve the provision of new electricity connections. Ofgem will be implementing measures to remove barriers to competition in the connections market later this year. Increasing competition in the connections market will improve the quality of service and should help to drive down connection costs and times.

Enforcing contracts: The Department for Business Innovation and Skills has been working closely with the Ministry of Justice to improve the speed in at which contract disputes are resolved. The World Bank measures the performance of the court system in London. Central London County Court is undergoing significant transformation to deliver an improved service to court users and make best use of its administrative and judicial resources. The Ministry of Justice have set up a pilot in London where the Central London County Court acts as the multi-track triage centre for London. Previously cases were managed at the individual centres around London before being sent to CLCC for final hearing. This streamlining of the case management process should reduce the length of disputes by between 30 – 90 days.

The Government has taken bold and innovative steps to improve business access to bank and non-bank finance.

A key development has been the establishment of the British Business Bank (BBB) which became operationally independent in November 2014. For the first time, the UK has a permanent institution committed to correcting business finance market failures and driving innovation and competition in the markets. Similar institutions have long been a feature in the access to finance landscape in other countries.

The Bank has made significant progress not just in terms of its establishment but also by the amount of investment that it is already stimulating. Business Bank programmes are currently supporting £1.8bn of finance to over 43,000 smaller businesses, with a further £1.2bn of finance to mid-cap businesses. Over the next five years, it aims to unlock further significant bank and non-bank finance for viable smaller businesses through programmes such as the Enterprise Finance Guarantee, the Start Up Loan programme, the Investment Programme and venture capital programmes.

Government is also legislating to improve business access to finance. Provisions in the Small Business, Enterprise and Employment Bill will require major banks to refer declined small business borrowers to lending platforms. This will help put borrowers in touch with alternatives to their main bank and stimulate the growth of alternative providers. Banks will also be required to share credit data on their small and medium sized business customers with other finance providers via credit reference agencies to make it easier for alternative lenders to lend.

Government is taking steps to improve the information and advice available to potential borrowers through schemes such as ‘My Business Support Tool’. This helps businesses find the support appropriate for their size and situation quickly with businesses being able to speak to, or webchat, with a helpline adviser direct using the Business Support helpline.

Government is also improving competition and choice in finance markets. For example, authorisation processes for new banks have been streamlined, and the seven day Current Account Switching Service will be extended to businesses with a turnover of up to £6.5m from the beginning of April. The British Business Bank’s Investment Programme is co-investing up to £400 million into alternative finance providers, including challenger banks and non-bank lenders such as crowd funding platforms. In addition, the Competition and Market Authority is carrying out a market investigation of SME banking, with provisional findings and a possible remedies notice (if required) expected in September.

Government is using the tax system to support the development of alternative financing. Tax changes announced in last year’s Autumn Statement, for example, will support the development of peer to peer lending and crowdfunding platforms by allowing investors to offset losses from bad loans against other peer to peer income. In addition, the government is boosting the private placement market, which provides long-term funding for business from insurance companies and other non-bank sources, by making an exemption from withholding tax for interest on private placements.

The overall business finance environment is improving. Gross bank lending to small businesses in 2014 was 24% higher than in 2013 and, according to the latest SME Finance Monitor report, 76% of applications for loans and overdrafts made within the last 18 months were successful. Gross lending to all non-financial businesses, including large companies, in 2014 was 16% higher than in 2013. Research published by Nesta in November 2014 shows that the alternative finance market is also increasing rapidly. In 2014, the market raised £1.19 billion for businesses, more than double that raised in 2013.

The Higher Education Statistics Agency (HESA) collects and publishes data on students enrolled at UK higher education institutions. Statistics on first degree qualifiers from electronic and electrical engineering subjects in the academic years 2004/05 to 2013/14 have been provided in the table.

Statistics for the 2014/15 academic year will become available from the Higher Education Statistics Agency in January 2016.

First Degree qualifications obtained by subject

UK Higher Education Institutions

Academic Years 2004/05 to 2013/14

Source: Higher Education Statistics Agency (HESA) Student Record

Notes:

1. Figures have been rounded up or down to the nearest five, so components may not sum to totals.

2. Counts in the table refer to students qualifying from both full-time and part-time courses.

3. Counts by subject are given in terms of full-person equivalents - defined using the Joint Academic Coding System (JACS).

4. Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) courses have been defined as the sum of the JACS subject groupings: Medicine & dentistry, Subjects allied to medicine, Biological sciences, Veterinary science, Agriculture & related subjects, Physical sciences, Mathematical sciences, Computer science, Engineering & technology and Architecture, building & planning.

Information on apprenticeship starts in the Agriculture, Horticulture and Animal Care sector subject area is published in a supplementary table to a Statistical First Release (SFR). Data is published on an academic year basis, rather than financial year:

https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/401393/apprenticeships-starts-by-geography-learner-demographics-and-sector-subject-area.xls

I refer my Rt.Hon. Friend to the answer I gave him on 9 December 2014, UIN 217275.

We have granted 401 licences over the last fifteen years, where there was a reference to the Gripen NG in the goods descriptions, or the end-use was stated on the licence application as being explicitly for the Gripen NG.

Government policy focuses on delivering growth; this in turn partly depends on longer term improvements to productivity. As such, much of the Government’s economic policy is about raising productivity, including but not limited to:

Tax cuts: Government is actively working to reduce the tax burden where possible to help give businesses the confidence to invest and grow. Initiatives announced at this year’s Autumn Statement include a doubling of the Small Business Rate Relief for a further year, and a continued cap on the annual increase in business rates at 2% from April 2015 to March 2016. More widely the UK now has the lowest headline corporate tax rate in the G7 and 4th lowest in the G20. Budget 2013 announced further measures to reduce the main corporate tax rate to 20% by 2015.

Deregulation: Government departments are working together to simplify and reduce the regulatory burden for UK businesses through the Red Tape Challenge, One In, One Out , and One In, Two Out policies. This will create a regulatory environment in which businesses have the confidence to invest and grow. This work is already showing significant signs of success; excluding EU regulation, the estimated annual net cost of regulation to UK business has fallen by £1.5bn since 2011.

Skills: Ensuring employers have access to workers with the right skills plays a crucial role in enhancing the UK’s productivity. This Government has driven up participation in education, employment or training for 16-24 year olds since 2011. Apprenticeship participation has risen by 77% from 2009/10 to 2012/13, and there have been over 2 million Apprentices started since 2010.

The Government is giving employers more direct control over the design and delivery of training solutions to address skills shortages and improve business performance through the Employer Ownership Pilot (EOP) and its successor Employer Ownership Fund (EOF). The Government is completing round 2 of EOP which will be worth £238m and has announced targeted activity for the auto supply chain and engineering under EOF.

Infrastructure: High quality infrastructure is essential for supporting productivity growth. Delivering the right infrastructure at a local, regional and national level, across the UK, is therefore key to the government’s long-term economic plan. Since 2010, this Government has completed 55 major roads and local transport projects, completed major improvements to Kings Cross station as well as 400 other stations, opened Heathrow Terminal 2 and introduced £22 billion of private sector investment in water assets.

The National Infrastructure Plan for 2014 outlines a £466 billion plan for the UK’s infrastructure, of which £189 billion is future investment. This includes £15 billion of road improvements, £38bn investment in rail and £46 billion investment in the gas and electricity network.

Science and Innovation: The government funds and supports innovation in science, technology and engineering to help the UK’s high-tech industries to thrive. This has already seen £600m of government funding committed to the development and commercialisation of eight great technologies, a further £106m investment in new Centres for Doctoral Training, which will train more than 750 new students, and £42m in the creation of the Alan Turing Institute – a world-class research institute specialising in Big Data science. Details of the government’s on-going commitment to science and innovation will feature in the soon to be released Science and Innovation Strategy.

The Government continues to attach high priority to the reduction of unnecessary EU bureaucracy. We have called on the European Commission to step up its efforts in this area, and we therefore welcome the fact that the Commission has created the new post of First Vice-President (Frans Timmermans) with specific responsibility for Better Regulation across the entire Commission.

We succeeded in securing agreement on very positive Conclusions at the 4 December EU Competitiveness Council, which call on the EU institutions to enhance efforts to reduce the overall regulatory burden, and call on the Commission to develop and put in place reduction targets in particularly burdensome areas, especially for SMEs.

In addition, as I reported in my Written Ministerial Statement of 6 November (Column 51WS), since October 2013, 10 out of the 30 recommendations of the Business Taskforce report, “Cut EU red tape”, have been achieved, saving businesses over £200 million, as highlighted in the Taskforce’s progress report published last month at:

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/cut-eu-red-tape-business-taskforce-report-one-year-on

Following the introduction of the EU services directive, the UK has been a leader in pushing for consistent implementation across member states. More recently, the UK published a non-paper on further services liberalisation which has been widely shared in Europe. Its recommendations have attracted considerable support. We have seen positive signals on services liberalisation from the new Single Market Commissioner, Elżbieta Bieńkowska, in her keynote speech on 18^th November and services liberalisation also features in the Commission’s recently published ‘Investment Plan for Europe’.

None. I refer my Rt. Hon. Friend to the answer given by my Rt. Hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs on 4 December 2014 to question 216512.

UK dairy exporters who wish to enter the Chinese market have full access to the range of services offered by UK Trade and Investment, the Government department that helps UK based companies succeed globally. These services include advice from experts, help with introductions to key contacts in China and support for market visits and exhibitions.

The jurisdiction of the Groceries Code Adjudicator already extends to direct suppliers of the large supermarkets in the dairy supply chain. I have no plans to bring forward proposals to extend its remit.

The Adjudicator was created under the Groceries Adjudicator Act 2013 to oversee and to enforce the Groceries Supply Code of Practice. The Code applies to the ten largest grocery retailers in the UK; and governs their commercial relationships with their direct suppliers of food, drink and some household goods. It imposes on retailers an over-arching principle of fair dealing with their suppliers; and includes specific provisions governing terms of supply, the timing of payments, and commercial arrangements related to marketing and promotions.

The Code does not extend to pricing, which is the responsibility of the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA). The CMA can carry out investigations where there is evidence of abuse of a dominant position or market abuse.

Whilst the Government does not generally intervene in what businesses charge consumers for their goods and services, we do recognise the concerns over the current pressures on milk prices. That is why the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs brought forward and chaired a meeting of the Dairy Supply Chain Forum last month. Members – including retailer representatives – discussed the recommendations made in the recent independent review of the dairy industry voluntary Code of Practice, one of which was to explore the possibility of expanding adoption of the Code within the supply chain to include retailers.

I consulted extensively on changes to the reporting framework in 2013 and impact assessments, showing the costs and benefits, were published.

Initial indications are that the Companies Act 2006 (Strategic Report and Directors’ Report) Regulations 2013 regulations, which are one form of integrated reporting, have made a positive impact and will help shareholders in their role as stewards of the companies they own.

Ultimately, good reporting should prevail regardless of the approach but there is nothing in regulation that prevents a company taking a different integrated approach to its reporting should it choose to.

I consulted extensively on changes to the reporting framework in 2013 and impact assessments, showing the costs and benefits, were published.

Initial indications are that the Companies Act 2006 (Strategic Report and Directors’ Report) Regulations 2013 regulations, which are one form of integrated reporting, have made a positive impact and will help shareholders in their role as stewards of the companies they own.

Ultimately, good reporting should prevail regardless of the approach but there is nothing in regulation that prevents a company taking a different integrated approach to its reporting should it choose to.

Eleven licences were granted for the supply of military equipment for incorporation into a Mistral-class amphibious assault ship. The goods licences were granted for as follows:

components for military communications equipment, military communications equipment, software for military communications equipment, technology for military communications equipment, components for military auxiliary/support vessels, technology for military auxiliary/support vessels, components for military guidance/navigation equipment, equipment for the use of military guidance/navigation equipment, components for combat naval vessels, components for military radars, general naval vessel components.

It is not clear whether the components were for the Vladivostok, or the second Mistral-class amphibious assault ship being built in France on behalf of the Russian Navy.

Granting of licenses has been suspended.

This Department is investing £90 million to establish a small number of Centres for Agricultural Innovation. These Centres have similar overarching objectives to Catapult Centres and will drive increased translation of research and levels of innovation in agriculture and its supply chains, whilst both improving UK competitiveness and leadership in the Agri-Tech sector, and encouraging greater inward investment.

Innovate UK is responsible for the establishment of new Catapult Centres, and is guided by specific criteria when considering new sectors and challenges. Whilst the current funding arrangements mean we cannot establish these existing Centres as a Catapult Centre, we will continue to explore the potential future Centres for Agricultural Innovation.

The Department of Business, Innovation and Skills’ funding for agricultural research is through the UK Research Councils and Innovate UK (formerly TSB) as per the figures given below:

Research Council funding for agriculture research:

Innovate UK’s funding for agriculture research:

Numbers of agricultural businesses registered for either VAT and/or PAYE in England are provided in the table below.

These estimates are drawn from the ONS publication ‘UK Business: activity, size and location', which provides information on the number of active VAT and/or PAYE registered businesses in the UK. Any smaller non-employing businesses that are not registered for VAT will not be included. This publication is available at:

http://www.ons.gov.uk/ons/rel/bus-register/uk-business/index.html

1. The figures are based on all VAT/PAYE registered businesses in the SIC industrial classification sector ‘01 Crop and animal production, hunting and related service activities.

2. A small number of businesses were not included on the Inter Departmental Business Register before 2012; the effect at this level of detail is not known but the statistics given here for 2009 to 2011 may be slightly lower than if those businesses had been included.

The KMATRIX reports requested will be placed in the libraries of the House. The report for 2013 is not yet available.

The responsibilities of the Groceries Code Adjudicator (GCA) – as set out in the Groceries Code Adjudicator Act 2013 – do not extend to acting as a complaints body. No formal complaints of the type described have therefore been received.

The Adjudicator has, however, received representations from many farmers concerning their experiences when dealing with the large retailers covered by the GCA regime; and information provided by farmers and by other suppliers will help to inform the GCA's future activities.

To support the international priorities of the Government's industrial strategy for agricultural technologies, UK Trade and Investment (UKTI) has established the Agri-Tech Organisation. This industry-led team provides strategic and practical export support to UK based companies and promotes the UK for inward investment.

The Agri-Tech Organisation is identifying opportunities in mature and early stage markets with the support of the UK Business Ambassador for Agri-Tech and private sector advisers to maximise the UK's agricultural technology sector's growth potential. This includes working closely with UKTI overseas posts in scoping and promoting visits or events.

The Department of Business, Innovation and Skills' expenditure on agricultural research is through the UK Research Councils and the Technology Strategy Board (TSB) as per the figures given below:

Research Council funding for agriculture research:

TSB funding for Research & Development in the agricultural sector:

There are a number of business support schemes available to small businesses, including farmers. However, the Department does not collect data on individual spend to farmers on its business support schemes. Since May 2010, the Department has routinely published details of all expenditure including funding provided through Departmental schemes and programmes. Additionally, the Department's annual report and accounts also provide summary information on a range of programmes that include direct and indirect support to all businesses. The most recent annual report can be found at:

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/bis-annual-report-and-accounts-2012-to-2013

Electricity generation in the U.K. is privatised and the decisions on spare step-up transformers are for the individual generator businesses. Electricity transmission operations in the U.K. are private, regulated businesses. Decisions on spare transmission connected transformers are matters for the transmission businesses, to meet the licence conditions under which they operate; they form an important component in the provision of reliability of supply. The Department of Energy and Climate Change does not hold data on generator step-up transformer or transmission connected transformer quantities held as spares by industry.

The Department of Energy and Climate Change does not hold comprehensive data on generator step-up and transmission connected transformer manufacturers in the U.K. The transformers used in the privatised electricity industry are sourced from manufacturers such as Alstom Grid based in Staffordshire, among others in the UK and globally.

The amounts of coal and oil imported from Russia by the UK for each year between 2008 and 2012 compared to total UK demand for those fuels are shown in the following tables.

Coal

Primary Oil

Petroleum Products

There was no gas imported directly from Russia by the UK.

The value of UK imports of coal, primary oil and petroleum products from Russia between 2008 and 2012 are shown in the following table:

£ Million

There was no gas imported directly from Russia by the UK.

The National Security Council has agreed the high-level findings of the National Security Capability Review. Ministers have agreed that we should finalise the National Security Capability Review with a view to publishing the conclusions in spring.

The Government has declared the following land as surplus in the Coast to Capital LEP area. This does not include sites that were previously declared as surplus and are now disposed.

The Government is working towards its commitment to raise £5 billion from releasing surplus land in 2015 - 2020 and we plan to publish a transparency report on land sales in 2015/16 and 2016/17 shortly.

We are also supporting collaboration across the public sector to make better use of our collective estate. Our successful partnership with the Local Government Association to deliver the One Public Estate programme is now supporting over 90% of councils in England following its latest expansion last month. Through joint working across central and local government and the wider public sector we are delivering more integrated public services, local growth (homes and jobs) and efficiencies.

The Government Property Unit in Cabinet Office is responsible for overseeing implementation of the Government Estate Strategy. This means working with Government Departments to ensure the estate is efficient and fit-for-purpose to support operations now and in the future.

The GPU commissions Departments to produce annual Strategic Asset Management Plans, setting out how they plan to implement the Government Estate Strategy within their property portfolio.

Government is working towards our commitment to raise £5 billion from releasing surplus land in 2015 - 2020. In doing so, our ambition is to also unlock land with capacity for 160,000 new homes.

We are also supporting collaboration across the public sector to make better use of our collective estate. Our successful partnership with the Local Government Association to deliver the One Public Estate programme aims to support 95% of councils in England by 2018. Through joint working across central and local Government and the wider public sector we are delivering more integrated public services, local growth (homes and jobs) and efficiencies. We are currently in the process of further expanding the One Public Estate programme. In addition to new and existing partnerships applying for funding and support to deliver collaborative schemes, we have partnered with the Department for Communities and Local Government to include a £45 million capital Local Authority Land Release Fund. This combination of One Public Estate and DCLG funding and support will be a significant boost to unlocking public land for new homes. The current partnerships are expected to release land to deliver 25,000 housing units by 2020.

The Government Property Unit is responsible for minimising vacancy by supporting departments to sell, sublet, find alternative use, and to do early surrenders. Interventions such as these have contributed significantly to minimising the vacancy rates and cost to the taxpayer.

As shown in the State of the Estate Report 2015-16 published in February 2017, total vacant space represents 1.4% of the entire Central Estate, a drop of 2% from 2014–15. This is well below the average in the private sector of 8.9%.

No buildings appear on the unit’s electronic property system as vacant in the Mid-Sussex area. The buildings listed below are currently listed for disposal in the West Sussex region. There are no other records marked as surplus, or offering vacant space in West Sussex, or the Mid-Sussex constituency:

I refer My Rt. Hon Friend to the answer I gave to the hon. Member for Hemsworth on 7 February 2017 to UIN: 62923.

The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority. I have asked the Authority to reply.

The Cabinet Office does not hold any information relating to the use of opinion poll companies by other government departments.

Government has supported a Cyber Higher Apprenticeship programme delivered by the Tech Partnership with Training Provider QA, creating more than 250 new roles across industry for school leavers. New Cyber Intrusion Analyst and Cyber Security Technologist Trailblazer Apprenticeships have been developed which are now available to Employers and Apprentices. We have also integrated a cyber stream into the Fast Track Civil Service Apprenticeship scheme, offering 50 new roles across government with another cohort joining this year. Additionally, GCHQ has its own apprenticeship scheme incorporating cyber security. Since 2012, over 170 new apprentices have either graduated or joined the tailored two year foundation degree course.

As announced by the Chancellor in November 2015, we are working with Employers to develop a Cyber Security Higher Apprenticeship pilot scheme that will address cyber skills gaps in three critical sectors: Transport, Finance and Energy. These apprenticeships will combine relevant cyber content, with sector-specific training. Industry in each sector will play a leading role in defining the additional course content. We will launch a targeted marketing campaign to encourage businesses and young people to consider a cyber apprenticeship with opportunities being advertised shortly.

The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority. I have asked the Authority to reply.

The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority. I have asked the Authority to reply.

In 2013, the Cabinet Office and the Local Government Association came together to launch the One Public Estate programme, a pioneering initiative designed to support central and local government to work collaboratively on land and property solutions.

It brings together all public sector bodies within a locality to work together in developing a radically new approach to managing their land and property. By pooling data on their asset holdings and developing joint plans to share property and release surplus land and buildings for other uses, the programme is designed to:

• Deliver significant savings for the taxpayer,
• Provide better, more integrated local services, in places which are more convenient for users; and
• Release land and property which can be reused for housing and new enterprise, boosting local jobs, growth and house-building.

Two years on, the programme has already shown that, with small levels of investment and support, a great deal can be achieved. The 12 pilot areas that joined the programme in year 1 expect to cut running costs in the order of £21 million and to raise £88 million in capital receipts by 2018, as well as creating 7,500 new homes and 5,500 new jobs.

An additional £6m was announced at Summer Budget to expand the programme, with larger partnerships of councils and more ambitious schemes. 126 councils, working in 29 partnerships, have applied to join a third phase of the programme.

The 2015 National Security Strategy, informed by the National Security Risk Assessment, is considering a wide range of risks including those to our economic and financial security.

The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority. I have asked the Authority to reply.

The Major Projects Leadership Academy is delivered through the Oxford SaÏd Business School, in partnership with Deloitte. I will place a copy of the Major Projects Leadership Academy curriculum and a reading list in the House of Commons Library shortly and publish them at https://www.gov.uk/government/policies/managing-major-projects-more-effectively

The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority. I have asked the Authority to reply.

The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority. I have asked the Authority to reply.

The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority. I have asked the Authority to reply.

The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority. I have asked the Authority to reply.

The Voting Membership of the Main Honours Committee comprises Head of the Civil Service (Chair); Chairs of the 9 Honours Committees; Chief of the Defence Staff; Permanent Secretary of the Foreign & Commonwealth Office; another Permanent Secretary; Cabinet Secretary and a representative from the Prime Minister's Office. Membershipfor the past five years is set out below. Current membership of all honours committees is available at www.gov.uk/honours-committees.

A copy of the table listing the Membership of the committee over the last 5 years will be placed in the Library of the House.

The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority. I have asked the Authority to reply.

The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority. I have asked the Authority to reply.

The Department has not made any formal assessment of the security of supply of rare earth elements. However, neodymium and dysprosium are included on the EU’s list of critical raw materials, because of their high economic importance and high supply risk. Tellurium is not on that list, but the Government is aware of its scarcity and importance to manufacturing of alloys and some electronic equipment.

We enjoy strong relationships with a huge range of companies and business representatives and through those conversations we have not been made aware of any specific concerns regarding the supply of these materials.

I can also confirm that I have not held specific conversations with any country regarding rare earth elements. However, the UK Government’s long-held approach to ensuring sufficient supply of materials is through lobbying for free, fair and open global markets. As my rt. hon Friend the Prime Minister has stated, we want to ensure that we promote the greatest possible trade with the world.

Through our day-to-day contacts with industry, we will continue to monitor the situation.

The Department has not made any formal assessment of the security of supply of rare earth elements. However, neodymium and dysprosium are included on the EU’s list of critical raw materials, because of their high economic importance and high supply risk. Tellurium is not on that list, but the Government is aware of its scarcity and importance to manufacturing of alloys and some electronic equipment.

We enjoy strong relationships with a huge range of companies and business representatives and through those conversations we have not been made aware of any specific concerns regarding the supply of these materials.

I can also confirm that I have not held specific conversations with any country regarding rare earth elements. However, the UK Government’s long-held approach to ensuring sufficient supply of materials is through lobbying for free, fair and open global markets. As my rt. hon Friend the Prime Minister has stated, we want to ensure that we promote the greatest possible trade with the world.

Through our day-to-day contacts with industry, we will continue to monitor the situation.

The Industrial Strategy sets out the Government’s vision to make the UK a global centre for Artificial Intelligence (AI) and data innovation. We have committed to improving the UK's system for training in digital skills and lifelong learning, to ensure that working people have the support they need to benefit from the opportunities offered by automation towards a higher-wage future. Government is in regular discussion with business and business representative organisations, including issues affecting the workforce.

The AI Sector Deal brings together commitments from Government, Industry and Academia in a £0.95bn package of support to promote the adoption and use of AI, supported by up to £110 million government investment, which includes:

• 16 New Centres for Doctoral Training at universities across the country, delivering 1,000 new PhDs over the next 5 years;
• New prestigious AI fellowships to attract and retain the top AI talent, underpinned by up to £50m of funding agreed at Autumn Budget; and
• Industry-funding for new AI Masters places.

Government is investing £406 million in maths, digital and technical education, and in the 2018 Autumn Budget, my rt. hon. Friend Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer announced an initial £100 million to start the roll out of the National Retraining Scheme, an ambitious, far-reaching programme to drive adult learning and retraining.

As part of the UK Industrial Strategy, government will be refreshing the 2015 national strategy for quantum technologies in collaboration with National Quantum Technologies Programme (NQTP) partners.

This will follow a refresh of the programme’s governance arrangements, in response to the scale of private investment anticipated under phase 2 of the 10-year NQTP.

In Autumn Statement 2013, the UK government announced an investment of £270m over five years into the first phase of the NQTP, intended to move quantum technology out of laboratories and into the marketplace, to boost British business and make a real difference to everyday lives.

The national strategy itself was drawn up in 2015 by the Quantum Technologies Strategic Advisory Board (QT SAB). It was published by Innovate UK and the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) and its recommendations are delivered mainly through the work of the NQTP. In 2018, the UK government committed a further £315m (subject to business case approval) towards the second phase – due to start in 2019.

The strategy aims to create a coherent government, industry and academic community that will give the UK a world-leading position in the emerging multi-billion-pound quantum technology markets, delivering transformational improvements across areas as diverse as sensing, imaging, computing and communications, and substantially enhancing the value of some of the biggest UK-based industries such as finance, defence, aerospace, energy and telecommunications.

The evidence gathered by the British Antarctic Survey shows significant changes in the Antarctic ice sheet that have occurred due to human-induced climate change, and natural phenomena, over recent years. Reports produced by the British Antarctic Survey form an important contribution to reports produced by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC).

The Antarctic ice sheet contribution to sea level rise has been growing in recent years and represents a significant fraction of the total. The recent IPCC’s Special Report on Global Warming of 1.5°C states that instabilities exist for the Antarctic and Greenland ice sheets, which could result in multi-metre rises in sea level over timescales of centuries to millennia. According to the IPCC there is “medium confidence” that these instabilities could be triggered at around 1.5°C to 2°C of global warming above pre-industrial levels.

Satellite observations show that since 2002, the Antarctic ice sheet has been losing 127 billion tonnes of mass per year, and that the IPCC’s Fifth Assessment Report states that the average rate of ice loss from the Antarctic ice sheet has likely increased from 30 gigatonnes per year over the period 1992-2001, to 147 gigatonnes per year over the period 2002 to 2011.

These findings emphasise the importance of international collaborative research, such as the £20 million UK-US International Thwaites Glacier Collaboration in Antarctica, to understand its ice sheet stability and potential impacts on future global sea-level rise.

The IPCC will publish a Special Report on Oceans and Cryosphere in a Changing Climate later this year, which will include an up-to-date assessment of observed and projected changes in the Antarctic region. Once published, we will respond to these findings in due course.

The Government published the 2017-18 Better Regulation Annual Report in July 2018, which gave an assessment of the total progress that the Government has made towards the Business Impact Target and individual departmental totals. The next annual report is due to be published in the Summer.

Diversity in our energy mix provides vital insurance against future uncertainty and in ensuring security of supply can be maintained. As part of this, nuclear power as well as other low carbon power technologies have an important role to play in the UK’s energy future as we transition to a low carbon economy.

We regularly compare the impact on electricity system costs of deploying technologies, as well as assessing their impact on energy security, decarbonisation and consumer bills. This includes looking at the benefits smaller reactors can provide to the UK energy mix.

This will also include considering the findings of the Expert Finance Working Group which was set up to advise Government on how small reactor projects could raise private investment in the UK, and the outputs from the Advanced Modular Reactor (AMR) R&D Programme of which all 8 participants have now submitted their feasibility studies

The Government recognises the potential long-term value of small modular reactor (SMR) technology and in October announced £7m funding over the next 2 years to build capacity of the UK nuclear regulators to support and assess advanced nuclear technologies like SMRs. We expect to make further announcements of SMR policy in the coming months.

In January 2017 we launched our Industrial Strategy Green Paper, ‘Building our Industrial Strategy’.

The objective of our modern Industrial Strategy is to improve living standards and drive economic growth by increasing productivity and making sure that growth is spread across the whole country.

We have set up a £23 billion National Productivity Investment Fund to drive improved productivity across the country; including a £4.7bn increase in investment for science, research and innovation – the biggest increase in any Parliament in almost 40 years.

We are also supporting a new private sector initiative led by Sir Charlie Mayfield with up to £13 million grant funding over three years to raise business awareness of productivity and to provide practical tools to businesses to improve productivity.

The Government is working collaboratively with industry and skills bodies, including through the Nuclear Skills Strategy Group (NSSG), to ensure the nuclear industry has access to the required engineering and science capabilities. The NSSG reports up to the Nuclear Industry Council which I co-chair, and Nuclear Industry Association Chair, John Hutton, which will be considering skills initiatives as a key pillar of the developing Industrial Strategy. The pipeline of future scientists and engineers needed for the sector is being strengthened through national Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) education as well as Government-backed skills initiatives such as the Apprenticeship Levy and the National College for Nuclear. The National College for Nuclear aims to train 7,000 people by 2020, with the first intake of students to begin in Autumn.

The Government is fully committed to maintaining the UK’s world-leading science, research and higher education base.

According to Higher Education Statistics Agency (HESA) data, the University of Chichester in West Sussex received public research funding, from Higher Education Funding Council for England and the Research Councils, of £802,000 in 2015/16. HESA data shows that 19 institutions in the South East, which includes the universities of Oxford, Southampton and Reading, but excludes London, received a total of £544 million of public research funding in 2015/16.

The Autumn Statement 2016 announcement of an extra £2 billion a year in research and development by 2020- 21 underlines the place of science and innovation at the heart of this Government’s industrial strategy.

The Government published the Industrial Strategy Green Paper on 23 January 2017.

This document outlines how Government intends to build on the diverse strengths of our cities and regions, including Sussex, using record investment in infrastructure, research and innovation and inward investment to ensure higher growth is seen across the UK.

We welcome responses from all businesses, organisations and individuals from mid and West Sussex who wish to contribute, including the Coast to Capital Local Enterprise Partnership.

The Department for Education (DfE) is responsible for the Construction Industry Training Board (CITB), the body that supports training and skills in construction.

DfE is currently working closely with employers in the construction industry to develop new apprenticeships for the sector. While evidence suggests there are sufficient learners going through the skills system, with over 200,000 construction qualifications being taken each year, reforms set out in the skills plan (July 2016) will ensure these qualifications become more relevant and meet the industry’s needs.

Additionally, the Construction Leadership Council, the business led sector council which advises Government on key strategic issues, has investigated the labour model in the construction industry and commissioned an independent report (published in October 2016), making recommendations for industry and Government. The Government is currently considering the review’s recommendations.

The Government has implemented a basic broadband scheme to enable all premises to gain access to speeds of at least 2Mbps. This enables residents to gain access to every government service available online. Funding for subsidised connections through the scheme is provided by Broadband Delivery UK (BDUK) as part of the government's superfast broadband programme. Consumers in eligible premises can access services from any of the suppliers who have been entered onto the scheme by BDUK.

In addition it is the Government's intention to implement a new broadband Universal Service Obligation. This will give people the legal right to request a broadband connection, no matter where they live, by the end of this Parliament. Our ambition is that the minimum download speed should initially be set at 10 Mbps.

The rate payable by gambling operators will be informed by this independent economic analysis of the funding of horseracing and further discussion with the betting and racing industries. We will be consulting on the findings of the report with both industries within the next few weeks and intend to publish the report in due course.

The rate payable by gambling operators will be informed by this independent economic analysis of the funding of horseracing and further discussion with the betting and racing industries. We will be consulting on the findings of the report with both industries within the next few weeks and intend to publish the report in due course.

I have had no discussions with the Royal Parks about the estate yard in Hyde Park. Following my decision this year to increase the capital allocation for the parks, my officials have been in discussion with TRP about rebuilding the existing ageing Hyde Park nursery facility. Planning on this is underway and, subject to relevant permissions, when complete will enable the estate to grow 95% of its plants on site in a new more efficient building.

By the end of phase two of the Superfast Broadband Programme approximately 95% of homes and businesses in West Sussex will have access to superfast broadband. For the Mid Sussex constituency over 96% of premises will have access to superfast broadband by the end of the project.

To inform work to replace the current levy system, we have commissioned an independent economic analysis of the costs and funding of horseracing. This economic analysis work will also examine relevant comparable models

Officials have held discussions with the European Commission on the compatibility of a new Horserace Betting Right with the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union.

Work is continuing on the detailed policy design of the replacement for the existing levy. We will make a further announcement in due course.

To inform work to replace the current levy system, we have commissioned an independent economic analysis of the costs and funding of horseracing. This economic analysis work will also examine relevant comparable models.

To inform work to replace the current levy system, we have commissioned an independent economic analysis of the costs and funding of horseracing. This economic analysis work will also examine relevant comparable models, including the Australian system, however any reform of the Levy will need to comply with EU law.

The levy rate is set annually and is paid by bookmakers based in Great Britain, it does not currently apply to betting operators based offshore. The Government remains committed to replacing the current levy system to create a level playing field for British based and offshore gambling operators.

Work is continuing on the detailed policy design of the replacement for the existing levy.

As part of the design work we commissioned an independent economic analysis of the costs and funding of racing. This will draw on information provided by betting and racing, and will be key to assessing what level of funding from betting to racing would be reasonable.

We will make a further announcement in due course

Work is continuing on the detailed policy design of the replacement for the existing levy. We will make a further announcement in due course.

The Government continually assesses a range of possible risks to the UK’s infrastructure, and arrangements are in place across Government and industry to ensure the ongoing resilience and availability of services.

Current and Capital Expenditure for Kew Palace - 2001-02 to 2014-15.

As a self-financing, Royal Charter Body with charitable status, Historic Royal Palaces' definition of current and capital expenditure may differ from those used within government. The representation expenditure represents the final phase of the overall £6.6 million repair and representation project culminating in the re-opening of Kew Palace in 2006. All figures in the table exclude non-recoverable VAT (currently an additional 13%.)

Due to HRP's success at Kew, it has taken on and is now representing the Royal Kitchens and is in the process of planning the same for the Great Pagoda, both transferred from the Royal Botanic Gardens. Spending increases since 2006 are as a result of these openings.

The Government funded programme rollout of superfast broadband is progressing well and is on track to provide access to superfast broadband to 95% of the UK by the end of 2017. Over 2.5m premises how have access to superfast broadband for the first time and it is being made available to a further 40,000 homes and businesses every week.

My Department has not made an assessment of the value to the tourist economy of military, ceremonial and pageantry activities in London. However, VisitBritain estimates that visitors drawn here by the appeal of our culture and heritage spend over £6.8 billion annually (out of a total overseas visitor spend of £21.8 billion in 2014). Around £500 million of that figure can be attributed to attractions and events with a connection to Britain’s royal heritage.

Music is compulsory in the national curriculum for 5 to 14 year olds. At primary school level, data from the Omnibus Survey in 2017 reveals that the average amount of teaching time in primary schools was broadly similar to the amount of time spent teaching history and geography. At secondary schools, the data from the school workforce census in the table below shows that the proportion of time spent teaching music between 2010 and 2017 has remained broadly stable.

This Government recognises the importance of quality language teaching at primary and secondary school. Ofsted are responsible for inspecting maintained schools and academies, including language provision.

The Department has made languages compulsory at Key Stage 2. Modern foreign languages (MFLs) are compulsory at Key Stage 3, giving pupils skills and knowledge and broadening their horizons. At Key Stage 4, languages are an essential part of the EBacc combination of core academic subjects. The proportion of pupils studying languages has risen from 40% in 2010 to 46% in 2018. Ofsted plans to conduct research into languages at secondary schools and is due to report on this in 2019-20.

In 2016, Her Majesty’s former Chief Inspector, Sir Michael Wilshaw, reported that the majority of primary-age pupils in schools visited enjoyed having the chance to learn a foreign language. The report did however note concerns including a lack of allocated time to study languages. The Department is developing greater expertise in secondary school provision of languages, and will use this to encourage improvements in primary provision. Sir Michael’s comments can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/government/speeches/hmcis-monthly-commentary-may-2016.

The Department is developing a number of initiatives to encourage improved languages provision in schools including an MFL Pedagogy Hub pilot programme, a Mandarin Excellence Programme, and a package of financial incentives to attract the best candidates into MFL teaching.

Currently, there are two maths schools, Exeter Mathematics School and King’s College London Mathematics School, both of which opened in 2014.

The Government has not set a specific target for the number of maths schools it will establish in each of the next five years. We want to work with leading universities to establish high quality schools, ensuring our most mathematically able students succeed in mathematics related disciplines at top universities.

The Government is committed to raising both the standard of, and pupil participation in, science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) education at all stages of education.

As my Rt hon. Friend, the Chancellor of the Exchequer announced at the 2017 autumn budget, we are investing an additional £33 million to expand the Teaching for Mastery mathematics programme and will introduce a new premium for 16-19 providers of up to £600 per additional student studying advanced mathematics qualifications. The Government has also invested an additional £84 million to improve the teaching of computing and drive up participation in computer science

To improve the development of technical STEM skills, the Government is introducing a national system of 15 technical routes, which will include digital, engineering and manufacturing. The new T levels, which will be developed with employers, will provide progression opportunities into skilled work or higher level study, including degrees. Together with the work already underway to reform the apprenticeships system including STEM apprenticeships, they will provide a reformed, comprehensive and high quality technical option.

The Higher Education Statistics Agency (HESA) collects and publishes statistics on students obtaining qualifications from UK Higher Education Institutions (HEIs). The latest statistics refer to the academic year 2016/17: https://www.hesa.ac.uk/news/11-01-2018/sfr247-higher-education-student-statistics/qualifications.

Information on first degree qualifiers in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) subjects from the academic year 2013/14 onwards has been provided in the table below.

First degree qualifiers¹ in STEM² subjects at UK HEIs

Academic years 2013/14 to 2016/17

Source: HESA Student Record

Notes

1. Counts are on the basis of full-person-equivalents. Where a student is studying more than one subject, they are apportioned between the subjects that make up their course.
2. STEM subjects are defined by HESA as subject groups A to K under the JACS3 classification. More information is available here: https://www.hesa.ac.uk/support/documentation/jacs/jacs3-detailed.
3. Figures rounded to nearest five and so the sum of columns may not add to totals.

The Government offers financial incentives, including scholarships and tax-free bursaries, for trainee teachers. These are typically worth up to £26,000 for trainees in priority subjects, including modern foreign languages (MFL). The Department has also developed a number of measures to encourage more MFL specialists into initial teacher training (ITT). These include targeted marketing campaigns, providing support to potential ITT applicants across priority subjects to increase the proportion of successful applications; and providing seed funding to higher education institutions to develop an offer for languages degree students to opt-in to complete qualified teacher status alongside their undergraduate degree.

The Department has developed programmes including the ‘Teacher Subject Specialism Training’ (TSST), to attract existing teachers into MFL. TSST aims to enhance the MFL expertise of current teachers and provide more targeted support to help returning teachers and career changers into the profession.

The Department is creating expert hubs for languages that will share best practice in pedagogy among schools. These hubs will improve access to high quality, modern MFL teaching. Further details will be announced in due course.

This is a matter for Her Majesty’s Chief Inspector, Amanda Spielman. I have asked her to write to you and a copy of her reply will be placed in the Libraries of both Houses.

I refer my Rt hon. Friend for Mid Sussex to the answer I gave on 23 October 2017 to 108593:

http://www.parliament.uk/business/publications/written-questions-answers-statements/written-question/Commons/2017-10-18/108593/.

The Department has reformed the computer science GCSEs and A level so that they provide a stronger foundation for further academic and vocational study, and better prepare students for higher education. The new, more rigorous computer science curriculum is designed to ensure that pupils acquire the knowledge and skills they need to become active creators of digital technology, and the department has funded support for teachers to deliver it.

Since 2012 we have invested £5m in the Network of Teaching Excellence in Computer Science run by Computing at School (CAS), which has built a national network of over 400 ‘Master Teachers’ whom schools can commission to provide bespoke training for their teachers.

An additional £500,000 competitive match-funded scheme has supported innovative approaches to promoting excellent computing teaching with generous additional investment and engagement from industry leaders, including projects backed by Microsoft and Google.

The inclusion of computer science in the English Baccalaureate has also helped to ensure that more pupils obtain a high-quality GCSE qualification in this important subject, preparing them to complete further study in computing-related fields.

From our Supporting Mental Health in Schools and Colleges survey (2017), we have identified many schools that offer training to staff on mental health. (https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/634726/Supporting_Mental-Health_survey_report.pdf).

The Children and Young People’s Mental Health Green Paper, to be published before the end of the year, will consider how we secure consistent and quality training.

Round Two of the Teaching and Leadership Innovation Fund (TLIF) is planned to launch in January 2018, with funding of up to £45 million. The TLIF seeks to fund high-quality professional development for teachers and school leaders in the schools and areas of England that need it most. Round Two will focus on a range of specific policy areas, including promoting good mental wellbeing and supporting good mental health in schools. More information on the TLIF Round Two will be available in due course.

I am sorry, but the Department does not hold data on the parliamentary constituency of care leavers, so the information requested is not available for Mid Sussex constituency. Data on the activity of care leavers is only available for those aged up to and including 21 years.

The number of care leavers aged 19 to 21 years old in West Sussex in 2015-16 was 305, of which 125 were not in education, employment or training.

For care leavers aged 17 to 18 years old, of the 135 who were in West Sussex, 50 were not in education, employment or training. Information on care leavers aged 17 and 18 years old was collected for the first time for the year ending 31 March 2016 and is published as experimental statistics.

These figures were published in 2016 in the statistical release “Children looked after in England including adoption: 2015 to 2016 (SFR 41/2016)”, https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/children-looked-after-in-england-including-adoption-2015-to-2016.

Good mental health is a priority for the Government. On 9 January, the Prime Minister committed to a range of activity to improve the lives of children including the publication of a Children and Young People’s Mental Health Green Paper by the end of this year.

We are working with the Department of Health to ensure Mental Health First Aid training is available to all secondary schools, with the aim of having trained at least one teacher in every secondary school by 2019. Funding is split between the Department of Health and Mental Health First Aid England. By the end of this year, 1000 places will be delivered across 100 courses, with one representative from each school per course. The scheme will extend in 2018 and 2019 to cover every secondary school in England.

Many secondary and an increasing number of primary schools provide pupils with access to counselling support. In order to provide schools with the help they need to deliver this provision effectively, the Department published a blueprint for school counselling services. Further details can be found at: www.gov.uk/government/publications/counselling-in-schools.

The Government recognises that teachers are not mental health professionals. Where more serious problems occur, it is expected that pupils should receive additional support from, amongst others, professionals working in specialist Children and Young People’s Mental Health Services (CYPMHS), voluntary organisations and local GP practices. The Department is extending its pilot to identify points of contact for mental health in schools and NHS CYPMHS to up to 1200 more schools and colleges in 20 additional Clinical Commissioning Group areas.

Good mental health is a priority for the Government. On 9 January, the Prime Minister committed to a range of activity to improve the lives of children including the publication of a Children and Young People’s Mental Health Green Paper by the end of this year.

We are working with the Department of Health to ensure Mental Health First Aid training is available to all secondary schools, with the aim of having trained at least one teacher in every secondary school by 2019. Funding is split between the Department of Health and Mental Health First Aid England. By the end of this year, 1000 places will be delivered across 100 courses, with one representative from each school per course. The scheme will extend in 2018 and 2019 to cover every secondary school in England.

Many secondary and an increasing number of primary schools provide pupils with access to counselling support. In order to provide schools with the help they need to deliver this provision effectively, the Department published a blueprint for school counselling services. Further details can be found at: www.gov.uk/government/publications/counselling-in-schools.

The Government recognises that teachers are not mental health professionals. Where more serious problems occur, it is expected that pupils should receive additional support from, amongst others, professionals working in specialist Children and Young People’s Mental Health Services (CYPMHS), voluntary organisations and local GP practices. The Department is extending its pilot to identify points of contact for mental health in schools and NHS CYPMHS to up to 1200 more schools and colleges in 20 additional Clinical Commissioning Group areas.

I will write to the Rt hon. Member with the information requested. This answer is delayed due to Department officials quality assuring the information requested. A copy of the letter will be placed in the House libraries.

The Regional Schools Commissioner for the South East and South London (SESL) and members of his team meet senior officials from West Sussex County Council (WSCC) regularly. Following the publication of the Key Stage 2 (KS2) and Key Stage 4 (KS4) results for 2017 officials challenged WSCC on the poor performance of West Sussex local council (LC) maintained schools at KS2 in particular. Provisional Key Stage 1 data shows that the LC is below the national average in all subject areas. We also asked them to set out their plans to address that performance.

SESL officials also examine the performance of academies and academy trusts, and ask them to account for poor performance. Where we have concerns, we may commission experienced Education Advisers to visit individual schools to assess the trust’s capacity to make improvements. Depending on the adviser’s findings we may direct the trust to take specific actions and will continue to monitor progress closely where we have concerns.

Officials are working with WSCC to improve the performance of maintained schools and academies in West Sussex in a number of ways. Following their most recent meeting with WSCC, officials will be issuing a joint statement of school improvement principles to the sector to help demonstrate that we are taking a coordinated approach. They are also working with WSCC to develop and coordinate strong and strategic bids for support under the School to School Improvement Fund, building on a project to support maths at KS2 that was supported in the first round.

Operationally, officials are in active discussions with WSCC to identify specific schools where an academy solution would be beneficial post KS2 results, and to undertake a programme of joint visits to those schools to encourage them to move to academy status. Officials have also asked WSCC to support multi academy trusts (MAT) looking to deliver school improvement via the MAT Development and Improvement Fund in approaching LC schools to join those MATs and access the available support. This funding is targeted specifically at Achieving Excellence Areas in Arun, Worthing and Crawley.

I will write to the Rt hon. Member with the information requested. This answer is delayed due to Department officials quality assuring the information requested. A copy of the letter will be placed in the House libraries.

The Department primarily allocates revenue funding at local authority level.

The schools block allocation for individual maintained schools for the financial year and academies for the academic year are published online for the following years:

2016-17: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/schools-block-funding-allocations-2016-to-2017.

2015-16: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/schools-block-funding-allocations-2015-to-2016

2014-15: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/schools-block-funding-allocations-2014-to-2015

2013-14: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/schools-block-funding-allocations-2013-to-2014

The Department did not publish online the school block allocation for individual schools in 2012-13.

Individual school allocations for 2017-18 will be published later this year. The formulae that local authorities have used to distribute funding to schools this year are published at: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/schools-block-funding-formulae-2017-to-2018.

We recently consulted on a national funding formula for schools. We believe that the current funding arrangements are unfair and we remain committed to changing them.

We received over 25,000 responses to the consultation, which we are analysing in detail. We are grateful to all those who expressed their views on school funding and the proposed formula as part of this process. We will publish the response to the consultation in due course. We are unable to confirm the funding each school will receive in future years.

The Department primarily allocates revenue funding at local authority level.

The schools block allocation for individual maintained schools for the financial year and academies for the academic year are published online for the following years:

2016-17: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/schools-block-funding-allocations-2016-to-2017.

2015-16: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/schools-block-funding-allocations-2015-to-2016

2014-15: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/schools-block-funding-allocations-2014-to-2015

2013-14: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/schools-block-funding-allocations-2013-to-2014

The Department did not publish online the school block allocation for individual schools in 2012-13.

Individual school allocations for 2017-18 will be published later this year. The formulae that local authorities have used to distribute funding to schools this year are published at: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/schools-block-funding-formulae-2017-to-2018.

We recently consulted on a national funding formula for schools. We believe that the current funding arrangements are unfair and we remain committed to changing them.

We received over 25,000 responses to the consultation, which we are analysing in detail. We are grateful to all those who expressed their views on school funding and the proposed formula as part of this process. We will publish the response to the consultation in due course. We are unable to confirm the funding each school will receive in future years.

Her Majesty’s Chief Inspector is responsible for Ofsted’s common inspection framework, school inspection handbook and safeguarding guidance, which set out how inspectors consider and report on these matters. The school inspection handbook sets out that inspectors should evaluate the experience of particular individuals and groups, including those with mental health needs.

It also includes as a grade descriptor for outstanding schools that “pupils make informed choices about healthy eating, fitness and their emotional and mental wellbeing”. Inspectors must evaluate how well schools fulfil their statutory and other responsibilities, and how well staff exercise their professional judgement, in keeping pupils safe.

The report of the Sussex area review was published on 29 November 2016 and can be found at https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/sussex-further-education-area-review-report. Copies of the draft report were sent to Hon members on the 23 June 2016, in advance of their meeting with officials to discuss the recommendations arising from the review prior to publication.

The Sussex Area Review, which included Central Sussex College, was undertaken earlier this year and a report of the review was published on 29 November 2016. It can be found on gov.uk: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/sussex-further-education-area-review-report.

Following the recommendations of the review, Central Sussex College and Chichester College announced in November 2016 that they are working towards a potential merger of the two colleges. Government will continue to work with both colleges to secure a high quality and financially resilient merged college that meets the educational and economic needs of the Sussex area

Central Sussex College is closing its Hayward Heath campus in summer 2017 and with the college, we are continuing to work with West Sussex County Council to secure a future educational use of the site.

In July 2016, we published the refreshed cross-government care leaver strategy ‘Keep on Caring’. It set out the five outcomes that we want to achieve for care leavers, that they: are better prepared to live independently; are supported to access education, employment and training; experience stability and feel safe and secure; have good health and wellbeing; and achieve financial stability. ’Keep on Caring’ is available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/keep-on-caring-supporting-young-people-from-care-to-independence

Through the Children and Social Work Bill we are introducing a set of corporate parenting principles that will govern how local authorities deliver services to children in care and care leavers, placing a new requirement on local authorities to consult on and publish their local offer for care leavers; and we are extending the role of the Personal Advisor to age 25 for all care leavers.

In addition, we are developing the Care Leaver Covenant to encourage the whole of society to support care leavers. We have also announced plans to pilot Staying Close, as an alternative to Staying Put for young people leaving residential care; and we will develop Social Impact Bonds focused on supporting care leavers into education, employment and training.

This Government is committed to radically reforming the children’s social care system to ensure the most vulnerable children can fulfil their potential. The Innovation Programme is at the heart of this.

In its first two years the Innovation Programme invested £110million in 53 projects operating across 59% of all top-tier local authorities and involving over 120 public, private and voluntary sector organisations to test new approaches in children’s social care.

Evaluation is central to the Innovation Programme to build a strong evidence base of what works to improve outcomes for children. Independent project evaluation reports, co-ordinated by Oxford University’s Rees Centre, will be published over the next few months, with programme-wide thematic reports in summer 2017.

In April, we committed a further £200million to support innovation and improvement in children’s social care. We have recently announced funding to scale up a number of projects that have shown early signs of success, including for Pause to expand their programme supporting women to break the cycle of repeat pregnancy and social care interventions.

In 2014/15, one state funded mainstream primary school in West Sussex was rated in the top 250 in England for Key Stage 2 National Curriculum assessment outcomes at level 5 and above in reading, writing and mathematics.

The percentage of pupils achieving level 5 and above in reading, writing and mathematics for 2014/15 is published at school level as part of the ‘Primary school performance tables, key stage 2: 2015 (final)’ publication[1].

Information on attainment under the new national curriculum tests at Key Stage 2 was published at school level as part of the ‘Primary school performance tables, key stage 2: 2016 (revised)’ publication on 15^th December 2016.

[1] https://www.compare-school-performance.service.gov.uk/

My officials have had two face-to-face meetings this term with lead West Sussex County Council officers to discuss school performance. These meetings have focused on particular concerns about results at Key Stage 2, as results at Key Stage 4 were better. At KS2 West Sussex were 144^th out of 150 local authorities in England, compared to 52^nd of 150 at KS4.

These meetings resulted in agreement about maintained schools that will be considered for sponsored academy status, and academy trusts, which will be challenged by the Regional Schools Commissioner for poor performance in their schools. West Sussex County Council have issued warning notices to four primary schools identified as performing particularly badly. DfE officials will continue to meet the local authority to discuss schools causing particular concern.

The Regional Schools Commissioner has visited West Sussex twice this term at the invitation of the local authority, and has spoken to heads and governors about current issues affecting schools. Officials are following this up with individual meetings with schools to discuss concerns and options for converting to academy status, joining together as multi-academy trusts, and other ways forward.

As confirmed in the Area Review Guidance published in March 2016, we will publish the area review reports once each wave of the reviews has been completed. We expect to publish the Sussex area review report by the end of November 2016.

Information on pupil performance in West Sussex and nationally at Key Stages 1, 2 and 4 is published as part of the “Phonics screening check and key stage 1 assessments: England 2016”[1], “National curriculum assessments: key stage 2, 2016 (provisional)”[2] and “GCSE and equivalent results: 2015 to 2016 (provisional)”[3] statistical first releases (SFRs).

The Department no longer collects information on Key Stage 3 results. Further details are available in the secondary school accountability consultation response[4].

The table below shows 2016 teacher assessed provisional attainment information for pupils at the end of Key Stage 1:

[1] https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/phonics-screening-check-and-key-stage-1-assessments-england-2016

[2] https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/national-curriculum-assessments-key-stage-2-2016-provisional

[3] https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/gcse-and-equivalent-results-2015-to-2016-provisional

[4]https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/249893/Consultation_response_Secondary_School_Accountability_Consultation_14-Oct-13_v3.pdf

Source: Key Stage 1 attainment information

Notes:

1. Includes pupils who are absent, disapplied, working below/towards the expected standard and reached a higher standard at the end of key stage 1. Excludes pupils with missing teacher assessments.
2. Includes those working at the expected standard and those working at greater depth within the expected standard.
3. The percentage reaching the higher standard for science is not applicable

The table below shows 2016 provisional attainment information for pupils at the end of Key Stage 2 in reading, writing (teacher assessment) and mathematics:

Source: 2015/16 (Provisional) Primary school performance data

Notes:

1. Figures for academies, free schools and CTCs are included in the individual LA figures and also in the total for England state-funded schools. Figures for hospital schools and pupil referral units are excluded.
2. Includes pupils who have reached the end of key stage 2 in all of reading, writing and mathematics. Excludes pupils with lost test results but includes those with missing results and those with pending maladministration.
3. Includes those pupils who reached the expected standard in all of reading, writing and mathematics. The expected standard in reading and mathematics is a scaled score of 100 or above. The expected standard in writing is a teacher assessment of 'working at the expected standard' (EXS) or 'working at greater depth within the expected standard' (GDS).
4. Includes those pupils who reached a higher standard in all of reading, writing and mathematics. A higher standard is a scaled score of 110 or more in reading and mathematics and pupils assessed as working at greater depth within the expected standard (GDS) in writing.

The table below shows 2016 provisional GCSE and equivalent entries and achievements of pupils at the end of Key Stage 4:

Source: 2015/16 key stage 4 attainment data (Provisional)

West Sussex County Council is ranked joint 49th lowest for the percentage of students reaching the expected standard in reading, joint 5^th lowest for mathematics and joint 5^th lowest in reading, mathematics and writing combined.

The information that you requested is given in the table below shows Key stage 2 attainment in reading, mathematics and reading, writing and mathematics for West Sussex local authority and England (State-funded schools¹).

Notes:

1. Figures for academies, free schools and CTCs are included in the individual LA figures and also in the total for England state-funded schools. Figures for hospital schools and pupil referral units are excluded.
2. Includes pupils who have reached the end of key stage 2 in all of reading, writing and mathematics. Excludes pupils with lost test results but includes those with missing results and those with pending maladministration.
3. Includes those pupils who reached the expected standard in all of reading, writing and mathematics. The expected standard in reading and mathematics is a scaled score of 100 or above. The expected standard in writing is a teacher assessment of 'working at the expected standard' (EXS) or 'working at greater depth within the expected standard' (GDS).
4. Includes those pupils who reached a higher standard in all of reading, writing and mathematics. A higher standard is a scaled score of 110 or more in reading and mathematics and pupils assessed as working at greater depth within the expected standard (GDS) in writing.
5. The average scaled score is calculated as the mean scaled score of all eligible pupils who were given a scaled score. Pupils not taking the test and those who took the test but were not given a scaled score are excluded.

The information given in the table is published at local authority and national level as part of the“National curriculum assessments: key stage 2, 2016 (provisional)” statistical first release (SFR)[1].

[1] https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/national-curriculum-assessments-key-stage-2-2016-provisional (Table L1 - Reading, writing and maths; Table L2 – reading and mathematics)

As confirmed in the Area Review Guidance published in March 2016, we will publish the area review reports and we expect to publish the Sussex area review in the near future.

The Post 16 education and training area review of Sussex, which involved both the Coast to Capital LEP and West Sussex County Council, as well as all the colleges in Sussex, was undertaken earlier this year and a report of the review is expected to be published shortly. As part of the review, Coast to Capital LEP indicated the need to maintain further education in Crawley and arrangements are being taken forward to ensure that this need is met.

We are also working with West Sussex County Council to establish the future use of the Haywards Heath campus, following the Central Sussex College’s announcement to withdraw from this campus in April 2016.

The Post 16 education and training area review of Sussex, which involved both the Coast to Capital LEP and West Sussex County Council, as well as all the colleges in Sussex, was undertaken earlier this year and a report of the review is expected to be published shortly. As part of the review, Coast to Capital LEP indicated the need to maintain further education in Crawley and arrangements are being taken forward to ensure that this need is met.

We are also working with West Sussex County Council to establish the future use of the Haywards Heath campus, following the Central Sussex College’s announcement to withdraw from this campus in April 2016.

Funding for children and young people with special educational needs (SEN) is allocated to local authorities through the dedicated schools grant, which includes both funding to be delegated to mainstream schools, and funding for the additional costs associated with educating children and young people with high needs.

Schools are funded through a formula set by their local authority, and local authorities are required to delegate funds to a level that enables schools to meet the additional cost of pupils with SEN up to £6,000 per annum. It is for individual schools to decide how they allocate their overall budget to ensure they meet the specific needs of children with learning difficulties.

For those pupils whose additional support costs more than £6,000 the local authority pays top-up funding to the schools from their high needs budget. Top-up funding rates are for local authorities to agree with their schools.

West Sussex County Council’s high needs allocation, within the dedicated schools grant, in each of the last three years was as follows:

• 2013-14 – £67.69m

• 2014-15 – £70.53m

• 2015-16 – £71.64m

We do not hold information on the total funding allocated by West Sussex County Council for supporting children with learning difficulties to schools in the Mid Sussex constituency or in the West Sussex county area.

Central Sussex College is within the Sussex area review, part of wave 1 of the area review programme which began in September 2015. This review covers Brighton & Hove City, East Sussex, and West Sussex Councils, and Coast to Capital and South East Local Enterprise Partnerships.

The other further education institutions included in this review are: Chichester College; City College, Brighton and Hove; Northbrook College, Sussex; Plumpton College; Sussex Coast College; Sussex Downs College; Worthing College; Bexhill College; Brighton Hove and Sussex Sixth Form College; and Varndean College.

The local steering groups overseeing each area review hold regular meetings and do not intend to publish interim findings of any area review.

The Department is committed to making the outcomes transparent, and once each review reaches its conclusions, there will be a report published at the end of each Area Review process.

Savings of £600 million will be made by reducing the Education Services Grant (ESG), including phasing out the additional funding that goes to schools and local authorities. We will be making a small efficiency saving (around £80 million) from the ESG in 2016-17, and will be setting out our proposals for savings from 2017-18 in the New Year. This will include consulting on the details of the statutory duties that will be removed.

Savings of £600 million will be made by reducing the Education Services Grant (ESG), including phasing out the additional funding that goes to schools and local authorities. We will be making a small efficiency saving (around £80 million) from the ESG in 2016-17, and will be setting out our proposals for savings from 2017-18 in the New Year. This will include consulting on the details of the statutory duties that will be removed.

The government provides local authorities and other bodies responsible for school buildings with capital funding for schools through condition funding and basic need funding for new school places. Local authorities can spend this money on new school buildings but the department does not collect the data centrally on the number of new school buildings. Information on the impact of this funding in each local authority and parliamentary constituency could therefore be provided only at disproportionate cost.

The government does directly deliver new schools, in new or refurbished buildings, through the Free Schools, University Technical Colleges and Studio Schools programmes. There are currently 383 schools that are open through these programmes.

A list of all open free schools can be found at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/free-schools-open-schools-and-successful-applications.

A list of all open University Technical Colleges and Studio Schools can be found at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/utcs-and-studio-schools-open-schools-and-applications-received.

The government is committed to delivering our manifesto pledge to make school funding fairer. It was announced at the Spending Review that we intend to introduce a National Funding Formula for schools, high needs and early years in 2017. We will set out our detailed plans for a National Funding Formula, including the criteria to be included in the formula for schools, in the New Year and will consult on our proposals extensively.

Information on the age of school blocks was collected through the Property Data Survey (PDS) and the categories used to define the age of blocks were Pre 1919, Inter War, 1945 to 1966, 1967 to 1976, post 1976 and temporary premises.

The PDS collected data on 244 schools in West Sussex and in response to the question we can confirm:

(a) and (b) The PDS did not identify blocks built prior to 1870 or between 1870 and 1914 therefore we do not have this information. However we did identify buildings built prior to 1919 and can confirm that there are 21 schools in West Sussex in which all blocks on site were constructed before 1919.

(c) The PDS collected information on blocks constructed between 1919 and 1939 and we can confirm that there are 4 schools in West Sussex in which all blocks were constructed during this time.

(d) The PDS collected information on blocks built since 1945 and we can confirm that there are 163 schools in which all blocks have been constructed since then.

Of the remaining 56 schools that were surveyed through the PDS, these schools comprise of blocks of mixed age across each of the categories listed within (a) and (b), (c) and (d).

The PDS excluded all schools that were deemed to be modernised (rebuilt or refurbished since 2004), part of a PFI agreement or planned to be renewed or rebuilt under central capital programmes, therefore the above data excludes schools within these categories in West Sussex.

The area cost adjustment for the schools block of the dedicated schools grant for 2015-16 is based on a combination of a teacher cost adjustment and a general labour market specific cost adjustment for non-teaching staff pay.

Teacher cost adjustments for the four regional pay bands (and the area cost adjustment itself) was published in the technical note to “Fairer schools funding: arrangements for 2015 to 2016”: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/fairer-schools-funding-arrangements-for-2015-to-2016

The general labour market specific cost adjustment was calculated and published by the Department for Communities and Local Government in “Methodology Guide for the Area Cost Adjustment 2013/14”: http://webarchive.nationalarchives.gov.uk/20140505104649/http://www.local.communities.gov.uk/finance/1314/methacas.pdf

The methodology for combining the teacher and general labour market elements into the area cost adjustment is described in Annex C of “Fairer schools funding 2015 to 2016”: https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/fairer-schools-funding-2015-to-2016

A map showing the area covered by the Department’s definition of a) the West Sussex Fringe and b) the West Sussex Non-Fringe is attached.

The area cost adjustment for the schools block of the dedicated schools grant for 2015-16 is based on a combination of a teacher cost adjustment and a general labour market specific cost adjustment for non-teaching staff pay.

Teacher cost adjustments for the four regional pay bands (and the area cost adjustment itself) was published in the technical note to “Fairer schools funding: arrangements for 2015 to 2016”: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/fairer-schools-funding-arrangements-for-2015-to-2016

The general labour market specific cost adjustment was calculated and published by the Department for Communities and Local Government in “Methodology Guide for the Area Cost Adjustment 2013/14”: http://webarchive.nationalarchives.gov.uk/20140505104649/http://www.local.communities.gov.uk/finance/1314/methacas.pdf

The methodology for combining the teacher and general labour market elements into the area cost adjustment is described in Annex C of “Fairer schools funding 2015 to 2016”: https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/fairer-schools-funding-2015-to-2016

A map showing the area covered by the Department’s definition of a) the West Sussex Fringe and b) the West Sussex Non-Fringe is attached.

The department has collected information on the condition of the school estate through the Property Data Survey (PDS). It provides a relative view of the issues in addressing different types of condition need.

A PDS Programme summary report was produced in January 2015 and is available to view on GOV.UK. The report summarises the condition need for the school estate regionally, by phase and building type.

The Department for Education uses the Teacher Supply Model (TSM) to estimate the demand for qualified teachers in active service within state-funded schools in England each year using a range of assumptions including projections for the numbers of pupils in schools. The TSM then estimates the number of postgraduate Initial Teacher Training (ITT) places required in England to meet this demand, given the number of entrants expected through routes other than the Newly Qualified Teacher route; for example through returning to teaching.

The TSM estimates the number of postgraduate training places required one year in advance and is updated each year to take account of the most up-to-date data – for example, the population projections published by the Office of National Statistics (ONS) - which means our estimates change each year. As with any long-term forecast, the further into the future the forecast the more uncertain the estimates become. For this reason, the department does not produce 25 year forecasts of teacher demand. The forecast period of the current TSM provides the department with estimates of the broad trend in likely future demand for teachers which is sufficient for our policy development needs.

The 2016/17 version of the TSM, which was used to inform the 2016/17 ITT recruitment process, along with a user guide explaining the methodology in detail, is available at the following link: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/teacher-supply-model.

Pupil forecasts based on ONS population projections have been made out to 2024 and they suggest that pupil numbers are due to rise significantly over that period. Local authorities are responsible for ensuring that there are sufficient schools to meet that need, and for determining precisely how many new schools are needed in their area.

We allocate funding for new school places to local authorities three years in advance in order to balance the need for robust forecasts and to ensure certainty for local authorities over their future funding allocations.

Providing this funding to support local authorities in creating additional school places is one of the Government’s top priorities. This is signalled by the £7 billion that this Government has committed to spend on new places over the course of this Parliament; as well as the £5 billion that the previous Coalition Government invested in school places between 2011 and 2015 (more than double the £1.9 billion spent between 2007 and 2011).

Provisional information on the latest Key Stage 2 results in West Sussex and other local authorities is published as part of the “National curriculum assessments: key stage 2, 2015 (provisional)” release[1].

These indicate that 77% of pupils in West Sussex local authority achieved level 4 or above in reading, writing and mathematics, below the national average of 80%. This is down from 78% in 2013/14.

In the same year, 21% of pupils in West Sussex local authority achieved level 5 or above in reading, writing and mathematics, below the national average of 24%. This is down from 22% in 2013/14.

Since the phonics check was introduced in West Sussex, the proportion of children who achieve the expected standard has risen each year to 73% in 2015. This remains, however, below the national average of 77%.

Standards in some West Sussex schools are currently too low. I have therefore written to West Sussex County Council, asking them to set out their plans to improve results, so that more children in West Sussex receive the standard of education to which they are entitled.

This is part of our national plan to raise standards, by setting higher expectations in our curriculum and qualifications; creating a self-improving school system; and promoting strong school governance through academies and free schools. We are also committed to making sure schools are funded fairly so all pupils have access to a good education – a key part of our core mission ensure every child reaches their full potential.

[1] 2014/15 provisional local authority level tables can be found at: https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/456135/SFR30_2015_KS2_LA_Tables.xls

Provisional information on the latest Key Stage 2 results in West Sussex and other local authorities is published as part of the “National curriculum assessments: key stage 2, 2015 (provisional)” release[1].

These indicate that 77% of pupils in West Sussex local authority achieved level 4 or above in reading, writing and mathematics, below the national average of 80%. This is down from 78% in 2013/14.

In the same year, 21% of pupils in West Sussex local authority achieved level 5 or above in reading, writing and mathematics, below the national average of 24%. This is down from 22% in 2013/14.

Since the phonics check was introduced in West Sussex, the proportion of children who achieve the expected standard has risen each year to 73% in 2015. This remains, however, below the national average of 77%.

Standards in some West Sussex schools are currently too low. I have therefore written to West Sussex County Council, asking them to set out their plans to improve results, so that more children in West Sussex receive the standard of education to which they are entitled.

This is part of our national plan to raise standards, by setting higher expectations in our curriculum and qualifications; creating a self-improving school system; and promoting strong school governance through academies and free schools. We are also committed to making sure schools are funded fairly so all pupils have access to a good education – a key part of our core mission ensure every child reaches their full potential.

[1] 2014/15 provisional local authority level tables can be found at: https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/456135/SFR30_2015_KS2_LA_Tables.xls

Average per pupil revenue funding figures for Gloucestershire, Essex, Hampshire and East Sussex are given below. With the introduction of the dedicated schools grant (DSG) in 2006-07, the changes to the funding mechanism meant figures were no longer available to be shown split by phase of education.

Figures for financial years 2005 to 2013 are shown below. These are in cash terms:

These are in real terms using September 2015 GDP deflators in 2014-15 prices:

Per pupil figures are using DSG allocations plus other schools related grants, e.g. school standards grant, school standards grant (personalisation), standards fund, and pupils aged 3-15 rounded to the nearest £10. Most of the additional grants were mainstreamed into DSG in 2011-12.

The changes to DSG funding in financial year 2013 to 2014 with funding allocated through three blocks, namely schools, early years and high needs, means there is no longer a comparable overall figure with previous years. The tables below show the DSG schools block unit funding figures in cash and real terms for each LA.

[1] Real terms figures shown in 2014-15 prices using GDP deflators at 30.09.15.

Since 2011-12 schools have received the Pupil Premium which targets funding at pupils from the most deprived backgrounds to help them achieve their full potential. In 2011-12, the Premium was allocated for each pupil known to be eligible for Free School Meals, looked after children and children of parents in the armed services. In 2012-13 coverage was expanded to include pupils known to have been eligible for Free School Meals at any point in the last six years. The amounts per pupil amounts for each type of pupil are shown in following table in cash terms:

[2] Also includes children adopted from care.

Total Pupil Premium allocations for each local authority for each year are shown in the following table in cash terms:

These figures in real terms:

Price Base: Real terms at 2014-15 prices, based on GDP deflators as at 30.09.2015.

The table below shows capital funding for the financial years that are available. The data is in cash terms as allocations are phased across more than one year making real terms calculations meaningless. Complete information on the split of capital between phases of education is not held centrally.