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Dept for Education and Employment

Answer

Tony Wright: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment how many (i) further education trusts, (ii) foundation schools and (iii) city technology colleges were in existence on 1 April; and if they are (a) statutorily required to publish annual reports, (b) statutorily required to publish annual accounts, (c) subject to the jurisdiction of the parliamentary or local government ombudsman, (d) subject to audit by the National Audit Office, (e) subject to audit by the Audit Commission, (f) statutorily required to admit the public to committee meetings, (g) statutorily required to hold public meetings, (h) statutorily required to publish the agendas of meetings, (i) statutorily required to publish the minutes of meetings, (j) statutorily required to publish the papers or documents for meetings, (k) statutorily required to keep and make publicly available a register of members' interests, (l) statutorily required to consult and report to local authorities in their areas on their plans and policies and (m) statutorily subject to scrutiny by local authorities in their areas of operation. [142398] Mr. Wicks: On 1 April 2000 there were (a) 425 colleges in the FE sector, (b) 858 foundation schools and 19 foundation special schools and (c) 14 City Technology Colleges and one City College for the Technology of Arts. _________________________________________________________________________________________________. Question FE sector Foundation schools City Technology Colleges A Statutorily required to FE sector do not have to Yes 14 of the 15 CTCs are publish annual reports? publish an annual report limited companies and as just examination such are required to results. prepare and publish an annual report. The remaining CTC has no legal status, an annual report is prepared but not published. B Statutorily required to Yes. Requirement of Yes 14 of the 15 CTCs are publish annual accounts? instrument of limited companies and as government. such are required to prepare and publish their annual accounts. The remaining CTC has no legal status, an annual account is prepared but not published. C Subject to the No. The funding councils Yes No, the commissioner jurisdiction of the are subject to the would only be able to parliamentary or local parliamentary ombudsman. test whether CTCs were government ombudsman? Complaints about in his jurisdiction if a individual colleges can complaint were made to be made to either the him. funding council or the Secretary of State. D Subject to audit by the No, but the NAO have the Yes No, the NAO have National Audit Office? right to inspect inspection rights but do accounts (section 53 of not audit. the FHE Act 1992). E Subject to audit by the No Yes No National Audit Office? F Statutory requirement to No. It is up to the No. It is up to the No admit the public to governing body to decide governing body to decide committee meetings? who can attend a who can attend a governing body or governing body or committee meeting. committee meeting. Members of the public do Members of the public do not have a statutory not have a statutory right to attend such right to attend such meetings. meetings. G Statutory requirement to No Yes, at least one a No, but they are hold public meetings? year. required to hold an Annual Governors meeting with parents. H Statutory requirement to Yes. (Instrument of Yes No publish the agendas of Government) meetings? I Statutory requirement to Yes. (Instrument of Yes No publish the minutes of Government) meetings? J Statutory requirement to Yes. (Instrument of Yes No publish the papers or Government) documents for meetings? K Make publicly available Yes. (Instrument of Yes No, but most CTCs have a register of members' Government) or are in the process of interests? preparing registers of interests. L Statutory requirement to No. FE colleges are self Yes No consult and report to governing bodies. local authorities in their areas on their plans and policies? M Statutorily subject to No. FE colleges are self Yes No scrutiny to local governing bodies. authorities in their areas of operation? _________________________________________________________________________________________________.

Secondary information

Type

Written question

Reference

360 c21-4W;360 c21-3W; 142398

Session

2000-01

Subjects

Accountability Education Further education Local education authorities Schools

Contains statistics

Yes

Link

View this Written question on www.publications.parliament.uk