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27. Mr. Pawsey : To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what evidence he has on teacher shortages ; and what action is being taken to encourage greater recruitment to the profession.
Mr. Alan Howarth : The Department's annual January survey of vacancies showed in 1989 a vacancy rate in secondary schools of 1.2 per cent.--the same as in 1979. Wastage from the profession has remained broadly constant for many years.
For the future we shall continue and reinforce the range of measures we are already pursuing to encourage greater recruitment to the profession. These include expanding the teaching as a career unit, providing bursaries to trainee teachers of shortage subjects, funding in-service training for retraining teachers in the shortage subjects, and encouraging mature entrants to the profession through a series of taster courses and through the licensed teacher scheme. In addition, from April 1990, education support grant of £4 million will be available to support the recruitment of married women returners and mature new entrants to teaching.
29. Mr. Cohen : To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what new steps he proposes to take to tackle the problem of teacher shortages in London.
Mr. Alan Howarth : My right hon. Friend has asked the Interim Advisory Committee to advise on measures to improve teacher supply in areas where vacancy rates are highest, notably the inner London weighting area.
In addition he has made available over £100,000 to support a London- wide recruitment campaign ; and from April 1990 funding under education support grant will be
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available to support the recruitment of married women returners and mature new entrants to teaching. This will be of particular benefit to London authorities.87. Mr. John Greenway : To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what assessment he has made of the shortage of teachers (a) generally and (b) in mathematics, science and foreign languages ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Alan Howarth : The Department's memorandum to the Education Science and Arts Committee in November 1988 describes the indicators that the Department uses to assess teacher supply and includes an assessment of shortages generally and by subject at that time. A more recent assessment was made in the Department's written evidence to the Interim Advisory Committee. Copies of both documents are in the Library. The Government recognise that there are difficulties in recruiting teachers in some parts of the country and in some subjects, in particular mathematics, physics, chemistry and modern languages.
89. Mr. Moss : To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what measures he is taking to attract people into the teaching profession.
Mr. Alan Howarth : I refer my hon. Friend to the reply that I gave to my hon. Friend the Member for Rugby and Kenilworth (Mr. Pawsey), on 16 January 1990 at column 159.
Higher Education
23. Dr. Moonie : To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what steps he is taking to monitor quality in higher education provision ; and if he will make a statement.
96. Mr. Fisher : To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what steps he is taking to monitor quality in higher education provision ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Jackson : The main responsibility for quality in higher education rests with the institutions themselves and their validating bodies. In addition, Her Majesty's inspectors continue to provide, through their published reports, an assessment of the quality of provision in the polytechnics and colleges sector. My right hon. Friend encourages the work in hand in both sectors of higher education to develop improved quality assurance measures and looks to the higher education funding councils and others to consider ways in which these could be used to secure the yet more effective use of the substantial public funds allocated to higher education.
43. Mr. Oppenheim : To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what is the number of full-time students currently in higher education establishments ; and what were the comparable figures for 1980.
Mr. Jackson : Information for academic year 1989-90 is not yet available centrally. Provisional figures for 1988-89 indicate that there were 628,000 full-time and sandwich students of higher education courses in Great Britain, compared with 521,000 in 1980-81.
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Grant-maintained Schools
24. Mr. John Marshall : To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will make a statement about progress with the development of grant-maintained schools.
Mrs. Rumbold : Twenty schools have been incorporated as grant- maintained schools since September 1989. They are now experiencing the benefits of greater financial and administrative autonomy. They are proving popular with parents and pupils. I share their confidence in the future and expect them to take full advantage of the opportunities which grant- maintained status offers.
91. Mr. Day : To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science how many grant-maintained schools are currently in operation ; how many new approvals have been given ; and how many schools are in the process of consultations with a view to obtaining grant-maintained status.
Mrs. Rumbold : To date 86 schools have embarked on the process of applying for grant-maintained status and parents at 57 of them have so far voted in favour of proceeding with an application. My right hon. Friend has approved 32 of the 41 proposals which have so far reached him for decision. More secondary schools have now been approved for grant-maintained status than the number of secondary schools in half of English LEAs.
A-levels
25. Mr. Battle : To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what discussions he has had about the future of A-levels ; and if he will make a statement.
54. Mr. Ron Davies : To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what discussions he has had about the future of A-levels ; and if he will make a statement.
59. Mr. Rogers : To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what discussions he has had about the future of A-levels ; and if he will make a statement.
Mrs. Rumbold : I refer the hon. Members to the reply that my right hon. Friend gave on 28 November to my hon. Friend the Member for Battersea (Mr. Bowis) at column 181. In addition my right hon. Friend has asked the School Examinations and Assessment Council to develop general principles to govern A and AS examinations. The sixth form curriculum and the future of post-16 education generally, frequently arises in discussions with representatives of teachers' associations and others.
Global Climate (Research)
26. Mr. Robertson : To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what programme he is supporting for systematic research into the impact of the terrestrial environment on the global climate comparable to the programmes on the atmosphere and the oceans ; and whether he has any plans to increase the resources allocated to them.
Mr. Jackson : Through the research councils, the following programmes are being supported through the science budget :
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NERC is carrying out a broad programme of research in terrestrial and freshwater sciences. This provides a firm scientific base for studies of the impact of global climate change on the terrestrial environment.Current research specifically on the interaction between the terrestrial environment and global climate is as follows : (i) changes in the floristic composition of habitats and the abundance and geographical range of animals.
(ii) the effects on coastal ecosystems of sea level rise. (iii) the productivity of freshwater plankton and their population dynamics in response to changes to lake stratification.
(iv) investigation of the change in rates of soil organic matter decomposition and the production of trace gases.
(v) modelling changes in forest productivity.
(vi) the effect of climate change on water resources.
(vii) predictive modelling of the frequency of extreme events such as flooding and high winds.
(viii) studies of the dynamics of Antarctic terrestrial and freshwater ecosystems projects carried out by higher education institutions supported by research grants, postgraduate studentships and fellowships.
AFRC's current research in this area concerns :
(i) the absorption or release of carbon dioxide by plants in photosynthesis and respiration and the effects of carbon dioxide on plant growth, production and development.
(ii) the fate of nitrogen in plants and soil and the release of gases such as nitrous oxide to the atmosphere.
Within the increased resources for each of the research councils announced on 10 January, NERC is planning to extend its work and has allocated resources to a programme of Arctic ecology ; AFRC intends to increase its level of spend in the area mentioned above ; and SERC will be devoting resources to a research initiative on clean processes and technology.
78. Mr. Allen McKay : To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what is his Department's expenditure on research into the effects on the global climate of (a) the atmosphere, (b) the oceans and (c) the terrestrial environment.
Mr. Jackson : Expenditure by the research councils on these categories of research in 1989-90 is estimated to be as follows :
|£'000
--------------------------------------------
The atmosphere
NERC |1,555
SERC |c.4,000
The oceans
NERC |11,487
The terrestrial environment
NERC |1,325
AFRC |10,000
In addition to the above, NERC spends £6,618,000 on research into paleoclimates and on land and sea glaciology.
97. Mr. Kirkwood : To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will increase funding to the NERC for research into the effects of global warming.
Mr. Jackson : I refer the hon. Member to the reply that my right hon. Friend gave to my hon. Friend the Member for Hexham (Mr. Amos) on 10 January at columns 623-24.
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In addition to the specific allocations referred to, it is for the councils to decide on how the resources allocated to them should be spent.Four-year-olds
28. Mr. George Howarth : To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what action he is taking in response to the Her Majesty's inspectorate's report on the quality of education of four-year- olds in primary classes.
33. Mr. Morgan : To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what action he is taking in response to Her Majesty's inspectorate's report on the quality of education of four-year-olds in primary classes.
104. Ms. Ruddock : To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what action he is taking in response to the Her Majesty's inspectorate's report on the quality of education of four-year-olds in primary classes.
Mrs. Rumbold : The findings of Her Majesty's inspectorate in "The Quality of Education for Four-Year-Olds in Primary Classes" published in December are chiefly for local education authorities and schools to consider. The Government have addressed one important need by designating in-service training for teachers with responsibility for these children a national priority area within the local education authority training grants scheme. The committee of inquiry which I am chairing is considering how three and four-year-olds may have improved educational experiences in various settings.
Performance Indicators
30. Mr. Barry Field : To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what steps his Department is taking to encourage schools to make greater use of performance indicators.
Mrs. Rumbold : We regard the development of performance indicators as a key element in the effective management of schools. The Department has recently circulated to all local education authorities a list of indicators identified by schools in a pilot exercise as particularly valuable for this purpose. I shall send my hon. Friend a copy of the aide memoire, together with my speech on the occasion of its publication.
Teachers' Pay
31. Mr. Skinner : To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science when he next expects to meet teachers' union representatives to discuss pay ; and if he will make a statement.
Mrs. Rumbold : My right hon. Friend will be meeting the teacher unions in due course to discuss the report of the Interim Advisory Committee on school teachers' pay and conditions and the Government's proposals in response to the committee's recommendations.
65. Mr. Ian Taylor : To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what plans he has to introduce greater regional flexibility in pay for teachers in England and Wales.
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Mrs. Rumbold : The Interim Advisory Committee on school teachers' pay and conditions has been asked to advise on what modifications should be made to the system of selective payments to teachers. My right hon. Friend will be considering its recommendations carefully.
75. Mr. Andrew Mitchell : To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what has been the real rate of increase in teachers' pay since 1979 ; and what was the corresponding figure for the 1974 to 1979 period.
Mrs. Rumbold : Teachers' average salaries have risen by 30 per cent. in real terms since 1979. The estimated increase in real terms between March 1974 and 1979 is approximately 6 per cent.
84. Mr. Ashton : To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science whether he will make a statement on teachers' pay.
Mrs. Rumbold : My right hon. Friend expects shortly to announce the Government's proposals in response to the recommendations of the Interim Advisory Committee.
Dr. Michael Clark : To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what progress is being made in creating a joint negotiating body for teachers' pay ; and if he will make a statement.
85. Mr. Livsey : To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what progress has been made in establishing a new negotiating body for teachers' pay and conditions.
Mrs. Rumbold : My right hon. Friend held a series of meetings with the teacher unions and the local authority employers in October and November last year. He is considering carefully the points made to him then. Further meetings will take place in due course.
Standardised Testing
32. Mr. Amos : To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will make a statement on the implementation of standardised testing in schools.
50. Mr. Beith : To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science whether he has any plans to improve the arrangements so far made for assessment of pupils' progress following the introduction of the national curriculum.
106. Mr. Barron : To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what progress has been made on agreeing a system of assessment for the national curriculum in primary schools.
Mrs. Rumbold : My right hon. Friend has received further advice from the School Examinations and Assessment Council about the arrangements for national curriculum assessment. He is considering that advice and will make a statement shortly.
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School Transport and Travel Expenses
34. Mr. Sumberg : To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what recent discussions he has had with representatives of local education authorities regarding school transport and travel expenses.
Mr. Alan Howarth : The costs of school transport are taken into account in the discussions which my right hon. Friend holds with representatives of local education authorities as part of the annual cycle for determining the local authority grant settlement. He has not had any discussions about the law regarding school transport and travel expenses, which I set out in the reply I gave my hon. Friend on 14 November at column 229.
Deaf Children
35. Mr. Ashley : To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will set up an inquiry into the desirability of totally deaf and profoundly deaf children, for whom sign language is their first language, being taught by at least one deaf teacher using sign language.
Mr. Alan Howarth : This is a matter for local education authorities, as the employers, to decide for themselves in the light of local circumstances. It would not be appropriate to seek to limit the teaching options available to them.
English Teaching
36. Mr. Butler : To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what progress has been made since 1979 in improving standards of English, written and spoken in schools ; and if he will make a statement.
Mrs. Rumbold : Examination results for the 16-plus age group indicate a small but steady rise throughout the decade in the standard of English attained by school leavers. Government initiatives such as the education support grant programmes for oracy and English language in the curriculum will continue this process. Above all the national curriculum will give pupils and teachers clear objectives for written and spoken English and the ways and means of reaching them.
National Curriculum
38. Mr. Alex Carlile : To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will make a statement on the progress of the implementation of the national curriculum.
99. Mr. Riddick : To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will make a statement on the progress of the implementation of the national curriculum.
Mrs. Rumbold : I refer the hon. Members to the reply I gave to the hon. Members for Truro (Mr. Taylor), for Nuneaton (Mr. Stevens) and for Edmonton (Dr. Twinn) on 19 December 1989 at col. 201.
51. Ms. Walley : To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science how much time he recommends teachers in primary schools should spend on assessment of the core curriculum.
66. Mr. Hinchliffe : To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science how much time he recommends teachers in primary schools should spend on assessment of the core curriculum.
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83. Mr. Murphy : To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science how much time he recommends teachers in primary schools should spend on assessment of the core curriculum.
Mrs. Rumbold : Assessment should be an integral part of teaching. It is not possible, therefore, to say precisely how much time teachers should spend on it.
Departmental Literature
40. Mr. Hague : To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science whether he will take any measures to limit the use of jargon in the literature published by his Department and by other educational organisations.
Student Loans
44. Mr. Hood : To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what is the average debt expected for a student studying a four- year arts degree at a Scottish university assuming the student loans scheme was in operation and the student was entering the first year of the course in autumn 1990.
Mr. Jackson : A student beginning a four-year degree course in autumn 1990 would repay just under £2,000 over five years from April 1995. This assumes that the RPI increases by 3 per cent. a year on average over the next 10 years, and that there is no deferment of repayments. Repayments will not vary according to the subject of study, or the institution at which the course was undertaken.
46. Mr. Kennedy : To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will make a further statement on progress in establishing revised arrangements for the proposed scheme for studen loans, following his statement of 21 December, Official Report, column 617.
Mr. Jackson : Preparatory work on the student loans scheme is well in hand. As already announced to the House, the Student Loans Company Limited has selected a managing director and has secured premises in Glasgow.
60. Mr. Gerald Bowden : To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science whether he expects to make any changes to the present proposed scheme for the repayment of student top-up loans.
Mr. Jackson : None of significance. The withdrawal of the banks means that their branches will no longer be available to handle loan applications, or to counsel borrowers. It does not affect the principles of the scheme, or its administration, in other respects.
72. Mr. Strang : To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what progress he has made towards implementing the student loans scheme.
Mr. Rooker : To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what progress he has made with the student loans scheme ; and if he will make a statement.
93. Mrs. Fyfe : To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what progress has been made with the student loans scheme ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Jackson : Preparatory work on the student loans scheme is well in hand. As already announced to the House, the Student Loans Company Limited has selected a managing director and has secured premises in Glasgow.
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74. Mr. McAllion : To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what research his Department has carried out into the potential impact of his student loans scheme on the numbers of undergraduate students.
Mr. Jackson : A study of different countries' student support systems, including the effect on participation in higher education, was published as Annex C to the White Paper. This concluded that "there is no direct correlation of either the quantity of support or its form with participation rates".
The Department will be monitoring the effect of top-up loans on student participation.
76. Mrs. Rosie Barnes : To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what, if any, studies his Department has undertaken, or has had undertaken on its behalf, into the feasibility of students repaying their maintenance loans through the income tax system ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Jackson : In drawing up proposals for top-up loans for students a wide range of repayment options was considered. I am confident that the Government's scheme represents the most effective means of providing additional resources for students and securing value for money to the taxpayer.
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