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Energy Efficiency
Mr. Dobson : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will give for each available year from 1978 the amount invested in improving the energy efficiency of his Department in (a) cash terms and (b) 1990-91 money terms.
Mr. Heseltine [holding answer 3 June 1991] : Information on my Department's investment in improving energy efficiency prior to 1989-90 is not available. Expenditure on energy efficiency measures for 1989-90 is estimated to have totalled £120,000 which in 1990-91 money terms is £130,000. Expenditure for 1990-91 is estimated to be £140,000. These figures exclude energy conservation work carried out by Property Holdings on behalf of other Government Departments.
Mr. Dobson : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will give the number of energy audits carried out in his Department in the past five years and for each audit a statement of its main conclusions.
Mr. Heseltine [holding answer 3 June 1991] : A total of eight energy audits of offices and specialised sites in London and the regions carried out by external consultants have been initiated in my Department within the five-year period ending March 1990. Since then the Department's energy management unit has carried out five short in-house energy audits in specialised sites and three lighting surveys have been carried out in regional offices. The majority of recommendations resulting from both major and minor audits have recommended various no-cost or low-cost energy conservation measures. These have been, or are in the process of being, implemented where practicable.
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Mr. Dobson : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will give the number of dedicated energy managers in his Department and the number of person-years devoted to energy management in the latest year.Mr. Heseltine [holding answer 3 June 1991] : My Department's energy management unit is staffed by four officials whose total effort on energy management represents an approximate total of 1.5 person years. An additional 0.4 person years is dedicated to energy management in the Building Research Establishment.
OVERSEAS DEVELOPMENT
Nicaragua
Mr. Cummings : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how much grant aid has been provided for Nicaragua since 1979 ; and if he will make a statement.
Mrs. Chalker : The available figures are :
Year Total of which
|grant |Disaster |Technical |United
|aid |relief |cooperation Kingdom's attri-
|butable share of
|EC aid
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1979 |236 |93 |142 |-
1980 |1,757 |66 |61 |1,630
1981 |1,201 |7 |84 |1,110
1982 |1,139 |13 |36 |1,090
1983 |1,114 |34 |30 |1,050
1984 |2,549 |- |9 |2,540
1985 |2,196 |100 |16 |2,080
1986 |1,286 |83 |3 |1,200
1987 |1,780 |- |- |1,780
1988 |2,740 |180 |- |2,560
1989 |61 |61 |- |-
In addition, grant expenditure under the joint funding scheme--available only by United Kingdom financial year--was :
|£ thousand
------------------------------------
Up to 1985-86 |162
1986-87 |24
1987-88 |58
1988-89 |39
1989-90 |89
1990-91 |223
Mr. Cummings : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what intentions Her Majesty's Government have to aid the Nicaraguan Government in their attempt to strengthen the country's educational system ; and if he will make a statement.
Mrs. Chalker : We are looking into the possibility of providing English language training.
European Development Council
Mr. Flynn : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what matters were discussed at the European Development Council on 27 May.
Mrs. Chalker : We discussed a number of important issues, including human rights, democracy and development and tropical forests. We adopted resolutions on
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non-governmental organisations and counterpart funds. We also reviewed the special programme of food aid to Africa, during which I announced an additional 60,000 tonnes of food aid for Africa at an estimated cost of £16.5 million. This was widely welcomed by my fellow Ministers and by the Commission.Biological Diversity
Mr. Lester : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what steps the Government has taken to fulfil the commitment given in the White Paper, "This Common Inheritance", in September 1990 to do more to conserve biological diversity in developing countries.
Mrs. Chalker : On 5 June--World Environment Day--I published "Biological Diversity and Developing Countries : Issues and Options", which summarises the ODA strategic studies announced in "This Common Inheritance". The document sets out a range of further measures which we will take. I have placed copies of the document in the Libraries.
FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS
Nicaragua
Mr. Cummings : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when Her Majesty's Government intend to re-establish the British Council in Managua, Nicaragua ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Lennox-Boyd : The British Council has no plans to open an office in Managua.
Mr. Cummings : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what steps Her Majesty's Government are taking to improve diplomatic relations with the Nicaraguan Government ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Garel-Jones : We enjoy close and friendly relations with the Government of Nicaragua. I received Sr. Enrique Dreyfus, the Nicaraguan Foreign Minister, when he visited the United Kingdom last December and we held further talks in March when I visited Nicaragua to attend the San Jose VII meeting of EC and central American Foreign Ministers. The visit also enabled me to visit some of the projects carried out under our bilateral aid programme.
Somaliland
Ms. Gordon : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when Her Majesty's Government plans to establish diplomatic relations with the Somaliland Republic.
Mrs. Chalker : We have no plans to do so.
PHARE Programme
Mr. Tony Lloyd : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs (1) what moneys are being made available by the United Kingdom and channelled through the PHARE--Poland and Hungary Assistance for Economic Restructuring--programme for
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the purpose of sending specialist advisers selected and approved by the west to provide information, advice and technical assistance to eastern European countries ;(2) how much money is being devoted under the PHARE programme for direct use in the creation of an infrastructure to support the development of democracy.
Mr. Garel-Jones : The EC's PHARE programme committed some 500 mecu in 1990 and is worth 850 mecu in 1991 and 1 billion ecu in 1992. Our contribution is some 18 per cent., or approximately £63 million, £107 million and £126 million respectively. The PHARE programme promotes economic restructuring in the countries of central and eastern Europe thereby underpinning the newly created democracies. The programme includes the financing of western specialist advisers in these countries, and training in member states.
Mr. Tony Lloyd : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what restrictions the United Kingdom Government impose on the use of moneys under the PHARE programme in terms of the type of end use to which resources can be applied or as to locations from which services can be brought in.
Mr. Garel-Jones : The operation of the PHARE programme is governed by European Community regulations. The British Government are represented on a management committee which oversees disbursements and considers the Commission's proposals. The regulations stipulate that only EC member states and the countries of central and eastern Europe may tender to provide services for projects wholly financed by the PHARE programme.
Algeria
Mr. Flynn : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what information he has on the status of the Algerian nuclear programme.
Mr. Lennox-Boyd : Algeria possesses one working nuclear research reactor which has been placed under International Atomic Energy Agency safeguards. We understand that with Chinese co-operation Algeria is building a second reactor at Ain Oussera. At a press conference on 29 April a spokesman for the Algerian Ministry of Scientific Research said that this second reactor was for research purposes and the production of radio- isotopes, and Algeria intended to submit it to IAEA inspection. Chinese spokesmen have publicly confirmed this. We welcome these assurances, and hope the Algerian Government will invite the IAEA to inspect the facility as soon as possible.
Disarmament
Mr. Flynn : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the most recent visit to the United Kingdom of Soviet military inspectors under the intermediate nuclear forces agreement verification protocols ; and what has been the cost to date of implementation of the 1987 intermediate nuclear forces agreement in the United Kingdom.
Mr. Lennox-Boyd : The most recent visit to the United Kingdom by soviet inspectors under the intermediate nuclear forces treaty took place on 28 May 1991 ; RAF Greenham Common and RAF Molesworth were
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inspected. Treaty implementation costs in addition to the normal operating costs of the MOD are estimated to have been less than £40, 000 since the treaty came into force.Mr. Flynn : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representation the United Kingdom had at the United Nations conference on disarmament issues ; and whether his Department will be assisting in the distribution of material arising from the conference.
Mr. Lennox-Boyd : I assume that the hon. Member is referring to the United Nations conference on disarmament issues which took place in Kyoto, Japan from 27-30 May. A senior official of the Ministry of Defence attended, in a personal capacity. We have taken careful note of his report of the discussions at the conference. The public distribution of material arising out of the conference is a matter for the United Nations.
Sierra Leone
Mr. Fearn : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he intends to provide help to Sierra Leone in dealing with intruders along its frontiers.
Mrs. Chalker : The Sierra Leone Government have made a non-specific request for military aid to deal with intruders from Liberia to which we are responding.
Mr. Fearn : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether he will provide details of the Sierra Leone request for aid in dealing with Liberian intruders along its frontiers.
Mrs. Chalker : We are supplying a quantity of non-lethal defence equipment to the Sierra Leone army.
Non-Government Organisations
Mr. Flynn : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, pursuant to his reply of 23 May, Official Report, column 579, to the hon. Member for Newport, West on the meeting of 14 May with non-government organisations, if he will list the matters raised in rank order to the proportion of time spent on them, without making direct reference to those parties who initiated the discussions.
Mr. Lennox-Boyd : The discussions at this meeting were off the record. It would not be appropriate to specify how much time was devoted to each of the many topics raised.
TRADE AND INDUSTRY
Marina Services
Mr. Barry Field : To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what plans he has to refer Marina Services to the Monopolies and Mergers Commission.
Mr. Redwood : The Secretary of State and I are concerned about the allegations we have heard of possible anti-competitive practices in marinas on the south coast. We have asked the Director General of Fair Trading to look into the allegations and see what the evidence shows. We are still considering this matter.
The Secretary of State has powers to refer the supply of marina services to the Monopolies and Mergers
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Commission and would use these powers if evidence emerged which justified a reference. Any evidence of monopoly abuse or anti-competitive practices to provide the basis for a reference should be brought to the attention of the Director General.Emergency Telephone Service
Mr. O'Hara : To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what steps have been taken to ensure a comprehensive emergency telephone service under the Government's policy for
telecommunications.
Mr. Redwood : All public telecommunications operators including BT, Mercury Communications and the two cellular operators, Cellnet and Racal- Vodafone, are obliged under their respective operating licences to provide an emergency call service to the public free of charge--the "999" service-- enabling them to notify emergency organisations (police, fire and ambulance services) of emergencies.
Exit Strategies
Mr. Frank Field : To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry (1) further to his answer of 13 May, Official Report, column 39, on exit strategies, if he will list how much of the £1 million annually for the support of projects is for (a) salaries and (b) administration in each of the task forces ;
(2) if the £1 million is for capital projects or is minus the salaries, rent and administration of the task forces themselves.
Mr. Leigh [holding answer 5 June 1991] : The quoted figure of about £1 million per annum refers to project expenditure alone ; this may be capital expenditure, project running costs (including salaries and administration), or both.
The task forces' own running costs of salaries, rent, administration and associated expenditure are not included.
Textiles
Mr. David Porter : To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will take steps to include all children's clothing in legislation covering fire retardant materials in the same degree as presently covers furniture ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Leigh [holding answer 5 June 1991] : No. It would not be reasonable for clothing to meet fire resistance requirements to the same degree applicable to the covers of upholstered furniture. Such fire resistant treatments are not suitable for most of the lightweight fabrics used in summerwear, and in the limited range of fabrics where it might be possible the comfort of the garment would be severely affected.
Mr. David Porter : To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he has any plans to extend existing regulations under consumer protection legislation to include shell suits and similar fashion wear in respect of fire resistant materials ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Leigh [holding answer 5 June 1991] : We have no present plans to extend the scope of the Nightwear (Safety) Regulations to daywear garments for children. However,
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section 10 of the Consumer Protection Act 1987, the general safety requirement, makes it an offence to supply consumer goods, including articles of clothing, that are not reasonably safe having regard to all the circumstances.My Department has recently advised the British Standards Institution of its support for the development of a flammability specification that could be applied to children's daywear garments. In the interim, the Department is supporting the enforcement authorities in their discussions with the clothing industry on a voluntary scheme for flammability labelling of childrenswear. We shall continue to monitor developments closely.
EDUCATION AND SCIENCE
Higher Education
Mr. Morgan : To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science how many universities have applied to be renamed as polytechnics.
Veterinary Schools
Mr. Galbraith : To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science (1) when he expects the Universities Funding Council to announce a decision on capital grants to veterinary schools ; (2) what representations he has received from veterinary schools for capital grants to develop the student facilities ; and if he will discuss such grants with the Universities Funding Council.
Mr. Alan Howarth : The Universities Funding Council's capital allocations for 1991-92 were set out in circular letter 7/91, a copy of which is in the Library. My right hon. and learned Friend has not received any representations from veterinary schools on the allocations ; nor would he expect to do so since, under the Education Reform Act 1988, it is for the UFC to determine the distribution of funding between individual institutions.
Data Protection (Schools)
Mr. Cohen : To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science how many schools there are in the United Kingdom ; what proportion have computers used for administrative purposes ; what steps he has taken to satisify himself about the propriety of personal data held by the governors, head teachers and parent teachers' associations on these computers ; whether he has held meetings with local authority associations about the cost of registration of schools under the Data Protection Act ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Fallon : The number of schools in the United Kingdom is 34,958. Information is not available on the number of schools with computers used for administrative purposes. The control and use of personal data by data users is a matter for the office of the Data Protection Registrar. No meetings have so far been held with local authority associations specifically to discuss the cost of registration, but draft guidance for schools on data protection was circulated widely to the associations and others at the end of October 1990. Discussions are still taking place with the office of the Data Protection Registrar on the scope of registration by schools and guidance will be issued when these are complete.
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List 99
Mr. Cohen : To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science why the personal information associated with List 99 is not kept on computer ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Fallon : The information held in relation to a decision by my right hon. and learned Friend to exclude a person from teaching or work with children or young persons on grounds of misconduct and add his or her name to List 99 could not easily be converted to a computer record.
Further Education
Mr. Orme : To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science how many persons aged 19 years have followed non-advanced education courses in schools and colleges in the last five years.
Mr. Eggar : The number of full or part-time students aged 19 years in schools and on further education courses in publicly funded colleges is as follows :
Thousands
|Schools |Further |Total
|education
--------------------------------------------------
1985-86 |<1>3 |89 |92
1986-87 |3 |88 |90
1987-88 |3 |83 |85
1988-89 |3 |82 |85
1989-90 |3 |82 |86
<1>Includes adults in Special Schools.
Notes:
Numbers may not add to total because of rounding.
Age is at 31 August at the start of the academic
year.
Adult Education Centres have been excluded.
Schools Reorganisation
Mr. Straw : To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will give details of each proposal for a reorganisation or closure of schools involving the transfer of sixth form provision to (a) a sixth form college or (b) a further education or tertiary college, with name of area, and local education authority and colleges concerned, the approximate number of pupil/students involved, the decision of the Secretary of State, and date, for each year since 1979 for which data are available.
Mr. Eggar : The full information requested could be provided only at a disproportionate cost. Those proposals decided by the Secretary of State which involved the establishment of tertiary or sixth form colleges from 1984 onwards include the following :
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Secondary Reorganisation proposals involving the establishment of Tertiary Colleges Proposal Date |LEA |Decision Made |Decision Date ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 13 July 1984 |Staffordshire |Approved |15 February 1985 15 November 1984 |Gloucestershire |Rejected |24 March 1986 30 November 1984 |Gloucestershire |Rejected |24 March 1986 (also Sixth Form College) 9 January 1985 |Wolverhampton |Rejected |25 November 1985 (also Sixth Form College) 22 April 1985 |Bury |Approved |15 April 1986 6 September 1985 |Oxfordshire |Approved |17 September 1986 30 September 1985 |Sunderland |Approved<1> |3 November 1986 14 October 1985 |South Tyneside |Approved |9 October 1986 24 October 1985 |Sheffield |Approved<1> |23 December 1986 16 May 1986 |Essex |Approved |27 October 1987 30 May 1986 |Avon |Rejected |27 January 1987 23 October 1986 |Dudley |Rejected |5 August 1987 22 January 1987 |ILEA |Rejected |27 November 1987 23 January 1987 |Derbyshire |Approved<1> |30 November 1987 5 March 1987 |Northamptonshire |Approved |3 December 1987 23 September 1987 |Gloucestershire |Rejected |20 May 1988 18 March 1988 |Shropshire |Approved |22 March 1989 6 April 1988 |Cornwall |Approved<1> |25 May 1989 13 April 1988 |Rochdale |Approved<1> |28 July 1989 29 April 1988 |Essex |Approved<1> |23 October 1989 29 April 1988 |Essex |Approved<1> |30 January 1990 5 May 1988 |Wirral |Rejected |21 December 1988 1 June 1988 |Knowsley |Approved<1> |16 June 1989 9 June 1988 |Sefton |Approved<1> |10 May 1989 17 June 1988 |Derbyshire |Approved<1> |13 October 1989 15 July 1988 |Derbyshire |Approved |25 August 1989 7 April 1989 |Barnsley |Approved<1> |7 December 1989
Secondary Reorganisation proposals involving the establishment of Sixth Form Colleges Proposal Date |LEA |Decision Made |Decision Date ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 5 April 1984 |Essex |Approved |4 April 1985 10 September 1984 |Avon |Rejected |9 May 1986 14 September 1984 |Waltham Forest |Approved |28 June 1985 19 April 1985 |Cumbria |Rejected |25 February 1986 30 January 1986 |Stockport |Approved |2 December 1986 6 February 1986 |St Helens |Approved |22 October 1986 24 April 1986 |Hampshire |Approved |6 November 1986 29 October 1986 |Wirral |Approved |14 September 1987 12 February 1987 |Cheshire |Rejected |19 January 1988 9 March 1987 |Shropshire |Approved |10 December 1987 12 June 1987 |Merton |<1>Approved |11 July 1988 18 June 1987 |Humberside |Approved |6 January 1988 17 July 1987 |Lancashire |Approved |23 June 1988 22 July 1987 |Hampshire |<1>Approved |23 May 1988 18 September 1987 |Leeds |Approved |28 June 1988 22 April 1988 |ILEA |Approved |15 February 1989 27 May 1988 |Havering |<1>Approved |14 August 1989 20 April 1989 |Newham |<1>Approved |26 April 1990 1 May 1990 |Oldham |<1>Approved |3 December 1990 <1> Proposals approved with modification
Students
Mr. Straw : To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will publish a table showing the numbers and percentage of the total of students aged 16 to 18 years
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in full-time education in (a) school sixth forms, (b) sixth form colleges and (c) further education, including tertiary, colleges for each year since 1979 for which data are available.Mr. Eggar : The information requested is as follows :
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Full-time 16 to 18-year-olds
Further education Sixth form colleges Other schools<1> Total
|Number |Percentage|Number |Percentage|Number |Percentage|Number |Percentage
|(000) |(000) |(000) |(000)
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1978-80 |237 |40.9 |48 |8.3 |294 |50.8 |579 |100
1980-81 |228 |37.5 |54 |8.8 |327 |53.7 |609 |100
1981-82 |262 |38.9 |60 |8.8 |353 |52.3 |675 |100
1982-83 |294 |41.2 |64 |8.9 |355 |49.8 |712 |100
1983-84 |279 |41.1 |62 |9.1 |338 |49.8 |679 |100
1984-85 |271 |41.4 |61 |9.3 |323 |49.3 |656 |100
1985-86 |274 |42.0 |64 |9.7 |315 |48.2 |652 |100
1986-87 |272 |42.6 |63 |9.8 |304 |47.6 |639 |100
1987-88 |282 |43.3 |62 |9.5 |308 |47.2 |652 |100
1988-89 |282 |42.0 |70 |10.5 |319 |47.5 |671 |100
1989-90 |302 |43.1 |74 |10.6 |324 |46.3 |699 |100
<1> The data for "other schools" are all 16 to 18-year-olds in schools (including special schools), whether
or not they are in the sixth form. Data for sixth form students aged 16 to 18 are not available centrally.
Mr. Straw : To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what were the numbers of (a) full-time, (b) part-time and (c) full-time equivalent students in
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(i) universities, (ii) polytechnics, (iii) other higher education institutions and (iv) (i) plus (ii) plus (iii), for each year since 1979.Mr. Alan Howarth : Information is given in the table :
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Higher education full-time and part-time students in Great Britain
Thousands
|1979 |1980 |1981 |1982 |1983 |1984 |1985 |1986 |1987 |1988 |1989
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Universities
Full-time |292.7|298.7|300.2|295.4|291.7|290.6|295.5|301.3|305.4|317.6|334.5
Part-time |30.0 |32.0 |33.2 |33.5 |34.6 |36.0 |37.1 |39.4 |40.7 |44.5 |47.9
Full-time equivalent |303.2|309.9|311.8|307.1|303.8|303.2|308.5|315.1|319.6|333.2|351.3
Polytechnics and colleges
Full-time |217.4|221.7|241.3|257.7|273.4|282.7|288.0|294.7|303.3|308.7|335.9
Part-time |168.1|181.1|185.8|188.5|195.3|195.1|210.0|228.4|232.7|247.5|259.4
Full-time equivalent |276.2|284.5|306.3|323.7|341.8|351.0|361.5|374.6|384.7|395.3|426.7
All students
Full-time |510.1|520.4|541.5|553.1|565.1|573.3|583.5|596.1|608.7|626.3|670.4
Part-time |198.1|213.1|219.0|222.0|229.9|231.1|247.1|267.8|273.4|292.0|307.3
Full-time equivalent |579.4|594.4|618.1|630.8|645.6|654.2|670.0|689.7|704.3|728.5|778.0
Sources: Universities Statistical Record.
Further Education Statistical Record.
Mr. Straw : To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what were the total numbers of full-time equivalent students in higher education aged 18 to 21 years in each year since 1979 ; and what percentage of the same age group they represented.
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Mr. Alan Howarth : The information is given in the table :
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Home undergraduate students on first year courses of higher education-aged under 21
Academic years
|1979 |1980 |1981 |1982 |1983 |1984 |1985 |1986 |1987 |1988 |1989
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Full-time |117.4|123.3|130.2|136.4|135.4|137.9|136.8|136.6|138.6|141.2|157.8
Part-time |29.6 |35.6 |36.7 |35.3 |33.6 |32.8 |33.0 |32.5 |34.4 |35.8 |35.9
Full-time equivalent |127.8|135.8|143.0|148.8|147.2|149.4|148.4|148.0|150.7|153.8|170.4
As percentage of 18 and 19-year-old population |14.6 |15.2 |15.6 |15.8 |15.6 |16.3 |16.6 |16.8 |17.4 |18.1 |20.2
Mr. Straw : To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what was the proportion of (i) 16-year-olds, (ii) 17-year-olds, (iii) 18- year-olds and (iv) 16 to 18-year-olds in receipt of (a) full-time education, (b) full-time training, (c) (a) plus (b) , (d) part-time training and (e) a full-time or part-time education or training, in each year since 1979.
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Mr. Eggar : The information requested for the academic years 1978-79 to 1988-89 is given in the Department's statistical bulletins 2/87, 9/90, copies of which are in the Library (these show part-time education for 1979 -80, 1981-82, 1983-84, 1987-88, 1988-89). Figures for 1989-90 will be published in a new statistical bulletin 13/91 shortly and are as follows :
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Percentage of population in:
Age |Full-time |YTS |Full-time |Part-time
|education |education |education |full-time
|(excluding |and YTS) |and
|YTS |part-time
|education
|and YTS
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
16 |53 |22 |75 |11 |86
17 |38 |20 |59 |11 |70
18 |21 |2 |23 |16 |38
16-18 |37 |14 |51 |13 |64
Age as at 31 August at the start of the academic year.
Columns may not add up to totals because of rounding.
Examinations
Mr. Straw : To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what were the number of entries to and passes in the advanced supplementary level and advanced level examinations for each year since the introduction of AS-level ; and what percentage the number of entries to, and passes in AS-level was of the number of entries to and passes in A-level in the same years.
Mr. Eggar : The numbers of leavers attempting at least one AS examination as a proportion of those who attempted A-level examinations was 5.3 per cent. and for passes the proportion was 3.6 per cent.
Vocational Qualifications
Mr. Straw : To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what proposals he has to collect data on the number of national vocational qualifications levels 2 and 3, or equivalent qualifications or ones of a similar standard obtained by 16 to 19-year-olds in all types of institution and training.
Mr. Eggar : We are undertaking a pilot survey, jointly with the Employment Department, of information held by the main bodies responsible for awarding vocational qualifications. The aim is to extend the survey to cover virtually all vocational qualifications. We will also be consulting shortly about proposals for FE colleges to publish their results and send copies to the Department.
Recreation and Sports
Mr. Fearn : To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what steps he has taken to promote training and educational opportunities in recreation and sports for ethnic minorities.
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Mr. Atkins : We have made physical education a foundation subject in the national curriculum for all pupils aged five to 16, including those from ethnic minorities. In addition, the Sports Council, which this Department funds, is chairing the Industry Lead Body for Sport and Recreation which is working to produce a structure of national vocational qualifications in the area of sport and recreation. These will be delivered on an equal opportunity basis.
Schools Inspectorate
Mr. Straw : To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science, pursuant to his answer to the hon. Member for Blackburn on 8 May 1991 at column 469, how long the thorough internal review of the structure and role of Her Majesty's inspectorate of schools will take ; whether and when its conclusions will be published ; and whether there will be a period of public consultation before decisions on the review are made.
Mr. Kenneth Clarke : The internal review got under way immediately following my reply of 8 May 1991 at column 469 to the hon. Member. I have asked it to report at the beginning of July. I do not expect to publish the review itself which will take the form of confidential advice to Ministers. I shall wish to consider how to act on the conclusions of the review once I have received them.
Mr. Straw : To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science whether he will be inviting evidence from outside his Department in the course of the review of the structure and role of Her Majesty's inspectorate of schools.
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Mr. Kenneth Clarke : The review team will not formally invite or receive evidence. However, the team is seeking views from a wide range of people and bodies within the education world and beyond it.Mr. Straw : To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will list the names, grades and posts of those conducting the internal review of the structure and role of Her Majesty's inspectorate of schools.
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