| Home Page |
Column 5
Written Answers to Questions
Monday 19 October 1992
NATIONAL HERITAGE
Cultural Heritage
Mr. Cash : To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage under what criteria areas of cultural heritage are to be classified as being areas of European significance, under the proposed article 128 of the treaty of Rome.
Mr. Brooke : Criteria will be agreed over time at meetings of the Council after the normal process of consultation among EC member states, the Commission and other interested parties has taken place.
Deregulation
Mr. Sproat : To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage what financial provisions, and how much, he has made within his Department in order to look at the potential for deregulation of each of the regulatory measures for which he has responsibility.
Mr. Key : There is no specific financial provision for deregulation in the Department of National Heritage for the current financial year. This Department is fully committed to the Government's deregulation policy and will keep this under review in the policy areas for which it is responsible.
National Lottery
Mrs. Jane Kennedy : To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage what evidence his Department has gathered on the effects of national lotteries in other countries on public funding of the arts, sports and charities.
Mr. Brooke : Many countries have lotteries and the effects on public funding vary accordingly to the policies of those countries' Governments. The position set out in the United Kingdom Government's White Paper, "A National Lottery : Raising Money for Good Causes" was that
"the Government will not make any case by case reduction in conventional expenditure programmes to take account of awards from the lottery proceeds".
Mrs. Jane Kennedy : To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage what research his Department has undertaken or plans to undertake into the effects of a national lottery on (a) donations to charities, (b) small lotteries and (c) low income families.
Mr. Brooke : The Department has commissioned consultants to carry out research and advise on a number of aspects of the national lottery, including the matters raised by the hon. Member.
Mr. Redmond : To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage what assessment he has made of the dual viability of the proposed national lottery and the premium bond prize draw ; and if he will make a statement.
Column 6
Mr. Brooke : The products offered by these two schemes are very different. Premium bonds are a savings instrument. We expect both schemes to be viable.
Mr. Bowis : To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage if he will publish the contents of submissions he has received on the subject of the national lottery ; and if he will place copies in the Library.
Mr. Brooke : I have no plans to do so.
Television Licences
Ms. Walley : To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage if he will review the code of practice governing the behaviour of television licence officers in respect of the carrying out of their work with full regard for courtesy and crime prevention.
Mr. Brooke : Under the Broadcasting Act 1990 responsibility for issuing TV licences and enforcing the licensing requirement was transferred to the BBC with effect from 1 April 1991. The question should accordingly be re-directed to the secretary of the BBC.
Mr. Pawsey : To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage what plans he has to review the regulations surrounding concessionary television licences for those resident in accommodation for short and long- term physically and mentally disabled persons.
Mr. Brooke : We have no plans to review the regulations governing the concessionary licence scheme.
A Vision for Vauxhall Gardens"
Ms. Hoey : To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage if his Department has considered an application for an exhibition relating to "A Vision for Vauxhall Gardens" to be displayed in the Upper Waiting Hall.
Mr. Key : I understand that, under procedures agreed by the Administration Committee, arrangements have been made with the authorities of the House for the Exhibition to be held in the Upper Waiting Hall from 16 to 20 November 1992.
Mrs. Roe : To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage what was the total sum given by cigarette manufacturers in sponsorship for (a) sport and (b) other cultural activities in the latest year for which figures are available ; and what proportion (a) and (b) represent of the total sponsorship from non-government sources in each case.
Mr. Brooke : Sponsorship of sport in the United Kingdom by the tobacco industry was worth £7.630 million for the year ending 31 March 1991. The total value of sports sponsorship is estimated to be in excess of £200 million a year.
Annual business sponsorship of the arts, including corporate membership, was more than £57 million on 1990-91, the latest year for which firm figures are available. Neither the Department nor the Association for Business Sponsorship of the Arts holds information on spending on arts sponsorship by the tobacco industry.
Column 7
EDUCATION
Adult Guidance Service
Mr. Win Griffiths : To ask the Secretary of State for Education if he will make a statement on the adult guidance service.
Mr. Forman : Guidance for adults is provided in a variety of ways, including by LEA's as part of the careers service and in the form of free- standing services. LEA's are building up links with TECs in the provision of these services. We hope that LEA services will play an important part in the Government's assessment and guidance credits initiative, announced in the White Paper "People, Jobs and Opportunity".
Discretionary Grants
Mr. Hendry : To ask the Secretary of State for Education if he will require local education authorities to make education discretionary grants with regard to the further education of residents within the local education authority's area at a college or university outside its area, in cases where the course undertaken by the student is not available within the authority's own area.
Mr. Forman : It is for local education authorities to decide their own policies when exercising their discretionary powers. My right hon. Friend has no power to require authorities to exercise their discretion in particular ways.
National Curriculum Technology
Mr. Malone : To ask the Secretary of State for Education (1) whether, after the review of national curriculum technology has been completed, the definition of construction materials as contained in the present order governing national curriculum technology shall still apply ;
(2) if he will consider the widening of the definition of construction materials contained in the present order governing national curriculum technology.
Mr. Forth : The independent review of national curriculum technology aims to clarify the learning requirements for the subject. It would be inappropriate to comment until my right hon. Friends the Secretaries of State for Education and for Wales have received the review group's report and published joint proposals for consultation. A full statement will be made in due course.
Spelling Standards
Mr. Wilshire : To ask the Secretary of State for Education if he will make it his policy to make the grant of mandatory awards for university students conditional upon individual achievement of satisfactory spelling standards.
Mr. Forman : No. My right hon. Friend has recently reminded the higher education institutions of their responsibility to require appropriate entry standards--including standards in basic skills--and to make those clear to schools and potential students.
Departmental Objectives
Mr. Sproat : To ask the Secretary of State for Education pursuant to his answer to the hon. Member for Harwich of 15 July, Official Report, column 726 when he expects to
Column 8
complete the review of these objectives of each branch and division within his Department ; and if he will set these objectives out separately for each division and branch in the Official Report when his review is complete.Mr. Forman : I have written to my hon. Friend. A copy of my reply is available in the Library.
Deregulation
Mr. Sproat : To ask the Secretary of State for Education what financial provisions, and how much, he has made within his Department in order to look at the potential for deregulation of each of the regulatory measures for which he has responsibility.
Mr. Forman : Deregulation issues are dealt with within current resources : the Department is responsible for very few regulations affecting businesses.
Rudolf Steiner Waldorf Education
Ms. Walley : To ask the Secretary of State for Education what representations he has received regarding the funding of Rudolf Steiner Waldorf education ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Forth : My right hon. Friend has received 120 letters from hon. Members and 20 letters from others interested in Steiner education. A deputation led by Mr. Brien Masters, chairman of the Steiner Schools Foundation was also received by my hon. Friend the Parliamentary Under- Secretary of State for Education--my hon. Friend the Member for Carshalton and Wallington (Mr. Forman)--in September. Steiner schools offer a distinctive approach to education and one which is clearly valued by parents and supporters of the schools. They thus contribute to the richness and diversity which is the hallmark of independent school provision in this country. There is, however, absolutely no justification for supporting this particular group of independent schools from public funds either now or in the future.
Schools, Greenwich
Mr. Peter Bottomley : To ask the Secretary of State for Education when he expects to be able to approve the application for capital approval for extra forms of entry for St. Thomas More and St. Paul's schools in the London borough of Greenwich.
Mr. Forth : My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State expects to be able to announce his decision on these proposals within the next few weeks.
School Budgets
Mrs. Gorman : To ask the Secretary of State for Education if he will set out for each local education authority the percentage of the aggregate schools budget represented by (a) the potential schools budget, (b) GM- related expenditure and (c) the general schools budget in the most recent year for which information is available.
Mr. Forth : The tables set out, for each authority, the aggregated schools budget as a proportion of the potential schools budget, and other information relating to the extent to which resources are retained for spending by the authority and the extent to which resources are allocated
Column 9
to schools on the basis of their pupil numbers. Figures for spending on local authority schools of a type which governors of grant-maintained schools have to make themselves could only be calculated for all local education authorities at disproportionate cost. I will write to my hon. Friend with a detailed explanation of the factors involved.Column 9
Table: The extent of LEAs' delegation to schools (1992-93)
1 |2 |3 |4 |5
Local education PSB delegated to PSB not de Central Central
authority (LEA) schools per pupil administration as administration per
proportion of PSB pupil
|1992-93 |(1991-92)|1992-93 |1992-93 |(1991-92)|1992-93
|per cent |per cent |£ |per cent |per cent |£
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
All LEAs where LMS in operation before April 1992
1 Berkshire |89.11 |(87.68) |190 |2.14 |(2.78) |40
2 Sefton |88.78 |(87.86) |210 |2.41 |(2.71) |40
3 Bolton |88.52 |(88.31) |210 |1.49 |(2.06) |30
4 Stockport |88.34 |(88.69) |220 |2.23 |(3.15) |40
5 Sunderland |88.31 |(88.40) |200 |2.14 |(2.15) |40
6 Rochdale |88.31 |(88.46) |200 |2.32 |(2.37) |40
7 Bexley |88.27 |(81.32) |210 |2.88 |(5.06) |50
8 Cheshire |88.26 |(87.35) |200 |1.83 |(1.71) |30
9 Barking |87.85 |(85.20) |230 |3.22 |(3.27) |60
10 Northamptonshire |87.62 |(86.01) |220 |1.66 |(2.23) |30
11 West Sussex |87.38 |(87.67) |220 |2.25 |(2.09) |40
12 Devon |87.31 |(87.14) |220 |2.73 |(2.53) |50
13 Cambridgeshire |87.22 |(87.45) |230 |2.10 |(2.03) |40
14 Manchester |87.19 |(88.03) |240 |2.94 |(3.54) |50
15 Northumberland |87.17 |(88.16) |200 |2.68 |(2.37) |40
16 Hertfordshire |87.14 |(86.19) |240 |3.75 |(3.81) |70
17 Bury |87.08 |(85.31) |230 |2.29 |(2.00) |40
18 Warwickshire |87.03 |(86.72) |220 |3.07 |(3.19) |50
19 Suffolk |87.01 |(87.56) |240 |1.23 |(0.78) |20
20 Brent |86.91 |(83.51) |290 |4.04 |(4.26) |90
21 Croydon |86.83 |(81.00) |290 |2.97 |(4.15) |60
22 Leeds |86.79 |(86.26) |250 |3.31 |(4.22) |60
23 Cumbria |86.72 |(85.41) |240 |2.27 |(3.02) |40
24 Hampshire |86.56 |(86.11) |250 |2.39 |(3.16) |40
25 Enfield |86.39 |(84.68) |270 |2.89 |(3.69) |60
26 Lincolnshire |86.34 |(85.46) |250 |2.29 |(2.21) |40
27 Shropshire |86.31 |(86.09) |270 |1.83 |(2.00) |40
28 Norfolk |86.24 |(84.37) |260 |2.36 |(3.35) |40
29 Ealing |86.14 |(82.92) |280 |2.95 |(5.86) |60
30 Havering |86.09 |(85.09) |270 |2.08 |(1.93) |40
31 South Tyneside |85.98 |(85.94) |240 |1.90 |(2.06) |30
32 Oxfordshire |85.91 |(84.68) |280 |3.48 |(2.85) |70
33 Isle of Wight |85.76 |(83.75) |270 |1.90 |(1.92) |40
34 Solihull |85.76 |(85.59) |270 |1.15 |(1.93) |20
35 Wirral |85.75 |(85.73) |250 |1.39 |(2.59) |20
36 Surrey |85.68 |(84.61) |270 |3.79 |(4.85) |70
37 Walsall |85.68 |(85.50) |260 |3.11 |(3.40) |60
38 Westminster |85.63 |(84.88) |370 |4.44 |(5.59) |110
39 Somerset |85.61 |(85.48) |280 |2.29 |(2.69) |40
40 Calderdale |85.58 |(85.46) |250 |3.73 |(2.39) |60
41 Kingston |85.57 |(84.35) |310 |3.51 |(4.11) |80
42 Sandwell |85.56 |(82.74) |280 |2.37 |(4.51) |50
43 Kirklees |85.46 |(84.96) |260 |3.34 |(3.65) |60
44 Hereford/Worcester |85.46 |(83.99) |270 |2.45 |(3.18) |40
45 Staffordshire |85.41 |(84.84) |250 |2.75 |(4.10) |50
46 North Yorkshire |85.39 |(84.16) |270 |1.95 |(2.37) |40
47 St. Helens |85.39 |(84.53) |280 |3.56 |(3.65) |70
48 Leicestershire |85.37 |(84.28) |280 |2.62 |(2.89) |50
49 Durham |85.30 |(82.16) |260 |2.28 |(4.79) |40
50 Buckinghamshire |85.29 |(86.58) |270 |2.98 |(3.55) |60
51 Barnsley |85.27 |(85.91) |240 |2.40 |(2.88) |40
52 Bedfordshire |85.23 |(83.29) |280 |2.93 |(3.66) |60
53 East Sussex |85.23 |(85.37) |270 |1.95 |(2.20) |40
54 Barnet |85.20 |(83.68) |310 |4.22 |(4.96) |90
55 Humberside |85.20 |(84.60) |280 |3.08 |(3.01) |60
56 Isles of Scilly |85.12 |(83.17) |530 |3.85 |(6.41) |140
57 Essex |85.08 |(85.08) |270 |2.87 |(3.52) |50
58 Nottinghamshire |85.06 |(83.96) |270 |3.15 |(3.41) |60
59 Dudley |85.06 |(84.47) |270 |3.30 |(3.64) |60
60 Richmond |85.03 |(82.58) |300 |4.10 |(4.82) |80
61 Redbridge |85.03 |(83.13) |270 |2.68 |(5.10) |50
62 Cornwall |85.02 |(83.95) |260 |2.64 |(3.52) |50
63 Newcastle |84.89 |(82.38) |280 |3.45 |(5.09) |60
64 Hounslow |84.83 |(83.26) |310 |3.04 |(4.46) |60
65 North Tyneside |84.78 |(84.55) |290 |2.40 |(3.99) |50
66 Salford |84.74 |(86.03) |280 |4.29 |(2.64) |80
67 Tameside |84.74 |(83.80) |260 |1.96 |(2.16) |30
68 Bradford |84.74 |(86.68) |280 |3.41 |(3.55) |60
69 Rotherham |84.70 |(85.43) |290 |3.54 |(3.76) |70
70 Sutton |84.70 |(85.15) |280 |3.56 |(3.84) |60
71 Trafford |84.69 |(83.94) |250 |2.48 |(3.68) |40
72 Bromley |84.67 |(84.88) |300 |3.51 |(5.70) |70
73 Kent |84.54 |(85.84) |270 |3.78 |(4.61) |70
74 Liverpool |84.47 |(82.92) |290 |3.97 |(4.65) |70
75 Derbyshire |84.46 |(83.97) |260 |1.94 |(3.04) |30
76 Cleveland |84.45 |(83.37) |280 |3.54 |(4.64) |60
77 Wiltshire |84.42 |(83.26) |290 |3.47 |(3.18) |60
78 Knowsley |84.41 |(83.24) |290 |4.76 |(4.99) |90
79 Hillingdon |84.38 |(83.91) |290 |3.81 |(6.17) |70
80 Lancashire |84.32 |(82.74) |290 |1.63 |(3.46) |30
81 Merton |84.31 |(84.86) |330 |2.97 |(3.33) |60
82 Oldham |84.30 |(83.14) |290 |2.50 |(4.53) |50
83 Birmingham |84.26 |(83.41) |290 |3.66 |(3.85) |70
84 Doncaster |84.20 |(84.00) |300 |2.19 |(2.29) |40
85 Dorset |84.16 |(85.16) |270 |3.26 |(3.72) |60
86 Wigan |84.11 |(83.03) |300 |3.65 |(4.18) |70
87 Sheffield |84.08 |(85.92) |300 |3.48 |(3.26) |70
88 Wakefield |84.05 |(84.28) |280 |1.66 |(1.49) |30
89 Gateshead |83.91 |(83.92) |300 |1.57 |(2.99) |30
90 Haringey |83.84 |(83.77) |370 |3.78 |(4.78) |90
91 Avon |83.56 |(82.78) |310 |3.60 |(3.87) |70
92 Gloucestershire |83.19 |(84.47) |290 |3.13 |(3.37) |50
93 Coventry |83.01 |(82.76) |330 |5.06 |(4.37) |100
94 Harrow |83.75 |(82.45) |350 |4.94 |(5.05) |100
95 Waltham Forest |82.09 |(80.22) |390 |5.10 |(6.60) |110
96 Newham |82.07 |(79.46) |360 |3.37 |(5.94) |70
97 Wolverhampton |80.94 |(81.55) |370 |5.19 |(5.33) |100
Averages |85.57 |(84.89) |270 |2.84 |(3.44) |50
Inner London LEAs where LMS in operation from April 1992
1 City of London |87.05 |360 |9.67 |270
2 Islington |85.19 |390 |4.53 |120
3 Wandsworth |84.16 |390 |3.69 | 90
4 Camden |83.20 |420 |4.04 |100
5 Hammersmith-Fulham |81.70 |480 |3.84 |100
6 Lewisham |81.09 |440 |5.66 |130
7 Hackney |79.77 |490 |5.27 |130
8 Lambeth |79.68 |510 |6.40 |160
9 Greenwich |79.63 |470 |7.98 |180
10 Southwark |79.12 |480 |7.10 |160
11 Tower Hamlets |77.16 |590 |5.66 |150
136
12 Kensington-Chelsea |76.13 |760 |9.00 |290
Averages |80.59 |480 |5.78 |140
National Averages |85.31 |(84.89) |270 |2.99 |(3.44) |60
Footnotes to table showing the extent of delegation.
1. All 109 local education authorities (LEAs) in England have LMS schemes in operation and
are required to publish budget statements showing planned expenditure, under section 42 of
the Education Reform Act. The LEAs are ranked, according to the percentage of funds
delegated to schools, with those delegating more at the top of the ranking order. Schemes
for the 12 inner London LEAs other than Westminster came into operation later than the rest,
on 1 April 1992. These LEAs are listed separately.
2. The potential schools budget (PSB) consists of the major part of the general schools
budget (GSB)-ie the GSB less planned expenditure on certain excepted items: capital
expenditure; expenditure supported by central government grants; and expenditure on school
meals, home to school transport and transitional exceptions (eg grounds maintenance). The
amount which the schools themselves decide how to spend, as a proportion of the PSB, is a
percentage used as an indicator of the extent to which LEAs have delegated resources to
their schools. A new requirement from April 1993 (1995 for the 12 inner London authorities
listed separately) is that this percentage should be a minimum of 85 per cent. The
percentage for the previous year 1991-92 is given in brackets. Where a figure is not given
in brackets the LMS scheme was not in operation during that year.
3. The proportion of the PSB held back by each LEA (ie not delegated to schools) expressed
as a cash amount per pupil-rounded to the nearest £10. LEAs are not required to state the
price base used in their estimates and no adjustment has therefore been made: comparisons
between LEAs should consequently take into account that a different price base may have
been used. Pupil numbers have in most cases been taken from LEAs' section 42 statements.
4. Planned expenditure on central administration-one of the discretionary exceptions
included in the PSB-expressed as a percentage of the PSB. The previous year's percentage is
given in brackets. Following the publication of accounting guidance by CIPFA this year,
LEAs may have changed from last year their method of calculating central administration
expenditure. In addition, not all LEAs have followed CIPFA's quidance this year.
Consequently, there may not be a consistent basis for comparisons between years and between
LEAs.
5. Planned expenditure on central administration expressed as a cash amount per
pupil-rounded to the nearest £10. The qualifications on price base and the basis of LEAs'
calculations of central expenditure (see notes 3 and 4) apply to these figures as well.
NB The percentages stated may differ from the percentages calculated by individual LEAs
because of the effects of rounding.
Column 13
1 Local Education 2 Pupil-led
Authority (LEA) funding as a
percentage ASB
|1992-93 |(1991-92)
Inner London LEAs |Per cent. |Per cent.
where LMS in
operation from
April 1992
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
1 Wandsworth |85.04
2 Islington |84.00
3 City of London |82.11
4 Kensington/Chelsea |81.64
5 Southwark |80.84
6 Hammersmith/Fulham |80.68
7 Camden |80.66
8 Lewisham |77.64
9 Lambeth |77.51
10 Hackney |77.27
11 Tower Hamlets |76.70
12 Greenwich |76.56
Averages |79.55
National Averages |80.49 |(80.17)
Footnotes to table showing the extent of pupil-led funding.
1. The LEAs are ranked according to the proportion of funds allocated to
schools on the basis of pupil numbers and ages, with those allocating a
greater percentage of pupil-led funding at the top of the ranking order.
2. The aggregated schools budget (ASB) is that part of the potential schools
budget which is delegated to the school level. The current requirement is
that at least 75 per cent. of an LEA's ASB is based on pupil numbers and
ages. From April 1993 (1995 for the inner London authorities which only
started LMS this year) the minimum percentage will be raised to 80 per cent.
(but that will include any pupil-led funding allocated in respect of special
needs which does not currently count towards the 75 per cent. minimum). The
percentage of pupil-led funding in 1991-92 is given in brackets. Where a
figure is not given in brackets the LMS scheme was not in operation last
year. All figures are derived from LEA's published budget statements, but
the percentages stated may differ from the percentages calculated by
individual LEAs because of the effects of rounding and other adjustments.
1 Local Education 2 Pupil-led
Authority (LEA) funding as a
percentage ASB
|1992-93 |(1991-92)
Inner London LEAs |Per cent. |Per cent.
where LMS in
operation from
April 1992
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
1 Wandsworth |85.04
2 Islington |84.00
3 City of London |82.11
4 Kensington/Chelsea |81.64
5 Southwark |80.84
6 Hammersmith/Fulham |80.68
7 Camden |80.66
8 Lewisham |77.64
9 Lambeth |77.51
10 Hackney |77.27
11 Tower Hamlets |76.70
12 Greenwich |76.56
Averages |79.55
National Averages |80.49 |(80.17)
Footnotes to table showing the extent of pupil-led funding.
1. The LEAs are ranked according to the proportion of funds allocated to
schools on the basis of pupil numbers and ages, with those allocating a
greater percentage of pupil-led funding at the top of the ranking order.
2. The aggregated schools budget (ASB) is that part of the potential schools
budget which is delegated to the school level. The current requirement is
that at least 75 per cent. of an LEA's ASB is based on pupil numbers and
ages. From April 1993 (1995 for the inner London authorities which only
started LMS this year) the minimum percentage will be raised to 80 per cent.
(but that will include any pupil-led funding allocated in respect of special
needs which does not currently count towards the 75 per cent. minimum). The
percentage of pupil-led funding in 1991-92 is given in brackets. Where a
figure is not given in brackets the LMS scheme was not in operation last
year. All figures are derived from LEA's published budget statements, but
the percentages stated may differ from the percentages calculated by
individual LEAs because of the effects of rounding and other adjustments.
Mr. Peter Bottomley: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what steps he has taken to satisfy himself that local management of schools' budgets fairly takes into account the extra cost to a school with long-term stable staffing.
Mr. Forth : Within the national local management of schools framework, LEA schemes may provide for small school budget shares to reflect actual staff costs for as long as the LEA considers necessary. LEAs may also extend the transitional period to larger schools which face exceptional difficulties because of higher than average salary costs. We have said that we will review the policy of funding teachers' salaries within LMS schemes. However, it remains our view that governors should be responsible and accountable for the financial implications of their decisions.
Column 16
Examination Statistics
Mrs. Gorman : To ask the Secretary of State for Education if he will publish a list of local education authorities in England in rank order by the percentage of pupils achieving five higher grade GCSEs in the last year for which information is available, showing in each case (a) that percentage and (b) the rank order position and percentage for each of the previous four years.
Mr. Forth : The attached table gives details of the estimated percentage of school leavers achieving five or more GCSE/O/CSE grades A-C in rank order. The latest available data based on a 10 per cent. sample of school leavers aggregated over three years--1988-89 to 1990-91--in order to reduce sampling errors. The aggregated figures for the earlier years are also shown.
Column 15
School leavers statistical file 1990-91 revised 3 July 1992
Maintained schools only
Percentage of school leavers with five or more GCSE/O/CSE grades A-C
1988-89 to 1987-88 to 1986-87 to 1985-86 to
1990-91 1989-90 1988-89 1987-88
|Per cent.|Rank |Per cent.|Rank |Per cent.|Rank |Per cent.|Rank
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Buckinghamshire |43.5 |1 |41.2 |2 |36.0 |5 |33.4 |6
Surrey |42.9 |2 |40.7 |3 |38.0 |4 |36.4 |3
Harrow |42.8 |3 |44.1 |1 |38.6 |3 |38.3 |2
West Sussex |42.2 |4 |39.6 |4 |35.5 |6 |32.5 |8
East Sussex |40.5 |5 |36.5 |9 |31.4 |13 |27.4 |23
Hertfordshire |39.6 |6 |36.1 |10 |31.9 |11 |30.3 |12
Barnet |39.5 |7 |39.0 |5 |38.9 |2 |41.5 |1
Sutton |39.4 |8 |37.0 |8 |39.1 |1 |34.9 |4
Stockport |38.9 |9 |34.9 |11 |28.6 |25 |24.9 |43
North Yorkshire |38.1 |10 |37.6 |7 |34.5 |7 |32.8 |7
Solihull |38.0 |11 |33.4 |16 |31.7 |12 |30.8 |11
Somerset |38.0 |11 |31.4 |29 |27.1 |39 |24.5 |46
Gloucestershire |37.9 |13 |34.3 |13 |31.2 |14 |29.1 |17
Trafford |37.5 |14 |32.8 |20 |30.7 |15 |31.1 |10
Kingston upon Thames |36.8 |15 |34.2 |14 |32.2 |10 |34.1 |5
Hampshire |36.8 |15 |32.8 |20 |29.6 |21 |27.7 |21
Wigan |36.4 |17 |34.6 |12 |30.2 |18 |29.4 |15
Northumberland |36.0 |18 |33.4 |16 |30.7 |15 |29.8 |13
Cheshire |35.5 |19 |33.3 |18 |29.1 |23 |28.3 |19
Richmond upon Thames |35.4 |20 |38.0 |6 |32.4 |8 |29.6 |14
Bolton |35.3 |21 |31.9 |26 |28.7 |24 |26.0 |36
Cornwall and Isles of Scilly |35.3 |21 |33.8 |15 |30.1 |19 |27.2 |24
Warwickshire |35.1 |23 |30.9 |31 |28.5 |26 |26.6 |28
Havering |35.0 |24 |28.6 |46 |24.4 |57 |23.3 |52
Sefton |34.8 |25 |33.3 |18 |28.5 |26 |26.4 |31
Dorset |34.7 |26 |31.5 |28 |27.6 |35 |27.2 |24
North Tyneside |34.4 |27 |30.3 |33 |27.5 |36 |23.3 |52
Bromley |34.3 |28 |31.7 |27 |29.9 |20 |32.0 |9
Shropshire |34.3 |28 |32.4 |23 |30.3 |17 |27.7 |21
Wirral |33.7 |30 |32.5 |22 |27.8 |31 |25.9 |39
Cambridgeshire |33.6 |31 |29.8 |37 |28.0 |29 |26.0 |36
Enfield |33.5 |32 |31.4 |29 |26.9 |41 |24.8 |44
Hereford and Worcester |33.4 |33 |32.1 |25 |29.2 |22 |28.5 |18
Wiltshire |32.8 |34 |30.1 |36 |25.9 |45 |23.9 |48
Devon |32.7 |35 |29.5 |40 |26.3 |44 |24.4 |47
Merton |32.5 |36 |28.7 |45 |24.6 |54 |23.4 |49
Berkshire |32.5 |36 |32.4 |23 |32.3 |9 |29.3 |16
Essex |32.5 |36 |30.9 |31 |27.4 |37 |26.3 |32
Kirklees |32.4 |39 |28.2 |49 |25.6 |46 |25.1 |42
Bexley |32.2 |40 |30.2 |34 |28.5 |26 |27.8 |20
Leicestershire |32.2 |40 |28.4 |48 |25.1 |51 |23.4 |49
Avon |31.9 |42 |30.2 |34 |27.8 |31 |26.1 |35
Rotherham |31.8 |43 |28.6 |46 |23.0 |63 |19.5 |73
Kent |31.5 |44 |28.9 |43 |27.3 |38 |26.5 |30
Lancashire |31.5 |44 |29.4 |41 |26.8 |42 |25.6 |40
Norfolk |31.4 |46 |27.8 |51 |24.5 |56 |22.7 |55
Oxfordshire |31.2 |47 |29.8 |37 |27.7 |33 |26.2 |34
Cumbria |31.0 |48 |29.6 |39 |28.0 |29 |26.9 |27
Hillingdon |30.7 |49 |27.3 |54 |22.7 |65 |20.0 |70
Tameside |30.7 |49 |29.1 |42 |27.1 |39 |24.7 |45
Staffordshire |30.7 |49 |26.6 |60 |24.9 |52 |23.4 |49
Calderdale |30.6 |52 |27.8 |51 |21.5 |75 |20.0 |70
Northamptonshire |30.3 |53 |27.8 |51 |22.8 |64 |21.7 |61
Isle of Wight |30.2 |54 |28.1 |50 |19.5 |83 |17.1 |86
Lincolnshire |29.9 |55 |26.6 |60 |25.2 |49 |25.2 |41
Cleveland |29.6 |56 |27.3 |54 |26.5 |43 |27.1 |26
Bedfordshire |29.3 |57 |27.3 |54 |24.9 |52 |26.0 |36
Dudley |29.1 |58 |28.9 |43 |25.5 |47 |22.3 |59
Derbyshire |29.1 |58 |26.9 |57 |24.6 |54 |22.4 |58
South Tyneside |28.2 |60 |26.8 |59 |22.2 |68 |18.3 |79
Durham |28.1 |61 |26.3 |63 |23.4 |59 |21.0 |66
Hounslow |28.0 |62 |25.2 |67 |25.2 |49 |21.5 |63
Suffolk |27.6 |63 |26.6 |60 |24.2 |58 |22.7 |55
Redbridge |27.5 |64 |25.3 |66 |25.5 |47 |26.6 |28
Sheffield |27.3 |65 |25.9 |64 |22.2 |68 |20.1 |69
Bury |26.8 |66 |23.1 |76 |27.7 |33 |26.4 |31
Walsall |26.7 |67 |25.5 |65 |23.4 |59 |20.9 |67
Brent |26.6 |68 |23.3 |75 |20.6 |78 |19.1 |75
Newcastle upon Tyne |26.5 |69 |22.3 |80 |21.6 |74 |17.4 |84
Leeds |26.4 |70 |24.3 |71 |22.0 |71 |21.3 |65
Sunderland |26.1 |71 |24.1 |72 |21.8 |72 |18.7 |77
Nottinghamshire |26.1 |71 |24.7 |69 |23.4 |59 |21.6 |62
Croydon |25.9 |73 |22.9 |77 |22.1 |70 |22.7 |55
Barnsley |25.8 |74 |26.9 |57 |19.7 |82 |16.9 |87
Rochdale |25.7 |75 |24.5 |70 |20.9 |77 |18.7 |77
Salford |25.3 |76 |24.9 |68 |23.2 |62 |21.8 |60
Doncaster |25.3 |76 |23.6 |73 |21.7 |73 |18.7 |76
Gateshead |25.2 |78 |20.7 |85 |20.4 |80 |19.8 |72
Ealing |24.9 |79 |21.5 |82 |22.5 |67 |19.2 |74
Wakefield |24.5 |80 |20.3 |87 |17.5 |87 |17.6 |83
Manchester |24.4 |81 |20.2 |88 |16.4 |90 |15.9 |90
Coventry |24.0 |82 |21.3 |83 |21.2 |76 |20.7 |68
Humberside |23.1 |83 |23.4 |74 |22.6 |66 |21.5 |63
Birmingham |22.7 |84 |22.7 |79 |19.1 |85 |18.3 |79
Oldham |22.2 |85 |21.7 |81 |18.1 |86 |15.5 |91
Wolverhampton |21.8 |86 |21.2 |84 |19.9 |81 |17.8 |82
St. Helens |21.1 |87 |22.9 |77 |20.5 |79 |23.2 |54
Haringey |20.9 |88 |19.8 |89 |16.6 |89 |17.3 |85
Waltham Forest |20.9 |88 |17.7 |91 |12.7 |94 |11.3 |95
Liverpool |19.7 |90 |20.7 |85 |19.4 |84 |17.9 |81
Bradford |19.1 |91 |17.8 |90 |16.9 |88 |16.0 |89
Sandwell |19.0 |92 |17.4 |92 |15.5 |92 |14.6 |92
Inner London Boroughs' |18.6 |93 |17.4 |92 |15.9 |91 |16.1 |88
Knowsley |16.6 |94 |11.6 |96 |8.5 |96 |10.0 |96
Newham |14.5 |95 |14.3 |94 |14.9 |93 |14.3 |93
Barking and Dagenham |12.4 |96 |13.6 |95 |11.3 |95 |11.8 |94
|------- |------- |------- |-------
Total |30.9 |28.6 |25.8 |24.4
Mrs. Gorman : To ask the Secretary of State for Education if he will publish a list of local education authorities in England in rank order by the percentage of pupils achieving three A levels in the last year for which information is available, showing in each case (a) that percentage and (b) the rank order position and percentage for each of the previous four years.
Column 18
Mr. Forman : The attached table gives details of the estimated percentage of school leavers achieving three or more A/AS level passes in rank order. The latest available data are based on a 10 per cent sample of school leavers aggregated over three years (1988-89 to 1990-91) in order to reduce sampling errors. The aggregated figures for the earlier years are also shown.
Column 17
School leavers statistical file 1990-91 revised 3 July 1992
Maintained schools only
Percentage of school leavers with three or more A/AS level passes
1988-89 to 1987-88 to 1986-87 to 1985-86 to
1990-91 1989-90 1988-89 1987-88
|Per cent.|Rank |Per cent.|Rank |Per cent.|Rank |Per cent.|Rank
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Buckinghamshire |21.8 |1 |18.5 |1 |15.6 |2 |13.5 |3
Barnet |21.3 |2 |18.1 |2 |18.0 |1 |17.7 |1
North Yorkshire |18.6 |3 |16.9 |3 |13.8 |3 |12.9 |4
Sutton |18.3 |4 |13.3 |11 |13.8 |4 |14.4 |2
Stockport |16.7 |5 |14.0 |8 |12.4 |8 |10.5 |17
Wirral |16.5 |6 |15.2 |4 |12.8 |6 |11.1 |11
Cheshire |16.4 |7 |14.2 |6 |11.6 |15 |11.2 |10
Northumberland |16.2 |8 |14.7 |5 |12.5 |7 |11.4 |9
Kingston upon Thames |16.1 |9 |12.3 |17 |11.6 |15 |10.7 |14
Cambridgeshire |15.6 |10 |13.0 |13 |10.3 |21 |7.9 |41
Hertfordshire |15.4 |11 |13.7 |9 |11.8 |13 |9.9 |19
Solihull |15.2 |12 |12.0 |20 |11.7 |14 |11.7 |7
Enfield |14.7 |13 |12.3 |17 |10.1 |24 |8.9 |29
Trafford |14.7 |13 |12.4 |15 |12.4 |8 |12.3 |5
Berkshire |14.6 |15 |14.2 |6 |12.9 |5 |11.5 |8
Warwickshire |14.5 |16 |13.0 |13 |11.9 |11 |10.6 |16
West Sussex |14.3 |17 |12.4 |15 |10.6 |18 |9.5 |21
Sefton |13.6 |18 |12.3 |17 |10.4 |20 |11.0 |13
Gloucestershire |13.6 |18 |12.0 |20 |10.6 |18 |9.3 |25
Cumbria |13.3 |20 |11.7 |23 |11.0 |17 |10.1 |18
Surrey |13.3 |20 |13.1 |12 |11.9 |11 |12.0 |6
East Sussex |12.9 |22 |11.1 |29 |10.1 |24 |8.7 |32
Leicestershire |12.8 |23 |11.5 |27 |10.3 |21 |9.6 |20
Bromley |12.7 |24 |13.4 |10 |12.2 |10 |11.1 |11
Bedfordshire |12.7 |24 |9.6 |43 |9.0 |36 |8.6 |34
Hereford and Worcester |12.7 |24 |11.7 |23 |10.1 |24 |9.4 |23
Kent |12.7 |24 |11.1 |29 |9.6 |30 |9.4 |23
Bolton |12.5 |28 |10.7 |31 |9.1 |34 |9.3 |25
Cleveland |12.5 |28 |10.4 |35 |9.1 |34 |8.4 |37
Rotherham |12.3 |30 |11.6 |26 |9.3 |32 |7.9 |41
North Tyneside |12.1 |31 |10.6 |32 |8.2 |46 |7.3 |51
St. Helens |12.0 |32 |10.1 |39 |9.2 |33 |8.5 |35
Calderdale |12.0 |32 |11.3 |28 |9.0 |36 |8.9 |29
Kirklees |12.0 |32 |11.9 |22 |9.8 |28 |9.0 |27
Redbridge |11.7 |35 |10.6 |32 |10.2 |23 |10.7 |14
Leeds |11.6 |36 |9.3 |47 |8.3 |45 |7.8 |44
Essex |11.4 |37 |10.0 |40 |8.6 |40 |7.7 |45
Lincolnshire |11.3 |38 |9.5 |44 |8.9 |38 |8.4 |37
Bexley |11.1 |39 |10.3 |36 |7.9 |50 |8.5 |35
Manchester |11.1 |39 |9.9 |42 |8.6 |40 |7.5 |48
Wigan |11.1 |39 |10.2 |37 |9.7 |29 |9.0 |27
Shropshire |11.1 |39 |10.5 |34 |9.4 |31 |8.8 |31
Staffordshire |11.1 |39 |9.5 |44 |8.6 |40 |7.6 |46
Dorset |10.8 |44 |8.6 |54 |7.2 |59 |6.8 |59
Croydon |10.7 |45 |9.5 |44 |7.2 |59 |7.4 |49
Hampshire |10.6 |46 |9.1 |49 |8.0 |48 |7.3 |51
Oxfordshire |10.4 |47 |10.2 |37 |10.0 |27 |9.5 |21
Isle of Wight |10.3 |48 |11.7 |23 |8.6 |40 |6.2 |66
Salford |10.1 |49 |6.8 |75 |8.2 |46 |7.9 |41
Tameside |10.1 |49 |10.0 |40 |8.7 |39 |8.1 |39
Nottinghamshire |10.1 |49 |9.3 |47 |8.0 |48 |7.0 |56
Ealing |10.0 |52 |8.1 |63 |7.7 |53 |6.1 |70
Wiltshire |10.0 |52 |8.3 |60 |7.0 |64 |5.8 |73
Birmingham |9.7 |54 |8.5 |57 |6.7 |68 |5.8 |73
Avon |9.6 |55 |8.8 |52 |7.7 |53 |7.0 |56
Hillingdon |9.5 |56 |7.7 |69 |6.1 |77 |5.6 |75
Merton |9.5 |56 |8.3 |60 |7.5 |56 |7.6 |46
Havering |9.4 |58 |7.2 |74 |6.3 |75 |6.7 |60
Newcastle upon Tyne |9.3 |59 |7.4 |73 |6.1 |77 |5.3 |82
Walsall |9.1 |60 |8.9 |51 |7.9 |50 |7.4 |49
Sheffield |9.1 |60 |7.6 |71 |7.2 |59 |6.3 |63
Derbyshire |9.1 |60 |9.0 |50 |7.8 |52 |7.1 |54
Devon |9.1 |60 |7.7 |69 |6.7 |68 |6.3 |63
Doncaster |9.0 |64 |8.5 |57 |8.4 |44 |7.3 |51
Norfolk |8.7 |65 |7.5 |72 |6.5 |72 |6.1 |70
Lancashire |8.4 |66 |7.8 |68 |6.3 |75 |6.2 |66
Bradford |8.3 |67 |6.4 |78 |5.9 |79 |5.2 |83
Humberside |8.3 |67 |7.9 |66 |7.2 |59 |6.9 |58
Northamptonshire |8.3 |67 |8.4 |59 |6.7 |68 |6.6 |61
Suffolk |8.3 |67 |8.2 |62 |7.4 |57 |6.2 |66
Dudley |8.2 |71 |8.7 |53 |7.0 |64 |6.1 |70
Oldham |8.2 |71 |8.1 |63 |7.2 |59 |5.5 |77
Cornwall and Isles of Scilly |8.2 |71 |8.6 |54 |6.8 |66 |6.2 |66
Wolverhampton |8.0 |74 |6.7 |77 |6.5 |72 |5.6 |75
Hounslow |7.9 |75 |8.0 |65 |7.4 |57 |6.3 |63
Brent |7.7 |76 |8.6 |54 |6.4 |74 |5.4 |78
Waltham Forest |7.4 |77 |5.5 |83 |3.6 |89 |3.8 |90
Liverpool |7.2 |78 |7.9 |66 |7.6 |55 |7.1 |54
Coventry |7.0 |79 |5.9 |81 |6.7 |68 |5.4 |78
Gateshead |7.0 |79 |4.2 |88 |4.7 |84 |4.7 |85
Somerset |7.0 |79 |5.3 |84 |4.2 |88 |3.9 |88
Harrow |6.5 |82 |6.3 |79 |5.5 |82 |8.0 |40
Durham |6.4 |83 |5.8 |82 |5.5 |82 |5.4 |78
Sunderland |5.7 |84 |6.0 |80 |4.3 |87 |3.4 |91
Sandwell |5.6 |85 |4.1 |89 |2.9 |93 |2.6 |94
Rochdale |5.2 |86 |6.8 |75 |6.8 |66 |6.4 |62
Wakefield |5.0 |87 |5.3 |84 |4.5 |86 |4.3 |87
Bury |4.9 |88 |3.7 |91 |5.6 |81 |8.7 |32
Inner London Boroughs |4.5 |89 |4.4 |87 |4.6 |85 |4.5 |86
Haringey |4.2 |90 |3.9 |90 |3.6 |89 |3.9 |88
Barnsley |4.0 |91 |5.2 |86 |5.7 |80 |5.4 |78
Barking and Dagenham |3.7 |92 |3.5 |92 |3.3 |91 |3.4 |91
Knowsley |3.1 |93 |2.3 |95 |1.3 |95 |2.0 |95
Newham |2.0 |94 |2.4 |94 |2.6 |94 |2.9 |93
South Tyneside |1.3 |95 |2.8 |93 |3.2 |92 |4.9 |84
Richmond upon Thames |0.0 |96 |0.0 |96 |0.0 |96 |0.0 |96
|---- |---- |---- |---- |---- |---- |---- |----
Total |10.8 |9.6 |8.5 |7.8
Note: The figures used in this reply have been estimated from the School Examination Survey, formerly the School
Leavers Survey. This survey is based on a 10 per cent. sample and therefore the estimated LEA figures have been
aggregated over three years in order to reduce the effect of sampling errors.
Some local education authorities provide a substantial proportion of their A level teaching in tertiary or other
establishments than secondary schools. The tables do not include statistics showing results arising from such
provision.
Pre-school Education
Ms. Janet Anderson : To ask the Secretary of State for Education what representations he has received concerning the standard spending assessment criteria for under-fives provision in Lancashire.
Mr. Forth : My right hon. Friend has received letters from several hon. Members who represent Lancashire constituencies, including the hon. Member for Rossendale and Darwen (Ms. Anderson).
Mrs. Dunwoody : To ask the Secretary of State for Education what percentage of three and four-year-olds are in nursery education in Britain.
Mr. Forth : Nursery education in Wales and Scotland is the responsibility of my right hon. Friends the Secretaries of State for Wales and Scotland. Fifty-one per cent. of three and four-year-olds attended maintained and independent schools in England in January 1991. The figure for maintained schools alone was 48 per cent., that for maintained nursery schools and nursery classes of primary schools was 25 per cent.
Student Numbers
Mr. Morgan : To ask the Secretary of State for Education what representations he has had from the Committee of Vice Chancellors and Principals concerning the real-terms increase in funding required to cope with growth in student numbers as regards (a) buildings, (b) plant and equipment, (c) academic and (d) non-academic staff.
Mr. Forman : My right hon. Friend received the CVCP's statement on the 1992 public expenditure survey which was published last May, covering all of these areas. The CVCP's views will be taken into account alongside advice from the Higher Education Funding Council for England and others.
Surplus School Places
Mr. Spearing : To ask the Secretary of State for Education what consultations he has had, or intends to initiate, with statutory, religious, professional, charitable, and voluntary organisations whose current function or roles are of significance in the operation of the schools system, as presently in operation, prior to the publication of a Bill designed to implement the proposals described in Cm. 2021.
Mr. Forth : My right hon. Friend has already received some 850 responses to his White Paper proposals. He, his
Column 22
ministerial colleagues and his officials at the Department for Education have also held meetings with representatives of the local authority associations, the churches and other interested bodies. All these responses and comments will be carefully considered before the publication of a Bill.Mr. Spearing : To ask the Secretary of State for Education, pursuant to his statement concerning the savings he expects to accrue from the reduction, or elimination, of claimed surplus places in schools, on page 57 of Cm. 2021, if he will state the approximate amount of actual expenditure he hopes to save, together with the relevant arithmetical calculations.
Mr. Forth : The Department is currently consulting LEAs on the scope for removing surplus places on the basis of its estimate that in 1991 there were up to 1.5 million surplus places in England. The costs associated with surplus places vary considerably according to the particular circumstances, and not all of them can practicably be removed. It is therefore not possible to provide the information requested at this stage.
School Reports
Mr. Redmond : To ask the Secretary of State for Education if he will list the local education authorities that issued a school report to parents of their child's progress at the end of the 1991-92 school year.
Mr. Forth : The duty to send all parents an annual written report on their child's progress rests with the head teachers of all maintained schools. In 1992, head teachers were required to send written annual reports in respect of all school pupils of, and above, compulsory school age.
School Sizes
Mr. Spearing : To ask the Secretary of State for Education in the calculation of teaching space per pupil place in secondary schools, what add-on factor of space he requires to permit teaching of small classes or groups, minimum movement of staff or pupils, and flexibility in construction of the timetable.
Mr. Forth : The requirements as to minimum teaching area in the Education (School Premises) Regulations 1981 apply to the school as a whole based on the number and age of the pupils. The only specific requirement for the disposition of this area relates to study and social accommodation for pupils who have attained the age of 16. The details of the organisation of the teaching area are a matter for the school. No minimum area standard is
Column 23
specified for the movement of staff or pupils but the regulations do require that school buildings shall be adequate for the "convenient passage of persons".Mr. Spearing : To ask the Secretary of State for Education if he will state the current area of floor space now constituting a place within each primary and secondary school, respectively, together with the minimum areas he expects or requires to be allocated to teaching, circulation, assembly, kitchen and eating, staff, storage, and convenience or other non- teaching space, as an actual proportion of floor space for both categories of school.
Mr. Forth : The minimum teaching areas for maintained and grant- maintained schools are set out in schedule 4 of the Education (School Premises) Regulations 1981. They are related to the number and age of pupils in the school. There are no statutory minimum area requirements for circulation, assembly, kitchen and eating, staff, storage or other non- teaching space, which are a matter for local discretion, subject to the general requirements of the regulations.
Mature Students
Ms. Walley : To ask the Secretary of State for Education what representations she has received about tuition fees and grant aid for mature students who withdrew from courses in the past, and who now wish to recommence further education ; and if he will make a statement relating to award regulations.
Mr. Forman : My right hon. Friend receives representations from time to time on this matter. Under the present regulations, a mandatory award is not normally available for a second higher education course if a student has previously attended a higher education course of more than two years' duration with the help of an award. But, exceptionally, a student whose previous attendance did not exceed one term and seven weeks of a second term, or was at a long term residential adult education college, is eligible for another mandatory award. The regulations also allow a student to transfer with a mandatory award from one course to another, in certain circumstances. A student ineligible for a mandatory award may apply to his local authority for a discretionary award.
Religious Education
Mr. Spearing : To ask the Secretary of State for Education, pursuant to his answer of 3 July, Official Report, column 713, what plans he has for funding the standing advisory committees for religious education, or their equivalents, if plans described in Cm. 2021, are implemented.
Mr. Forth : Under the proposals set out in the White paper, "Choice and Diversity" (Cm. 2021), local education authorities would remain responsible for establishing and funding standing advisory councils on religious education.
Higher Education
Mr. Morgan : To ask the Secretary of State for Education if he will establish a pay review body for higher education academic staff.
Mr. Forman : As we have made clear on a number of occasions in the House and elsewhere, my right hon. Friend has no intention of establishing such a pay review body.
Column 24
GCSE
Mr. Spearing : To ask the Secretary of State for Education whether he requested Her Majesty's inspectorate of education to consider and report on the three aspects of the GCSE examinations in its recent report ; and if he will indicate the date and nature of similar requests previously made by a Secretary of State and the reference of the relevant published report.
Mr. Forth : The recent report on GCSE examining standards in 1992 is the only published report by HMI on the conduct of GCSE examinations. It was not specifically commissioned by my right hon. Friend, but the previous Minister of State did ask HM inspectorate to monitor awarding procedures with especial care following concerns expressed by them in connection with the 1991 examinations.
Mr. Bennett : To ask the Secretary of State for Education what evidence he has as to the cost of providing each pupil with the Shakespearian texts he has added to the GCSE syllabuses ; and how much extra he is allocating to schools to meet this expenditure.
Mr. Forth : The works of Shakespeare have traditionally been included in most GCSE English syllabuses.
My right hon. Friend, however, decided that 14-year-olds should be tested on their knowledge of a Shakespeare play--chosen from "Julius Caesar", "A Midsummer Night's Dream" and "Romeo and Juliet"--in the first national curriculum tests of this age group in English in 1993. The plays selected were chosen in part because a supply of at least one of the chosen plays can be found in most schools.
Some schools may need to top up their current stock. In doing so, schools will be able to draw on the £15 million worth of schools' expenditure specifically on national curriculum books which the Government have supported through the 1992-1993 grants for education support and training programme.
Special Needs Pupils
Mr. Wigley : To ask the Secretary of State for Education if he will make it his policy to introduce proposals to amend the Education Act 1981 in order specifically to state which authority has the responsibility for providing therapy back-up for special needs pupils.
Mr. Forth : The Department's circular 22/89 on "Assessments and Statements of Special Educational Needs : Procedures within the Education, Health and Social Services" contains guidance on the need for local education authorities to work closely with district health authorities and social services departments on the provision of non-educational services to pupils with special educational needs. The addendum to circular 22/89, published in March 1992, offers further advice to authorities on responsibilities for the provision of speech therapy. I do not consider that any further clarification of the responsibility for providing speech and other therapy services is necessary.
A-Levels
Mrs. Dunwoody : To ask the Secretary of State for Education if he will make a statement on his proposals to increase access to higher education for students unable to succeed at the A-level exams.
Column 25
Mr. Forman : Universities and colleges are responsible for setting entry standards to ensure that students have the necessary intellectual competence to benefit from higher education. A-levels are traditional indicators of such competence, but they are by no means the only ones.
Institutions are becoming more prepared to consider qualifications other than A-levels and their Scottish equivalent. More than 20 per cent. of those entering full-time first degree courses in 1990 did so on the basis of such qualifications. We welcome such flexibility, and are promoting the development of vocational and other routes into higher education.
We are introducing general national vocational
qualifications--GNVQs--which offer a broadly based preparation for work and an alternative ladder to higher education. GNVQs at level 3 will be as demanding as A-levels.
We have encouraged the development of access courses for mature students without traditional entry qualifications for higher education. There are now well over 1000 such courses.
Education Expenditure
Mrs. Dunwoody : To ask the Secretary of State for Education what percentage of the national income was spent on education in (a) 1979, (b) 1985 and (c) 1992.
Mr. Forman : The information requested is as follows :
| Next Section
| Home Page |