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School Funding
29. Mr. Campbell-Savours: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what plans she has to review the allocation of resources to schools which under-perform. [2099]
Unemployment (East London)
30. Mr. Gapes: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what was the percentage of unemployment for (a) men and (b) women in Ilford, South in November 1990; what it is currently; and what plans she has to introduce further measures to reduce unemployment in east London. [2100]
Mr. Forth: Claimant unemployment rates are not available at constituency level. Claimant unemployment figures for Ilford, South in November 1990 was 1,633 men and 606 women. In September 1996 the figures were 3,251 and 1,126, respectively.
However, I am pleased to say that unemployment in both south Ilford and east London is falling in line with national trends. Unemployment in south Ilford fell from a peak of 5,403 in August 1993 to 4,377 in September 1996. Similarly, unemployment in east London fell from a peak of 55,709 in April 1993 to 41,029 in September 1996.
In east London, as elsewhere, the Employment Service and the training and enterprise councils will continue to deliver a wide range of programmes to help people find the best and quickest route back to employment. In particular, on 7 November I announced plans to extend the project work pilots to a number of areas across the country, including a large part of east and north-east London, which includes south Ilford.
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31. Mr. Barnes:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what assessment she has made of the reasons for which people have left the claimant register over the last year. [2101]
Mr. Forth:
Of those leaving claimant unemployment with a known destination, around 70 per cent. do so because they have found work.
32. Mr. Alison:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment how many grant-maintained and local education authority schools won Office for Standards in Education commendations for excellence in the most recent year for which information is available. [2102]
Mr. Robin Squire:
Of the 203 schools commended by the chief inspector in his 1994-95 annual report, 39 or 19 per cent. are grant-maintained and 162 are maintained by local education authorities; one is a city technology college and one is an independent special school. This contrasts with the underlying proportion of GM schools, compared with the rest of the state sector, of 5 per cent.
33. Dr. Goodson-Wickes:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what recent consultations she has had on the training requirements of new high-tech businesses. [2103]
Mr. Paice:
The Department provides support to industry training organisations and training and enterprise councils, which enables them to monitor and address training requirements including those related to new high-tech businesses.
34. Mr. Loyden:
To ask the Secretary of State for education and Employment what plans she has to introduce measures to reduce unemployment among 16 to 18-year-olds. [2104]
Mr. Forth:
The Government will continue with policies to improve standards of education and training and create a flexible and deregulated labour market which have already delivered one of the lowest rates of youth unemployment in Europe. In particular, we shall continue to resist the imposition of policies such as the social chapter and the national minimum wage, which would destroy jobs and create youth unemployment at levels seen in France and Spain where those policies are in place and where youth unemployment stands at 29 per cent. and 39 per cent. respectively.
35. Mr. Amess:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment if she will make a statement on trends in unemployment levels over the last year.[2105]
Mr. Forth:
The United Kingdom started 1996 with unemployment lower than any other major European country and with unemployment falling at an underlying rate averaging around 10,000 per month. During the
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course of the year the labour market has continued to improve and the Office for National Statistics estimates that the underlying rate at which unemployment is falling now averages around 15,000 to 20,000 per month.
36. Mrs. Gorman:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment if she will make a statement on policies to encourage workplace training schemes.[2106]
Mr. Paice:
Employers must take the lead on workplace training. The Government's policy encourages them to look upon training as an investment by demonstrating the business benefits enjoyed by employers who invest effectively in training. Training and enterprise councils are working with employers in a variety of ways to help them address and manage their training needs. Our approach is working, recent surveys show that there has been a considerable increase in the number of employees receiving training in recent years.
The investors in people standard is helping employers to make their training investment effective by linking the training and development needs of their work force directly with the achievement of business goals. Almost 25,000 employers are committed to the standard, of which 4,330 are already recognised as investors in people.
37. Sir Michael Neubert:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what plans she has to secure accelerated payments to qualifying organisations under the European social fund. [2107]
Mr. Paice:
Payments of claims relating to approved European social fund projects cannot begin until the money arrives from the European Commission. Thereafter payment is made as soon as possible.
38. Mr. Tipping:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what plans she has to extend training opportunities for those aged under 25 years.[2108]
Mr. Paice:
The Government have consulted widely concerning the introduction of national traineeships and access and support strategies for 14 to 19-year-olds as recommended in Sir Ron Dearing's report on 16 to 19 qualifications. Details of the Government's plans for these new initiatives will be published in a White Paper in
13 Nov 1996 : Column: 276
December. Modern apprenticeships continue to expand with over 41,500 young people starting training in 60 industry sectors.
39. Mr. Pope:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment how much she plans to spend on publicity for the national implementation of the nursery voucher scheme. [2109]
Mr. Robin Squire:
I refer the hon. Member to the oral answer that I gave earlier today to the hon. Member for Islwyn (Mr. Touhig).
Mr. Charles Kennedy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment if she will assess the impact of the jobseeker's allowance on rural areas. [2082]
Mr. Paice:
We have commissioned a full evaluation of JSA policy from the centre for research in social policy at Loughborough university. The Employment Service itself will be carrying out local monitoring of delivery.
Mrs. Bridget Prentice:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what representations she has received on the introduction of home-school contracts for all schools. [2093]
Mr. Forth:
I refer the hon. Member to oral answer that my right hon. Friend gave earlier today to the hon. Member for Wentworth (Mr. Hardy).
Mr. Blunkett:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment how many grant-maintained schools have (a) applied and (b) been approved to select up to 15 per cent. of their intake; and if she will name each such school and the selection criteria agreed. [2755]
Mr. Robin Squire:
The following table lists the 43 grant-maintained schools which received approval to select up to 10 per cent. of their pupils on the basis of ability or aptitude in certain specified subjects between January 1989 and September 1996. Grant-maintained schools have not since then been required to obtain approval for changes to their admission arrangements which do not require the publication of statutory proposals. Circular 6/69, "Admissions to Maintained Schools", takes the view that admission authorities may select up to 15 per cent. of a school intake in any subject, or by general ability, without the need to publish statutory proposals.
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| School | LEA area | Nature of change | Date approved |
|---|---|---|---|
| Abbs Cross school | Havering | 10 per cent. music | June 1993 |
| Beaverwood girls school | Bromley | 10 per cent. performing arts (music and dance) | August 1994 |
| Beverley school | Kingston upon Thames | 10 per cent. art or music | October 1994 |
| Bishop's Stortford school | Hertfordshire | 10 per cent. music, sport or drama | October 1993 |
| Canterbury high school | Kent | 10 per cent. music | April 1993 |
| Cardinal Vaughan Memorial school | Kensington and Chelsea | 10 per cent. music | August 1994 |
| Chancellor's school | Hertfordshire | 10 per cent music, drama or sport | December 1993 |
| Charles Dickens high school | Kent | 10 per cent. music | February 1993 |
| Chatham grammar school for girls | Kent | 10 per cent. music, sport or drama | August 1995 |
| Chaucer Technology school | Kent | 10 per cent. technology | December 1993 |
| Cliff Park high school | Norfolk | 10 per cent. music | October 1994 |
| Cooper's school | Bromley | 10 per cent. music, drama, Dance or sport | June 1993 |
| Crofton school | Hampshire | 5 places music | October 1994 |
| Dame Alice Owen school | Hertfordshire | 10 per cent. music or sport | April 1993 |
| Dane Court Grammar school | Kent | 10 per cent. music, sport, drama or any unusual talent | March 1994 |
| Deacons school | Cambridgeshire | 10 per cent. technology | August 1994 |
| Dunrave school | Lambeth | 10 per cent. music | October 1993 |
| Enfield grammar school | Enfield | 10 per cent. music or sport | December 1993 |
| Goffs school | Hertfordshire | 10 per cent. music, drama, sport or languages | October 1995 |
| Heathside school | Surrey | 10 per cent. music or sport | July 1993 |
| Hendon school | Barnet | 10 per cent. music | November 1995 |
| Hertfordshire and Essex high school | Hertfordshire | 10 per cent. music, sport or drama | March 1994 |
| Hinchley Wood school | Surrey | 10 per cent. music | July 1995 |
| Kemnal Manor school | Bromley | 10 per cent. technology | February 1994 |
| King Edward VI grammar school | Essex | Three places for choristers | June 1993 |
| Kings' school | Cambridgeshire | 10 per cent. music and choristers | October 1993 |
| La Retraite school | Lambeth | 10 per cent. music | September 1993 |
| La Sainte Union convent school | Camden | 10 per cent. music | September 1995 |
| Langley Park school for boys | Kent | 10 per cent. music or sport | September 1993 |
| Leventhorpe school | Hertfordshire | 10 per cent. music | October 1995 |
| Lincoln Christ's Hospital school | Lincolnshire | 10 per cent. music | October 1994 |
| Mill Hill county school | Barnet | 10 per cent. music | October 1993 |
| Queen's school | Hertfordshire | 10 per cent. music, art or sport | March 1993 |
| Rainham Mark grammar school | Kent | 10 per cent. music, sport, drama or any unusual talent | February 1992 |
| Rainsford high school | Essex | 10 per cent. music or drama | March 1994 |
| Robert Napier school | Kent | 10 per cent. music, sport, drama or any unusual talent | February 1992 |
| St. Anne's convent school | Hampshire | 10 per cent. music | January 1996 |
| St. George's CE school | Kent | 10 per cent. music | July 1995 |
| Thamesmead school | Surrey | 10 per cent. music | October 1994 |
| Ursuline convent school | Essex | 10 per cent. music | December 1993 |
| Westland high school | Kent | 10 per cent. music | January 1993 |
| Winston Churchill school | Surrey | 6 per cent. music | October 1995 |
| Wymondham college | Norfolk | 10 per cent. music | March 1995 |
13 Nov 1996 : Column: 277
13 Nov 1996 : Column: 277
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