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EDUCATION AND EMPLOYMENT
Jobmatch
Mr. Alan Howarth: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what is her latest estimate of (a) the total number of people who have received jobmatch payments, (b) the total number applying, (c) the number refused, by reason of refusal, (d) the total cost of the scheme and (e) the annual cost of extending the pilot scheme to all age groups nationally. [15089]
Mr. Forth: The information available is as follows: (a) over 6,000 people have joined the jobmatch programme since April 1995, (b) we do not keep records of the numbers applying for jobmatch, or (c) the number of people refused, but the only circumstances in which this would happen would be where either the person was not eligible or the job was not a qualifying one, (d) the estimated cost of the jobmatch pilots which end in March 1997 is £8 million and, (e) the cost of extending jobmatch to all age groups nationally would be about £50 million per year.
Special Needs Teaching Training
Mr. David Nicholson: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what representations she has received regarding the continued training of teachers with special reference to the teaching of children with special needs; and if she will make a statement. [15094]
Mr. Forth: In March 1996, the Secretary of State was presented with the report, "Professional Development to meet Special Educational Needs" by the special educational needs training consortium. In response, she asked the Teacher Training Agency to take forward a range of measures to improve the training of teachers of all children with special educational needs.
We are very pleased with the TTA's progress and with the priority that it is giving to training in special educational needs within its overall framework for teacher training. I understand that the TTA will be reporting to the Secretary of State on its work later this year.
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Mr. Alan Howarth:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what assessment she has made of the impact of (a) introducing regulations relating to the severe hardship payments scheme for 16 and 17-year-olds, (b) administering the scheme through (i) Benefits Agency local offices and (ii) jobcentres and (c) introducing a right of appeal in respect of the scheme.[15079]
Mr. Forth:
The jobseeker's allowance--JSA--replaced income support for jobseekers on October 7 1996. Under JSA, 16 and 17-year-olds attend the careers service and jobcentre. They no longer have to attend the Benefits Agency office.
We are carrying out a full evaluation of JSA. There will be a range of surveys, including qualitative research on the effect of JSA on 16 to 17-year-olds, covering both young people who would otherwise be in severe hardship and those in prescribed circumstances. Also included will be surveys of Employment Service and Benefits Agency staff involved in the delivery of JSA.
JSA continues the policy whereby unemployed 16 and 17-year-olds who would otherwise be in severe hardship may be awarded benefit at the Secretary of State's discretion. There are no plans to change this.
Mr. Alan Howarth:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what is her estimate of (a) the number gaining and (b) the cost of extending the period during which income support is payable to a young person who has left local authority accommodation provided under part III of the Children Act 1989 to (i) 13 weeks, (ii) 26 weeks and (iii) the relevant child benefit extension period. [15077]
Mr. Forth:
The jobseeker's allowance--JSA--replaced income support for jobseekers on 7 October 1996. We do not have information on the number of young people--16 and 17-year-olds--who claim JSA immediately after leaving local authority care. These people may be entitled to JSA for up to eight weeks. When this period finishes, a young person may apply for JSA on the ground that he would otherwise be in severe hardship. If the claim is successful, the Secretary of State will direct that JSA should be paid for a specific period--usually eight weeks. This direction may be renewed at the Secretary of State's discretion. At all times the young person will have to meet the entitlement conditions for JSA.
Mr. Tim Smith:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment when she expects to make a decision on the proposals by Loudwater combined school to establish a new nursery. [14981]
Mr. Robin Squire
[holding answer 10 February 1997]: Officials have today informed the chairman of governors of Loudwater combined school that the Secretary of State has approved the governors' proposal to establish a nursery.
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Mr. Nigel Jones:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what estimate she has made of the cost for each local education authority area of installing seat belts in vehicles used for transporting children; and if she will make a statement. [15337]
Mrs. Gillan:
The costs to authorities of implementing the new requirements were taken into account by the Government when determining the total allowed for education in the local government finance settlement.
It is for each local authority to determine its own level of education expenditure, both in aggregate and on the different areas of its education service, including transport, on the basis of its assessment of local needs and priorities and within its capping limits.
Mr. David Nicholson:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what was the average age
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of teachers employed (a) in London and (b) in the south-west region in the most recent year for which figures are available. [15423]
Mr. Forth:
The average age of teachers employed in the maintained nursery, primary and secondary sector, as at 31 March 1995, was 40 years in Greater London and 42 years in the south-west region.
Mr. Nigel Jones:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what was the cost for each local education authority of early retirement and redundancy packages for teachers for each of the last five years for which figures are available. [15355]
Mrs. Gillan:
Total expenditure on premature retirement compensation and Crombie payments as recorded by each local education authority in England and Wales for the years 1990-91 to 1994-95 is shown in the following table. The expenditure figures include payments made to further and higher education lecturers and to teachers at sixth-form colleges and grant-maintained schools who were granted premature retirement by the LEA. Separate details of redundancy payments are not collected centrally.
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