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General Teaching Council
31. Mr. Pickthall: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what timetable he plans for the setting up of a general teaching council. [223]
Mr. Byers: Our forthcoming White Paper will mark the start of wide ranging consultations on our plans for establishing a general teaching council. We will bring forward enabling legislation later this year.
Students (Benefits)
33. Mr. Andrew Rowe: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what plans he has to change the rules governing student entitlement to social security benefit. [225]
Mr. Alan Howarth: We shall keep this issue under review as we develop our package of Welfare to Work reforms.
Ashford High School
34. Mr. Wilshire: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment if he will make a statement on the application for grant-maintained status by Ashford high school in Middlesex. [226]
Mr. Byers: The Department has received a complaint from the Local Education Authority about the conduct of the parental ballot on grant-maintained status for Ashford high school. That complaint is currently being investigated in accordance with established procedures.
Further Education Colleges
Mr. Gordon Prentice: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment if he will require colleges of further education to consult the Further Education Funding Council in advance of restructuring leading to redundancies. [284]
Dr. Howells:
My right hon. Friend does not consider that such a requirement should be introduced, since the Further Education Funding Council does not have a specific role in advising colleges on their management processes. Colleges are statutorily bound to notify my right hon. Friend where they intend to make redundant 20 or more employees and to consult with representatives of the employees.
22 May 1997 : Column: 127
Mr. Letwin:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment if he will make a statement about the Government's plans for the nursery voucher scheme. [591]
Mr. Key:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment when he will announce details of, and a timetable for, his abolition of the nursery voucher scheme in England. [868]
Ms Estelle Morris:
I refer the hon. Members to the reply given earlier today by my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State to my hon. Friend the Member of Forest of Dean (Mrs. Organ).
Ms Hodge:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment if he will make a statement on his plans for nursery provision for the under fives and the nursery voucher scheme. [1294]
Ms Morris:
The Government will replace the previous Government's voucher scheme from the autumn term. The voucher scheme will not meet the need for high quality, accessible early years education.
The Government will consult during the summer on proposals for the preparation of full Early Years Development Plans to take effect in all areas from April 1998. In addition, we will be inviting proposals for the development of pilot early excellence centres to demonstrate our commitment to bringing nursery education and childcare closer together.
For the autumn and spring terms, local education authorities will be invited to submit an interim Early Years Development Plan. This will set out the way in which they will provide places for four year olds in their area. They will be expected to consult and co-operate with the private and voluntary sectors in these arrangements.
Where interim Early Years Development Plans are approved, recognised places in all sectors filled by eligible four year olds will be funded by grant provided by the Secretary of State paid through LEAs or direct in the case of GM schools. Where LEAs are unable to bring forward an acceptable interim plan, recognised places chosen by parents in the private and voluntary sectors will be funded by grant from the Secretary of State by reference to certificates of eligibility issued to those parents.
Information about arrangements for the remainder of 1997-98 will be sent to LEAs and other interests shortly, and to parents of four year olds and providers as soon as practicable.
Mr. Fabricant:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment if he will increase the education element of the standard spending assessment for Staffordshire relative to that of other shire counties. [762]
Mr. Byers:
Education SSAs reflect cost variations such as different wage levels across the country and different levels of deprivation. We are currently reviewing the SSA methodology for 1998-99 in consultation with local authority representatives.
22 May 1997 : Column: 128
Mr. Clappison:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment (1) what estimate he has made of the number of additional teachers required to reduce class sizes for all five, six and seven-year-old pupils to below 30 pupils; [768]
Ms Estelle Morris:
Our policy is to phase out classes of over 30 for all five, six and seven-year-old pupils during the lifetime of this Parliament. The detailed costs of achieving that objective, including the cost of any additional teachers and any capital expenditure required, will depend on how LEAs and schools implement those reductions.
Mr. Grant:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment (1) what are (a) the latest figures and (b) the figures for a year earlier from the TfW Leavers Survey for the number and proportion of leavers who (i) had been entered for vocational qualification, (ii) had obtained a vocational qualification, (iii) had failed to obtain a vocational qualification, and (iv) were awaiting their results in (1) the North London TEC area, (2) London and (3) Great Britain as a whole; how many of the TfW leavers in the relevant period had completed their training; what was the average time they had spent on TfW training; and if he will make a statement; [836]
(3) what are (a) the latest figures and (b) the figures for a year earlier from the YTS/YT Leavers Survey for (i) make and female trainees, (ii) each separate ethnic group and (iii) those with a disability in (1) the North London TEC area, (2) London and (3) Great Britain as a whole for those (a) in full-time work with the same employer, (b) in full-time work with a different employer, (c) in part-time work, (d) on a full-time course at a college or training centre, (e) on another youth training scheme, (f) doing something else, (g) unemployed and (h) who had obtained a vocational qualification; and what were (1) the number of questionnaires issued, (2) the usable percentage response rate and (3) the percentage of respondents who were early leavers.[838]
Dr. Howells:
I will write to my hon. Friend with the information requested and place a copy of my reply in the Library.
22 May 1997 : Column: 129
Mr. Pickthall:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what plans he has to review the changes to the teachers' superannuation scheme made by the previous Government with special reference to teachers and lecturers retiring after 31 August 1997 having to wait until the age of 60 years to receive their pension. [987]
Mr. Byers:
The changes made by the previous Government were necessary because of the escalating cost of teachers' premature retirement, to which the Public Accounts Committee drew attention. Employers will still be able to grant premature retirement to teachers under 60.
Consultation is proceeding on further changes designed to enhance the flexibility of teachers' pension arrangements. My right hon. Friend will make an announcement about this in due course.
Mr. McDonnell:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what assessment his Department has made of the adequacy of the number of secondary places available in Hillingdon. [1296]
Mr. Byers:
The Funding Agency for Schools will be consulting on the establishment of a new GM school in Hillingdon.
(2) what estimate he has made of the capital expenditure required to enable class sizes for all five, six and seven-year-old pupils to be reduced to below 30 pupils in three years. [769]
(2) what are (a) the latest figures and (b) the figures for a year earlier from the TfW Leavers Survey for the number and proportion of leavers who in (i) the North London TEC area, (ii) London and (iii) Great Britain, were (1) in full-time job with their work experience employers, (2) in a full-time job with another employer, (3) employed in their own business, (4) in a part-time job, (5) in voluntary work, (6) on another Government training programme, (7) on a full-time education or training course, (8) unemployed and claiming benefit, (9) unemployed and not claiming benefit, (10) in a Jobclub and (11) doing something else; [837]
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