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University for Industry
Mr. Martyn Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment if he will make a statement on the Government's proposals for a university for industry.[3566]
Dr. Howells: The Government will establish the University for Industry which will open up new opportunities for adults to improve their skills and realise their potential. By harnessing new technology the University for Industry will help improve the quality and accessibility of learning opportunities and will aim in particular to be of help to small businesses. It will enable greater participation in, and demand for, learning and modernise its supply. It will bring learning to the workplace, the home and the community.
We are taking urgent steps to bring together a range of interests from across and outside Government to agree the way ahead on the University for Industry's development. An announcement is expected soon.
Welfare to Work
Mrs. Ballard:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment if he will take into account when framing the welfare to work proposals the position of people who are not in their preferred employment but do not qualify as being unemployed for six months because they take on a series of temporary agency jobs. [3950]
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Mr. Alan Howarth:
We are currently considering the detailed design of our New Deal programmes for young people out of work for six months or more. Our key priority is to help people who have experienced a continuous period out of work. We will however take other disadvantaged groups into account in designing the initiative, as far as resources and practicalities allow.
Mrs. Virginia Bottomley:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment if he will create a standard unit of resource for all 16 to 19-year-old students financed from the public purse irrespective of whether they attend local education authority or grant-maintained schools, sixth form colleges or further education colleges. [4163]
Dr. Howells:
I currently have no plans to create such a unit of resource. In March this year the Department published a report comparing the costs of education and training for 16 to 19-year-olds. I will be looking further at these findings and consulting with our partners in the education service before making any proposals about future funding mechanisms for 16 to 19 education.
Mrs. Bottomley:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment if he will readjust the cash base-line for further education to take account of the increased number of students in the further education sector. [4162]
Dr. Howells:
I refer the right hon. Member to my answer to her of 10 June, Official Report, column 369.
Mr. Stunell:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment if he will introduce measures to stop the loss of teaching staff in post-16 further education. [4202]
Dr. Howells:
From incorporation on 1 April 1993, further education colleges assumed responsibility for their own finance and organisation, including the appointment, dismissal, redundancy and conditions of service generally of their staff. Decisions on recruitment and retention are, therefore, for individual colleges to make.
Mr. Pond:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what discussions he has had with Kent county council following the council's decision to freeze capital spending on schools. [4136]
Mr. Byers:
My right hon. Friend has had no such discussions. We understand that Kent County Council has placed a temporary moratorium on all capital expenditure. We are concerned at this development and will be asking Kent County Council for a full explanation for its decision.
Mr. Lidington:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment if he will list the applications received in each of the last five years from local education authorities or from grant-maintained schools for changes in the ages of admission or transfer, indicating in each case the changes proposed; and if he will make a statement. [4164]
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Ms Estelle Morris:
The applications received in each of the last five years from local education authorities and grant-maintained schools for changes in the ages of admissions or transfer are listed below. All proposals will be considered on their individual merits.
| Local education authorities | Proposal |
|---|---|
| 1992 | |
| Surrey | to move from a middle-school system to a system of primary and secondary schools with transfer at age 11 |
| Avon | to change the age range of some primary schools |
| 1993 | |
| Doncaster | to move from a middle-school system to a system of primary and secondary schools with transfer at age 11 |
| Hampshire | to move from a middle-school to a system of primary and secondary schools with transfer at age 11 |
| Wakefield | to move from a middle-school system to a system of primary and secondary schools with transfer at age 11 |
| Kent | to move from a middle-school system to a system of primary and secondary schools with transfer at age 11 in the Longfield area |
| 1994 | |
| Leeds | to change the age range of some primary schools |
| Doncaster | to move form a middle-school system to a system of primary and secondary schools with transfer at age 11 |
| Berkshire | to change the age of transfer between primary and middle schools and reduce the age of admission to secondary schools in the Slough area |
| Warwickshire | to move from a middle-school system to a system of primary and secondary schools with transfer at age 11 |
| Devon | to change the age range of some primary schools |
| Kent | to change the age range of some primary schools |
| 1995 | |
| Birmingham | to move from a middle-school system to a system of primary and secondary schools with transfer at age 11 |
| 1996 | |
| Buckinghamshire | to change the age of transfer between primary, middle and secondary schools |
| to change the age range of Loughton County Combined School from 5-12 to 8-12 | |
| 1997 | |
| Berkshire | to change the age-range of middle schools in the Slough area |
19 Jun 1997 : Column: 258
Departmental Wages
Mr. Tom King: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment how many (a) full-time and (b) part-time persons employed by his Department and its agencies are paid (i) less than £4 an hour, (ii) less than £3.50 an hour and (iii) less than £3 an hour. [4188]
Dr. Howells: At April 1997, of the people employed by DfEE (including DfEE staff in Government Offices) and the Employment Service:
- Full-time staff
- 1,003 earned less than £4 an hour; including 788 who earned less than £3.50 an hour.
- No full-time staff earned less than £3 an hour
- Part-time staff
- 131 earned less than £4 an hour; including 40 who earned less than £3.50 an hour
- No part-time staff earned less than £3 an hour
19 Jun 1997 : Column: 259
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