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University Degrees
Mr. Sheerman: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what plans his Department has to control the quality of university degrees delivered on-line (a) in part or (b) in full. [4734]
Dr. Howells: The quality of degrees is a matter for universities and other institutions with degree-awarding powers. The Secretary of State expects to ask the newly established Quality Assurance Agency for Higher Education to address issues relating to the quality and standards of degrees, taking into account the forthcoming report of the National Committee of Inquiry into Higher Education.
Drug Abuse
Mr. Sheerman: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what steps he is taking to increase awareness among students in higher education of the dangers of drug abuse. [5082]
Mr. Howells: Higher Education Institutions are independent autonomous bodies. They contribute to the effort to tackle drug misuse by individually adopting rules governing the prohibition of drugs from college premises and disciplinary sanctions. They also provide welfare and counselling services for their students. The Committee of Vice-Chancellors and Principals and the Standing Conference of Principals were invited to encourage the higher education sector to provide appropriate prevention, counselling and support services for their students and to put in hand whatever further action they considered to be necessary.
The Committee of Vice-Chancellors and Principals and the Standing Conference of Principals published guidance on 20 June 1997 on information provision and education for students and staff, support infrastructure (internal and external), disciplinary procedures, staff awareness and training, liaison between institutions and local community expertise. The guidance was issued to all higher education institutions in the UK and to all members of the Association of Managers of Student Services in Higher Education.
The Government will be appointing a 'drug czar' to co-ordinate our action against drugs. One of his or her first tasks will be to revise urgently the existing drugs strategy, and put forward proposals for tackling the problem with renewed vigour.
Mrs. Gillan:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what criteria he will set for the establishment of education action zones. [4890]
Mr. Byers
[holding answer 20 June 1997]: We shall set out our plans for education action zones in the Education White Paper, which will be published shortly.
Mr. McNulty:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment when he asked the School Curriculum and Assessment Authority to look into the national curriculum for key stage 2; whether SCAA has been advised to make key stage 2 less prescriptive to
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allow for greater concentration on numeracy and literacy; and when he expects SCAA to report on this matter. [5353]
Ms Estelle Morris:
I wrote to SCAA's Chairman on 9 June asking for his interim report, due in August, to inform my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Education and Employment on how a sharper focus on literacy and numeracy can be achieved in key stages 1 and 2 through non-statutory means.
My letter asked for a range of specific options to be considered, including the place for explicit guidance on the minimum that needs to be done to cover the National Curriculum in non-core subjects.
Mr. Hinchliffe:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what proposals he has to improve the public accountability of colleges of further education. [4621]
Dr. Howells:
I refer to the reply I gave to the hon. Member for Sheffield, Hallam (Mr. Allan), Official Report, 16 June 1997, column 48.
Mr. Opik:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what assessment he has made of the level of racial discrimination in the labour market; and if he will make a statement. [4853]
Mr. Andrew Smith:
Recent research and industrial tribunal cases show that racial discrimination in the labour market remains a matter of serious concern.
I deplore racial discrimination and racial harassment. I will ensure that my actions and those of the Department play their part in combating unfair treatment. Current action to promote race equality includes: the work of the Race Relations Employment Advisory Service, DfEE booklets on equal opportunities, and conferences in partnership with the Commission for Racial Equality and other key players.
I am pleased that the Department is setting an example to other employers by becoming a Champion of the Race for Opportunity campaign, promoting racial equality to employers.
I will be meeting Sir Herman Ouseley in the near future to discuss further ways in which the Department can work with the CRE to combat discrimination.
Mr. Opik:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what is his estimate of the number of 16 and 17-year-olds who are currently not in full-time education, in work or on a training place; and if he will make a statement. [4855]
Dr. Howells:
In winter 1996-97 there were 142,000 16 and 17-year-olds not in full-time education, in employment, or in Government Training in the UK, according to the Labour Force Survey.
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Mr. Opik:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment if he will make a statement on the use of discretion by jobcentre staff in applying postal signing rules for the jobseeker's allowance for claimants with high travelling costs; and if he will issue guidance. [4872]
Mr. Alan Howarth:
Responsibility for the subject of the question has been delegated to the Employment Service agency under its Chief Executive. I have asked him to arrange for a reply to be given.
Letter from Leigh Lewis to Mr. Lembit Opik, dated 24 June 1997:
The Secretary of State has asked me to reply to your question about the postal signing rules. This is something that falls within the responsibilities delegated to me as Chief Executive of the Agency.
Mr. Howarth:
There were 16,000 young people aged 16 and 17 years old receiving jobseeker's allowance (JSA) in February 1997, the latest date for which figures are available. The vast majority of these young people would have been receiving JSA because they would otherwise have faced severe hardship.
There were 5,150 young people receiving a Youth Training Bridging Allowance in May 1997.
Mr. Hinchliffe:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what assessment he has made of the implications of recent changes to the Education (Mandatory Awards) Regulations 1995 for vocational courses involving work experience and a work placement; and if he will make a statement. [5110]
Dr. Howells:
The changes made to the provisions governing sandwich courses in the Regulations will not take effect until 1 September 1997. They were made in order to clarify the provisions in the current Regulations, which were unsatisfactory and unclear. I am aware that certain courses which contain a period of full-time study at an institution that aggregates to less than 19 weeks per
24 Jun 1997 : Column: 449
academic year may be adversely affected by the changes. I am currently considering the effect of the changes on these courses.
Mr. Paice:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment if he will ensure that all nursery providers currently registered under the Nursery Voucher Scheme are eligible for funding under the new arrangements whether or not they are included in a local education authority interim development plan. [5198]
Mr. Byers:
It is for education authorities to submit interim early years for development plans. All existing providers in the voucher scheme are eligible, and local authorities have been asked to give convincing reasons for not including them.
Mr. Opik:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment how many young people are currently receiving the jobseeker's allowance, under the severe hardship provision or receiving a bridging allowance; and if he will make a statement. [4852]
Under our present rules a person claiming Jobseeker's Allowance whose normal journey to their Jobcentre would take more than one hour in either direction, or would entail an absence from home of four hours or more, is allowed to sign on by post. People whose mobility is affected by a disability may also be allowed to sign on by post.
In addition Jobcentre Managers do have discretion to allow postal signing in other circumstances. The relevant guidance, which is contained within the Employment Service's Jobseeker's Allowance Interventions Guide, chapter 20, paragraph 3, states that:
'Business Managers may also use some discretion in offering the postal facility to other jobseekers, even if their journey is possible within the time limits in paragraph 2, (i.e., their journey time is less than 1 hour in either direction or they would be absent from home for less than 4 hours.) For example, if the jobseeker would have to use a form of transport which they could not be expected to use on a fortnightly basis, for example, an InterCity train, a ferry or a plane'.
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