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Technology College Status
12. Mr. Hoyle: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment when he plans to announce his decision concerning the current round of bids for technology college status. [4102]
Ms Estelle Morris: I announced the names of the 16 successful schools on 18 June.
Mr. Hoyle: Will my hon. Friend give favourable consideration to the application by Southlands school, when it is resubmitted? Will she accept that the school has the support of good business interests and fine financial support from the whole community? In the next round, favourable consideration will be important for Southlands, and for Gable Hall school in the constituency of my hon. Friend the Member for Basildon (Angela Smith).
Ms Morris: I am glad that, from what my hon. Friend says, Southlands school intends to rebid for technology status in the next round. Many good schools put in good-quality bids, but were not awarded technology or other specialist status this year. My hon. Friend will know that we are about to announce new criteria for technology status that will mean that the benefits can be shared with other schools and the community. I hope that such co-operation will be reflected in the new bid from Southlands school.
Mr. Garnier: Will the Minister tell me precisely why she refused the application by the Robert Smyth school in my constituency for technology status? Her letter to me did not do so.
Ms Morris: As I have just said, we received far more applications for specialist status than we had resources to allocate. Some of the applications were very good and schools should not think that they have failed. I hope that they will be encouraged to try again and that the hon. and learned Gentleman will encourage the school in his constituency. If the school that he mentions would like
feedback on its application, perhaps we may talk outside the Chamber to ensure that it has the support to make an even better bid next time.Job Security
14. Mr. Mullin: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what plans he has for improving job security; and if he will make a statement. [4104]
Mr. Alan Howarth: The best form of job security is knowing one can get another job if one has to. That is why we aim to deliver a successful economy with high and sustainable levels of employment and skilled and employable workers.
Mr. Mullin: Is my hon. Friend aware--I am sure that he is--that one of the spin-offs of privatisation is that many people no longer qualify for protection from unfair dismissal, for holiday and sickness pay, or for other benefits that we used quaintly to associate with civilisation? Do we have any plans to return to the circumstances of the early 1980s, when more people qualified for such benefits?
Mr. Howarth: We are committed to basic human rights in the workplace--unlike the Conservatives. Many of us have been saddened and shocked by instances in our constituencies of bad employers abusing the deregulation introduced by the Conservatives and sacking employees before they attained employment rights. Those practices are ethically unacceptable and feckless. Employers should invest in the skills and loyalty of their work force.
Mr. Brady: Does the Minister accept that the introduction of schemes to subsidise employment for the long-term young unemployed will create a displacement effect? Will not that increase job insecurity for others?
Mr. Howarth: We do not contend that job subsidy schemes are likely to generate many new jobs; we believe that they will enhance the employability of many people in our work force and that that will strengthen Britain's competitive capacity.
Mr. Blizzard: I am sure that my hon. Friend will be aware that people who are recovering from mental illness often have great difficulty obtaining employment. Will such people be able to benefit from the Government's welfare-to-work programme so that they can enjoy job security?
Mr. Howarth: We are concerned that, in the development of our welfare-to-work policies, attention is given to the needs of disabled people, including those who are unfortunate enough to suffer from mental illness.
Spending Priorities
15. Mr. Jack: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what plans he has to review his Department's spending priorities on young people's education. [4105]
Dr. Howells: My right hon. Friend intends to review all aspects of his Department's spending priorities, including
those in relation to young people's education, as part of his review of the Department's spending plans, according to the arrangements announced to the House on 11 June by my right hon. Friend the Chief Secretary to the Treasury.
Mr. Jack: I am grateful to the Minister for that reply and for the information about the nature of the review. As he is considering the future use of resources, may I draw his attention to the excellent Office for Standards in Education report on the Pear Tree school in my constituency, which deals with children with severe learning difficulties? May I seek his assurance that the
review will address the deployment of resources in connection with the difficulties that the school has, after all the work that it has put in on its pupils, finding them appropriate training, jobs or other arrangements after their education is concluded?
Dr. Howells: I know of the special interest that the right hon. Gentleman takes in the excellent special needs teaching at the Pear Tree school and the tremendous results achieved there. We consider such matters a great priority and will certainly address them in the review that we are shortly to undertake. The results will be incorporated in the lifelong learning White Paper in the autumn.
Voting (Madam Speaker's Statement)
3.30 pm
Madam Speaker: I have a short statement to make. Members will be well aware of the inconvenience arising on many recent occasions from the exceptionally high numbers voting in the same Lobby, and of the time taken to complete Divisions. I believe that there has been some improvement in the past few days, but there may be scope for further amelioration of the problem.
Accordingly, following a recommendation by the Modernisation Committee, a third desk is to be added in each Division Lobby with effect from Monday 30 June, as a short-term solution, at least. I hope that, on the first few occasions, the Whips will be on hand in the Lobbies to assist Members. The Modernisation Committee will monitor progress and study longer-term options.
Business of the House
3.31 pm
The President of the Council and Leader of the House of Commons (Mrs. Ann Taylor): May I first thank you for that statement, Madam Speaker? The Modernisation Committee was keen to move quickly, and we are happy to have your co-operation on the matter of the third desks.
The business for next week will be as follows:
Monday 30 June--Motion relating to the Scottish Grand Committee.
Motion on the Northern Ireland Act 1974 (Interim Period Extension) Order.
Motion on the Satellite Television Service Regulations.
Tuesday 1 July--Debate on the review of international development policies on a motion for the Adjournment of the House.
Wednesday 2 July--Until 2 pm, there will be debates on the motion for the Adjournment of the House.
My right hon. Friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer will open his Budget Statement.
Thursday 3 July and Friday 4 July--Continuation of the Budget debate.
Monday 7 July--Conclusion of the Budget debate.
Mrs. Gillian Shephard (South-West Norfolk):
I thank the Leader of the House for giving the business for next week and the following Monday. I should be grateful if she would outline the proposed arrangements for the Budget debate. Obviously, she has confirmed that next Friday represents the replacement of a non-sitting day.
Will the right hon. Lady also, as a matter of urgency, arrange for a statement to clarify whether Labour Members of Parliament have the freedom to take a full and active part in debate on the referendum campaigns in Scotland and Wales? I feel sure that the House will agree that such clarification is essential, following the explicit refutation of the Prime Minister's statement in the House yesterday by the hon. Member for Blaenau Gwent (Mr. Smith), whose reputation for integrity is respected throughout the House. Will the right hon. Lady also say whether there are to be different freedoms of expression for her Back-Bench colleagues according to whether they represent Welsh or Scottish constituencies?
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