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Teachers (Select Committee Report)
Fiona Mactaggart: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what is the Government's response to the Sixth report of the Education and Employment Committee, Session 1996-97, on the Professional Status, Recruitment and Training of Teachers, which was published in March. [7646]
Ms Estelle Morris: We welcome the report. The White Paper published yesterday sets out the Government's plans to tackle the issues raised by the report. Our plans to establish a General Teaching Council, raise standards in teacher training, and develop a framework of professional standards should raise the status of the profession and assist with the recruitment of good candidates for the teaching profession. We announced last month that we are introducing new standards for initial teacher training courses, and started consultation last week on proposals for employment-based routes into teaching that will also help to boost the supply of well-trained teachers.
Special Educational Needs
Mr. McNulty: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment if he will review provision for special educational needs; and if he will make a statement. [6876]
Ms Estelle Morris: We shall publish in September a Green Paper setting out for consultation proposals to take forward our policies to raise standards for children with special educational needs. My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State has set up a new National Advisory Group on SEN to help in the preparation of the Green Paper, and to oversee the subsequent process of consultation, and the resulting action programme for this Parliament. The Group will meet for the first time on 17 July.
Careers Education
Mr. McNulty:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what plans he has to extend the legislation on careers education and guidance in
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schools to the independent sector; and if he will make a statement. [6933]
Dr. Howells:
There are no plans at this stage to extend the legislation on careers education and guidance.
Many independent schools have good careers education programmes and work closely with careers services. We will take active steps to support this voluntary agreement and promotion of good practice.
Mr. Swayne:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment if he will make a statement on the consequences for British industry of the employment chapter negotiated at Amsterdam. [5745]
Mr. Andrew Smith:
The new employment chapter has the potential to provide significant benefits to firms and individuals in the UK. It makes clear the importance of promoting a skilled and adaptable workforce and flexible labour markets responsive to economic change. The chapter will allow co-ordination of Member States' employment policies where appropriate, while restating that primary responsibility for employment matters will continue to lie with Member States.
Mr. McNulty:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment (1) what was the total amount of funds set aside by OFSTED for the inspection of settings where nursery vouchers were to be redeemed; [6932]
(3) how many inspections were carried out by OFSTED in respect of (a) secondary schools, (b) primary schools, (c) special schools and (d) pupil referral units in 1996-97. [6931]
Mr. Byers:
The funding of OFSTED, and the numbers of schools and nursery settings inspected, are matters for HMCI. I have asked him to write to the hon. Member, placing a copy of his letter in the Library.
Ms Walley:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what are (a) the average and (b) the maximum numbers of children in primary school classes in Stoke on Trent, North; and how many are educated in class sizes of over 30 pupils. [7328]
Mr. Byers:
The available information is shown in the following tables.
The information in Table 2 puts into context the information on maximum class sizes in Table 1.
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(2) if OFSTED has met its expected outturn figure for 1996-97 in respect of schools inspected in 1996-97; [6929]
| Average class size | Maximum size class | Pupils in classes of 31 or more | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Stoke on Trent, North | 28.3 | 37 | 2,496 |
(13) Provisional estimates.
| Size of class | Number of classes | Number of pupils |
|---|---|---|
| 1-20 | 10 | 167 |
| 21-30 | 161 | 4,300 |
| 31-35 | 65 | 2,135 |
| 36-40 | 10 | 361 |
| 41 or more | 0 | 0 |
| Total | 246 | 6,963 |
Assisted Places (Taunton)
Mrs. Ballard: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment if he will list the schools in the constituency of Taunton with pupils on the assisted places scheme, indicating in each case the number of pupils and the income which the school receives under the scheme. [7050]
Mr. Byers: The number of assisted places taken-up and the cost of those places for each participating school in Taunton in the 1996-97 academic year are given in the following table:
| School name | Academic year 1996-97 | |
|---|---|---|
| King's College, Taunton | Number of assisted pupils | 20 |
| Cost of places £000s | 108 | |
| Queen's College, Taunton | Number of assisted pupils | 86 |
| Cost of places £000s | 387 | |
| Taunton School | Number of assisted pupils | 77 |
| Cost of places £000s | 427 |
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National Curriculum (Engineering)
Mrs. Curtis-Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment for what reasons the study of engineering is not included in the national curriculum. [7056]
Ms Estelle Morris: The National Curriculum aims to ensure that all pupils aged 5-16 at maintained schools benefit from a broad and balanced curriculum. It was not designed to train pupils for specialised careers such as engineering. There is, however, scope within the programmes of study for a number of National Curriculum subjects, including design and technology, maths, science and art, for schools to ensure that pupils have the opportunity to gain the knowledge, skills and understanding which they will need to study engineering.
Parenthood Lessons
Mrs. Ballard: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what plans he has to promote parenthood lessons in schools as part of his programme to meet the "The Health of the Nation" target for teenage pregnancies. [6825]
Ms Estelle Morris: As stated in the White Paper "Excellence in Schools" published yesterday, the Government intends that all secondary schools should have a role in teaching young people the skills of good parenting, both formally and through contact with good adult role models. Schools need to impress upon young people at an early stage the emotional, financial, social and practical responsibilities which parenthood entails and the lifelong nature of the commitment it brings. The Department will be considering with teachers and others how this might best be achieved and what parenting education programmes should contain.
ENVIRONMENT, TRANSPORT AND THE REGIONS
Dial-a-ride Companies
Mr. Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions how many vehicles each dial-a-ride company operates; and what is the age of each vehicle. [6907]
Ms Glenda Jackson:
The answer is as follows:
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| Company | 0-1 year | 1-2 years | 2-3 years | 3-4 years | 4-5 years | 5-6 years | 6-7 years | 7-8 years | 8-9 years | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Central | 1 | 4 | 5 | 7 | 1 | 8 | 7 | 1 | 0 | 34 |
| North | 4 | 1 | 9 | 4 | 2 | 8 | 8 | 7 | 1 | 44 |
| North-east | 8 | 1 | 13 | 2 | 3 | 8 | 12 | 4 | 0 | 51 |
| South | 1 | 1 | 8 | 9 | 4 | 5 | 5 | 1 | 0 | 34 |
| South-east | 6 | 1 | 10 | 1 | 3 | 6 | 8 | 3 | 0 | 38 |
| West | 4 | 1 | 6 | 0 | 11 | 4 | 7 | 4 | 6 | 43 |
| Total | 24 | 9 | 51 | 23 | 24 | 39 | 47 | 20 | 7 | 244 |
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Mr. Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what contribution London Transport made to the cost of replacing dial-a-ride vehicles in each of the last three financial years; and how many vehicles were replaced. [6908]
Ms Jackson: Dial-a-ride vehicles are purchased by London Transport on behalf of the dial-a-ride companies. The cost and numbers of additional vehicles are included as well as vehicles which were purchased as replacements.
| 1994-95 | 1995-96 | 1996-97 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total cost of additional replacement vehicles | £2.03 million | £0.11 million | £0.81 million |
| Number of additional vehicles that entered services | 26 | 0 | 9 |
| Number of replacement vehicles that entered service | 20 | 17 | 14 |
The basic vehicles may be paid for in one year but the cost of conversion (including equipment such as a tail lift) and delivery may fall in the following financial year. In some cases all the costs may be incurred in the year before the vehicle enters service.
Mr. Burstow:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions how much each dial-a-ride company has paid to London Transport in depreciation costs in each of the last three years. [6909]
| Central | North | North-east | South | South-east | West | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1994-95 | 158 | 177 | 212 | 167 | 183 | 197 |
| 1995-96 | 121 | 148 | 166 | 128 | 131 | 127 |
| 1996-97 | 139 | 151 | 176 | 133 | 148 | 136 |
Mr. Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what is the staffing establishment in London Transport responsible for administering dial-a-ride companies. [6911]
Ms Jackson: I understand that there are three full time equivalent posts and one part time post (three days per week).
Mr. Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what estimates he has made of the financial implications of his Department funding dial-a-ride companies directly. [6912]
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