| Previous Section | Index | Home Page |
Ethnic Minorities
Mr. Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment how many and what percentage of employees, in each payband, in the quangos for which his Department is responsible, are of (a) Asian origin and (b) Afro-Caribbean origin. [8962]
Dr. Howells: The numbers employed are too small to make percentages by payband meaningful in those executive non-departmental public bodies sponsored by this Department and using civil service grades 1 . Overall, staff of Asian origin represent 3.6 per cent., while those of Afro-Caribbean origin represent 2.9 per cent., of the 1,570 staff. These staff are found across the grades as follows:
| Grade and equivalent | Number of staff of Asian origin | Number of Afro-Caribbean origin |
|---|---|---|
| Senior civil service grades | 1 | 0 |
| G6 and equivalent | 3 | 0 |
| G7 | 1 | 0 |
| SEO | 4 | 3 |
| HEO | 10 | 2 |
| EO | 19 | 14 |
| AO | 9 | 27 |
| AA | 2 | 1 |
(2) Funding Agency for Schools, Education Assets Board, Higher Education Funding Council for England, Further Education Funding Council, Schools Curriculum and Assessment Authority, Equal Opportunities Commission, Teachers' Training Agency, National Council for Educational Technology, Investors in People UK Ltd.
30 Jul 1997 : Column: 275
| Grade group | Afro-Caribbean black | Asian black |
|---|---|---|
| Shop floor grades | 1 | 2 |
| Staff grades | 1 | 1 |
| Management grades | 0 | 0 |
| Interworkers | 1 | 1 |
| Whole company | 1 | 2 |
Recent available figures for the Construction Industry Training Board, with 900 staff, and the Engineering Construction Industry Training Board, with 40 staff, show that 0.4 per cent. of staff were Asian and 0.5 per cent. Afro-Caribbean; 1.35 per cent. of the Student Loans Company, with 295 staff in Glasgow are of ethnic minority origin and occupy supervisory and managerial grades. Statistics are not currently available for the National Council for Vocational Qualifications, with 282 staff and the Centre for Information and Language Teaching with 22 staff.
30 Jul 1997 : Column: 276
Mr. Luff:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment if he will make it his policy to bring forward proposals in his forthcoming White Paper on higher education to reform the system of finance for students of dance and drama; and if he will make a statement. [10815]
Dr. Howells:
The Government are sympathetic to the position of certain students of dance and drama. They note the recommendations which the National Committee of Inquiry into Higher Education has made in this area--in particular the need to review the supply of dancers and actors--and in the light of these will consider with interested parties what new arrangements might be put in place once the current interim bursary scheme expires. The Government's response to the committee's report will be published in the autumn.
Dr. Starkey:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment (1) how many special schools in England have been identified by Office for Standards in Education as falling or in need of special measures in each of the last three years (a) in total and (b) as a percentage of all special schools; [10352]
Mr. Byers:
The figures requested are set out in the table.
30 Jul 1997 : Column: 275
(2) what percentage of schools in England excluding special schools have been identified by Ofsted as falling or in need of special measures in each of the last three years. [10353]
| Schools identified by OFSTED as | Special schools | Other schools | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| requiring special measures during the academic year beginning | EBD | Other | Percentage | Total | Primary | Secondary | Percentage | Total |
| September 1994 | 2 | 3 | 0.4 | 5 | 32 | 20 | 0.24 | 52 |
| September 1995 | 14 | 9 | 1.8 | 23 | 61 | 20 | 0.37 | 81 |
| September 1996 | 12 | 16 | 2.3 | 28 | 117 | 26 | 0.65 | 143 |
30 Jul 1997 : Column: 275
Student Grants
Mr. Gordon Marsden: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment by what means he will ensure that the removal of higher education maintenance grants will not restrict access for students from lower-income families. [11049]
Dr. Howells: The Government recognise that participation in higher education by students from poorer homes is closely related to educational achievement up to 18 years of age. The policies set out in our White Paper "Excellence in schools" should greatly improve educational opportunities for all children.
The current student support arrangements have not encouraged students from lower-income families to enter higher education. The Government are therefore proposing to replace the existing mixture of maintenance grants and student loans with new system of loans which will be repaid by graduates in work. The new system will be fair and progressive, as repayments will be related to
30 Jul 1997 : Column: 276
graduates' incomes, which are on average significantly higher than those of non-graduates. Parents in lower income families will not be expected to contribute to the costs of their children's maintenance while they are studying.
Mr. Flynn:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what proportion of average earnings the standard student grant and loan currently represents; and if he will make it his policy that that proportion is maintained in future years. [11493]
Dr. Howells:
The support available through maintenance grant and loan to full-time higher education students studying away from home and outside London in academic year 1996-97 represented 18 per cent. of the value of gross national average earnings as at April 1996.
Future levels of student support will be determined at the appropriate time, taking into account all relevant factors.
30 Jul 1997 : Column: 277
Mr. Gunnell:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what targets he has set the Employment Service for 1997-98; and what plans he has for reviewing these in the future. [12160]
Mr. Blunkett:
I have today placed in the Library copies of the 1997-98 Employment Service annual performance agreement, which sets out the standards and targets I expect the Employment Service to achieve this year. The new agreement reflects our commitment to helping people, especially those who are at a disadvantage in the labour market, find employment, and stresses that the priority for Employment Service managers this year is to take the necessary steps to prepare for the introduction of the new deal in April next year.
The Employment Service will have a key role in implementing the new deal, and is at the heart of our efforts to help unemployed people, acting as a gateway to job vacancies and a wide range of initiatives tailored to address each individual's needs. The breadth of ES's current work is reflected in the targets I am announcing today--from placing 1.75 million unemployed people directly into jobs, to helping to ensure that JSA is paid quickly and accurately.
I am also announcing today a review of ES's targets, including a consultation exercise with those who work with the ES, to make sure that the targets fully reflect this government's commitment to creating a fair and efficient labour market, in which all have the chance to prosper.
Charlotte Atkins:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment if he will make a statement about teachers' pay in 1997-98. [12158]
Mr. Byers:
I am today laying before Parliament a second Pay and Conditions Order bringing the provisions of the school teachers's pay and conditions document into force from 1 September 1997. Copies of this order are being sent to local education authorities and the teachers' and employers' organisations.
The school teachers' pay and conditions document 1997 and the Department's accompanying circular of guidance, "School Teachers' Pay and Conditions of Employment 1997", circular No. 9/97, were published on 18 July following detailed consultation with the teachers' and employers' associations and representatives of governors of voluntary and grant-maintained schools. The document sets out the statutory pay and conditions of employment for teachers in maintained schools in England and Wales.
Mr. Grogan:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what are the (a) average and (b) maximum numbers of children in primary school classes in the parliamentary constituency of Selby. [9974]
Mr. Byers:
The available information is shown in the tables. The information in table 2 puts into context the information on maximum class sizes in table 1.
30 Jul 1997 : Column: 278
| Average class size | Maximum class size | |
|---|---|---|
| Selby | 27.4 | 38 |
| Sizes of class | Number of classes | Number of pupils |
|---|---|---|
| 1-20 | 27 | 403 |
| 21-30 | 191 | 5,060 |
| 31-35 | 89 | 2,886 |
| 36-40 | 8 | 297 |
| 41 or more | 0 | 0 |
| Total | 315 | 8,646 |
| Next Section | Index | Home Page |