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Airborne Stand-off Radar Programme
Mr. Beggs: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment (1) what discussions he has had with the Secretary of State for Defence concerning the number of jobs which would be created within the United Kingdom through the Ministry of Defence ASTOR programme; and if he will make a statement; [10813]
- (2) what is his estimate of the number of additional jobs which would be created through use of the bombardier global express platform in the ASTOR programme. [10814]
Mr. Andrew Smith: The Ministry of Defence aims to place the contract for the ASTOR programme in the next year. Two contractors, Lockheed-Martin and Raytheon E-Systems, have completed the competitive project definition studies for the ASTOR programme and invitations. Final offers for the full development and production phase are currently being prepared, following which the companies' detailed industrial participation proposals will form part of the assessment in awarding the contract.
Therefore, at this stage of what is a sensitive competition, we cannot speculate about the number of jobs that may be created.
30 Jul 1997 : Column: 279
Mr. Flynn:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment (1) what plans he has to reduce the level of bullying in schools; and if he will make a statement;[11462]
Ms Estelle Morris:
My right hon. Friend has no plans to meet World Health Organisation representatives to discuss bullying in schools. We are, however, concerned that all schools treat the issue of bullying seriously and take steps to combat it promptly and firmly whenever and wherever it occurs. To that end, our White Paper, "Excellence in Schools" has reminded schools that effective strategies to deal with bullying, developed and implemented by the whole school community including pupils, should form a central part of schools' behaviour policies.
We are currently looking at what further action we might take to help schools tackle bullying and reduce its incidence. This will include taking more active steps to spread information on good practice in combating the problem.
Mr. Sheerman:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what plans he has to encourage enterprise among those who have been made redundant or taken early retirement. [9727]
Mr. Andrew Smith:
I believe that it is important to ensure that people receive the help they need to become self-employed.
The Department's expenditure review will set our future priorities for employment and training initiatives to complement the new deal, including the encouragement of enterprise.
Currently training for work provides support for self-employment. This is part of a wide range of provision to help jobseekers return to work, including those made redundant or who have taken early retirement.
Mr. Baker:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment, pursuant to his answer of 24 June, Official Report, column 443, if he will list the elected members of local authorities who have places on the boards of TECs. [6301]
Dr. Howells
[pursuant to his reply, 7 July 1997, c. 342]: In the list of elected members of local authorities, Mr. Alan Parker's name was included by error as an elected member of the board of West London TEC.
As director of education, Mr. Parker is an official of the London borough of Ealing.
30 Jul 1997 : Column: 280
Caroline Flint:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what changes he has agreed with the Office for Standards in Education to its inspection procedures. [12163]
Mr. Blunkett:
As foreshadowed in the White Paper "Excellence in Schools", the chief inspector has agreed to implement a programme of changes arising out of Ofsted's analysis of information collected about contracting, the process of inspection and reports, with a view to securing possible further improvements in consistency, quality and value for money. Ofsted plans to introduce in the year beginning September 1997:
In addition, the chief inspector has agreed to review Ofsted's contracting procedures with the involvement of an external party.
30 Jul 1997 : Column: 281
I believe that this substantive set of actions will further improve inspection. The chief inspector has assured me that he will continue to review the evidence and make further improvements where these are called for.
Ms Southworth:
To ask the President of the Council what progress the Government have made since 2 May in combating drug abuse and related problems. [11835]
Mrs. Ann Taylor:
I have been working with a wide range of ministerial colleagues to ensure a collective and effective response to a major social problem. Specific initiatives under way across Government include funding 79 local anti-drugs projects under the £2 million drugs challenge fund in England, and related developments in Scotland and Wales; publication of an independent evaluation of drug action teams, which points the way forward for local action against drugs; reversing potential plans for reductions in frontline Customs staff; reinforcing, in the context of the single regeneration budget and elsewhere, the links between tackling drugs and regeneration; planning for the Government's legislative commitment to a drug testing and treatment order; and a cross-departmental review to assess the resources available for action against drugs.
(2) what plans he has to meet World Health Organisation representatives to discuss the (a) causes of, (b) effects of and (c) possible solutions to reduce the incidence of bullying in schools; and if he will make a statement. [11477]
a quality standard for contractors which each will have to satisfy in order to gain inspection contracts. This will place considerable requirements on contractors and, where these are not met, Ofsted may cease business with them or reduce their level of activity until satisfied that they have improved. This action will be central to Ofsted's drive to improve the overall quality of inspections;
contracting arrangements which further reduce bureaucratic procedures and paperwork. These arrangements will also reduce the period of notice to schools of inspection and mean that all schools know the exact date between one and one-and-a-half terms in advance;
a requirement that team inspectors may inspect subjects or aspects only where they have the relevant expertise and training. Ofsted will organise approved training and accredit inspectors. They will have a register of team members and, with new legislation, the power to remove them from this register if they prove to be incompetent;
a requirement that the names of team members and the subjects and aspects inspected in a school are included in the published reports. This will increase their accountability and enable Ofsted to identify weak ones;
a requirement that inspectors should give oral feed-back to all teachers;
a limit on the proportion of any one day that a teacher can be observed by an inspector. The upper limit will be 75 per cent. of the day with 50 per cent. as the norm. This should reduce the pressure on teachers in small primary schools particularly;
a requirement that head teachers receive a profile for each teacher of the quality of teaching observed by inspectors. Each teacher will receive the data on their own teaching. This essential management of information should aid schools in identifying very good teachers, those needing further support and those whose competence is seriously in doubt;
a requirement that the second inspection comments on progress made by the school since the previous inspection. Much of the information will come from the school and its own review systems;
further guidance on judging standards by providing benchmark descriptors of what is expected of work judged "excellent" through to "very poor", for all subjects;
annual data summaries for each school, including aggregate inspection data from the previous inspection. Copies of all the summaries will be sent to LEAs along with a summary of data for all the LEA's schools;
an external person to review handling of complaints about inspection where the complainant remains unhappy with the outcome of the complaint.
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