| Previous Section | Index | Home Page |
Welsh Development Agency
Mr. Gareth Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will make a statement on the management of the Welsh Development Agency following the recent resignations of senior staff. [62363]
Mr. Hain:
The WDA expects some turnover of its staff in the normal course of events and this always presents an opportunity to strengthen the organisation. I am confident that the management team in place will be able to deliver the challenging agenda which Government have set.
9 Dec 1998 : Column: 232
Mr. Dafis:
To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what assessment he has made of the adequacy of action being taken within the Welsh Office to deal with the problem of the millennium bug. [63094]
Mr. Michael:
In common with all Departments the Welsh Office completes a Quarterly Return to the Central Computer and Telecommunications Agency on the progress towards achieving Millennium compliance of it's internal systems and the general state of readiness of the wider public sector in Wales.
These returns are published on the Internet and copies are placed in the Library of the House. The last returns were published on 2 December.
I am currently satisfied with my Departments progress towards achieving Millennium date change compliance but will keep that progress under review.
Mr. Barry Jones:
To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what measures he proposes to take to improve morale amongst nurses. [62697]
Mr. Jon Owen Jones:
The Department is preparing a Strategic Framework for Nursing, Midwifery and Health Visiting in Wales following consultation with the health service. It will set out the vital contribution that the profession makes to the health service.
As an integral part of the Human Resource Strategy for Wales we will set the NHS targets to improve its record as an employer which will mean improving the quality of life of staff and their access to continuing professional development.
The Government are committed to a fair and affordable pay settlement which will have a positive impact on the nursing profession. The Nurses Pay Review Body is currently considering evidence from the trade unions, Health Departments and employers and will make recommendations on pay levels to take effect on 1 April 1999. The Government will make an announcement early in the new year.
Mr. Barry Jones:
To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what discussions he has had with the Chairman of British Steel plc concerning imports of steel products from the Far East; and if he will make a statement. [62699]
Mr. Hain:
None, but the Welsh Office maintains close contact with British Steel and my right hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, met the Chairman of British Steel plc on 17 November to discuss this and a range of other issues affecting the steel industry.
The Government consistently press for strict rules contained in the Steel Aid Code to be applied rigorously by Member States and for stringent monitoring and enforcement by the Commission. This has contributed to a climate in which illegal state aids have declined significantly in importance as a problem for the UK steel industry.
9 Dec 1998 : Column: 233
Where any cases give rise to concern, the Government are always willing to examine any evidence put forward, and to consider what action might be appropriate.
Mr. Swayne:
To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what estimate he has made of the losses that will be made by local authority direct labour departments in this financial year. [62681]
Mr. Jon Owen Jones:
I have made no such estimate because local authorities are not due to submit reports for this financial year until 31 October 1999. However, I expect all authorities to do everything possible to achieve the specified financial objective for the work which they carry out.
I have asked those authorities whose direct service organisations made losses for the 1997-98 financial year to report to me on what action they are taking to return their organisations to profit. I shall consider whether any further action is necessary when I have received these reports.
Mr. Chaytor:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what research he has commissioned on value-added models of performance league tables. [62583]
Mr. Charles Clarke:
Following research sponsored by the School Curriculum and Assessment Authority, and a consultation by the Qualifications and Curriculum Authority, we have conducted a value added pilot study, the results of which were published as a supplement to the secondary school tables on 1 December. The study involved some 200 schools and investigated a variety of options for presenting value added measures from Key Stage 3 to GCSE/GNVQ, based on information about individual pupil performance. A copy has been placed in the Library.
Mr. Chaytor:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what plans he has to publish league tables weighted according to pupil performance at Key Stage Two. [62582]
Mr. Charles Clarke:
We aim to publish measures of value added by secondary schools from Key Stage 2 to the end of compulsory schooling from 2003, when suitable data for matching pupils' achievements over time are expected to become available.
Mr. Willis:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what is the total amount the further education sector is expected to raise in efficiency savings in (a) 1998-99 and (b) 1999-2000; and if these sums are included in the announced increases in resources allocated to further education in each of those years. [62548]
Mr. Mudie:
The efficiency savings expected of the Further Education sector are equivalent to £135 million in financial year 1998-99 and £35 million in financial year
9 Dec 1998 : Column: 234
1999-2000. The increased funding that has been allocated to Further Education in each of these years does not include these amounts but does assume that these efficiency savings will be realised.
Mr. Willis:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment if his figures for the additional students expected in the further education sector by 2002 will be calculated on the basis of student enrolments. [62547]
Mr. Mudie:
The additional students expected in the further education sector by 2002 are calculated on the basis of the number of students in Further Education colleges.
Mr. Willis:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment if infant schools which continue to operate admission limits in excess of 30 or multiples of 30 will receive additional resources to meet the class-size pledge. [62608]
Ms Estelle Morris:
Whether individual schools receive additional resources to meet the class size pledge will depend on the implementation plan submitted by their local education authority and the costings to support that plan, as approved by the Secretary of State. A school that continues to operate admission limits in excess of 30 or multiples of 30 may receive additional resources to meet the class size pledge if it is judged reasonable for it to continue to operate those limits in the context of the authority's plan, taking into account the circumstances of the school.
Mr. Willis:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what steps he has taken to ensure the education in subsequent years of an exempted pupil admitted as a 31st child consistent with the class size requirements of the School Standards and Framework Act 1998. [62606]
Ms Estelle Morris:
An excepted pupil falling within paragraphs 2 to 5 of the Schedule in the Education (Infant Class Sizes)(England) Regulations 1998 (S.I. 1998/1973) will cease to be treated as such a pupil after the end of the school year in which he/she is admitted to the school. This does not apply to an excepted pupil falling within paragraphs 6 and 7 of that Schedule because that exception permits a pupil with special educational needs, normally educated in a special school or a special unit attached to a mainstream school, to gain the benefits of being able to join in a mainstream class for some lessons.
Every governing body and local education authority will be under a legal duty to comply with class size legislation. We will be monitoring closely all aspects of that legislation, including the operation of the limit.
Mr. Willis:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment if, where an exempted pupil is admitted to an infant class in excess of 30, additional resources will be made available from his Department to meet the class size pledge in subsequent years. [62607]
Ms Estelle Morris:
We will be providing sufficient resources to enable all local authorities to meet the class size pledge. We intend to make resources available to deal with contingencies which arise when, exceptionally, a child is lawfully admitted to a school, taking an infant
9 Dec 1998 : Column: 235
class above 30 pupils. Whether an authority will require additional resources to deal with a case of that kind will clearly depend on the particular circumstances of the case.
| Next Section | Index | Home Page |