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New Deal
Mr. Maclean: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what proportion of those leaving the New Deal for 18 to 24-year-olds for a destination other than unsubsidised employment up to the most recent date for which information is available are now claiming welfare benefits; and at what cost. [71641]
Mr. Blunkett: The information on numbers leaving New Deal to claim benefits is contained in the Department for Education and Employment Statistical First Release. This release, prepared by the Government Statistical Service, was placed in the Library on 28 January. The latest set of figures will be placed in the Library on 25 February. It is not possible to give the cost of the benefits as it is not known how long those concerned will remain on them.
School Transport (Rural Areas)
Mr. Maclean: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment if he will make a statement on his policy towards the provision of school transport to Roman Catholic schools for children in rural areas. [72700]
Mr. Charles Clarke: Local Education Authorities must by law have regard to the wishes of Roman Catholic parents for their children to attend Roman Catholic schools, including in rural areas. Where a school is beyond the statutory walking distance, but is not the nearest suitable school, authorities have discretion whether to provide free transport. In exercising that discretion they must consider each request seriously. The Department is monitoring carefully the provision of denominational transport in local education authorities in England.
School Funding (Cumbria)
Mr. Maclean: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment if he will make a statement on the effects of the 1999-2000 revenue support grant on the provision of education services in Cumbria. [72703]
Ms Estelle Morris: We have increased Cumbria's education SSA for 1999-2000 by well over £9 million which should help raise standards. My right hon. Friend has received a large number of representations from Cumbria schools welcoming the education SSA increase, but criticising Cumbria County Council's budget plans. We expect all Local Education Authorities, including Cumbria, to use all of the education SSA increase to support education services, especially schools.
Mr. Maclean: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment for what reasons Cumbria was not included with other local authorities when allocating nursery funding for three years olds in 1999-2000. [72724]
Ms Hodge: In 1999-2000 the additional funding for early education for three-year-olds has been distributed between the fifty authorities with the highest levels of social need assessed by the Government's Index of Local Deprivation augmented by measures of low birth weight and births to teenage mothers. Funding will be distributed across all authorities from April 2000.
Labour and Social Affairs Council
Mr. Maclean:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment if he will list the issues
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for discussion before the Labour and Social Affairs Council on 9 March, indicating the position he proposes to take on each issue. [72739]
Mr. Blunkett:
I am unable to attend this meeting of the Council because it clashes with the Budget Statement. My right hon. Friend the Minister for Employment, Welfare to Work and Equal Opportunities will attend in my place.
The first part of the meeting will be discussions with representatives of applicant countries, outside the formal enlargement screening process. The UK Government strongly support the enlargement of the European Union.
The Presidency will give an oral report on the Informal Meeting of Social Affairs Ministers which my right hon. Friends the Minister of State for Trade and Industry and the Minister for Employment, Welfare to Work and Equal Opportunities attended in Bonn on 4-6 February.
The Presidency will also report on their ideas for a European Employment Pact. The Conclusions of the Vienna Council call for the agreement of an Employment Pact in time for the Cologne European Council in June. We believe the Pact should be based in the existing process of European Employment Guidelines and National Employment Action Plans.
There will also be a presentation of the 1999 Employment and Labour Market Committee work programme.
The Council will discuss the proposed reform of the Standing Committee on Employment which aims to enable this tripartite body to make a more efficient and appropriate contribution to the employment strategy.
There will be discussion of a Resolution on a Code of Conduct which invites Member States to improve administrative co-operation between their authorities in three areas: transnational hiring-out of workers, combating benefit fraud and illegal employment.
The Presidency will report to the Council on the progress negotiations for measures on the organisation of working time for those sectors currently excluded from the Working Time Directive. No discussion is expected.
The Presidency will also give information on how it plans to proceed in the second half of its Presidency on the proposed European Company Statute. No substantive discussion is expected.
Mr. Willis:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment at what cost to (a) the Government, (b) schools and (c) local authorities connections to the Internet for schools have been made. [72076]
Mr. Charles Clarke:
Information relating specifically to the cost of schools' connection to the Internet is not held centrally.
Mr. Willis:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what is the average (a) capital and
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(b) running cost per link to the Internet for (i) primary schools and (ii) secondary schools; and if he will estimate the range of such costs. [72081]
Mr. Charles Clarke:
Oftel and the telecoms industry have now reached agreement on how the commitment to wire up schools to the superhighway free of charge will be implemented. Schools will have a choice of free connections and of technologies, either ISDN2 or equivalent from BT or the cable companies. They are, of course, under no obligation to restrict their usage to these times, packages or telecoms providers included in this deal, and if this is the case, their costs will vary accordingly.
| Company/technology | £ | |
|---|---|---|
| BT (10 hours per school day 8am-6pm) | ||
| ISDN2 | 790 p.a. | |
| PSTN | 445 p.a. plus £100 connection charge | |
| Cable companies | ||
| ISDN | 600 p.a. | |
| PSTN | 100 p.a. for schools up to 250 pupils | |
| 250 p.a. for schools from 251-500 pupils | ||
| 500 p.a. for schools with 501+ pupils | ||
Other companies may choose to offer similar tariff structures--as a commercial decision for the individual companies involved.
Mr. Willis: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment if he will list the companies which have made connections to the Internet for schools free of installation charges; how many connections have been made in each case; and if he will publish the terms under which these connections have been made. [72079]
Mr. Charles Clarke: Under the agreement between Oftel and the telecoms industry schools will have a choice of free connections and of technologies, either ISDN2 or equivalent from BT or the cable companies.
| Company/technology | £ | |
|---|---|---|
| BT (10 hours per school day 8am-6pm) | ||
| ISDN | 790 p.a. | |
| PSTN | 445 p.a. plus £100 connection charge | |
| Cable companies | ||
| ISDN | 600 p.a. | |
| PSTN | 100 p.a. for schools up to 250 pupils | |
| 250 p.a. for schools from 251-500 pupils | ||
| 500 p.a. for schools with 501+ pupils | ||
Other companies may choose to offer similar tariff structures--as a commercial decision for the individual companies involved.
The Department does not hold figures for schools' connection to the Internet by individual companies.
Mr. Willis:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what representations he has received
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from (a) BT, (b) other providers, (c) schools and (d) local authorities on Internet connections. [72080]
Mr. Charles Clarke:
The Department received representations from all the above groups and others on a range of issues including Internet connections as part of the consultation exercise on plans for the National Grid for Learning undertaken in 1997. A report on the outcomes of that consultation can be found on the National Grid for Learning website at: http://www.vtc.ngfl.gov.uk/vtc/library/pub.htm.
Mr. Willis:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what steps he is taking to monitor the terms under which free connections to the Internet for schools are being made; and if he will make a statement. [72077]
Mr. Charles Clarke:
Current arrangements for schools' connection to and use of the Internet at reduced cost were brokered by Oftel and allow for schools to benefit from access to the Internet for a fixed annual fee through a BT ISDN2 connection between 9am and 6pm or for unlimited access through an equivalent cable connection.
The DfEE, in conjunction with other Government Departments, Oftel and the British Educational Communications and Technology Agency, continue to monitor schools' use of the Internet, through statistical surveys and in other ways, and to explore with Oftel and the telecommunications industry the scope for extending such agreements.
Mr. Willis:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment how many times he has met representatives of BT to discuss Internet connections to schools. [72087]
Mr. Charles Clarke:
My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State has met the BT Chairman for discussion on a range of issues. In addition, officials remain in touch with BT through correspondence and meetings, and through public consultation. Other Ministers have also had contact with representatives of the company. These meetings have typically covered a range of issues rather than specifically relating to Internet connections to schools.
Mr. Willis:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment how many and what percentage of (a) primary and (b) secondary schools have been connected to the Internet free of installation charge to date. [72078]
Mr. Charles Clarke:
The Department published last year the results of a survey of ICT in provision in schools which indicated that 17 per cent. of primary schools and 83 per cent. of secondary schools were connected to the Internet by March 1998. This is in comparison to the previous year's survey (published in 1997) which indicated that 5 per cent. of primary schools and 47 per cent. of secondary schools were connected to the Internet at the time. Subsequent annual surveys will indicate the change in growth of schools with such connections. The Government are committed to ensuring that all schools are connected to the Internet by 2002.
Precise figures are not held on how many of these schools benefited from the free connection deals such as those offered by BT and cable companies.
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