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EDUCATION AND EMPLOYMENT
Further Education
Mr. Steinberg: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what change there has been in the number of students in further education in the United Kingdom since tuition fees were introduced. [75022]
Mr. Mudie: The information requested is not available.
New Deal (Targets)
Mr. Brady: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what targets the Employment Service has set for improving employability through the implementation of the New Deal. [75665]
Mr. Andrew Smith [holding answer 9 March 1999]: Responsibility for the subject of these questions has been delegated to the Employment Service agency under its Chief Executive. I have asked him to arrange for a reply to be given.
Letter from Leigh Lewis to Mr. Graham Brady, dated 24 March 1999:
As the Employment Service is an Executive Agency, the Secretary of State for Education and Employment has asked me to reply to your question about the targets we have set for improving employability through the implementation of New Deal. This is something which falls within the responsibilities delegated to me as Chief Executive of the Agency.
We are working to the goal of implementing the Government's commitment to helping 250,000 young unemployed people off benefit and into work. Placement in jobs, retention in employment and qualifications gained are employability measures included within the core performance measures of the New Deal.
I hope this is helpful.
Chief Inspector of Schools
Mrs. Mahon: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment if he will investigate the recent reports relating to the conduct of the Chief Inspector of Schools; and if he will make a statement. [76456]
Ms Estelle Morris: Chris Woodhead has made it clear that he does not accept the allegations made in recent reports about his conduct during the period when he was a school teacher and no evidence has been brought forward to substantiate them. He has also made it clear that he supports the Government's new legislation on improper relationships between pupils and their teachers.
Museums (School Programmes)
Mr. Fearn: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what assessment he has made of the effect on local authority museums' school programmes of the further delegation of funding to schools. [76640]
Ms Estelle Morris:
Local education authorities are not required to delegate funding for school museum services in 1999-2000, except to grant-maintained schools. From April 2000, we intend to require them to delegate funding for school library and museum services to secondary schools; in the case of primary and special schools, our intention is that any funding for these services which is not delegated should be passed to the schools on an
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earmarked basis, which will enable the schools to decide whether to buy the services from their own or another authority.
We are committed to encouraging museums and galleries to develop their educational role and strengthen their links with schools, and have recently announced that we shall be making £2.5 million available for this purpose over three years.
Mr. Tyrie:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment how many civil servants in his Department have been invited to waive the Working Time Directive requirement to work less than 48 hours a week on 17 consecutive weeks; how many civil servants in his Department have refused to waive the requirement; and what is the total cost of compliance with the Directive. [76810]
Mr. Mudie:
Three members of the Senior Civil Service in the Department for Education and Employment (including the Employment Service) have signed an agreement to disapply the 48 hour limit. Central records are not kept for staff outside the Senior Civil Service in DfEE (including the Employment Service), nor do the Regulations require employers to keep records of the number of workers who refuse to sign an opt-out agreement. The standard terms and conditions of service for staff employed by the Department for Education and Employment (including the Employment Service) are well within the limits set by the Working Time Regulations. Compliance costs are not kept centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.
Mrs. May:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what assessment his Department has made of the impact of the single status agreement on the pay of non-teaching support staff. [76939]
Ms Estelle Morris
[holding answer 16 March 1999]: No assessment has been made. As with other groups of local government staff, pay and conditions of service for education support staff are determined by local authorities in negotiation with staff and the relevant trade unions. The Government traditionally are not involved. However, we welcome the encouragement in the single status agreement of local pay and grading reviews and the commitment to training and development for all staff.
Mr. McLoughlin:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment when the hon. Member for West Derbyshire can expect a reply to the letter he sent on 20 November 1998 on behalf of his constituent, Mr. Purdy. [77316]
Mr. Mudie:
Since an interim reply was issued on 11 January 1999, the hon. Member for West Derbyshire's letter of 20 November has, unfortunately, been mislaid in the Department. A reply was issued to the copy letter provided by the hon. Member's office today.
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Mrs. Ellman:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment if his current review of the delivery of high-quality further education, training and work force development includes consultation at a regional level. [77824]
Mr. Mudie:
Yes. We have invited comments from a wide range of partners at local, regional and national level.
Mrs. Brinton:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what regulations set the pay and conditions of classroom assistants. [77906]
Ms Estelle Morris:
The pay and conditions of classroom assistants in schools are not governed by regulations but are determined by Local Education Authorities and schools in negotiation with their staff and relevant trade unions.
Mrs. Brinton:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what minimum qualifications classroom assistants are required to possess. [77907]
Ms Estelle Morris:
It is for Local Education Authorities and schools to determine the qualifications required by classroom assistants working in schools. The Department is working with Local Education Authority representatives and others to develop a national framework of training and qualifications for classroom assistants based on occupational standards/NVQs.
Mr. Burstow:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment if he will list the local authorities to which Ministers have written urging greater spending on local services within their portfolio area. [77960]
Ms Estelle Morris
[holding answer 22 March 1999]: My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State has written to all English Local Education Authorities to urge them to ensure that the additional provision which we have made available is actually spent on education and, in particular, is used to support schools so that the resources can be spent directly on raising standards.
Mr. Peter Ainsworth:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what discussions he has had with teaching unions regarding overnight accommodation costs and overtime payments for teachers accompanying parties of school children visiting the Millennium Dome. [78166]
Ms Estelle Morris
[holding answer 22 March 1999]: None. Many schools are accustomed to taking children on overnight trips.
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Mr. Peter Bradley:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment how many of the new IT learning centres announced in the Budget are to be developed in rural areas; and if he will list their locations. [78310]
Mr. Charles Clarke:
The number of learning centres to be located in rural areas and their locations is yet to be decided.
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Shona McIsaac:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment if he will list those schools in (a) north east Lincolnshire and (b) north Lincolnshire which received finances through the New Deal for schools; and in each case for what purpose the money was allocated. [78312]
Mr. Charles Clarke:
The following two tables answer my hon. Friend's question.
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