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National Minimum Wage
Mr. Rowlands: To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many people employed in (a) his Department and (b) its associated public bodies have benefited from the introduction of the national minimum wage. [86023]
Angela Eagle:
4,397 staff in this Department, out of approximately 90,000 staff, have benefited from the introduction of the national minimum wage. This includes the Department's Agencies, and 139 staff in the associated public bodies.
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Education Authorities (Private Firms)
16. Sir Teddy Taylor: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what procedures he intends to use to review the progress made by private firms running education in place of local education authorities. [85418]
Mr. Blunkett: Contracts for organisations taking on the delivery of education services in poorly performing LEAs will contain a series of key performance indicators and core outcomes against which the contractor's performance will be judged. These performance measures will be linked to a payment mechanism which will ensure that payments to the contractor are based on delivering an improved service. The precise details of such contracts are, of course, a matter for negotiation with providers. The LEA and the contractor will also need to hold regular contract monitoring meetings to review progress against the Service Management Plan.
In addition, Ofsted will continue its programme of local education authority inspections. These will include inspecting and reporting upon any education services being delivered by a contractor.
Teaching Staff (Salaries)
17. Mr. David Heath: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what is the average annual salary for teaching staff in local education authority schools in (a) the south-west region and (b) England. [85421]
Ms Estelle Morris: The estimated average salary of full-time teaching staff, including heads and deputies, in the local education authority maintained nursery/primary, secondary and special sector received during 1998-99 was £24,100 in England and £24,000 in the south-west region.
Average salaries at local education authority level are likely to vary for a number of reasons including: the grade structures required by the mix of school sizes, teacher's average length of service and payment of recruitment and retention points. The estimate takes account of the staged pay award in 1998-99, 2 per cent. in April with the full 3.8 per cent. paid in December.
Technology Colleges
18. Mr. Gordon Prentice: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what advice and guidance he has issued to schools seeking technology college status. [85424]
Mr. Blunkett:
A guidance document for schools wishing to apply for Technology College status is available to schools on request, and is also available under 'Specialist Schools Information' on the DfEE Web Site (WNN.DfEE.Gov.UK/DfEEHOME. HTM). The guidance sets out the considerations taken into account when deciding to designate Technology Colleges and covers sponsorship, school and community development plans, and location.
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19. Mr. Gardiner:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what progress has been made in the development of a leadership college for head teachers. [85426]
Ms Estelle Morris:
A prospectus for the College was launched by my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister on 2 June. The prospectus sets out our vision for the College and invites potential external partners to join with us in working to make the vision a reality. Copies of the prospectus have been placed in the Libraries.
20. Mr. Colman:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what progress the National Childcare Strategy has made in providing extra child care places. [R] [85430]
Ms Hodge:
The National Childcare Strategy has had a major impact in its first year. We have funded the creation of 65,590 new child care places in 1998-99 which far exceeds the ambitious target we set of 60,000 places. In the first two years of this Government we have created more child care places than were created during the entire period of office of the last Government.
Mrs. Curtis-Thomas:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment how many young people on the new deal are currently taking part in the education and training option. [85417]
Mr. Andrew Smith:
The latest Government Statistical Service figures show that at the end of March 1999 there were 23,190 young people on the New Deal Full Time Education and Training Option.
Dr. Whitehead:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what progress is being made in developing employer-involvement in the New Deal for young unemployed people. [85403]
Mr. Andrew Smith:
Employers are playing an ever-increasing role in New Deal. They are helping us strengthen its design, meet business needs through sector initiatives, in hospitality for example, and most importantly, provide sustained jobs for nearly 70,000 young people.
Mr. Willetts:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment if he will estimate the cost of exempting all university students living in (a) Scotland, (b) Wales, (c) Northern Ireland and (d) England from tuition fees. [84062]
Mr. Mudie
[holding answer 13 May 1999]: The following table shows the estimated private contributions to tuition fees from home and other EU full-time undergraduate students studying in universities and colleges in Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland and England in 2000-01. These represent the cost of fee exemption assuming no consequent change to loan eligibility. Estimates of tuition fee income from part-time and postgraduate students are not readily available.
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| Financial year 2000-01 | |
|---|---|
| Scotland | 41 |
| Wales | 23 |
| Northern Ireland | 13 |
| England | 333 |
For students ordinarily resident in England and Wales it is not possible to estimate separately the contributions from those aged over 21 and over 25.
The proportions of private contributions from those ordinarily resident in Scotland, and EU students at Scottish institutions, aged over 21 and over 25 are estimated to be 28 per cent. and 6 per cent. respectively. For students ordinarily resident in Northern Ireland the equivalent figures are estimated to be 10 per cent. and 4 per cent.
Secondary Schools (Wandsworth)
Mr. Cox: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what discussions he has had with the Education Department of the London Borough of Wandsworth on the number of children who have not obtained places in secondary schools in the borough for the September 1999 school entry. [85778]
Ms Estelle Morris: None. Arrangements for admission to schools are determined locally by the relevant admission authority, that is the local education authority for county and controlled schools, the governing body for voluntary aided and grant-maintained schools. While parents are able to say which school they would prefer, they may not gain a place at that school if it is popular and oversubscribed.
The local education authority is responsible for ensuring that a school place is available for every child living in its area whose parents want one. The places do not have to be provided at schools in its area. Where a child is without a school place because he or she has been refused admission to, or excluded from, every school within a reasonable travelling distance, the local education authority has the power to direct a school to admit the child.
I understand that Wandsworth Local Education Authority is monitoring the position and expects it to be satisfactorily resolved in due course.
Mr. Healey:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment if a participant on a European Social Fund course of training is designated as an employee for the purposes of the (a) Sex Discrimination Act 1975 and (b) Race Relations Act 1976. [85753]
Mr. Andrew Smith:
Participation in a course part-funded by ESF does not in itself confer employment status on an individual. An individual could be participating in an ESF course of training as an employee of a company or on a work placement which may confer employment status as a result of the agreed contractual arrangement of the employer and the individual.
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If an individual is an employee then they are afforded the protection of the employment provisions of the Sex Discrimination Act 1975 and the Race Relations Act 1976.
Mr. Healey:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment if a participant on a European Social Fund course of training is entitled to take a complaint against (a) the training provider and (b) an employer with whom they may be doing work tasters or work placements as part of the course to an employment tribunal. [85754]
Mr. Andrew Smith:
A participant in any vocational training course whether or not part-funded by ESF is entitled to bring a complaint of discrimination on the grounds of sex and/or race against a training provider in relation to provision or non-provision of that training which can be heard before an employment tribunal. In addition to any employment rights which a trainee participating in a course may have, it is unlawful for an employer to discriminate on the grounds of sex, race or disability in the way he affords or omits to afford access to the opportunity for training in the course of the employment. Any complaint can be considered by an employment tribunal.
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