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Climate Change Levy
Mr. Pearson:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what estimate he has made of (a) the cost of the climate change levy to his Department and (b) the savings from the reduction in national insurance contributions that will occur when it is introduced. [88859]
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Mr. Mudie:
The net impact of the climate change levy and the associated reduction in the main rate of employers' National Insurance Contributions on the Department for Education and Employment will depend on the rates of climate change levy. The final rates of climate change levy will not be set until the Finance Bill 2000.
In addition, the Government are still considering a number of detailed issues on the tax treatment of different energy products which could have a significant impact in some instances. It is therefore not possible to give definitive figures about the impact of the climate change levy on the Department for Education and Employment.
Charlotte Atkins:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment (1) what steps he has taken to encourage schools with able children to take up the opportunity to sit level 6 tests in English, Mathematics and Science at Key Stage 2 SATS; [88833]
Mr. Charles Clarke:
It is the role of the teacher to assess which children are working within Level 6 in a subject and therefore which pupils should be entered for both the Levels 3-5 tests and the Level 6 extension test. Level 6 is awarded in a subject only when a child has attained a Level 5 on the main Levels 3-5 National Curriculum tests in addition to achieving sufficient marks on the extension test.
The Qualifications and Curriculum Authority (QCA) is currently reviewing National Curriculum extension tests and is taking full account of the recommendations in the recent Select Committee Report on Highly Able Children. The Government will ensure that any changes are consistent with its commitment to improve the education of gifted and talented children.
The QCA has commissioned research, on behalf of the Secretary of State, from the University of Leeds and the National Federation of Educational Research (NFER) to look at the design of the Level 6 test. Their job will be to incorporate comments received by the QCA about children's performance at Level 6 and how future tests can be designed to make them more accessible to pupils.
59 pupils achieved the Level 6 English extension test in 1998.
Mr. Lock:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment if he will make a statement on his policy towards local education authorities seeking to impose full cost recovery or full commercial rate charges on out of school clubs operating out of premises owned by local education authorities for their use of the premises and associated facilities. [R] [88959]
Mr. Charles Clarke
[holding answer 29 June 1999]: A School's budget may not be used to subsidise non-school activities. Sections 149-152 of the Education Act 1996 and, from 1 September 1999, Schedule 13 to
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the School Standards and Framework Act 1998, require that community use of school premises must be self-financing. Rates are not payable by out-of-school clubs. Paragraph 58 of the "Code of Practice on LEA-School Relations" states
Mr. Lock:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what guidance his Department has issued to local education authorities concerning the proper basis upon which out of school clubs operating out of premises owned by local education authorities should be charged for their use of the premises and associated facilities. [R] [88960]
Mr. Charles Clarke
[holding answer 29 June 1999]: The Department's advice is currently set out in paragraph 58 of the "Code of Practice on LEA-School Relations". This states that
Mr. Chaytor:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what plans he has to respond to the recommendations of the First Annual report of the Sustainable Development Education Panel; and if he will make a statement. [88891]
Mr. Charles Clarke:
These are important and wide-ranging recommendations. I congratulate the Panel on its hard work.
I met the Chairman of the Panel, Sir Geoffrey Holland, and Panel members in May, and discussed their plans to consult on the recommendations in the Annual Report affecting further and higher education, youth services, and training for employment. As far as the schools sector is concerned, we agreed that the current consultation on the draft National Curriculum would enable the sector to state its views on the coverage of sustainable development, particularly in geography, science and citizenship.
I am keen to develop appropriate partnerships in the area of out-of-school education, and I asked the Panel to let me have further proposals on this. I am also keen to involve employers as much as possible in spreading sustainable development messages and I hope to speak at an event organised by the Panel in due course.
I have written to Anthea Millet, the Chief Executive of the Teacher Training Agency, and to Chris Woodhead, HM Chief Inspector of Schools, asking them to meet
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Sir Geoffrey to discuss the Annual Report's implications for teacher training and the inspection framework. The meeting between Sir Geoffrey and Anthea Millett has now taken place, and I understand that the TTA will write to Sir Geoffrey shortly to follow up the meeting with some suggestions on sustainable development.
I propose to meet the Panel Chairman and members from time to time to review progress.
Mr. Chaytor:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment (1) what assessment he has made of the impact on the budgets of those further education colleges which are major providers of English as a foreign language courses of the current proposal by the Further Education Funding Council to withdraw Schedule 2 funding; and if he will make a statement; [88888]
(3) what representations he has received concerning the proposal by the Further Education Funding Council to withdraw Schedule 2 funding for English as a foreign language courses. [88892]
Mr. Mudie:
The Further Education Funding Council (FEFC) is reviewing the position of English as a Foreign Language (EFL) qualifications with representatives of further education colleges which are major providers of EFL qualifications. But there is no current proposal from the FEFC to withdraw Schedule 2 funding from EFL courses. The FEFC continues to fund EFL qualifications under Schedule 2(f), such courses having previously been funded under Schedule 2(a).
Mr. Paul Marsden:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment (1) how often the Charter for Further Education is reviewed and revised; and if he will make a statement; [88582]
Mr. Mudie:
The Charter for Further Education was last reviewed and an addendum issued in October 1997. "Service First--the new charter programme" encourages the continued development and revision of local charters in line with the Government's commitment to improving local services. Further Education sector colleges have their own charters which focus on local needs. The national charter remains under review.
The Further Education Funding Council Inspectorate monitors colleges' performance against local and national charter standards, as part of its ongoing assessment of quality in the sector. Inspectors' findings are routinely included in published college reports. These highlight good practice and, where necessary, issues which need to be addressed.
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(2) what research he has (a) commissioned and (b) evaluated on the numbers of children who attained level 6 at Key Stage 2 SATS in 1998 in English; what conclusions were reached; and what future work is planned on this subject area. [88834]
"there may be a natural tendency to maximise profits from letting to community users. But nothing in guidance from LEAs about the costs to be recouped, or in decisions taken by governing bodies should promote the maximisation of profits at the expense of existing, or potential, benefits to the wider community."
The department will be issuing further guidance on community use of school facilities later this year.
"there may be a natural tendency to maximise profits from lettings to community users. But noting in guidance from LEAs about the costs to be recouped, or in decisions taken by governing bodies should promote the maximisation of profits at the expense of existing, or potential, benefits to the wider community."
Legislation requires that community use is self- financing. A school may not subsidise non-school activities with its own budget. The Department will be issuing further guidance on community use of school facilities later this year.
(2) what discussions he has had with the Further Education Funding Council concerning its proposal to withdraw Schedule 2 funding for English as a foreign language courses; [88890]
(2) what assessment he has made of the extent to which the standards in the Charter for Further Education are being met; and if he will make a statement. [88583]
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