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Dyslexia
Mr. Kidney: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what progress his Department is making in ensuring that schools recognise dyslexia and respond with appropriate teaching methods. [95311]
Jacqui Smith:
Under the Education Act 1966, schools and local education authorities (LEAs) have a duty to identify and make suitable provision for all children with
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special educational needs, including children with dyslexia. The Code of Practice on the Identification and Assessment of Special Educational Needs gives guidance to schools and LEAs on how to meet this duty. Paragraphs 3.60 to 3.63 provide guidance on specific learning difficulties and have particular reference to dyslexia.
To assist schools in recognising dyslexia we have produced simple guidance which provides hints to primary school teachers to help them identify children who may be dyslexic. In addition the Department has recently provided a grant to help the British Dyslexia Association produce a schools resource pack entitled "Achieving dyslexia friendly schools".
A recent seminar bringing together the main government departments and agencies, and external partners for an exchange of views on the key educational issues in the areas of dyslexia, was well received. Ways in which individual expertise and resources can be pooled were identified, and a consensus reached over a shared agenda for tackling issues in the areas of early identification, teacher training, and the use of ICT. An informal working group has been set up to take matters forward.
Changes to Initial Teacher Training introduced in September 1998 require all trainees to demonstrate that they are able to identify pupils who have special educational needs including specific learning difficulties and know where to get help in order to give positive and targeted support.
Jackie Ballard:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment (1) what action his Department has taken and what plans he has to ensure children from atopic families avoid early sensitisation to nut products and that parents and carers are aware of the risk of sensitisation; [96530]
(3) what recent representations he has received from groups concerned about anaphylaxis and the difficulties faced by sufferers in everyday life; [96438]
(4) what representations he has received from leisure providers concerning the use of their facilities, and participation in activities, by sufferers from anaphylaxis. [96654]
Jacqui Smith:
The Department has not received any recent representations from anaphylaxis groups or from leisure providers. We have issued guidance for schools on "Supporting Pupils with Medical Needs" which contains advice on anaphylaxis. Advice is also available on the joint DfEE and Department of Health Wired for Health website. We will be consulting shortly on draft regulations on new nutritional standards for school lunches. The new standards will allow caterers flexibility to respond to the requirements of children who have allergies to particular foods. I will send a copy of the draft regulations to the hon. Member when they are published. The question about early sensitisation is a matter for my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Health.
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Mr. Don Foster:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment if he will list all performance targets set for his Department, agencies and non-departmental public bodies since May 1997, other than those listed in Public Service Agreements 1999-2002 [Cm 4181], stating in each case (a) the target to be reached and (b) the date by which it was to be reached. [94987]
Mr. Blunkett:
My Department has set out the key performance targets on which it will be judged in its PSA, and the measures of success it will use in the Output and Performance Analysis (OPA) published in March this year. A full list of the targets and target dates for Agencies and Executive NDPBs can be found annually in the Next Steps Report and Executive and Non-Departmental Public Bodies Report on the Stationery Office website. In addition, my Department has published a Strategic Framework to 2002: Learning and Working Together for the Future, setting out our aim, objectives, targets and supporting policies for that period; and has published the Government's National Learning Targets to 2002 in the leaflet "National Learning Targets for England for 2002--now including the new Learning Participation Target" and in its publication "National Learning Targets--action plan".
These high-level targets are supported at operational level by numerous targets to ensure delivery by individual units. Listing these operational targets would be inappropriate and disproportionate in terms of resources. However, the DfEE annual Departmental Report and Annual Report of the Employment Service also include performance related information.
Mr. Lepper:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment when he expects the Quality Assurance Agency for Higher Education to publish its draft proposals for student complaints systems in higher education. [96590]
Mr. Wicks:
I understand that the Quality Assurance Agency intends to issue its draft Code of Practice on Student Complaints and Appeals to higher education institutions and other interested parties for consultation during the week commencing 1 November.
Mr. Boswell:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment if he will make a statement on progress in the development of national programmes to deliver information and advice on education and training for adults. [96409]
Mr. Wicks:
As set out in the White Paper, "Learning to Succeed" (Cm 4392), we want adults to have the help they need to make informed choices about learning and work. That help will be available through Learning Direct, the national learning helpline; through Lifelong Learning Partnerships, who are developing a free information and advice service for adults at local level; and, for unemployed people, through the comprehensive advice and support service associated with the Employment Service's New Deal programmes for young people, the unemployed and people with disabilities.
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Since it was launched last year, Learning Direct has helped more than 860,000 callers. Following consultation earlier in the year, my Department is now agreeing plans with Lifelong Learning Partnerships for the development of information and advice services that are tailored to local needs. To date, more than 348,000 young people aged 18-24 and 144,000 adults aged 25 and over have received specialised advice and support through the New Deal.
Mr. Clappison:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what assessment he has made of (a) the policy of university admission authorities towards AS levels and (b) if they will make offers based on AS levels. [95867]
Mr. Wicks:
It is for universities to decide on their admissions policies. Early indications are that they are considering using AS qualifications rather than GCSEs as predictors of likely A level performance. Universities such as Cambridge have also indicated that they are considering using the new Advanced Extension Award as an alternative to its STEP exam. Universities will normally make final offers on the basis of final A level and GNVQ scores, but may also include AS qualification and AE achievement as evidence of breadth and depth.
Mr. Hilary Benn:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment how many students attending higher education institutions have received financial help from access funds in each of the last 10 academic years. [96186]
Mr. Wicks:
The following table shows the number of successful applications in 1995-96, 1996-97 and 1997-98. Comparable figures for 1998-99 will not be available until the New Year. The figures for earlier years are not immediately available, but I shall write to my hon. Friend with them shortly.
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(2) what information his Department issues concerning anaphylaxis and contact between young children and nut products; [96440]
| Year | Number of successful applications |
|---|---|
| 1997-98 | 49,236 |
| 1996-97 | 52,256 |
| 1995-96 | 55,453 |
The Government have more than tripled spending on HE Access Funds, to £75 million, since 1997.
Mr. Hilary Benn:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment if he will list the funding available for access funds for each further education college in England in the (a) 1996-97, (b) 1997-98, (c) 1998-99 and (d) 1999-2000 academic years. [96188]
Mr. Wicks:
Total access funds provision for further education colleges has been £6.0 million in 1996-97, £6.0 million in 1997-98, £10.3 million in 1998-99 and £37.4 million in 1999-2000. Grants to individual colleges are published in an annual Further Education Council Circular. The references for the Circulars for the years in question are:
Jackie Ballard:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment how many children were excluded from (a) local council and (b) other leisure and play schemes on the grounds of medical conditions which are not classed as disabilities. [96528]
Ms Hodge:
The information required is not collected centrally.
96/22 for 1996-97
97/32 for 1997-98
98/29 for 1998-99
99/27 for 1999-2000
Copies of the circulars have been placed in the Library.