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"Learning to Succeed"
Mr. Boswell: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what measures he is taking to maintain morale and staff retention and to give advice and assistance to those employed by organisations likely to be affected by proposals in "Learning to Succeed" (Cm. 4392); with particular reference to (a) the Further Education Funding Council, (b) training and enterprise councils; and (c) the training standards council; and if he will make a statement. [98099]
Mr. Wicks: I will write to the hon. Member and place a copy of my letter in the Library.
Trainee Teachers
Mr. Boswell: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what studies he has made into differences in the course drop-out rate for trainee teachers according to (a) whether they are on Bachelor or Postgraduate Certificate of Education courses, (b) their gender, (c) their ethnic origin and (d) whether or not they are disabled; and if he will make a statement. [98100]
Ms Estelle Morris: The proportion of those who start initial teacher training courses who do not gain qualified teacher status is estimated to be 29 per cent. for undergraduate courses and 13 per cent. for postgraduate courses, based on those gaining qualified teacher status from October 1997 to September 1998.
Information on gender, ethnic origin and disabled status is not available.
The Initial Teacher Training performance profiles, published by the Teacher Training Agency in September 1999, show the percentage of final year trainees in 1997-98 who had gained qualified teacher status by 31 July 1998, split by postgraduate and undergraduate trainees. For primary initial teacher training 90 per cent. of final year undergraduates and 85 per cent. of final year postgraduates gained qualified teacher training. Figures for secondary initial teacher training are given for individual subjects. These figures do not take into account drop-out during earlier years of the course, which mainly applies to undergraduate trainees, or of those who gained qualified teacher status after 31 July 1998.
11 Nov 1999 : Column: 749
Dr. Cable:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment when he intends to introduce the scheme to provide for the low cost rental of computers to low income families. [97914]
Mr. Wills
[holding answer 10 November 1999]: The initiative to offer subsidised recycled computers at low personal cost to low-income learners and families will begin operating in Spring 2000 on a pilot basis. The prospectus inviting responses from interested organisations wishing to participate will be issued later this month.
Mr. Chaytor:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment (1) how many New Deal trainees on the full-time education option have progressed to Level 3 courses; [97906]
(3) what guidance he has issued to the Employment Service in respect of the exceptional circumstances in which New Deal trainees taking the full-time education option can progress to Level 3 courses. [97905]
Ms Jowell:
I will write to my hon. Friend and place a copy of my letter in the Library.
Mr. Clappison:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what estimate he has made of the number of advanced skills teachers who will be in post in each of the next five years. [97845]
Ms Estelle Morris:
Estimates have not been made for each of the next five years, but it is planned to expand the number of advanced skills teachers to about 10,000 in the longer term.
Mr. Clappison:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment how many advanced skills teachers are currently in post; and if he will give a breakdown of the number of advanced skills teachers in (a) each local education authority and (b) each education action zone in (i) primary and (ii) secondary schools. [97847]
Ms Estelle Morris:
The information is not yet available. Detailed information for January 2000 is being collected from local authorities and should be available by April 2000.
Mr. Clappison:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what is the average pay of advanced skills teachers. [97848]
Ms Estelle Morris:
This information is not held centrally at present.
Mr. Field:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment (1) for what Sure Start areas incidences of low birthweight and teenage pregnancy have been selection criteria; [95541]
11 Nov 1999 : Column: 750
(3) how the areas applying for Sure Start funds are assessed against each of the three selection criteria; and what weight is given to each of the three criteria in the selection process. [95513]
Yvette Cooper:
I have been asked to reply.
The 60 areas of the country invited to develop a Sure Start programme in the first round were selected because they scored highly on an index of local deprivation, already had existing local projects which demonstrated many of the key aspects of Sure Start, and provided an opportunity for Sure Start to develop in a range of different settings. Local partners decided on the Sure Start catchment area within their district.
Guidance on the choice of area, including its size, is in the booklet, "Sure Start: a guide for trailblazers" which is available in the Library. Becoming a Sure Start programme is not a competitive process, and no further assessment is made centrally provided the catchment area chosen is consistent with the guidance.
Incidences of low birthweight and teenage pregnancy were factors in the criteria for selection of all 60 areas since, along with the index of local deprivation, these are factors which point to areas where children's needs are pressing.
Ms Harman:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment if he will list for each of the Start Trailblazers, how many new child care places for children aged 0-5 years will be created in (a) playgroups, (b) child minders and (c) nurseries as part of the Sure Start Programme. [95170]
Yvette Cooper:
I have been asked to reply.
The information requested is not currently available. However, we will get regular data from programmes once they are running on the total number of children and families helped against milestones set in their delivery plans. The 60 trailblazer programmes are producing delivery plans for approval for Ministers. Each programme is required to ensure access to good quality play, learning and child care for young children.
Caroline Flint:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what proportion of people employed by each local authority in Yorkshire and Humberside are registered disabled. [98032]
Ms Hodge:
The information requested is not available because there is no longer any requirement for disabled people to register as disabled. Those parts of the Disabled Persons (Employment) Act 1944 which were about registration were repealed when the employment provisions of the Disability Discrimination Act 1995 came into force on 2 December 1996.
Mr. Gill:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what the estimated increase is in the cost of teachers' pensions in Shropshire for 2000-01 compared with 1999-2000; and how this will be funded. [98165]
11 Nov 1999 : Column: 751
Mr. Wicks:
I will write to the hon. Member and place a copy of my reply in the Library.
Mr. Green:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what plans he has for the future funding of the Kent Education Business Partnership; and if he will make a statement. [98083]
Ms Estelle Morris:
We are working closely with the National Education Business Partnership Network and others to determine how best to ensure a smooth transition period for Education Business Partnerships prior to the introduction of the Learning and Skills Council. Many EBPs, including Kent, carry out excellent work. This work will be further enhanced by the additional funding for enterprise skills in schools announced in the Pre Budget Report on 9 November.
Mr. Hancock:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what the unit cost is of funding a student on an access course under the New Deal 25 plus programme. [97135]
Ms Jowell:
I will write to the hon. Member and place a copy of my letter in the Library.
(2) what assessment he has made of the comparative administration costs associated with (a) New Deal trainees and (b) FEFC-funded students in further education colleges; [97904]
(2) what geographical size of area can apply for Sure Start funding; [95514]
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