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Second Homes
Mr. Andrew George: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions (1) what levels of payment have been made to local authorities to recompense them through the premium support grant for the 50 per cent. council tax discount given to (a) second homes and (b) other domestic properties entitled to the 50 per cent. discount, in each of the last three years; [110203]
- (2) what recompense has been paid to local authorities through the revenue support grant for the loss of income due to the 50 per cent. council tax discount for second homes, (a) by district and (b) by county and unitary authority in each of the last three years. [110205]
Ms Beverley Hughes: There is no distinct element of the Revenue Support Grant to recompense authorities for council tax discounts they are required to give. However, the definition of the tax base used in the calculation of Revenue Support Grant normally has the effect of increasing an authority's grant by an amount broadly similar to the discounts. It will not be exactly the same as the discounts because the taxbase is based on information available before the year in which the discounts are given, the tax base is based on 100 per cent. collection, and the grant calculation uses a national tax rate rather than the actual tax rate.
The Department does not have information distinguishing 50 per cent. discounts on second homes and 50 per cent. discounts for other reasons. We will place tables in the Library shortly based on all 50 per cent. discounts.
Radiation Protection
Mr. Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he will make a statement on the implementation of the European Council Directive 96/29/Euratom on radiation protection, with particular reference to the treatment of nuclear waste. [110248]
Mr. Meacher: I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to my hon. Friend the Member for Shipley (Mr. Leslie) on 14 February 2000, Official Report, columns 356-57W.
Single Vehicle Approval Tests
Mr. Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he will make a statement on his plans to introduce enhanced single vehicle approval tests. [110247]
Mr. Hill:
Changes to the single vehicle approval scheme were the subject of public consultation last October, when it was envisaged that an enhanced test
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would be introduced this March for certain classes of passenger car and light goods vehicle. In the light of responses, including observations from the European Commission, we are reviewing the proposals. This will mean the existing arrangements will continue for the time being. A further announcement will be made as soon as we have decided how best to proceed.
New Deal (Young People)
Mr. Paul Marsden: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment how many 18 to 24-year-olds have entered the New Deal in Shrewsbury and Atcham; what the destinations of the leavers were; and if he will make a statement. [105525]
Ms Jowell: In the period to the end of October 1999, 299 young people started the New Deal in Shrewsbury and Atcham constituency. Of the 173 leavers, 78 found unsubsidised employment, 21 transferred to other benefits, and 20 left for other known destinations. Many of the remaining 54 who left for unknown destinations will have found jobs without telling the Employment Service. We are on target to meet our manifesto commitment of 250,000 young people into jobs and have just published a 10 point plan to build on the success of the New Deal.
School Sports
Mr. Bob Russell: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what plans he has to introduce a school sports strategy to coincide with the forthcoming Government sports strategy. [107156]
Jacqui Smith: I am working very closely with the Minister for Sport to develop the education strand of the Government's Sports Strategy.
Mr. Bob Russell: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what percentage of children can swim 25 metres at the end of Key Stage 2; and if he will make a statement. [107159]
Jacqui Smith: In November, Ofsted conducted a focused survey on swimming in the primary school and is currently analysing the data which will provide an up-to-date figure on what percentage of children can swim 25 metres at the end of Key Stage 2.
Mr. Bob Russell: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what research his Department has (a) commissioned and (b) evaluated on the relationship between physical exercise and standards of literacy and numeracy. [107172]
Jacqui Smith:
No research has been commissioned on the relationship between physical exercise and standards of literacy and numeracy. Ofsted has published an evaluation of the first year of implementation of the National Literacy Strategy and is currently evaluating the first year of the National Numeracy Strategy.
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Dr. Tonge:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment if students undertaking a fourth year at law school will be eligible for an individual learning account from September 2000. [108128]
Mr. Wicks:
Anyone aged 19 and over can open a learning account. A package of incentives is available for people in work, or seeking to return to work, who do not benefit from the public provision provided to unemployed people and people in full-time education (e.g. women seeking to return to the labour market, younger workers with low skills or few qualifications and self-employed people). The incentives will help these people to invest in their own learning and take charge of their career and futures.
Mr. Maclean:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what assessment the Government have made of regional variations in the performance of the New Deal; and if he will make a statement. [109280]
Ms Jowell:
The overall success of the New Deal does not mean that variations in levels of performance will not arise. This is inevitable in the short run and reflects the range in the client group and labour market conditions in some localities. We are always striving to improve performance and build on success. We have a strategy in place for continuous improvement which enables us to monitor performance against a range of measures and develop plans for improvement. By involving locally based partnerships in delivery we are ensuring that the programme design is relevant to local needs and will continue to offer unemployed people the best route into employment.
Mr. Gerald Howarth:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what reports he has received indicating that section 28 of the Local Government Act 1988 has prevented teachers from dealing with incidents of bullying in schools. [109369]
Jacqui Smith:
Section 28 of the Local Government Act 1988 has never applied to schools, but it is clear that it has had a significant effect on teachers' perceptions.
In research carried out in over 300 secondary schools by the Health and Education Research Unit at the Institute of Education, University of London (Playing it Safe, November 1997) some 44 per cent. of the teachers responding said that section 28 of the Local Government Act 1988 had made it more difficult for them to address the needs of gay, lesbian and bisexual pupils. The report noted that
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research into sex education in schools (Schooling Sexualities, Open University Press 1998), concluded that
Mr. Mitchell:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment in respect of the inclusion in the National Curriculum of citizenship studies in schools, what consultation took place, and with whom, prior to the adoption of such studies; to whom and when draft proposals were sent for comment; what specific requirement is made in respect of information and instruction concerning the European Union and consequential citizenship obligations; what material for use of (i) teachers and (ii) pupils in respect of the European Union is made available through departmental channels; and if it includes a package entitled, Euroquest. [109435]
Jacqui Smith:
The Qualifications and Curriculum Authority consulted widely on proposals for a framework for Citizenship and Personal, Social and Health Education between 13 May and 23 July 1999 as part of broader proposals for the review of the National Curriculum.
The proposals were sent to all schools. In addition, 4,000 copies were sent to other major organisations including central educational organisations, subject organisations, professional associations, Local Education Authorities and faith groups. In all, nearly 80,000 copies of the proposals for Citizenship and Personal, Social and Health Education and over 50,000 copies of the full consultation materials were distributed. In addition to the paper consultation, MORI held discussions with a number of focus groups of teachers, parents and governors.
Questionnaires were returned by nearly 2,500 people and organisations--including over 600 schools, nearly 1,000 teachers, almost 200 parents, nearly 100 school governors, 90 Local Education Authorities, and over 20 employers. Details of the questionnaire responses and the responses of the focus groups were published in September. They showed a high degree of support for the proposals.
The Citizenship programme for secondary schools--to take effect, subject to Parliamentary approval, at the start of the school year 2002--provides for pupils to be taught about: the world as a global community, and the political, economic, environmental and social implications of this, and the role of the European Union, the Commonwealth and the United Nations at Key Stage 3 and the United Kingdom's relations in Europe, including the European Union, and the relations with the Commonwealth and the United Nations at Key Stage 4.
During the UK Presidency of the European Community from January to June 1998, an information and resource pack for schools, Partners in Europe, was produced and distributed by the four education departments in the UK, in response to requests from teachers to update materials that were already in use in the classroom. The pack offers case studies of how schools have incorporated the European dimension into work which meets the requirements of the National Curriculum. It was produced in conjunction with the Qualifications and Curriculum Authority and the
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Central Bureau for Educational Visits and Exchanges. The material is available from the Department's website. It is designed for use by teachers and its use is voluntary.
"teachers often referred to confusion about promoting homosexuality and how this had caused them to be reluctant to touch upon certain issues."
More recently, Dr. Debbie Epstein from the Institute of Education, University of London, who has conducted confidential interviews with teachers as part of her
"Section 28 has created an atmosphere of confusion and fear. Because teachers do not know how to comply with it, they err on the side of caution. As a result, they choose to ignore, wherever possible, homophobic harassment and bullying. This creates a permissive environment in which pupils believe they can, and do, get away with it."
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