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Disruptive Pupils
Dan Norris: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what steps he is taking to ensure schools receive the support they need to deal with disruptive pupils. [110238]
Ms Estelle Morris: The key to tackling poor behaviour is early intervention. My right hon. Friend issued guidance on pupil attendance, behaviour, exclusion and re-integration to Local Education Authorities and schools in July of last year. The School Inclusion: Pupil Support Standards Fund grant will provide £140 million to schools and Local Education Authorities in 2000-01 to help them tackle behaviour problems before they escalate. Nearly £100 million must be devolved to secondary schools. Additional resources are going to secondary schools in some city areas as part of the 'Excellence in Cities' initiative, which will include support for Learning Mentors and Learning Support Units to help combat disruption in the classroom. These measures will help meet the targets to reduce truancy and exclusions by one third by 2002.
Internet
Mr. Evans: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment if he will list the primary schools in Lancashire which (a) are and (b) are not connected to the internet via the Lancashire National Grid for Learning. [108808]
Mr. Wills
[holding answer 7 February 2000]: As at March 1999, national connection figures stood at 93 per cent. of secondary schools and at least 62 per cent. of primary schools having internet connections.
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Information provided by Lancashire Local Education Authority indicates that as at October 1999, 313 primary schools had access to the internet. The 200 primary schools remaining are due to be connected to the internet by the end of July 2000. The Department does not hold information on whether or not these connections are through the Lancashire National Grid for Learning.
Mr. Jim Cunningham:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what plans he has to develop the provision of information technology within primary schools. [108518]
Mr. Wills
[holding answer 7 February 2000]: The implementation of the National Grid for Learning will support investment of £657 million in information and communications technology in maintained schools in England in the period up to 2002. Primary schools were the focus for expenditure in the first phase of this programme (1998-99). This has led to unprecedented improvements in connectivity. Last year there was a four fold improvement in internet connections in primary schools to 62 per cent. We are making increased levels of funding available in the period 2000-02 to enable the remaining primary schools to become connected to the internet and the Grid. At the same time this will enable more primary schools to invest in networked ICT.
Mr. Hilary Benn:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what plans he has to extend the new statutory right to time off for parental leave to staff in his Department whose children were born before 15 December 1999. [108792]
Mr. Wills:
The Department for Education and Employment will consider whether it is appropriate to extend the new statutory right for parental leave to staff whose children were born before 15 December 1999 as part of the 2000 pay round.
Mr. Willis:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment how many press releases were issued by his Department in each year since 1995. [109305]
Mr. Wills:
The number of press releases issued for each year from 1995 to 1999 by this Department are as follows:
| Year | Number |
|---|---|
| 1995 | 472 |
| 1996 | 443 |
| 1997 | 447 |
| 1998 | 598 |
| 1999 | 605 |
A-level Points Scores
Mr. Chaytor:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment (1) what recent research he has commissioned on the relationship between the size of school sixth forms and average A-level points scores; [109126]
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Mr. Wicks
[holding answer 15 February 2000]: The Department has not recently commissioned any research of these types.
Dr. Cable:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment if all the computers being installed in schools under the Government's initiative for computers in schools are able to provide access to the internet. [105157]
Mr. Wills:
The Government are making available over £700 million over the four years 1998-2002 for the networking and equipping of schools in the UK. The Government are committed to ensuring that all schools are connected to the internet by 2002, but it is for schools to decide their own pattern of ICT purchasing, and whether they make use of services and systems supporting internet connection from each computer, in the light of their own needs and development plans.
(2) what recent research he has commissioned on the relationship between local authorities' average GCSE and A-level points scores, their admissions policies at 11 plus and the structure of post-16 provision. [109127]
| Percentage schools connected | DfEE survey |
|---|---|
| March 1996 | |
| Primary | 5 |
| Secondary | 47 |
| Special | 8 |
| March 1998 | |
| Primary | 17 |
| Secondary | 83 |
| Special | 31 |
| March 1999 | |
| Primary | 62 |
| Secondary | 93 |
| Special | 60 |
PRESIDENT OF THE COUNCIL
Departmental Functions (Food)
Mr. Yeo: To ask the President of the Council if all food served at her Department's official functions meets the standards of production required of domestic producers. [109780]
Mrs. Beckett: On any occasion when I host departmental functions where food is served, food is obtained from domestic producers who are subject to the necessary legal requirements.
FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS
Chechnya
Mrs. Gillan:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions he has held
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with representatives of the Russian Government about Russia's proposals for ending the war in Chechnya; and if he will make a statement. [110330]
Mr. Vaz
[holding answer 15 February 2000]: We have had frequent discussions with the Russian Government since the outbreak of hostilities in Chechnya, but have seen no specific Russian proposals for ending the war, other than through military means. We have consistently emphasised to them that their military offensive has an unacceptable human cost and will not solve the problem in the long-term. We have urged Russia to seek a political solution in Chechnya and to make use of the good offices of the OSCE in order to bring this about. My right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary will reiterate this message when he visits Moscow on 21-22 February.
Mrs. Gillan:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations he has made to the Russian Government concerning the level of civilian casualties in the Chechen war. [110329]
Mr. Vaz
[holding answer 15 February 2000]: We have repeatedly made representations to the Russian Government about the war in Chechnya. We have stressed to them that the human cost of their military offensive is unacceptable and that they must pursue a political settlement. My right hon. Friend the Prime Minister raised our concerns with Mr. Putin on 20 December 1999. My right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary has also been in frequent touch with the Russian Foreign Minister about this, most recently on the telephone on 31 December 1999 and 11 January.
My right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary expects to make further representations on Chechnya when he visits Moscow on 21-22 February.
Mr. Norman:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the nomination of his representative for the intergovernmental conference preparatory group. [107365]
Mr. Vaz:
The UK's representative to the intergovernmental conference preparatory group will be Sir Stephen Wall, the UK's Permanent Representative to the European Union.
Mr. Hancock:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent representations he has made to the (a) Indonesian and (b) Chinese Governments concerning treatment of ethnic Chinese inhabitants within Indonesia. [109677]
Mr. Battle:
My right hon. Friends the Prime Minister and the Foreign Secretary and I raised our concerns about sectarian violence in Indonesia with President Wahid in London on 1 February. We have not made representations to the Chinese Government on this issue.
Dr. Tonge:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment his Department has made of the religiously motivated violence in Maluku, Indonesia. [109522]
16 Feb 2000 : Column: 584W
Mr. Battle:
We remain deeply concerned about the violence and loss of life in Maluku. Religion is only one of a number of factors involved. My right hon. Friends the Prime Minister and the Foreign Secretary and I raised these concerns with President Wahid and his Foreign Minister when they were in London on 1 February. President Wahid reaffirmed his commitment to securing lasting peace between the two communities. We shall support him vigorously in his efforts and stand ready to help him in any way possible.
Dr. Tonge:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what steps have been taken to send a UN human rights rapporteur to Maluku, Indonesia. [109546]
Mr. Battle:
My right hon. Friends the Prime Minister and the Foreign Secretary discussed the situation in Maluku with President Wahid in London on 1 February. President Wahid reaffirmed his commitment to find a fair and lasting solution through dialogue to the troubles in the province. The Joint Assessment Mission to Maluku of 22-27 January, by the Indonesian Government and international agencies including the United Nations, was an important first step in determining the best way forward.
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