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EDUCATION AND EMPLOYMENT

New Deal

Mr. Alasdair Morgan: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment if he will state the percentage of participants in the New Deal for 18 to 24-year-olds in (a) Great Britain, (b) Scotland and (c) Wales who have left the gateway to unsubsidised employment; and if he will list the areas in Scotland where a smaller percentage then the (i) Great Britain and (ii) Scottish average figures have entered unsubsidised employment at the gateway stage, including the number and percentage for each of these areas. [111279]

Ms Jowell [holding answer 22 February 2000]: The information requested is shown in the tables.

New Deal (18 to 24-year-olds) gaining unsubsidised employment from the Gateway

Percentage
Scotland20
Wales22
GB22

Scottish units of delivery with a smaller percentage of participants (New Deal 25+) entering unsubsidised employment from the Gateway stage, than the GB average

Unsubsidised jobs from the GatewayAs a percentage of New Deal starts
Tayside79719
Ayrshire84119
Dumfries and Galloway21418
Edinburgh, East and Mid Lothian74421
Fife70020
Glasgow1,37616
Renfrewshire59521
Caithness and Sutherland4919
Western Isles3617

Scottish units of delivery with a smaller percentage of participants (New Deal 25+) entering unsubsidised employment from the Gateway stage, than the Scotland average

Unsubsidised jobs from the GatewayAs a percentage of New Deal starts
Tayside79719
Ayrshire84119
Dumfries and Galloway21418
Glasgow1,37616
Caithness and Sutherland4919
Western Isles3617

A recent survey has shown that 57 per cent. of young people leaving the New Deal for unknown destinations had found a job.


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Sex Education

Ms Kelly: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment when he will publish his proposed guidelines on the teaching of sex and relationship education in schools. [112914]

Jacqui Smith: My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State is today issuing for consultation new draft sex and relationship education (SRE) guidance. The text of the guidance will today be placed on the Department's website. Copies will also be placed in the Libraries.

Peat Compost

Mr. Paul Marsden: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment, pursuant to his answer of 2 March 2000, Official Report, column 391W, on peat compost, what percentage of the compost used in his Department's estate gardens is peat; when use of peat compost will be phased out on his Department's estates; and if he will make a statement. [114142]

Mr. Wills [holding answer 10 March 2000]: Peat compost is no longer purchased by my Department, or used in the Department's estate gardens. A small amount

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of peat remains in some planted areas. This will dissipate with the use of organic peat substitutes which are now used at all of our sites.

Education Funding (North Tyneside)

Mr. Alan Campbell: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment how much funding was awarded to North Tyneside Local Education Authority in each year from 1997-98 to 1999-2000 in respect of (a) reduction in infant class sizes, broken down by (i) revenue and (ii) capital, (b) the national grid for learning, (c) literacy programmes, (d) numeracy programmes, (e) books for schools, (f) truancy initiatives, (g) school security, (h) standards fund, school effectiveness, (i) excellence in cities, (j) new deal for schools, (k) voluntary aided school capital grant, (l) energy efficiency, (m) music programmes, (n) year 6 booster classes and (o) education SSA. [114535]

Ms Estelle Morris: The figures requested are shown in the table. For Standards Fund grants, the figures include both the Government's and the local education authority's contributions where appropriate. The figures shown for Education Standard Spending Assessment also include provision for the Authority's contribution to the Standards Fund.

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Allocations to North Tyneside 1997-98 to 1999-2000
£

Initiative1997-981998-991999-2000
(a) Reduction of infant class sizes:
(i) revenue(4)----192,000
(ii) capital(4)--352,000241,000
(b) National grid for learning (Standards Fund)(4)--563,533669,000
(c) Literacy programmes (Standards Fund)20,900276,073347,283
(d) Numeracy programmes (Standards Fund)(4)--9,845247,910
(e) Books for schools87,50094,781189,562
(f) Truancy (Standards Fund)288,400350,607634,440
(g) School security (Standards Fund)85,60085,84287,173
(h) School effectiveness (Standards Fund)550,700615,917935,253
(i) Excellence in cities (Standards Fund)(4)--(4)--(4)--
(j) New Deal for Schools406,000613,0001,363,628
(k) Voluntary Aided Schools Capital348,00087,000109,000
(l) Energy efficiency(4)----(4)--
(m) Music programmes(4)--(4)--78,289
(n) Year 6 booster classes(4)--50,140170,539
(o) Education standard spending assessment(5)67,840,00074,460,00077,620,000

(4) Not applicable

(5) In 1997-98 £527 million was removed from Education Standard Spending at national level for the Nursery Voucher Scheme


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Class Sizes (Taunton)

Jackie Ballard: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what is his estimate of the average class sizes for (a) five, (b) six, (c) seven, (d) eight, (e) nine, (f) 10, (g) 11, (h) 12, (i) 13, (j) 14, (k) 15, (l) 16 and (m) 17-year-olds, for schools within the Taunton constituency, for (i) 1995-96, (ii) 1996-97, (iii) 1997-98, (iv) 1998-99 and (v) 1999-2000; and if he will make a statement. [114685]

Ms Estelle Morris: The available information on average class sizes collected in January for the

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Parliamentary constituency of Taunton is shown in the tables. The class size count for January 2000 is currently being undertaken, and provisional national estimates are expected to be published in April.

The Government are well on course to deliver their pledge to limit infant classes for 5, 6 and 7-year-olds to 30 or below by September 2001. In Taunton Parliamentary constituency, the latest infant class size count carried out in September 1999 showed the average size of class to be 26.2 pupils per class.

Average size of classes taught by one teacher by year group in maintained primary schools in the Parliamentary constituency of Taunton:
1996-99

Year groups
Position as at JanuaryReception1234567MixedOverall (6)
1999
Average class size26.228.128.629.129.528.828.1(7)--29.228.9
Pupils1,020451522571517471463(7)--4,1448,212
Classes39161819171515(7)--142284
1998
Average class size25.628.729.630.931.130.833.1(8)--28.728.8
Pupils920516533433436370397(8)--4,3408,004
Classes36181814141212(8)--151278
1997
Average class size(8)--(8)--(8)--(8)--(8)--(8)--(8)--(8)--(8)--28.4
Pupils(8)--(8)--(8)--(8)--(8)--(8)--(8)--(8)--(8)--7,773
Classes(8)--(8)--(8)--(8)--(8)--(8)--(8)--(8)--(8)--274
1996
Average class size(8)--(8)--(8)--(8)--(8)--(8)--(8)--(8)--(8)--28.0
Pupils(8)--(8)--(8)--(8)--(8)--(8)--(8)--(8)--(8)--7,481
Classes(8)--(8)--(8)--(8)--(8)--(8)--(8)--(8)--(8)--267

(6) Includes all year groups and nursery classes

(7) Not applicable (no classes of this type)

(8) Not available


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16 Mar 2000 : Column: 295W

Average size of classes taught by one teacher by age band in maintained secondary schools in the Parliamentary constituency of Taunton:
1996-99

Ages (9)
Position as at JanuaryMiddle classesMainly under 14sMainly 14 and 1516 or olderOverall
1999
Average class size29.026.021.8(10)--24.3
Pupils293,2811,965(10)----
Classes112690(10)----
1998
Average class size22.325.522.9(10)--24.4
Pupils893,1882,018(10)----
Classes412588(10)----
1997
Average class size18.124.222.7(10)--23.4
Pupils1273,0712,041(10)----
Classes712790(10)----
1996
Average class size17.824.922.3(10)--23.5
Pupils1422,7671,982(10)----
Classes811189(10)----

(9) Ages at the start of the academic year (August 31)

(10) Not applicable (no classes of this type)


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