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City Technology Colleges
Mr. Kenneth Clarke: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what differences there will be in legal status and powers between his proposed new academies and existing city technology colleges; and if he will facilitate the creation of more city technology colleges. [115727]
Ms Estelle Morris: Details of the legal arrangements for city academies are under consideration. We expect academies to be established under the city technology college (CTC) legislation. However, there will be a different approach to funding, curriculum and the diversity of promoters.
Computers
Mr. Boswell: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what proportion of the adult population is computer-literate to at least basic level; and what was the annual percentage increase in that figure over the last three years. [115765]
Mr. Wicks: A survey carried out in November 1999 showed that 44 per cent. of the adult population in Britain consider themselves to be very or fairly computer literate. 36 per cent. consider themselves to be not at all computer literate. The Department has not collected this information on an annual basis. Therefore no information can be given regarding increases in the overall level of computer literacy.
Mrs. Dunwoody: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment if he will list (a) the areas in which he has approved pilot projects for Computers within Reach and (b) the criteria for such projects; and what estimate he has made of the number of people who will benefit from such projects. [115375]
Mr. Wills:
The selection of computer suppliers for the Computers within Reach initiative is currently underway, and includes assessment of proposals submitted in response to the prospectus published in autumn 1999 and follow-up visits to shortlisted suppliers. The successful
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suppliers, with the geographical areas which they intend to cover, will be published later this spring. In selecting computer suppliers the following criteria are being taken into account:
Mr. Clappison:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment if he will list the businesses involved in the leadership of each education action zone. [115294]
Ms Estelle Morris:
Each EAZ is led by a forum made up of the main partners in the zone. In all cases this includes business partners.
The following EAZ forums are chaired by business people: Barnsley (Non-Executive Director for a number of local companies), Barrow (Furness Building Society), Bedford (Chamber of Commerce), Blackburn and Darwen (MTM Associates), Brighton (KPMG), Bristol (HSBC), Corby (Grant Thornton), Dingle, Granby and Toxteth (ICI), Easington and Seaham (Seaward Electronics), East Cleveland (Cleveland Potash Mining), Grimsby (Tioxide UK), Hastings and St. Leonards (Marshall Tufflex), Lambeth (Shell), North East Sheffield (Yorkshire Water), Salford and Trafford (Kellogs), Wednesbury (Spring), Weston-super-Mare (Ron Fowler Communications), Wigan (North West Water), Wythenshawe (Manchester Airport). Some of the new EAZs have not yet elected their Chair.
Mr. Clappison:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment how many education action zones have attracted maximum matched funding from his Department as a result of funds raised from business or other partners. [115292]
Ms Estelle Morris:
Direct pound for pound match funding of private sector sponsorship was introduced for the second round of EAZs. We will be in a position to provide a detailed statement when they submit their audited financial accounts.
Mr. Hilary Benn:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment if he will place in the Library
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a copy of the contract between Islington Local Education Authority and Cambridge Education Associates for the provision of education services. [115637]
Ms Estelle Morris:
The final contract between Islington Local Education Authority and Cambridge Education Associates is commercial in confidence. However, I have already placed in the Library the "Invitation to Negotiate" that was issued to selected bidders in August. This includes a draft contract, proposed performance standards and their link to the payment mechanism and a description of the services to be outsourced.
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Mr. Clappison:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment how many Fresh Start schools (a) have increased pupil numbers and (b) are oversubscribed. [115290]
Ms Estelle Morris:
The official school census is undertaken in January of each year and we do not yet have data for January 2000. We can therefore only provide a comparison for the three schools which were opened as Fresh Start schools in September 1998, and not for the other seven Fresh Start schools which opened in September 1999 or later.
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evidence of status, financial stability and accountability
ability to provide quality reconditioned or unsold equipment in sufficient quantities for geographical coverage
in the case of reconditioning, evidence of a reconditioning track record and the ability to ensure reconditioning to relevant functional and technical standards
ability to guarantee quality control, safety and software licence protection
ability to ensure a complete delivery service
evidence of a plan for set-up and basic training on delivery
evidence of links with local charities and communities in delivering reconditioned or remaindered computers to low income learners and families learners
firm proposals for the future continuation of the project once DfEE funding ceases and for other sources of funding (which should be named).
We anticipate that up to 100,000 people could benefit from the project.
| School name | LEA | Pupil numbers January 1998 | Pupil numbers January 1999 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Blakelaw/Firfield | Newcastle upon Tyne | 361 | 404 |
| Earl Marshall/Firvale | Sheffield | 403 | 439 |
| Regis School/The King's School | Wolverhampton | 626 | 631 |
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Information on the number of applications for each school is not collected centrally.
Teachers' Employment Conditions
(Disparities)
Mr. Boswell: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what appraisal he has made of disparities in respect of (a) remuneration, (b) conditions and (c) access to Government professional development initiatives for (i) teachers and (ii) further education lecturers. [115764]
Ms Estelle Morris: Disparities in pay and other employment arrangements are inevitable in different sectors where staff are employed by different employers. My right hon. Friend has acted to improve the quality of schoolteachers and the attractiveness of school teaching as a profession as a response to the particular issues relating to that profession.
The terms and conditions of the staff who work in further education are a matter for the employers to determine. The Government play no part in the discussions between the employers and staff representatives on questions relating to terms and conditions of service and are not involved in the setting of pay levels in the sector.
Age Profiles (Academics)
Mr. Boswell: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what reply he has sent to the representations by the Association of University Teachers on the age-profile of teaching academics. [115071]
Mr. Wicks
[holding answer 20 March 2000]: As independent bodies, higher education institutions appoint and retain the staff they need to run their academic programmes. It is for individual institutions to tailor their recruitment policies if they wish to alter the age balance of their staff or to plan for the forthcoming retirement of a particular age group.
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Mr. Rammell:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment (1) when he expects the revised versions of the document entitled "Head Teachers Facing Allegations" to be circulated; [115601]
(3) who has been consulted on the current review of the document entitled "Head Teachers Facing Allegations". [115603]
Ms Estelle Morris:
The document referred to was not produced by my Department. It was produced jointly by representatives of local government employers and the teacher unions.
Mr. Rammell:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment how many head teachers in (a) secondary, (b) primary and (c) special schools have been dismissed for misconduct in each of the last three years. [115600]
Ms Estelle Morris:
The Department does not collect information on the number of head teachers who have been dismissed for misconduct.
Mr. Rammell:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment how many head teachers in (a) secondary, (b) primary and (c) special schools were suspended under accusations of misconduct in each of the last three years. [115599]
Ms Estelle Morris:
The Department does not collect this information.
(2) what progress his Department has made in the current review of the document entitled "Head Teachers Facing Allegations"; [115602]
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