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New Deal (Subsidised Employment Option)

28. Mr. Ian Bruce: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what proportion of people on the New Deal are undertaking a subsidised employment option; and what proportion of people having taken this route have remained in employment with the same employer six months after the subsidy has finished. [123362]

Ms Jowell: At the end of February 2000, 129,000 young people were on the New Deal. Of these, 8 per cent. (10,600) were on the Employment Option.

We do not collect separate figures for the numbers of young people who remain with the same employer six months after the subsidy finishes. The findings from a survey of employers will be published in the autumn.

Higher Education

29. Mr. Alan W. Williams: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment if he will make a statement on progress towards meeting Government targets for increased participation rates in full-time education for young people aged 18 to 21 years. [123363]

Mr. Wicks: The Government's plans provide scope for participation by young people aged less than 21 entering full-time higher education undergraduate courses to reach 35 per cent. by 2002. Some 31 per cent. entered in autumn 1998; information on those who entered in autumn 1999 will be available by end summer 2000.

Other than this there are no Government targets specifically concerned with the full-time participation in education of those aged 18-21.

Agency Lecturers

30. Mr. Illsley: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what representations he has received regarding the use of agency lecturers by colleges. [123365]

Mr. Wicks: We have been very disturbed by reports about the treatment of staff by some employment agencies, and suggestions that some have sought to circumvent employment legislation. We are working closely with the Department of Trade and Industry, which is in the final stages of revising the regulations which govern the conduct of employment agencies. We hope to have these in place later this year. We remain committed to ensuring that all those in the work place, whether they find work through agencies or otherwise, are treated fairly.

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Early Years Learning

31. Mr. Sheerman: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what steps his Department is taking to evaluate European best practice in early years learning. [123366]

Ms Hodge: The research and evaluation division of my Department maintains a watching brief on research which is being undertaken in other European countries, to assess good practice in early years learning and to inform the development of policy in this country. We are participating currently in a Thematic Review of Early Childhood Education and Care Policy, which is being undertaken by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD). The OECD review will compare practice in 12 countries, including the UK, and is expected to publish its report in 2001. The report will provide objective commentary on policy and practice in the UK, within an international context.

Dance and Drama Students

32. Mr. Michael J. Foster: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment if he will make a statement on support for dance and drama students. [123367]

Mr. Wicks: The Dance and Drama Awards announced by my right hon. Friend on 27 November 1998 have been a great success. These scholarships have been taken up fully and over 830 students have started training. A similar allocation has been made for the second intake in September 2000.

The awards have enabled an unprecedented number of students from low income families to enter training and to study for further and higher education qualifications. We have increased the level of maintenance available to further education students by 300 per cent. to £3,000 a year, to support them through their training. Students on higher education courses have access to the same financial support as other undergraduates, including student loans.

Other dance and drama students also have access to support towards their fees and maintenance in the publicly maintained further and higher education sectors.

Manufacturing Training

34. Mr. Evans: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what measures his Department has taken to improve training for work in manufacturing industry. [123369]

Mr. Wicks: We are creating the Learning and Skills Council, which will work closely with National Training Organisations to address workforce development for all sectors, including Engineering Manufacture.

My Department has recognised a network of 76 National Training Organisations (NTOs) to provide the pivotal role in helping to modernise the education and training system needed to deliver the skills for greater competitiveness and employability. We have supported NTOs in several initiatives, including the development of

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Foundation Modern Apprenticeships, Advanced Modern Apprenticeships and National Vocational Qualifications (NVQs).

Remploy

35. Mr. Caton: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what funding has been provided to Remploy to enable it to implement its modernisation strategy. [123370]

Ms Hodge: I was pleased to announce on 12 May that the Government would be providing £5 million to help Remploy carry out its modernisation strategy. This is on top of the £1.5 million that we made available to Remploy last year and a further £1.5 million for this year to support the restructuring of their factory provision. This, along with the proposals for modernising supported employment I also announced on 12 May, will increase greatly the numbers of disabled people moving into mainstream employment.

New Deal

37. Mr. Fabricant: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what assessment he has made of the efficacy of the New Deal. [123372]

Ms Jowell: The latest figures show that by the end of February 2000, 199,340 young people had gained jobs through the New Deal for Young People. These figures highlight the excellent progress we are making towards our commitment to help 250,000 young people into work through the New Deal in the lifetime of this Parliament.

Evaluation from independent organisations show that approximately 50 per cent. of those leaving unemployment through New Deal would not have done so in the absence of the programme.

Furthermore, three quarters of young people believe that the personal adviser played a pivotal role in supporting them through New Deal. This continuity and support is unlike anything seen on previous programmes.

Thames Gateway

Mr. Gapes: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment if he will make a statement on plans to increase employment opportunities in the Thames Gateway area. [123371]

Ms Jowell: The Government attach great priority to the Thames Gateway. We want the area to become a hub for development and regeneration. We have therefore announced plans to establish a Strategic Partnership and Excellence Body, designed to give a new momentum to development in the area and to ensure that regeneration and economic expansion can be delivered in a sustainable way.

In the light of the job losses announced by Ford in Dagenham, my right hon. Friends the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry and the Secretary of State for Education and Employment have announced a 10 point plan for the regeneration of the area. The Employment Service already has a presence on the site through its job shop. There will also be a role for the TECs initially,

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and subsequently the Learning and Skills Councils, for Business Links and then for the Small Business Services. We are in discussions with Ford about the wider implications for local businesses and for those in the supply chain.

Schools Standards and Framework Act 1998

Mr. Willis: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment which sections of the Schools Standards and Framework Act 1998 have not yet been subject to a commencement order. [122500]

Ms Estelle Morris: The following sections of the School Standards and Framework Act 1998 are not in force:

Section:

39 (1) (partly in force: for the purpose of making regulations only)

112 (3)

115 (2),(3)

128

134 (2)

Schedule:

30, paragraph 28 (2)(b) repealed (never in force)

30, paragraph 64,65

30, paragraph 70 (partly in force)

30, paragraph 109 (partly in force)

30, paragraph 114 (partly in force)

30, paragraph 116 (partly in force)

30, paragraph 138

30, paragraph 185 (partly in force)

31, (partly in force)

FHE Institutions (Criminal Records)

Mr. McNamara: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment if he will issue guidance to institutions of (a) further and (b) higher education in respect of the admission of applicants with criminal records. [123249]

Mr. Wicks: In November 1999, the Further Education Funding Council (FEFC) extended the funding of widening participation to new categories of student. One such category was ex-offenders. The Council has introduced a new code in the Individualised Student Record (ISR) to show that additional funding is being claimed for widening participation because the student is an ex-offender. Some colleges asked whether they would be required to ask all students at enrolment whether they were ex-offenders. The Council provided written advice to all colleges that this was not the case. Where a student's eligibility for widening participation emerges during their programme of study, the institution may amend its data and the additional funding will be allocated for the whole of the teaching year covered by the ISR return. Information provided on enrolment forms is collected and used by the FEFC for the collection and analysis of statistical data, and is shared with other organisations for the purposes of detecting fraud. The FEFC is registered under the Data Protection Act 1984. There are no plans for the introduction of guidance to further education institutions in respect of the criminal records of applicants for admissions at the present time.

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In respect of Higher Education, the Universities and Colleges Admissions Service (UCAS) application form includes a declaration by the applicant about criminal convictions. If this section is not completed, the form is returned to the applicant and it is not processed until it is. Institutions, however, may make their own decision about whether there are still concerns about an applicant.

The declaration was included in the application process two years ago in response to concerns that in a few instances victim and attacker had been accepted by the same institution. There is no guidance from UCAS to institutions about how they should deal with applicants with convictions--it is purely a matter for individual institutions. However, some professions have their own guidelines--for example, teaching and social work--which would guide institutions. The UCAS process also covers some further education institutions offering courses of higher education.

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