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Specialist School Status

Mr. Blizzard: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment how many applications for specialist school status have been received for the current bidding round (a) nationally and (b) in the Eastern Region. [124891]

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Ms Estelle Morris: In the March 2000 Technology and Language College competition, 77 applications were received, of which nine were from schools located in the Eastern region. In the June 2000 Arts and Sports competition, 113 applications have been received, including 23 from the Eastern region.

Jobcentres

Caroline Flint: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment (1) what definition he uses of a reasonable distance when determining access to a jobcentre; [124667]

(2) what percentage of the population lives (a) within one mile of and (b) over three miles from a job centre in (i) rural and (ii) urban areas. [124671]

Ms Jowell [holding answer 5 June 2000]: Responsibility for the subject of the question has been delegated to the Employment Service agency under its Chief Executive. I have asked him to arrange for a reply to be given.

Letter from Leigh Lewis to Caroline Flint, dated 12 June 2000:

As the Employment Service is an Executive Agency, the Secretary of State has asked me to reply to your questions concerning the distances people live from a Jobcentre and the definition of a reasonable distance when determining access to a Jobcentre. These are issues which fall within the responsibilities delegated to me as Chief Executive of the Agency.

I am afraid that we do not collect information about the distances at which jobseekers, or the population more generally, live from their nearest Jobcentre. However, with over 1000 Jobcentres nationwide, very many people will live within 3 miles of the one nearest to them.

As to the definition of a "reasonable distance", it may be helpful to explain that jobseekers are normally required by regulations made under the Jobseeker's Act 1995 to attend a Jobcentre in person each fortnight in order to confirm that they are available and actively seeking work and that their circumstances have remained unchanged. Where, however, a jobseeker lives more than one hour, by public transport (in either direction), from their nearest Jobcentre; or if their attendance would result in an absence from home of more than four hours; or if they have a mental or physical disability which restricts their mobility, then they will be offered the opportunity to have their claims dealt with by post.

In addition Jobcentre Managers may also exercise discretion in offering this facility to other jobseekers, even if their journey is possible within the time limits set out above, in circumstances where it would be unreasonable to expect a jobseeker to attend; for example, where they would have to use a form of transport which they could not be expected to use on a fortnightly basis, such as an Intercity train, a ferry or a plane.

National Childcare Strategy

Mr. Bob Russell: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment how many places under the National Childcare Strategy Early Years Development and Childcare Partnership have been provided in the Colchester constituency; what plans he has to extend the scheme in the Colchester constituency; and if he will make a statement. [125074]

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Ms Hodge: Essex Early Years Development and Childcare Partnership reported that there were 20 new out of school child care places created in the Colchester constituency during 1999-2000. The Partnership also reported that 215 new childminder places were created in the Colchester borough during 1999-2000. Childminder places are not broken down to constituency level.

The Essex Early Years Development and Childcare Plan includes plans to create a total of 2,650 new child care places across the county in 2000-01. The Plan sets out arrangements for involving Area Partnerships which cover district and borough council areas in Essex in planning places at a local level. (The North East Essex Area Partnership covers Colchester and Tendring).

Teaching Assistants

Mr. Kidney: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what plans he has to expand the availability of training places for classroom teaching assistants in (a) Staffordshire and (b) England. [125146]

Ms Estelle Morris: We are making available to local education authorities in England £350 million over three years to recruit and train an additional 20,000 teaching assistants by 2002. In addition, we are providing Standards Funds to support the training of more experienced teaching assistants, so that they may develop their skills and further their careers. Staffordshire has received £2.109 million for this purpose in 2000-01.

Equal Opportunities

Mr. Boswell: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what instructions and guidance have been issued to jobcentres in connection with the admissibility of job advertisements referring to the application, enthusiasm or capacity of potential applicants, in connection with their obligation to comply with disability and other equal opportunities legislation. [125400]

Ms Jowell: Responsibility for the subject of the question has been delegated to the Employment Service agency under its Chief Executive. I have asked him to arrange for a reply to be given.

Letter from Leigh Lewis to Mr. Tim Boswell, dated 12 June 2000:

As the Employment Service is an Executive Agency, the Secretary of State has asked me to reply to your question concerning the instructions and guidance given to Jobcentres in the administration of job advertisements, in connection with their obligation to comply with disability and other equal opportunities legislation. This is something which falls within the responsibilities delegated to me as Chief Executive of the Agency.

Guidance to Jobcentre staff instructs them that job advertisements should avoid language that might unfairly discriminate against groups of unemployed jobseekers.

However, all Jobcentres have now been reminded that terms such as "hard working", "enthusiastic", and "reliable" are normal descriptions, which can be freely used in vacancy advertisements. We have also asked Jobcentre staff to apply common sense and accept an employer's wording, unless it would be clearly inappropriate to do so.

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Mr. Andrew George: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment how many limited jobseeker's agreements for disabled people and people suffering long-term illness were in force in (a) 1997, (b) 1998, (c) 1999 and (d) 2000 to date. [125402]

Ms Jowell: Jobseeker's Allowance Regulations allow people with physical and mental health problems to restrict their availability in any way providing the restrictions are reasonable in the light of their condition. Jobseekers agree any restrictions with advisers when they draw up their Jobseeker's Agreement when they first claim Jobseeker's Allowance. By detecting health problems at an early stage we can help jobseekers who may be entitled to alternative benefits; identify circumstances which may affect their attendance and offer any help or special arrangements that are needed.

We do not hold information about how many jobseekers there are who place restrictions for the reasons about which the hon. Gentleman asks. Statistics are available on the number of claims referred to and decisions made by the adjudication authorities, now decision makers, where there is a doubt on availability because an unreasonable restriction has been identified.

The hon. Gentleman may be interested to know that since the introduction of Jobseeker's Allowance in October 1996, the number of decisions given by the adjudicating authorities on questions of restricted availability has reduced considerably. In the year from April 1995 to March 1996, 27,851 claims were disallowed because of restrictions placed on claimant's availability. In the year to April 1997 only 17,243 disallowances were recorded. The figures for 1997-98, were 14,273; for 1998-99, were 8,627; and for year ending April 2000, were 7,906. These reductions reflect not only the fall in numbers of unemployed but the way in which Jobseeker's Allowance is underpinned by an individually tailored Jobseeker's Agreement for each client taking into account their personal circumstances.

This information, together with statistics on the other adjudication officer and decision makers decisions and disallowance rates, is contained in a published document entitled "Analysis of Adjudication Officers Decisions". This provides information on all main entitlement questions arising on claims. The latest information relates to the quarter ending March 2000.

Mr. Boswell: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment if he will make a statement on developments in reaching a common European Union approach towards improvement of the condition of disabled people as regards access to (a) employment, (b) services and (c) premises, indicating where appropriate the policy of the UK Government and the balance between common Community policy and subsidiarity of national decision-making. [124948]

Ms Hodge: Article 13 of the European Community Treaty empowers the European Council, acting unanimously on a proposal from the Commission, and after consulting the European Parliament, to take appropriate action to combat discrimination based on disability. On 25 November 1999 the European

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Commission published a proposal under Article 13 for a framework directive dealing with discrimination in employment and training on grounds which included disability. The UK welcomes proposals under Article 13 to improve the condition of disabled people in the European Union. The framework directive on employment and training, which is currently being negotiated, will set out the broad principles to be achieved, but will leave implementation to individual member states. The UK Government are seeking to secure certain changes to the drafting of the proposed directive to meet the approach and framework developed on disability discrimination in the United Kingdom. The Commission has not put forward any legislative proposals relating to the provision of services or access to premises for people with disabilities.

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