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Numeracy and Literacy Strategies
(Hampstead and Highgate)
Ms Glenda Jackson: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment if he will estimate the number of children (a) in the UK and (b) in Hampstead and Highgate who have benefited from current national numeracy and literacy strategies. [127852]
Ms Estelle Morris: Up to 4,000,000 pupils in England, and 4,600 pupils in Hampstead and Highgate, have benefited from the introduction of the National Literacy Strategy and National Numeracy Strategy in September 1998 and September 1999 respectively.
Women
Mr. Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment if he will make a
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statement on the findings of the consultation conducted by the Women's Unit in respect of stereotyping experienced by girls in subject and career choice counselling. [127248]
Ms Jowell [holding answer 26 June 2000]: Young people were consulted about their job expectations and asked to examine the different expectations of boys and girls. Young women felt that despite their better performance than boys in school exams, the full range of career choices was not always presented to them. As a result we have developed a range of work experience programmes for girls with major companies and the Ministry of Defence to give girls an experience of different non-traditional work areas such as IT, engineering, construction, property and the armed forces.
Mr. Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what plans have been made for the summit for Women in the New Economy. [127250]
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Ms Jowell [holding answer 26 June 2000]: The Government are planning to organise a two day event early next year that will focus on women in the UK maximising their potential in the labour market, whether it be starting a business, returning to work, considering a career change, or wishing to progress within their current organisation. Women from a range of backgrounds and locations will be given the opportunity to explore the choices available. The event will include exhibitors, (both public and private sector), workshops and seminars and women will be encouraged to participate in all of these.
Highly Able Pupils
Mr. Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what steps he is taking to develop provision for highly able pupils in schools. [127253]
Ms Estelle Morris [holding answer 27 June 2000]: From this September, the gifted and talented strand of Excellence in Cities will be improving provision in over 20 per cent. of maintained secondary schools, and a pilot scheme will be operating in some 400 primary schools. This summer's national programme of 500 summer schools for gifted and talented pupils aged 10-14 will extend to almost all local education authorities and Education Action Zones. Planned expenditure for this financial year is over £40 million. Future provision depends on the outcomes of the spending review.
Education Funding
Mr. Steen: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment how much money Devon LEA received from (a) his Department through the SSA, (b) New Deal for Schools and (c) public-private partnership schemes in the last twelve months. [128000]
Ms Estelle Morris: Devon's education SSA for 1999-2000 was £243.8 million, an increase of £15.9 million on the previous year. £7,416,360 was allocated to Devon LEA on 11 April 2000 through the New Deal for Schools programme. No allocations have been made to Devon in the last 12 months for public private partnerships.
Learning and Skills Councils
Mr. Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment if he will make a statement on the progress being made on the appointment of the chairmen of the Local Learning and Skills Councils. [128259]
Mr. Wicks: My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State has today appointed the chairs of 21 of the Local Learning and Skills Councils. They are:
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We will be announcing further appointments shortly and a list of the remaining appointments will be placed in the Library in due course.
The local Chairs bring with them a wealth of experience, not least from business, which will be a positive force for success in shaping the work of the Local Learning and Skills Councils.
School Milk (Northern Region)
Mr. Etherington: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment if he will list the (a) infant, (b) junior and (c) primary schools in the Northern Region that are in receipt of the European subsidy for school milk; and if he will make a statement. [127009]
Ms Quin: I have been asked to reply.
Of the 159 local education authorities which claim the EU School Milk Subsidy, 42 claim in the Northern Region on behalf of approximately 5,000 schools. The information requested on the breakdown between infant, junior and primary schools is not held centrally.
WALES
Poverty
10. Ms Julie Morgan: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will make a statement on progress in the Joint Ministerial Committee on tackling poverty. [126703]
Mr. Paul Murphy: The Joint Ministerial Committee on Poverty held its second meeting on 26 May. The Committee agreed that the Government and the devolved Administrations should participate in a joint programme to increase the take-up of the minimum income guarantee, as well as other benefits and services for pensioners.
The Committee provides an excellent opportunity for the UK Government and the devolved Administrations to work together to tackle the problems of poverty and social exclusion. It enables us to ensure that we can share information and learn from each other's best practices.
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New Deal
11. Mr. Brady: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will make a statement on the effectiveness of the New Deal for 18 to 24-year-olds in Wales. [126704]
Mr. Hanson: The New Deal has more than proved how successful it has been by achieving beyond its original target of 13,000 by employing 14,400 18 to 24-year-olds up to March 2000.
Since the New Deal was launched throughout Wales, there has been a 62 per cent. fall in the number of 18 to 24-year-olds unemployed and claiming Job Seeker's Allowance for six months or more.
24. Mr. Martyn Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what discussions he has had with the Secretary of State for Education and Employment on the New Deal in Wales. [126717]
Mr. Hanson: Last month I attended a New Deal checkpoint meeting with other ministerial colleagues and colleagues from the devolved administrations, chaired by my right hon. Friend the Minister for Employment, Welfare to Work and Equal Opportunities. We welcomed the success to date of New Deal, which had succeeded in securing jobs for some 21,500 people in Wales by the end of March this year, and discussed ways of building on this success in the future.
Mr. John Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what discussions he has had with the Secretary of State for Education and Employment on the operation of the New Deal in Wales. [126707]
Mr. Hanson: Last month I attended a New Deal checkpoint meeting with other ministerial colleagues and colleagues from the devolved administrations, chaired by my right hon. Friend the Minister for Employment, Welfare to Work and Equal Opportunities.
The Government's aim has always been to reconnect people with the labour market, so that they can play a full and productive part in society. At the end of March 2000 over 21,000 people had entered employment through the New Deal programme in Wales.
Police Funding
12. Mrs. Lawrence: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what recent discussions he has had with Welsh Chief Constables about the funding of police authorities in Wales. [126705]
Mr. Paul Murphy: I met the Chief Constables on 17 March. We discussed a wide range of issues including developments in modern policing, and staffing and funding levels.
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