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Skills Training

33. Mrs. Lait: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what representations she has received on skills training for mothers returning to work. [127954]

Ms Jowell: The New Deal for Lone Parents currently provides skills training for lone parents on Income Support wishing to return to work. Help with training, normally up to NVQ level two, is available for up to 12 months, provided that the training is related to the local labour market and has been agreed with a New Deal for Lone Parents adviser. From time to time we receive representations about the nature and level of this training.

Learning and Skills Councils

34. Mr. Pollard: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what action his Department is taking to ensure that learning and skills councils will deliver optimum assistance to small and medium-sized enterprises. [127955]

Mr. Wicks: The Learning and Skills Council (LSC) will establish priorities for developing the skills of the workforce and targeted strategies for engaging, influencing and meeting the needs of employers, including small and medium sized enterprises. Subject to the passage of the Learning and Skills Bill, the LSC will

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work very closely with the Small Business Service (SBS). In the vast majority of cases, the boundaries of the SBS franchises are coterminous with those of local LSCs to assist with joint working. The local Learning and Skills Councils will contract with the SBS franchises for the provision of LSC--funded workforce development services to small and medium sized enterprises, including advice on Investors in People, Modern Apprenticeships and management development. At national level we will expect the LSC National Council to invite the Chief Executive of the SBS to its meetings, and local LSC Councils will, likewise, be expected to invite a representative of the relevant SBS franchises as observers to their meetings.

Teachers (Performance-related Pay)

35. Mr. Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what proportion of teachers have applied for the performance-related pay scheme. [127956]

Ms Estelle Morris: 197,000 teachers in England, which represents over three quarters of the numbers eligible, have applied to cross the performance threshold in the first year of operation.

Oxbridge Intake

36. Mr. Robathan: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what recent research he has undertaken into the proportion of undergraduates at Oxford and Cambridge universities who come from schools in the maintained sector; and what conclusions he has reached. [127957]

Mr. Wicks: CVCP are currently undertaking research into higher education as a follow up to their "Elitism to Inclusion" report which was published in 1998. The Higher Education Funding Council for England are preparing a report entitled "Action on Access"--which will be available in the autumn. The most recent information on access is taken from data collected by the Universities and Colleges Admissions Services (UCAS) which gives information about previous educational establishment for students normally resident in the UK. These statistics published by the Higher Education Funding Council for England are shown in the following tables.

6 Jul 2000 : Column: 271W

UCAS UK-domiciled applicants and acceptances to Oxford University by previous educational establishment

	Year of entry
	1995		1996		1997		1998		1999
	Number	Percentage(7)	Number	Percentage(7)	Number	Percentage(7)	Number	Percentage(7)	Number	Percentage(7)
	Applicants:
Independent	3,399	39	3,501	42	3,393	42	3,361	42	3,416	42
State(8)	5,210	61	4,765	58	4,644	58	4,645	58	4,671	58
Total	8,609	100	8,266	100	8,037	100	8,006	100	8,087	100
	Accepted applicants:
Independent	1,424	50	1,494	51	1,500	51	1,477	49	1,431	48
State(8)	1,424	50	1,454	49	1,442	49	1,567	51	1,533	52
Total	2,848	100	2,948	100	2,942	100	3,044	100	2,964	100

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UCAS UK-domiciled applicants and acceptances to Cambridge University by previous educational establishment

	Year of entry
	1995		1996		1997		1998		1999
	Number	Percentage(7)	Number	Percentage(7)	Number	Percentage(7)	Number	Percentage(7)	Number	Percentage(7)
	Applicants:
Independent	3,413	37	3,603	37	3,764	37	3,518	37	3,491	36
State(8)	6,178	63	6,115	63	6,311	63	5,959	63	6,334	64
Total	9,321	100	9,718	100	10,075	100	9,477	100	9,825	100
	Accepted applicants:
Independent	1,359	45	1,223	44	1,338	45	1,345	45	1,286	43
State(8)	1,630	55	1,544	56	1,663	55	1,637	55	1,699	57
Total	2,989	100	2,767	100	3,001	100	2,982	100	2,985	100

(7) Constituent parts may not sum to total because of rounding.

(8) Includes Sixth Form Centres, other secondary schools, other educational establishments, and students whose previous establishment was not known.

Note:

Information on previous educational establishment is only collected from students normally resident in the UK. HEFCE is now providing:

1. £20 million funding in respect of students recruited and supported from disadvantaged backgrounds which was enhanced by a further £4 million by the Secretary of State when he addressed the AUT on 10 May 2000.

2. £5 million for providing for students with disabilities.

3. Funding premiums for mature and part-time students within the funding model Special funding.

4. £5 million for a special funding programme focusing on developing regional partnerships to improve progression to HE of students from disadvantaged backgrounds, and promotion and dissemination of good practice.

5. £2 million from HEFCE to contribute to a £4 million joint fund with the FEFC to improve pathways from FE to HE for disadvantaged groups, through links between HEIs and the new Lifelong Learning Partnerships.

6. £2 million p.a. for Development funding to improve the quality of provision for disabled students.

7. £4 million for HEFCE to administer the Millennium Summer Schools programme under guidance of the DfEE.

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Rapid Response Fund

37. Mr. Healey: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment if he will make a statement on the deployment of the Department's rapid response fund within the Yorkshire and Humberside region. [127958]

Mr. Wicks: Departmental officials approved in June the first Rapid Response Fund bid within the Yorkshire and the Humber Region. Up to £236,177 will support the 300 workers being made redundant from RHP Bearings, Ferrybridge, Wakefield. Officials also expect to receive a bid to support those being made redundant from Corus, Rotherham (formerly British Steel). There is also a strong possibility of a bid being received for British Aerospace, Brough, Humberside.

Standard Spending Assessments

Mr. Stunell: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what recent representations he has made to the Department of the Environment, Transport and the Regions on the review of standard spending assessments for education. [127946]

6 Jul 2000 : Column: 274W

Ms Estelle Morris: My right hon. Friend has regular discussions with the Deputy Prime Minister about these issues as part of the current review of local authority grant distribution. As you might expect, the future of education funding is an important part of the review, since education accounts for around 40 per cent. of local authority revenue expenditure. We expect to publish a Green Paper later this summer, which will set out a range of options for debate.

ICT Access

Mr. Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what progress is being made in implementing the Government's policy on increasing access to ICT among families on low incomes. [126115]

Mr. Wills [holding answer 20 June 2000]: I refer my hon. Friend to the reply I gave on 29 June 2000, Official Report, column 575W.

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