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British Teachers (European Union Schools)
Mr. Willis:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what plans he has to ensure that British teachers working in the European Schools are eligible for the promotion on pay scales to which they are entitled under the European Schools Statute. [100065]
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Mr. Wicks:
I refer the hon. Member to the reply given to the hon. Member for Bath (Mr. Foster) on 21 July 1999, Official Report, columns 538-39W.
Mr. Don Foster:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment how many targets have been agreed between his Department and (i) local authorities and (ii) other bodies apart from his own agencies and non-departmental bodies since May 1997. [99472]
Mr. Wills
[holding answer 24 November 1999]: My Department has set out a number of Key Performance targets in its PSA and Strategic Framework to 2002, including the National Learning Targets for England for 2002. The Key Performance targets underpinned by targets set with local authorities and other bodies, excluding our own agencies and non-departmental bodies, since May 1997, are listed:
Local authorities have been required to set targets for reducing unauthorised absence and for reducing permanent exclusions for the three years commencing 1999-2000. These targets have been included in their Education Development Plans. Provisions under the Schools Standards and Framework Act 1998 also allow the Secretary of State to require governing bodies of maintained schools to set school-level targets for reducing unauthorised absence where their attendance is significantly below average. During 1999, 304 schools have been asked to set targets.
Targets at local education authority level for the achievement of 11-year-olds in literacy and numeracy, as measured by the Key Stage 2 national curriculum tests in English and maths, have been agreed with the Department for 2000 and 2002. Local education authorities are also required to submit to the Department targets for their authority for 2001 by January 2000, as part of the process of revising their Education Development Plans.
Each local authority has agreed with the Department three targets for achievement by pupils aged 16: the percentage gaining 5 or more GCSEs at A8-C; the percentage gaining at least 1 GCSE at A*-G (or equivalent); and the average points score per pupil. These targets are listed in the authority's Education Development Plan.
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The Department's Key Performance targets are also supported at operational level by numerous other targets to ensure delivery by individual units. Listing all of the Operational Targets the Department has agreed with local authorities and other bodies would be inappropriate and disproportionate in terms of resource. However, the DfEE annual Departmental Report and Annual Report of the Employment Service does include performance related information.
Mr. Hood:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what was the outcome of the Youth Council held in Brussels on 23 November; and if he will make a statement. [99846]
Mr. Wills:
The European Commission presented its future approach to youth affairs on which there was an exchange of views. The Commission also summarised progress on its proposal for Recommendations concerning the application of Community law in the field of mobility of students, trainees, young volunteers, teachers and instructors.
The Presidency gave a progress report on the proposal for a Decision of the European Parliament and of the Council establishing the Community action programme for youth. Following discussion, the Presidency concluded that conciliation would take place during the Portuguese Presidency. All the European Parliament's second reading amendments, including the budget for the programme, would be carefully considered.
The Council agreed the text of its Resolution on the non-formal education dimension of sporting activities in the European Community Youth programmes. The Resolution is a mixed Resolution of the Council and Ministers of the member states meeting in the Council 1 , and will be adopted at a future Council of Ministers. The Commission's view that this should only be a Council Resolution would be noted.
The draft conclusions on the implementation of measures to combat child sex tourism were presented by the Presidency which also summarised youth activities which it had organised during its Presidency.
Mrs. Ewing:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what his estimate is of land and property (a) in Scotland, (b) in the United Kingdom, (c) overseas and (d) in total for (i) his core Department and (ii) the Employment Service; and what is the total value of other assets held by each of these bodies. [99841]
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Mr. Wills
[holding answer 26 November 1999]: For the core Department, we are unable to provide value information because it is being developed as part of the implementation of resource accounting. The information is currently being audited. The first set of resource accounts will be published in respect of 1999-2000.
DfEE target: a reduction by one third in school truancies (from 0.7 per cent. to 0.5 per cent. half days missed a year through unauthorised absence), and exclusions (from 12,500 to 8,400 permanent exclusions a year) by 2002.
DfEE target: an increase in the proportion of those aged 11 meeting the standard of literacy for that age (level 4 in the KS2 test) from 63 per cent. to 80 per cent. by 2002, and an increase in the proportion of those aged 11 meeting the standard of numeracy for that age (level 4 in the KS2 test) from 62 per cent. to 75 per cent. by 2002.
DfEE targets: an increase in the proportion of those aged 16 who achieve one or more GCSEs at grade G or equivalent, from 92 per cent. to 95 per cent. by 2002, and an increase in the proportion of those aged 16 who achieve five or more GCSEs grades A*-C from 45 per cent. to 50 per cent. by 2002.
The Department sets targets for Training Enterprise Councils each year which reflect their local contribution to the national target.
DfEE target: 45 per cent. of medium sized or large organisations and 10,000 small organisations are recognised as Investors in People by 2002.
1 The Resolution acknowledges that sport is one of way of working with young people. However, whilst the Community has competence for co-ordination in the field of youth, sports policy remains the competence of member states. The mixed Resolution therefore reflects this difference in competence.
| As at 31 March 1999: | £ |
|---|---|
| Total value of Land and Property in ES | |
| (a) In Scotland | 16,056,242 |
| (b) In the United Kingdom | 125,118,000 |
| (c) Overseas | 0 |
| Total | 141,174,242 |
| Total value of all other assets held by ES | |
| (a) In Scotland | 1,714,746 |
| (b) In the United Kingdom | 77,070,000 |
| (c) Overseas | 0 |
| Total | 78,784,746 |
SSAs
Mrs. Anne Campbell: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment if he will give the median and the semi-interquartile range for (a) SSA per primary pupil and (b) SSA per secondary pupil, adjusted for inflation, for all local education authorities in England and Wales for the 10 years from 1990-91 to 1999-2000. [100341]
Ms Estelle Morris: The information requested is shown in the following table.
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Sexually Abused Victims
Mrs. Curtis-Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what guidance his Department issues to local education authorities regarding compensation payments to victims of sexual abuse. [100239]
Ms Estelle Morris: My Department does not issue guidance to local authorities on compensation payments to victims of sexual abuse. That is a matter for the Criminal Injuries Compensation Authority and the Courts.
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