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Exclusions
Helen Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment if he will list the local education authorities in England which have issued guidance to their schools on strategies for improving attendance and preventing exclusions. [102883]
Jacqui Smith [holding answer 16 December 1999]: This information is not collected centrally. However, local education authorities' Behaviour Support Plans are expected to include information on the support for schools in improving the management of pupil behaviour with a view, among other things, to minimising unauthorised absence and exclusions.
In addition local education authorities should take account of Circular 10/99 "Social Inclusion: Pupil Support" which is my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State's guidance on pupil attendance, behaviour, exclusion and re-integration. This is backed up with some £500 million, which we are making available over three years, for projects to help schools tackle truancy and prevent exclusions.
Helen Jones:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment if he will list the local education authorities in the North West Region which analyse attendance and exclusion data at (a) group, (b) pupil and (c) school level. [102888]
Jacqui Smith
[holding answer 16 December 1999]: The Department does not collect information about how local education authorities analyse their attendance and exclusions data.
All schools since 1991, other than independent schools for boarders only, have been required to collect information on authorised and unauthorised absences. Absence figures at local education authority level have been published annually in the National Tables since 1992-93. The latest published information relates to the academic year 1998-99.
Figures on permanent exclusions were collected for the first time in January 1996. They have been published annually since 1994-95. The latest published information, produced in the volume "Statistics of Education (Schools in England) 1999", relates to the academic year 1997-98.
Helen Jones:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment how many local education authorities collect and analyse data on fixed period exclusions; and what percentage of local education authorities this represents. [102886]
Jacqui Smith
[holding answer 16 December 1999]: The Department does not collect information about the number of local education authorities which analyse their data on fixed period exclusions.
20 Dec 1999 : Column: 402W
For the first time, the Department has recently required all local education authorities to provide data on fixed period exclusions of more than five school days in total in any one term in the academic year 1998-99.
Helen Jones:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what recent research his Department has commissioned to investigate the underlying causes of truancy; and if he will make a statement. [102887]
Jacqui Smith
[holding answer 16 December 1999]: We are aware that truancy is a complex problem with no one single cause or solution. Last year, the Government published "Truancy and School Exclusion" which set out major research findings on the causes and activities needed to address the issue. This publication drew upon research commissioned by the Department including "Truancy in English Secondary Schools" by D. J. O'Keefe and the Audit Commission Report "Misspent Youth; Young People and Crime". In July 1999 we issued new guidance to schools on attendance. On 1 November, we launched "Tackling Truancy Together" which set out our strategy in further detail including evidence of what works in increasing attendance.
Mr. Clappison:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what monitoring is undertaken of Fresh Start schools' policies and actions in dealing with children playing truant. [102982]
Jacqui Smith
[holding answer 16 December 1999]: During all school inspections, inspectors are required to examine schools' policies on attendance and will check that attendance registers are completed accurately. Fresh Start schools are subject to the normal requirements of the school inspection system.
Mr. Boswell:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what steps he is taking to support local learning partnerships where they cross the boundaries of local learning and skills councils. [102985]
Mr. Wicks:
With the exception of London--where all learning partnerships are re-assessing their boundaries--there are only two instances of learning partnerships crossing the boundaries of local learning and skills councils. In both cases, Government Office staff are working closely with local partners to ensure a smooth transition. In addition, support funding is available both to Government Offices and learning partnerships to facilitate the process of change.
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Learning partnerships have a key role in the new post-16 arrangements; they are very well placed to provide the in-depth understanding of local needs that will be needed to inform the work of local learning and skills councils. In general, learning partnerships are being advised to ensure that they have a sufficiently local focus to enable them to identify local needs and co-ordinate effective local action.
Mr. Maclean:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment for each of the buildings under his Department's control how many rooms are set aside for (a) ethnic minority religious use, (b) pregnant and nursing mothers and (c) smokers. [102328]
Mr. Wills:
There is a designated room for Muslim prayers in Caxton House, London. There is also a designated room for nursing mothers in Moorfoot, Sheffield. In addition, first aid rooms and rest rooms at other headquarters sites can be used for a variety of purposes as staff needs dictate.
The number of smoking rooms at each of the main HQ locations is as follows:
The Employment Service maintains 1,000 smoking rooms in their 1,253 properties.
Mr. Robertson:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment with reference to section 486, what the procedure is for applying for grants under the Education Act 1996, Part VIII; and if guidelines are available. [103570]
Mr. Wills:
This section of the Education Act 1996 allows for the making of regulations to provide grant to bodies other than Local Education Authorities whose object, or main object is, in the opinion of the Secretary of State, to promote learning or research. Grants are paid to a variety of organisations for different specific purposes. There is no single set procedure for applying for such grants.
Mr. Boswell:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment how many British citizens who have been educated in other European Union countries are currently unable to access student loans on the ground of recent non-residence in the United Kingdom. [102924]
Mr. Wicks:
The information requested is not collected centrally.
Mrs. May:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what estimate he has made of the cost of administration in providing education and training for 16 to 19-year-olds by (a) schools, (b) further education colleges, (c) sixth form colleges and (d) TECs. [103577]
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Mr. Wicks:
The administration costs of each of these sectors are made public through the Revenue Outturn Statement from Local Education Authorities and annual reports/accounts produced by the Further Education Funding Council for England and TECs. However, the information requested on the administration costs of education and training provision for 16 to 19-year-olds is not identified separately.
Mrs. May:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what estimate he has made of the cost of administration of the provision of education and training for 16 to 19-year-olds under his proposals by (a) schools, (b) further education colleges, (c) sixth form colleges, (d) the National Learning and Skills Council, (e) local learning and skills councils, (f) local life-long learning partnerships and (g) sixth form colleges maintained by the Learning and Skills Council. [103576]
Mr. Wicks:
We have not made separate estimates of the costs of providing education and training for 16 to 19-year-olds by sector. However, the new arrangements for learning and skills will cut through the present duplication and bureaucracy and will secure savings of at least £50 million a year across post-16 learning, which will be invested in improving the quality of learning.
Mr. Boswell:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment if he will list the significant differences between the updated Transition Plan for Post-16 Education and Training published on 26 November and the draft published on 30 June; and what is the reason for these differences. [102926]
Mr. Wicks:
The joint DfEE/DTI National Transition Plan, first issued alongside the White Paper, is a working document that is intended to evolve and develop as discussions with partner organisations take place. The Plan has been updated to take account of partners views and to set out in more detail the steps needed to set up the Learning and Skills Council, subject to Parliamentary approval.
There is a new section which lists the progress made since the launch of the White Paper; an overarching plan which summaries the key milestones; and a new annex which details the groups which have been set up to support arrangements.
We intend to produce further regular updates over the next year.
London: 8
Sheffield: 7
Runcorn: 5
Darlington: 2.
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