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Autistic Children
Ms Glenda Jackson: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment (1) what recent research studies into the educational needs of autistic children his Department has funded; and if he will make a statement; [142028]
- (2) what guidelines have been issued to local education authorities on the provision of specialist teaching aids for autistic children. [142029]
Jacqui Smith [holding answer 11 December 2000]: In September 1998 we published "Educational Interventions for Children with Autism: A Literature Review of Recent and Current Research; Jordan, Jones and Murray". A copy is in the Library.
My Department has not issued such guidelines to local education authorities. The Department has established an Autism Working Group which aims to publish guidance,
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including pointers to good practice, next year. The Group plans to include pointers on good practice in the use of Information and Communication Technology aids with autistic children.
Performance Targets
Mr. Brady: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what steps he is taking to ensure that head teachers of maintained schools agree performance targets with their governing bodies by 31 December. [142459]
Ms Estelle Morris: The published regulations on performance management--The Education (School Teacher Appraisal) (England) Regulations 2000--require the appointed governors responsible for the head's review to meet the head and a trained external adviser to discuss objectives by 31 December. In order to allow governing bodies some flexibility for this first round, the Secretary of State has proposed to amend the regulations to extend the deadline to 6 April 2001.
Mr. Brady: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment how many head teachers in maintained schools he estimates will have agreed performance targets with their governors by 31 December; and what percentage this constitutes of all heads of maintained schools. [142460]
Ms Estelle Morris: As of 11 December 2000, 6,762 head teachers had agreed their performance targets with their appointed governors with the assistance of an accredited external adviser. It is estimated that a further 2,076 will have done so by 31 December 2000.
This represents 42 per cent. of heads maintained schools. In order to provide flexibility in the first year of operation, the Secretary of State has proposed to extend the 31 December 2000 deadline until 6 April 2001.
Nuffield Languages Inquiry
Mr. Colman: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment when he will respond to the report of the Nuffield Languages Inquiry. [142279]
Jacqui Smith: We will be producing a clear statement of response in the new year which takes account of Nuffield's main recommendations, and which highlights the positive languages policies already in place. We are already doing a great deal to promote learning in this field, for example by expanding our numbers of specialist language colleges and offering attractive incentives to teacher trainees. The statement will reinforce our commitment to broadening opportunities and will point to where there will be scope for development. Our Languages National Training Organisation has already indicated its readiness to participate in vocational language learning initiatives. Additionally we are working with our key partners to promote the programme of events for next year's European Year of Languages. We have recently broached these matters in discussions with our Nuffield colleagues and in formulating our statement we will be working in consultation with them.
Departmental Directorates
Mrs. May: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment (1) what was the establishment of, and
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how many staff were in post in, (a) each directorate of his Department, (b) his Department's legal adviser's office and (c) Government offices for the regions on business relating to his Department, on 1 July; [142292]
- (2) how many staff were employed in each of the (a) Schools Directorate, (b) Lifelong Learning Directorate, (c) Employment Equality and International Relations Directorate, (d) Legal Adviser's Office, (e) Government offices for the region engaged on business relating to his Department, (f) Strategy and Communications Directorate, (g) Personnel and Support Services Directorate and (h) Finance and Analytical Services Directorate. [142293]
Mr. Wills: I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave on 30 November 2000, Official Report, columns 814-15W.
Departmental Research Budget
Mrs. May: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what was the research and consultancy budget for his Department for (a) 1999-2000, (b) 2000-01, (c) 2001-02 and (d) 2002-03. [142285]
Mr. Wills: I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave on 16 November 2000, Official Report, column 753W.
School Funding (Gloucestershire)
Mr. Laurence Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment how much extra funding schools in Gloucestershire will receive as a result of the Chancellor's Pre-Budget Statement. [142100]
Ms Estelle Morris: Schools in Gloucestershire Local Education Authority will receive an extra £2,030,684 Devolved Formula Capital as a result of the Chancellor's Pre-Budget Statement. Schools in South Gloucestershire Local Education Authority will receive an extra £848,866. This brings the total Devolved Formula Capital available to schools in Gloucestershire in 2000-01 to £4,345,860 and in South Gloucestershire to £1,815,936.
PRIME MINISTER
Intelligence and Security Committee Report
Mr. Savidge: To ask the Prime Minister when he will respond to the Intelligence and Security Committee's Annual report for 1999-2000. [142684]
The Prime Minister: I have today laid the Government Response to the Intelligence and Security Committee's Report before Parliament.
HEALTH
Embryo Cell Research
Ms Kelly: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what evaluation his Department has undertaken on pieces of research that offer an alternative to human embryo cloning for medical research; and if he will list those pieces of research that have been examined. [142037]
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Yvette Cooper: The main pieces of research that were evaluated by the Chief Medical Officer's expert group when preparing their report are included in the key references listed at the end of their published report. The group also consulted a number of organisations and individuals with expertise in this area in preparing their report.
Individual experts on the group keep abreast of published research in their specialist areas of interest. In September 2000, members of the expert group were also asked to look at key papers which had been published since the completion of their report, including the following:
- Galli R. et al., Nature Neuroscience 3, 986. 2000.
- Woodbury D. et al., J. Neurosci. Res. 61, 364. 2000.
- Sanchez-Ramos J. et al., Exp. Neurol. 164, 247. 2000.
- Alison M.R. et al., Nature 406, 257. 2000.
- Clarke D.L. et al., Science 288, 1660. 2000.
Ms Kelly: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what discussions his Department has had with (a) the bioscience industry, (b) religious organisations and (c) other interested groups on the recommendations of the Donaldson Report; and what was the outcome of these discussions. [142039]
Yvette Cooper: The Chief Medical Officer's expert group sought information on the scientific and ethical issues from a range of outside groups and individuals. The group considered written submissions from over 100 respondents from all sides of the debate. A list of responders is in the table. The outcome of these consultations is reflected in the recommendations made in the Donaldson Report.
Since the finalisation of the report, officials from the Department have had discussions with a number of groups interested in this issue, mainly from medical, ethics and patient support backgrounds. A number of these groups have provided briefing to hon. Members on the recommendations contained in the Donaldson Report.
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Ms Kelly: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what is the estimated financial benefit to the bioscience industry based on the proposed extension of the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Act 1990. [142038]
Yvette Cooper: No such estimate has been made. An extension of the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Act 1990 was recommended in the report "Stem Cell Research: Medical Progress with Responsibility" on the grounds of the significant therapeutic benefits which could result from research across a range of possible sources of stem cells, including embryos.
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