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Classroom Assistants
Chris Grayling: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many employed classroom assistants worked in schools in England and Wales (a) at the latest available date, (b) in 1996 and (c) in 1997. [10403]
Mr. Timms: The numbers of full time equivalent teaching assistants employed in maintained schools in England in January 2001, 1997 and 1996 were 95,815, 61,262 and 56,692 respectively.
For information on teaching assistants in Wales, I refer the hon. Member to the National Assembly for Wales.
Teacher Vacancies
Chris Grayling: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what the scope and content is of the research project she is commissioning into the reasons why teachers are leaving the profession. [10406]
Mr. Timms: When the scope and nature of the study is finalised, we expect it to explore the factors affecting teachers' decisions to leave the profession, the characteristics of those leaving, their destinations and what might have convinced them to stay in teaching. This is likely to involve a nationally representative survey as well as more detailed in-depth work.
Ofsted
Mr. Lepper: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many former employees of local authorities transferred to Ofsted on 1 September; how many of those who transferred are (a) women and (b) men; and when it is expected that Ofsted will have in place a child care strategy for its employees. [10725]
Mr. Timms: These are matters for HM Chief Inspector of Schools and I have therefore asked Mike Tomlinson to write to my hon. Friend and to place a copy of his letter in the Library.
Teacher Training
David Davis: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many teachers there were in training in each year since 1 May 1997. [10727]
Mr. Timms: The numbers of new entrants and continuing teacher trainees in Initial Teacher Training Courses in England in each academic year from 1997–98 to 2000–01 were as follows:
| Year | Total number |
|---|---|
| 1997–98 | 53,715 |
| 1998–99 | 49,826 |
| 1999–2000 | 46,132 |
| 2000–01 | 46,572 |
Source:
Teacher Training Agency (TTA), Survey of ITT Providers
30 Oct 2001 : Column: 622W
Further places are available on employment-based training for graduate trainees. The total numbers of graduate trainees entering employment-based training each year from 1997–98 to 2000–01 in England were as follows:
| Year | Total number |
|---|---|
| 1997–98 | 420 |
| 1998–99 | 634 |
| 1999–2000 | 925 |
| 2000–01 | 1,879 |
Note:
Figures show the number of entrants to the Graduate and Registered Teacher Programmes and the former Overseas Teacher and Licensed Teacher Schemes.
Source:
TTA
Teachers (East Yorkshire)
David Davis: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what provision she will make to ensure the recruitment of 600 new teachers in the East Riding of Yorkshire; and if she will make a statement. [10731]
Mr. Timms: The East Riding of Yorkshire will continue to benefit from Government teacher recruitment and retention initiatives that have already delivered an increase of 11,000 between 1997 and 2001 in the numbers of full-time equivalent regular teachers working in England, and which will deliver a further increase of at least 10,000 over the next five years.
Specialist Status
Mr. Willis: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what average length of time it takes schools to raise the necessary sponsorship to gain specialist status. [10953]
Mr. Timms: This information is not collected by the Department.
Literacy and Numeracy Results
Mr. Brady: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what inquiries her Department is undertaking into the premature disclosure of literacy and numeracy test results in September; and if she will make a statement. [11141]
Mr. Timms: An inquiry into the circumstances surrounding the release of the 2001 Key Stage results is under way.
30 Oct 2001 : Column: 623W
New Schools
Mr. Hoban: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills (1) what guidance she proposes to issue on determining the need for the creation of new schools; [11290]
- (2) what guidelines she plans to give to local education authorities on the establishment of new faith schools. [11291]
Mr. Timms: The White Paper "Schools achieving success" said that we wish to welcome faith schools, with their distinctive ethos and character, into the maintained sector where there is clear local agreement. Local education authorities cannot establish schools with a religious character. Current guidance to School Organisation Committees (which decide proposals and on which the local education authority is represented) will be revised to ensure that proposals from promoters of new faith schools are given the same consideration as other proposals for new schools. Guidance on the factors to be considered in deciding whether there is a need for a new school more generally is given in the Guidance on Statutory Proposals which will be updated as necessary. We will also issue guidance to local education authorities about the new arrangements for inviting proposals when they consider that a new secondary school is required that is not to replace existing provision. Such proposals will be decided by the Secretary of State and may include proposals for church and other faith schools.
Funding
Mr. Hoban: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills if she will list for (a) 1997–98, (b) 1998–99, (c) 1999–2000 and (d) 2000–01 each fund stream for which (i) primary schools, (ii) secondary schools and (iii) further education colleges could apply, setting out for each stream (A) the total amount available, (B) the amount awarded, (C) the number of applicants, (D) the number of successful applicants and (E) the average amount awarded to a successful applicant. [11292]
Mr. Timms: The information requested is not held centrally in the Department and could therefore be provided only at disproportionate cost.
Surplus Places
Mr. Hoban: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills if she will abolish the surplus places rule. [11294]
Mr. Timms: There is no rule on the permitted level of surplus places. The focus of all our policies is raising educational standards. In planning school provision, local education authorities should look for opportunities for removing surplus capacity, with a view to bringing supply and demand for school places into better balance. Their initial focus should be on those schools with 25 per cent. or more of their places unfilled, having particular regard to standards at those schools. The overall aim should be to maximise parental preference and to provide good quality education in the most cost-effective way. The Department's annual survey of surplus places allows us to monitor how local education authorities are meeting this challenge.
30 Oct 2001 : Column: 624W
TREASURY
Retirement
Mr. Frank Field: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what proportion of (a) private sector employees and (b) all employees are due to retire in the next (i) five, (ii) 10 and (iii) 15 years. [10459]
Ruth Kelly: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the National Statistician. I have asked him to reply.
Letter from Len Cook to Mr. Frank Field, dated 25 October 2001:
- As National Statistician, I have been asked to reply to your question about the proportion of private sector employees and of all employees who are due to retire within the next 5, 10 and 15 years (10459).
- The Labour Force Survey (LFS) can provide estimates of the numbers and proportions of private sector employees, and those of all employees, who are due to reach state retirement age in the next 5, 10 and 15 years. That is, men aged 60–64, 55–64 and 50–64 and women aged 55–59, 50–59 and 45–59 respectively. These are given in the tables below.
- The LFS does not collect information on the retirement intentions of individuals.
| Thousand | Percentage | |
|---|---|---|
| All persons—due to retire in the next: | ||
| Five years | 886 | 5.0 |
| 10 years | 2,330 | 13.1 |
| 15 years | 4,093 | 23.1 |
| Men—due to retire in the next: | ||
| Five years | 378 | 3.6 |
| 10 years | 1,081 | 10.4 |
| 15 years | 2,106 | 20.2 |
| Women—due to retire in the next: | ||
| Five years | 508 | 6.9 |
| 10 years | 1,249 | 17.1 |
| 15 years | 1,988 | 27.2 |
(24) Men aged 16–64 and women aged 16–59
Note:
Percentages are based on the number of private sector employees in the relevant age group as a percentage of all employees in the private sector
Source:
ONS Labour Force Survey
(25) Men aged 16–64 and women aged 16–59
Note:
Percentages are based on the number of employees in the relevant age group as a percentage of all employees
Source:
ONS Labour Force Survey
30 Oct 2001 : Column: 625W
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