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OECD Survey
Chris Grayling: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills in which years the pupils researched for the recent OECD survey of educational achievement (a) began their education, (b) reached Key Stage 1 and (c) reached Key Stage 2. [22042]
Mr. Ivan Lewis: The pupils in England who participated in the OECD survey were born during 1984 and, depending on the month in which they were born, (a) would have begun statutory education in 1988 or 1989, (b) reached the end of Key Stage 1 in 1990 or 1991 and (c) reached the end of Key Stage 2 in 1995 or 1996.
Post-16 Learning
John Mann: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what assessment she has made (1) of the need for an early introduction of a level playing field for the funding of work-based learning to help meet Level 2 targets; [21768]
- (2) of the Learning and Skills Council's proposed timetable for an integrated funding system for post-16 learning. [21784]
John Healey: We consulted extensively about funding arrangements for post-16 education and training. Planning and implementing these new systems to meet the Government's learning targets is the responsibility of the Learning and Skills Council which has published its corporate plan for the period to 2004 and its plans for developing post-16 funding systems for 2003–04 onwards. The Council plans to introduce a common funding approach for 2003–04 in line with our consultations in 1999, 2000 and 2001. Progress to date
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has been good with development of a consistent national funding system this year for Work Based Learning. Progress in 2002–03 will continue with the development of new funding arrangements for further education and the council's assumption of responsibility for school sixth form funding. We are committed to work with the council further to develop funding systems, to ensure that funding follows the learner and facilitating the development of a rational and coherent approach to funding different forms of post-16 provision.
Family Learning
Dr. Kumar: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what measures she is taking to promote family learning. [21809]
Mr. Ivan Lewis: Family learning, which is one strand of our strategy for involving parents in children's education, can strengthen families, help children to achieve and give adults the confidence to go on learning. That is why we have commended it to the Learning and Skills Council (LSC) and, in 2002–03, are making £7.5 million available to local education authorities (LEAs), through the Adult Learning Plans they will agree with local LSCs. One specific type of provision—family literacy and numeracy—is part of 'Skills for Life', our national strategy for adult literacy, language and numeracy. In 2001–02, £17 million will be spent to help parents and children improve their literacy and numeracy skills together.
Family learning is part of a wider drive to support families through our education and skills policies. We are providing a range of materials enabling parents to help their children learn, including "Learning Journey" guides to the curriculum, our free "Parents + Schools" magazine and our "Parent Centre" website. We are encouraging schools to offer a range of family and community services, which might include learning opportunities and child care. Study support initiatives can offer parents the change to get involved in school life. Our Sure Start programme works with parents and young children to combat disadvantage; and the Children's Fund is being used to develop family support services, including family learning, in a number of deprived areas.
Individual Learning Accounts
Alistair Burt: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills if she has been informed of the conclusions of the police investigations in Durham into alleged fraud in the operation of the Individual Learning Account Scheme; and if she will make a statement. [22157]
John Healey [holding answer 10 December 2001]: The Department has been in discussion with Durham Constabulary's Fraud Squad. The investigations into alleged fraud in the operation of the Individual Learning Accounts programme that Durham Constabulary were conducting are now being taken forward by Cheshire Constabulary's Computer Crime Unit.
Alistair Burt: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills when she expects to come forward with a new scheme to replace the Individual Learning Account Scheme; and if she will make a statement. [22155]
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John Healey [holding answer 10 December 2001]: I refer the hon. Member to the reply given on 22 November 2001, Official Report, column 449W.
Alistair Burt: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many (a) criminal charges and (b) arrests have been made in relation to allegations of fraud in the operation of the Individual Learning Account Scheme; at what (i) times and (ii) locations; and if she will make a statement. [22162]
John Healey [holding answer 10 December 2001]: One person has been charged out of the 39 arrested in relation to allegations of fraud in connection with the operation of the Individual Learning Account programme.
Details of the arrests are a matter for the police.
Alistair Burt: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what estimate she has made of the number of students who would have taken advantage of the individual learning account scheme in 2002 but who will not now owing to its closure. [22154]
John Healey [holding answer 10 December 2001]: The take-up of learning has been affected by changes in the programme's rules and, we believe, by mis-selling and potential fraud. Therefore it is not possible to make reliable estimates of future take-up.
Alistair Burt: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many local investigations in relation to alleged fraud in the operation of the individual learning account schemes are proceeding, and where; how many such investigations have been concluded, and where and when; and if she will make a statement on the outcomes of such investigations. [22156]
John Healey [holding answer 10 December 2001]: The Department has referred a total of 27 cases involving alleged fraud in the operation of the Individual Learning Accounts programme to six different police forces: the city of London, Dorset, Leicester, the Metropolitan police force, the National Crime Squad and West Midlands. The Department's Special Investigations Unit is continuing to work with the police on these 27 cases. These cases arise from investigations that had started before 23 November 2001. None of the 27 cases have been concluded. To avoid the risk of compromising police investigations the Department is unable to give any further details at this stage.
Mr. Sanders: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how she will inform learning providers of her decision to shut down the ILA programme early. [19550]
John Healey: We issued a press statement on 23 November and provided notification of the shut-down on both the Department and Capita websites, which we updated as new information became available. On 29 and 30 November I sent a letter and e-mail to ILA registered learning providers about the shut-down of the ILA programme on 23 November. We have also been able to resume operation, on a limited basis, of the provider helpline from 29 November.
New Schools
Mr. Hoban: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, pursuant to the answers of
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27 November 2001, Official Report, column 773W, and 4 December 2001, Official Report, column 257W, on schools, for what reason her Department (a) holds information on the number of schools which have been allocated money for repairs and (b) does not hold information on the number of new schools which have been built. [22363]
John Healey [holding answer 11 December 2001]: We hold information on the numbers of schools benefiting from the new deal for schools programme funded from the windfall tax, since it was a specific programme for repairs where funding was allocated in response to bids. It was aimed at addressing the worst of the condition backlog in schools in 1997. It has now been replaced by programmes that are allocated to local education authorities and schools by needs-related formulae, so that decisions on which repairs to undertake are made locally. One such formulaic programme is new deal for schools devolved formula capital grant, which is made available principally to fund capital repairs to school buildings. Since this is allocated to all schools, we can be assured that, for the first time, every school has a budget to support high priority repair work.
It is for local education authorities to determine the need for additional schools places in the maintained sector and, where necessary, build new schools. The Department maintains a record of all currently open schools. For the Department, in addition, to collect and hold detailed information on capital investment at individual school level would be overly bureaucratic for the Department, local authorities and for schools.
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