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PRIME MINISTER
European Commission
Mr. Davidson: To ask the Prime Minister what his policy is on the proposal by the President of the European Commission for the Commission to be given powers to issue binding instructions to Governments that deviate from the policy guidelines adopted by euro zone members and to be the sole representative of the EU in international economic and financial meetings. [60583]
The Prime Minister: The Government do not agree with this proposal.
Mr. Davidson: To ask the Prime Minister what his policy is on the proposals of the President of the European Commission to give the Commission powers to recommend action on national budget deficits that could only be overturned by a unanimous vote of all EU Governments; when he was first informed of this proposal; and if he will make a statement. [60580]
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The Prime Minister: The Government do not agree with this proposal. The European Commission's communication "A Project for the European Union" was released on 22 May 2002, and I was informed after its release.
Mr. Davidson: To ask the Prime Minister if he was consulted before the President of the European Commission's proposals for additional economic powers to be given to the Commission were publicised; and if he will make a statement. [60587]
The Prime Minister: I was not consulted before the publication of the European Commission's Communication "A Project for the European Union" on 22 May 2002.
Mr. Davidson: To ask the Prime Minister what his policy is on the proposal by the President of the European Commission for the national veto on taxation matters to be abolished; and if he will make a statement. [60584]
The Prime Minister: The Government's position is that unanimity should be retained for decisions on taxation.
Gibraltar
Mr. MacDougall: To ask the Prime Minister how many times in the last three years he has discussed Gibraltar with the Spanish Prime Minister. [60791]
The Prime Minister: I talk to the Spanish Prime Minister frequently on a range of EU and other foreign policy issues. We most recently discussed Gibraltar during Prime Minister Aznar's visit to London on 20 May.
Intelligence and Security Committee
Mark Tami: To ask the Prime Minister when he expects to lay the Intelligence and Security Committee's annual report before Parliament. [61926]
The Prime Minister: I am grateful to the Intelligence and Security Committee for their valuable work and their latest annual report. Following consultation with the Intelligence and Security Committee over matters which could not be published without prejudicing the discharge of the function and operation of the Intelligence and Security agencies, I will lay the report before the House tomorrow. Copies will also be placed in the Libraries of both Houses.
The Government will respond formally to the report shortly.
EDUCATION AND SKILLS
Youth Participation
Shona McIsaac: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what arrangements the Government are making to publish Departments' action plans for the implementation of the core principles for involving children and young people. [61139]
Mr. Denham: In line with the commitment set out in "Learning to Listen—Core Principles for the Involvement of Children and Young People in Government", the following Departments are today publishing their action plans:
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Department for Culture, Media and Sport
Department for Education and Skills
Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
These will be placed on the Children and Young People's Unit website, www.cypu.gov.uk, and copies will be placed in the Library.
The Children and Young People's Unit will be reviewing progress against action plans in an annual report.
Sick Leave (Teachers)
Mr. Willis: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many (a) primary school teachers and (b) secondary school teachers took sickness absence in (i) 1999, (ii) 2000 and (iii) 2001, broken down by (1) full-time and (2) part-time teachers. [60527]
Mr. Miliband: In the calendar years 1999, 2000 and 2001 (provisional), the numbers of full-time and part-time teachers in the English maintained schools sector taking sickness absence 1 were as follows:
| Full-time | Part-time | |
|---|---|---|
| 1999 | 234,520 | 30,130 |
| 2000 | 238,820 | 34,450 |
| 2001 | 246,300 | 37,300 |
These figures cannot be broken down by phase.
1 Sickness absence on working days, whether paid absence or not, of teachers with permanent contracts or contracts of over one month, including teachers without QTS. The numbers of teachers taking sick leave includes an individual teacher only once however many periods of sickness absence they have had.
Mr. Willis: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many days (a) primary school teachers and (b) secondary school teachers took in sickness absence in (i) 1999, (ii) 2000 and (iii) 2001, broken down by (1) full-time and (2) part-time teachers. [60528]
Mr. Miliband: In the calendar years 1999, 2000 and 2001 (provisional), the numbers of days of sickness absence 1 taken by full-time and part-time teachers in the English maintained schools sector were as follows:
| Full-time | Part-time | |
|---|---|---|
| 1999 | 2,249,150 | 254,180 |
| 2000 | 2,392,400 | 301,970 |
| 2001 | 2,461,000 | 338,900 |
These figures cannot be broken down by phase.
- 1 Sickness absence on working days, whether paid absence or not, of teachers with permanent contracts or contracts of over one month, including teachers without QTS. The number of days taken as sick leave includes all periods of sick leave.
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Sure Start
Mr. Dismore: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills if she will make a statement on Sure Start projects in Barnet. [57890]
Ms Blears: Barnet does not at present have a Sure Start programme operating in the borough. However, the borough has been invited to consider setting up a programme as part of the sixth wave of Sure Start announced on 14 May 2002.
Literacy/Numeracy Strategies
Mr. Damian Green: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what research she has commissioned into the effectiveness of the national literacy and numeracy strategies; and if she will make a statement. [60244]
Mr. Miliband [holding answer 10 June 2002]: The university of Toronto is independently evaluating the National Literacy and Numeracy Strategies. Last year they produced the following report:
- Watching and Learning 2, OISE/UT Evaluation of the Implementation of the National Literacy and Numeracy Strategies, Second Annual Report, Ontario Institute for Studies in Education, University of Toronto (September 2001).
- "the Strategies have influenced virtually all schools in England, moving literacy and numeracy to top priority in classrooms across the country."
Grammar School Ballots
Mr. Chaytor: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills if she will list, for each of the last three years, the total payments made by her Department to electoral reform services for the purpose of (a) establishing the number of parents forming the electorate in area grammar school ballots and (b) establishing the list of primary schools whose parents form the electorate in feeder school grammar school ballots. [59244]
Mr. Miliband: The information requested is set out in the table:
| Petition year | (a) Establishing number of parents forming electorate in area grammar school ballots(1) | (b) Establishing the list of primary schools whose parents form the electorate in feeder school grammar school ballots(1) |
|---|---|---|
| 1999–2000 | 171,396 | 13 |
| 2000–2001 | 82,982 | 11 |
| 2001–2002(2) | 389,516 | 14 |
(1) To nearest pound
(2) To date
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DEFENCE
1901 Census
Mr. Edward Davey: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if the information memorandum sent to potential bidders for QinetiQ refers to QinetiQ's contract with the Public Record Office for the 1901 Census website; and if he will make a statement. [57797]
Dr. Moonie: I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave him on 23 May 2002, Official Report, column 475W.
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