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English Language
Mr. Coleman: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what proportion of children speak English as an additional language in each (a) Government office region and (b) local education authority. [68903]
Mr. Miliband: The information requested is shown in the table.
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(20) The number of pupils for whom English is an additional language expressed as a percentage of the number of pupils of compulsory school age.
(21) Less than 5 pupils
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School IT Equipment
Mrs. Calton: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what steps are being taken to ensure that teachers who take home school/LEA IT equipment for their work do not have to insure such equipment with their own private home and contents policies. [68204]
Mr. Miliband: The Government have no plans to legislate on the insurance of IT equipment owned by schools or LEAs. In cases where there is an understanding that a teacher uses such equipment at home for professional purposes, we would not expect him or her to have to cover loss or accidental damage to the equipment while at home or travelling to and from work.
Disabled School Governors
Harry Cohen: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what proposals she has to improve opportunities for disabled school governors to fulfil their role; and if she will make a statement. [67679]
Mr. Miliband: Steps the Department has already taken to assist disabled governors include offering the Guide to the Law for School Governors in Braille and making the governors' induction training package available through distance learning.
School Governing Bodies can, under the Education (Governors' Allowances) Regulations 1999, create schemes to meet expenses from the school budget. These
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schemes may include the cost of transport for disabled governors to and from meetings. In revised guidance to be issued following the Education Bill, we shall encourage all governing bodies to make schemes and to ensure that disabled governors can claim all expenses they incur.
The Disability Discrimination (Amendment) Bill's provision for reasonable adjustments to premises to allow access for disabled people, should help for physically disabled governors.
EU Committees (Scottish Representation)
Angus Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills when the EU Advisory Committee on the training of chemists is next due to meet; whether representatives of the Scottish Executive (a) have been and (b) are members of it; and if she will make a statement. [66453]
Mr. Hutton: I have been asked to reply.
The Advisory Committees on midwifery, medical, dental, nursing and pharmaceutical training were set up to advise the European Commission and member states on matters relating to the training of workers whose professions come under sectoral directives guaranteeing free movement and automatic recognition of qualifications.
Each Advisory Committee has three members from each member state—one each from the practising profession, the education establishments and the competent authorities concerned. Three alternates are appointed on the same basis. Some of the United Kingdom's members and alternates of the Advisory Committees are Scottish, but the membership is there to represent the interests of all four UK countries.
The Advisory Committees have not met during the last 12 months, and are not likely to do so again.
ADVOCATE-GENERAL
Staff Training
Mr. Bercow: To ask the Advocate-General how much the Department has spent on staff training and development in each of the last five years. [61063]
The Advocate-General: I refer the hon. Member to the answer given today by my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Scotland.
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