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24 Oct 2002 : Column 462W—continued
Individual Learning Accounts
Mr. Boswell: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills when she will bring forward proposals for a replacement scheme for individual learning accounts. [76546]
Mr. Ivan Lewis: In June 2003 following the completion of our review of funding of adult learning and as an integral part of our groundbreaking national Skills Strategy and delivery plan.
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In view of this decision we have agreed with Capita that our joint work with them on the development of a successor scheme is now complete. We are grateful for the partnership approach that Capita have adopted to the wind down of the ILA scheme and the development of a successor scheme.
English as an Additional Language
Mr. Watts: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what her Department's estimate is of the number of children who have English as an additional language in schools. [74958]
Mr. Miliband: In January 2002 there were 350,483 or 10.0 per cent. of pupils in maintained primary schools in England whose mother tongue is known or believed to be other than English. The corresponding figure in maintained secondary schools is 282,235 or 8.6 per cent.
The collection of data on pupils' ''mother tongue'' through the Annual Schools Census in January 2002 replaced the earlier collection of data on English as an Additional Language.
Mr. Gerrard: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what recent research she has commissioned on how children with English as an additional language learn English most quickly; and what the findings were of the research. [76144]
Mr. Twigg [holding answer 21 October 2002]: There is already a great deal of research evidence from the UK and elsewhere about effective strategies for teaching English as an additional language (EAL). The general consensus among practitioners in England is that EAL teaching is most effective where it is firmly embedded across all National Curriculum subject areas. This ensures that pupils have the opportunity to learn English in a meaningful subject-specific context. My Department's role is to ensure that the particular needs of bilingual learners are properly taken into account in all policies and programmes aimed at raising standards. Recent examples include the development and dissemination of EAL modules as part of the National Literacy and Numeracy strategies and Key Stage 3.
Home Education
Mr. Waterson: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many children of school age are being educated at home in (a) England, (b) East Sussex and (e) Eastbourne. [75151]
Mr. Miliband: The available figures record for each Local Education Authority the number of pupils not in school and being otherwise educated. This includes, but does not separately identify pupils taught at home, traveller children, asylum seekers at Further Education colleges or with voluntary providers. The figures show that in January 2002, 263 pupils were not in school but were being educated otherwise in East Sussex Local Education Authority. The corresponding figure for England is 18,969.
Teachers (London Allowances)
Bob Spink: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills if she will make it her policy to give London weighting to teachers' salaries in Castle Point. [75469]
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Mr. Miliband: My right hon. Friend has asked the School Teachers' Review Body (STRB) to consider the pay of London teachers, but has not specifically asked it to review the qualifying areas for the three London allowances. All schools, including those outside the existing London Allowances area, already have discretion to pay recruitment and retention allowances worth up to #5,262 per annum to target their particular recruitment and retention issues. She has also asked the STRB to consider what scope there would be over the longer term for introducing some form of local pay, which will better reflect local differences in costs and rest more responsibility for pay in the hands of Headteachers. She awaits the STRB's recommendations with interest.
Community Empowerment Network
Chris Grayling: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what discussions her Department has had with the Community Empowerment Network. [75631]
Mr Ivan Lewis: The Department for Education and Skills has had no direct discussions with the Community Empowerment Network.
Public Service Agreements
Mr. Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what assessment she has made of the value of target setting to the work of her Department. [76492]
Mr Miliband: Investment of public money in the services required to achieve our objectives is linked to measurable performance against targets, which are set out in Public Service Agreements. These are established alongside spending plans in the Government's Spending Reviews. Performance is monitored and reported to Parliament.
We have recently reviewed our targets in the context of the 2002 Spending Review.
LEA Spending
Mr. Watts: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills if she will list the amounts that education authorities have spent above or below their education SSAs in the current year. [76276]
Mr. Miliband: The following table contains the information requested:
Sources:
Data 2002–03 S52 Budget statements as returned by LEAs to the DfES.
Data reflects position as at 11 October.
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