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6 Nov 2002 : Column 413W—continued
Golden Hello
Mr. Willis: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many teachers in each local education authority were entitled to a golden hello in 2001–02. [79467]
Mr. Miliband: The information is not available in the form requested. The table shows provisional data on the number of claims for reimbursement of Golden Hello payments received by my Department in respect of the 2001–02 financial year. The payments comprise a mixture of ''old-style'', #2,500 Golden Hellos paid on appointment to a relevant post and ''new-style'', #4,000 Golden Hellos paid on successful completion of induction. The number of newly-qualified teachers who were eligible to receive an ''old-style'' payment in 2001–02, but exercised their right to claim a ''new-style'' Golden Hello later is not known.
Note:
1. LEAs not listed have submitted no claims for reimbursement in 2001–02.
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Newly Qualified Teachers
Mr. Willis: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many newly qualified teachers in each local education authority were entitled to induction support in 2001–02. [79468]
Mr. Miliband: All Newly Qualified Teachers (NQTs) who take up a post of one term or more in a maintained school, or non-maintained special school, are entitled to induction. This includes a 10 per cent. reduced timetable, ongoing support and guidance, and an individually tailored induction programme. NQTs can also undertake induction in independent schools and sixth-form colleges, although there is no statutory obligation to do so in such institutions.
The information on the number of NQTs undertaking induction in each LEA is now held by the General Teaching Council for England (GTCE). The information for the academic year 2001–2002 will be available in the next few days and I will write to the hon. Member as soon as I have it.
Teachers (Warning Notices)
Mr. Cousins: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills on how many occasions in each local education authority section 15 of the School Standards and Framework Act 1998 has been invoked for (a) warning notices and (b) subsequent formal interventions. [79562]
Mr. Miliband: The Department does not routinely collect information on the number of formal warnings issued under section 15 of the School Standards and Framework Act 1998, nor on the number of these that lead to the subsequent use of the intervention powers by local authorities.
Any decisions to issue such warnings and to use such powers are for local education authorities. Statutory guidance on the use of formal warning notices was given in Annex 2 of the Code of Practice on Local Education Authority-School Relations in February 2001. A copy of this guidance is in the Library.
Swimming Lessons
Patsy Calton: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills (1) what steps are being taken to ensure that schools provide sufficient curriculum time for school swimming in order to meet National Curriculum targets; [79276]
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- (2) when she will provide further details of the increased training of PE teachers in swimming and water safety announced on 17 October; [79277]
(3) how many children fail to meet National Curriculum standards in swimming at age 11; what criteria will be used to select the areas for remedial swimming pilots as announced on 17 October; and what funding will be made available for this; [79278]
(4) what figures she collates on how many schools ask for parental contributions for curriculum swimming lessons. [79182]
Mr. Miliband: We are developing a package of measures to deliver our commitment to enhance the take up of sporting opportunities by 5 to 16-year-olds by increasing the percentage of school children who spend a minimum of 2 hours each week during term time on high-quality PE and school sport. Our Swimming Strategy was announced on 17 October. Part of that Strategy, the Swimming Charter which will be published in 2003, will provide non-statutory guidance to schools on how much time to allocate for swimming specifically as part of this commitment to enhance sporting opportunities for children. Other details of the strategy, including the criteria to be used to select the areas for remedial swimming pilots, funding to be made available and details of increased training for PE teachers in swimming and water safety, are being developed. The Department does not collect data on how many schools ask for parental contributions for curriculum swimming lessons. Some 20 per cent. of children aged 11 years old fail to meet National Curriculum standards in swimming (Swimming In Key Stage 2: An Inspection Report on Standards and Provision; OFSTED, 2000).
Higher Education
Mr. Damian Green: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skill what definition of higher education is used in the context of his Department's target of increasing participation in higher education towards an entry rate of 50 per cent. of 18 to 30-year-olds by 2010. [78381]
Margaret Hodge [holding answer 31 October 2002]: Progress towards the target is measured by the number of first time entrants to higher education aged 18–30, as a proportion of the relevant population. The target covers all courses of one year or more above A level and its equivalents that lead to a recognised higher education qualification.
Mr. Damian Green: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what projections he has made of the proportion of 18 to 30-year-olds who will experience higher education courses in each year until 2010. [78382]
Margaret Hodge [holding answer 31 October 2002]: A wide range of alternative scenarios, based on different assumptions about the future impact of current policies on demand for higher education are being considered. At this stage we are confident that there will be sufficient growth in demand from young people with the appropriate entry qualifications for higher education to enable us to reach the 50 per cent. target. Provisional figures suggesting a 2 per cent. increase in the number of
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home domiciled UCAS accepted applications this autumn to UK higher education institutions, shows we are continuing to make progress.
Alan Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills (1) what evidence the Government collated on the impact of introducing top-up fees for students on access to higher education, with special reference to foreign examples; [78693]
- (2) how she plans to consult students on the review of higher education. [78694]
Margaret Hodge: We will publish a strategy document in January setting out our vision for the development and reform of higher education, including the outcome of the student support review. As part of the review we are considering a wide range of evidence but we clearly cannot pre-empt the strategy document at this stage. Information on how interested parties can respond to the document will be made available when it is published.
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