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UK Arms Industry

Mr. Gibb: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what his estimate is of the total Government subsidy of the UK arms industry in the last year for which figures are available. [81779]

Dr. Moonie: As set out in our recent defence industrial policy, our aim is to ensure that our industry is competitive in both the home and overseas markets. This is best achieved through exposure to fair and open competition and it is not our policy to use subsidies, although some limited support, such as the Export Credit Guarantee scheme, is available to the defence industry.

Unmanned Aerial Vehicles

Mr. Gerald Howarth: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when British forces will be able to deploy weaponised unmanned aerial vehicles; and if he will make a statement. [82213]

Dr. Moonie: We currently have no plans to deploy weaponised unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs). However, we are conscious of the need to exploit the significant potential offered by UAVs. The Joint UAV Experimentation Programme (JUEP) announced earlier this year as part of SDR New Chapter will therefore look at the operational utility of UAVs in a wide range of areas including the potential for weaponisation.

Water Containers

Mr. Flook: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what plans he has to provide servicemen with personal back-carried water containers when deployed to warm weather theatres. [82615]

Dr. Moonie: Personal Hydration Sets are being procured for personnel deployed on operations in hotter climates.

West Freugh Airfield

Mr. Peter Duncan: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what plans he has to restore access to West Freugh airfield for storage of private aeroplanes. [82591]

Dr. Moonie: There are no plans to do so. Following the cessation of full time air operations at West Freugh, the site operator, QinetiQ, decided that use of the airfield by private aircraft should be discontinued. This was on the grounds that it would have been uneconomic

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for QinetiQ to provide the resources required to meet the attendant health, safety and other responsibilities, given the infrequent use of the site by private aircraft.

EDUCATION AND SKILLS

Corporate Parents

Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what definition he uses of the term corporate parents. [83277]

Jacqui Smith [holding answer 25 November 2002]: I have been asked to reply.

Corporate parenting refers to the parenting role that councils and therefore councillors take on when they look after a child or young person. Corporate parenting represents the amalgam of functions vested in councils with social services responsibilities by the relevant sections of Part IV of the Children Act 1989. The role does not apply only to the social services department but to the council as a whole on a corporate basis.

The then Secretary of State for Health, my right hon. Friend the Member for Holborn and St. Pancras (Frank Dobson), used the term when he wrote to all councillors at the launch of the Quality Protects programme in 1998. He said:

XFor children looked after, your council has a legal and moral duty to try to provide the kind of support that any good parents would give to their children. ... the underlying message for you as a local councillor is straightforward: you should do your utmost to make sure that children in the public care get a good start in life. You need to be able to live up to the Government's expectations of local authorities as corporate parents."

Drugs Education

John Mann: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what training teachers providing drugs education in secondary schools are required to undertake. [82933]

Mr. Stephen Twigg: : Funding is available to all local education authorities through the standards fund (£15.5 million in 2002–03) for drug education. Part of the funding, £1.3 million in 2002–03 was set aside to extend the drug, alcohol and tobacco education training package, which aims to support teachers in planning, delivering and monitoring effective drug education by learning from and with other teachers, through teacher observations and collaborative enquiry supported by teaching networks.

As drug education features within the National Curriculum Science Order, all initial teacher training courses for those preparing to teach science should address the appropriate aspects of drug, alcohol and tobacco education relating to each key stage. Through initial training newly qualified teachers acquire: an understanding of PSHE and Citizenship, through which drug education is usually delivered; working knowledge of their pastoral responsibilities as teachers; and a readiness to promote the well-being of pupils.

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Education (Mining Communities)

Mr. Watts: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills if he will introduce measures to help children from mining communities who underachieve. [82427]

Mr. Ivan Lewis: In January 2001, we jointly commissioned research with the Coalfield Communities Campaign that looked into patterns of educational achievement in the coalfields. Evidence showed that coalfield areas are benefiting from the literacy and numeracy strategies at primary level, but attainment declines by Key Stage 3 level (11–14 years olds) and is well below the national average by GCSE stage. The research also showed, however, that there is no particular 'coalfield effect' and that similar problems occurred in other comparable areas that had experienced industrial economic decline. The full research report is available on the Department's internet site (DfES research report 314) and in the House of Commons Library.

We have several strategies already helping to raise educational attainment in deprived areas, although we recognise there is still work to be done.

Coalfield areas are also benefiting from more localised targeted support which provides additional resources for schools serving disadvantaged areas. This includes Excellence in Cities, Excellence Clusters and Education Action Zones We are working with coalfield organisations to clarify issues characteristic to coalfield areas and to agree a joint agenda for action.

Engineering Trainees

Richard Burden: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many companies employ (a) apprentices and (b) other recognised trainees within the engineering industry; what action he is taking about changes in the number of companies employing apprentices and other recognised trainees within the engineering industry; what action he is taking to encourage engineering companies to take on apprentices and other recognised trainees; and what incentives are available to young students who wish to start a career in engineering. [82044]

Mr. Ivan Lewis: The Government are firmly committed to its Modern Apprenticeship (MA) programme across all sectors. We value the contribution the engineering sector makes to providing high quality training and acknowledge the key role of EMTA in developing the new Sector Skills Council. Although we do not hold the information requested, the Learning and Skills Council (LSC) is currently working to obtain a picture of employers participating in apprenticeships as part of improved management information arrangements recommended by the MA Advisory Committee.

Responses to the LSC's recent national marketing campaign show that engineering MAs continue to be one of the most popular options for young people. In terms of numbers of young people pursuing them, the engineering manufacturing sector has the largest number of Advanced MAs in learning. A new campaign aimed at employers began last month. Engineering is also in the highest MA funding band. Engineering

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employers are represented on the LSC group which advises on funding rates and 2002–03 funding increased for Engineering MAs aged 16 to 18.

Grants

Mr. McLoughlin: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills if he will list the grants funded by his Department for which individual members of the public and organisations may apply; and if he will make a statement as to (a) the total of such funding in the last financial year, (b) the total number of awards and (c) their administrative costs. [82192]

Mr. Charles Clarke: This Department works with over a 1,000 voluntary and private organisations to which grants are made directly. Organisations and individuals can apply to and receive grants via our NDPBs and other agencies, for which we hold no central records. We do not hold information centrally on all the organisations and individuals who apply for grants or the amounts paid. Therefore this question could be answered only at disproportionate cost.

Non-governmental Organisations

Mr. Damian Green: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills if he will list non-governmental organisations receiving (a) up to £5,000 and (b) over £5,000 in grants from his Department; to which NGOs he plans to award grants in 2002–03; and if he will make a statement. [82958]

Mr. Charles Clarke: This Department works with over a 1,000 voluntary and private organisations to which grants are made directly. Many more organisations receive grants via our NDPBs and other agencies, for which we hold no central records. Therefore this question could be answered only at disproportionate cost.

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