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18 Sept 2003 : Column 985W—continued
Safer Schools Partnership Initiative
Mr. Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what assessment he has made of the impact of the Safer Schools Partnership Initiative. [130502]
Mr. Miliband: My Department, in partnership with the Home Office and Youth Justice Board, has commissioned an independent evaluation of the first year of the Safer School Partnerships (SSPs) scheme for police officers based in schools. The evaluation report is nearing completion.
"Streets Ahead", the recently published joint inspectorate report on the Street Crime Initiative, included positive examples of SSPs, with case studies of good practice in London and Manchester. Lessons learned from the first SSPs will be reflected in future guidance and training material.
School Budgets (Buckinghamshire)
Mrs. Gillan: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many schools in (a) the Chesham and Amersham constituency and (b) Buckinghamshire have set deficit budgets for the academic year 2003–04. [129887]
Mr. Miliband: Figures for balances are collected at the end of each financial year. The latest complete figures are for March 2002, when 7 schools in the Chesham and Amersham constituency and 39 schools in Buckinghamshire as a whole, were in deficit.
School Standards
Mr. Damian Green: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many (a) Key Stage 2 pupils and (b) Key Stage 3 pupils reached the required standards in both literacy and numeracy in each year since 1997. [127902]
Mr. Miliband: The percentages of pupils achieving the expected level in both English and Maths at (a) Key Stage 2 and (b) Key Stage 3 are shown in the following table for all years available since 1997.
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| (a) Key Stage 2 | (b) Key Stage 3 | |
|---|---|---|
| 1997 | 52 | — |
| 1998 | 51 | — |
| 1999 | 61 | — |
| 2000 | 64 | 55 |
| 2001 | 64 | 56 |
| 2002 | 65 | 57 |
| 2003* | 66 | — |
Mr. Damian Green: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills (1) how many (a) boys, (b) girls and (c) children from ethnic backgrounds have reached the required standards of (i) English and (ii) mathematics at Key stages 1, 2, 3 and 4 in each year since 1997, broken down by local education authority; [127904]
- (2) how many and what percentage of (a) boys and (b) girls from ethnic minority backgrounds have reached the required standards of (i) English and (ii) maths at Key stages 1, 2, 3 and 4 in each year since 1997, broken down by local education authority. [127924]
Mr. Miliband: The information requested has been placed in the Libraries.
Mr. Damian Green: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many (a) boys and (b) girls have reached the required standards of (i) English and (ii) mathematics at Key stages 1, 2, 3 and 4 in each year since 1997, broken down by local education authority. [127922]
Mr. Miliband: The information requested has been placed in the Library.
The tables show, for each local education authority, the number of boys and girls in maintained schools who achieved the expected level in each year from 1997 to 2002.
The figures shown are based on:
- Pupils achieving level 2 or above at Key Stage 1 in reading and in maths.
- Pupils achieving level 4 or above at Key Stage 2 in English and in maths.
- Pupils achieving level 5 or above at Key Stage 3 in English and in maths.
- Pupils achieving good grades (A*-C) at GCSE in English and in maths.
Secondary Schools (Buckinghamshire)
Mr. Goodman: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what criteria will be applied by the adjudicator in relation to catchment areas for secondary schools in Buckinghamshire; and if he will make a statement. [130436]
Mr. Miliband: The Adjudicator is independent. In considering any objections he will look at them in the context of the law and guidance given in the Code of Practice on School Admissions, and take account of what is in the best interest of all pupils and parents in the area.
Student Loans
Mr. Dismore: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what plans he has to assist Moslem students with finance, in the event of the
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student not wishing on religious grounds to take a loan requiring repayment of interest; and if he will make a statement. [129321]
Alan Johnson: The Government are committed to widening access to higher education. We are naturally concerned that some Muslim students from low income families may be missing out on the benefits of higher education because they may not wish to take out a student loan on religious grounds. Student loans are not commercial loans. To make sure that all borrowers pay back the same amount that they borrowed in real terms, the Government uprate the value of what is owed in line with the general rate of inflation.
My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Education and Skills met representatives from the Federation of Student Islamic Societies (FOSIS) on 8 July to discuss their concerns, and senior officials from my Department will hold further discussions with FOSIS representatives in the near future.
Student Transport
Mr. Boswell: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what action he is taking in conjunction with the Learning and Skills Council to co-ordinate the transport requirements of individual students, with particular reference to those with (a) special needs and (b) specialist course requirements. [129984]
Alan Johnson: In 2001–02, we commissioned an extensive study by Steer Davis Cleave into transport support for students of 16–19 and in particular, those with disabilities and learning difficulties. In line with the recommendations from this, my Department has revised legislation, via Schedule 19 of the Education Act 2002, and made an additional £39 million of funding available to local education authorities (LEAs) and their partners for the three years from 2003–06. Now LEAs, Learning and Skills Councils (LSCs) and further education colleges are required to work together to produce, publish and deliver local policies to ensure that there are effective transport services and financial support in order that young people can access and complete their further education. These new transport arrangements are currently the subject of independent evaluation.
This is in addition to the learner support fund, which is £36 million in 2003/04. This is paid to schools and colleges so that they can help students aged 16–19 to meet course related costs, which can include transport. The LSC also provides additional learning support to institutions to help with the extra costs a learner with special needs may require, e.g. for transport between sites and to other off-site activities for learners with mobility difficulties. And the LSC has provided support to education providers through revenue and capital funding to implement the Disability Discrimination Act.
The Government have announced that from September 2004 education maintenance allowances will be available across England. These will pay a means tested allowance of up to £30 per week (plus bonuses) to young people to provide them with an incentive to stay in learning and to help them with the associated costs, including transport.
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Students 19 plus
Learner support funds are the main source of financial support to help students of 19 and over in further education with costs associated with studying, including transport costs. They are allocated via the LSC and used flexibly by colleges to help students facing financial difficulties related to their learning. £96.5 million has been made available for students aged 19 plus for 2003/04.
Each college is able to set its own policy on how it applies the funds and is required to give priority to students with disabilities, learning difficulties and other socially disadvantaged groups.
University of Bournemouth
Mr. Christopher Chope: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills (1) what discussions he has had on the list of invitees to the meeting which he is addressing at the University of Bournemouth in October; [131053]
- (2) if he will attend a meeting with students to discuss top-up fees when he visits the University of Bournemouth in October; [131054]
(3) if he will publish the list of invitees to the meeting which he proposes to address at the University of Bournemouth in October. [131055]
Mr. Charles Clarke: I have been invited to visit Bournemouth university which I intend to do in October. The university is responsible for the programme and arrangements.
FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS
Burma
Vera Baird: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent reports he has received about the circumstances of Aung San Suu Kyi and those members and supporters of the National League for Democracy imprisoned after the attack on 30 May on Aung San Suu Kyi's motorcade. [130638]
Mr. Mike O'Brien: It is unacceptable that Aung San Suu Kyi and other members and supporters of the National League for Democracy (NLD) should ever have been detained by the Burmese regime. As I recently told the Burmese Ambassador to the UK, we hold the Burmese military regime responsible for the wellbeing of Aung San Suu Kyi and we will continue to push for her release and other NLD members and supporters detained since 30 May.
Vera Baird: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what advice the Government has issued to British American Tobacco on the future of its cigarette factory in Burma owned jointly with the Burmese Government. [130630]
Mr. Mike O'Brien: The Government do not encourage UK companies to trade or invest in Burma while the regime continues to suppress the basic human rights of its people. On 2 July I asked British American Tobacco to withdraw their investment from Burma. They are currently considering this request.
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Vera Baird: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs (1) what progress has been made to have Burma placed on the UN Security Council agenda; and if he will table proposals for targeted sanctions against Burma through the UK's position as chair of the UNSC; [130633]
- (2) what proposals the Government plans to make to the UN Security Council regarding the political, economic and humanitarian crisis in Burma. [130639]
Mr. Mike O'Brien: The Government fully supports the efforts of the UN Secretary General's Special Envoy to Burma and the UN Special Rapporteur for Human Rights in Burma to help bring about national reconciliation, respect for human rights and democracy in Burma. This includes raising Burma in the various fora of the UN as and when appropriate.
Vera Baird: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions he has had with the governments of the ASEAN nations on formulating a co-ordinated policy to influence the Burmese Government towards democracy and improved human rights. [130634]
Mr. Mike O'Brien: We take advantage of our regular bilateral and multilateral contacts with all ASEAN nations to discuss Burma related issues, most recently on 23–24 July at the ASEM Foreign Ministers' Meeting. We welcome the joint Asian and EU Foreign Ministers statement on 24 July calling for the release of Aung San Suu Kyi and democracy in Burma which sent a strong message of EU-Asian unity to the regime. We will remain in regular consultation with ASEAN Governments in the build up to the ASEAN Summit on 7–8 October. We believe that the ASEAN nations have an important role to play in encouraging substantive change in Burma.
Vera Baird: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what results have followed his decision in June to write to tour operators to ask them not to organise tourism in Burma. [130636]
Mr. Mike O'Brien: By writing to the Association of British Travel Agents and individual tour operators we have drawn attention to the fact that Aung San Suu Kyi and the National League for Democracy continue not to encourage tourists to visit Burma in the present circumstances. At least one UK tour operator has since said it will remove Burma from its 2004 Brochure and others are considering whether to withdraw.
Vera Baird: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions he has held about the closure of the universities in Burma following 30 May. [130637]
Mr. Mike O'Brien: The UK made numerous representations to the Burmese authorities concerning the closure of universities after 30 May. The universities re-opened on 16 June.
Vera Baird: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what impact the publication of the road map to democracy and the national convention recently published by the Burmese Prime Minister has had on the Government's advice to British businesses on trading with and investing in Burma. [130640]
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Mr. Mike O'Brien: As my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister made clear in this House on 25 June, the British Government do not encourage trade with or investment in Burma, while the regime continues to suppress the basic human rights of its people, We offer no support for companies wishing to trade with Burma or for those who want to invest there. Representatives of British companies or their subsidiaries that inquire about the prospects either for trade with or investment in Burma are informed of this policy. The publication of the Burmese road map to democracy does not change this policy. We would want to see substantive dialogue with democratic groups leading to national reconciliation in Burma before considering any change to Government advice.
Vera Baird: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions he has had with the Government of Burma about the road map to democracy; and if he will make a statement. [130641]
Mr. Mike O'Brien: I have had no discussions with the Burmese regime about its so called road map to democracy. I call on the Burmese authorities to release Aung San Suu Kyi and other members of the National League for Democracy (NLD) immediately and to enter into a substantive and meaningful political dialogue with them.
Vera Baird: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions he has had about the exclusion of the National League for Democracy from the recently announced Burmese national convention. [130642]
Mr. Mike O'Brien: The UK is active within the EU, UN and with our Asian partners to persuade the Burmese military regime to enter into substantive dialogue with democratic and ethnic minority leaders. Any meaningful democratic process in Burma must include the National League for Democracy.
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