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6 Oct 2003 : Column 1134W—continued
Free School Meals
Helen Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills (1) what the face value is of the free school meal voucher or equivalent provided by each local education authority in England; [129737]
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- (2) what steps he is taking to ensure that the value of a free school meal voucher or equivalent provided by local education authorities enables pupils using cafeteria systems to purchase a two-course lunch and a drink which conform to the nutritional standards laid down by his Department. [129738]
Mr. Stephen Twigg [holding answer 15 September 2003]: It is the responsibility of the local education authority or, where a budgetary element for school meals has been delegated to them, a school's governing body to decide the monetary value of a free school meal. The Department for Education and Skills, does not collect data on the value of the free school meal voucher.
'Healthy School Lunches' guidance, produced by this Department, includes the Secretary of State's strong recommendation that the value of a free meal should be set to enable eligible pupils to have a standard two course lunch and a drink.
Helen Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills (1) what guidance he has issued to schools on introducing systems which do not make pupils receiving free meals readily identifiable; [129739]
- (2) if he will provide incentives for schools to increase the take-up of free school meals; and if he will make a statement. [129740]
Mr. Stephen Twigg [holding answer 15 September 2003]: The Department for Education and Skills (DfES) funded research, commissioned to the Child Poverty Action Group, into the reasons children fail to take up their free school meal entitlement. The findings were published in a research report (RR270) entitled 'Improving the Take-Up of Free School Meals' in May 2001. The study identified a number of good practice strategies that could be adopted to encourage more parents and pupils to take up their entitlement. It also suggested that every effort should be made to ensure that pupils receiving free school meals are not easily identifiable. For example, this could be achieved if schools that operate a cafeteria system introduce cashless systems such as swipe cards.
The report is published on the DfES Research and Statistics Gateway website www.dfes.gov.uk/rsgateway/ Alternatively, copies of the report can be obtained from DfES Publications by telephoning: 0845 6022260 quoting reference RR270.
The Department of Education and Skills has no plans at present to provide incentives for schools to increase the take-up of free school meals.
Helen Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what the average time taken by each local education authority between a parent registering for free school meals and the provision of free meals to their children was in the last year for which figures are available. [129741]
Mr. Stephen Twigg [holding answer 15 September 2003]: The Department for Education and Skills does not collect this information.
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Free Tuition
Mr. Boswell: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how he will define the qualifying breadth of a qualification at Level 2 to which an entitlement to free tuition will be attached. [131367]
Alan Johnson: Adult learners will be eligible for free tuition to reach their first full level 2 qualification. The White Paper "21st Century Skills; Realising Our Potential" (Cmnd 5810) stated that a full level 2 would be interpreted as covering "any qualification equivalent in standard and breadth to 5 GCSEs at A*-C or a National Vocational Qualification at level 2". We are working with the Learning and Skills Council and the Qualifications and Curriculum Authority to identify in detail which qualifications meet this definition.
Further Education
Mr. Best: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many students there were in further education in Leeds, North-West in each year since 1997. [127295]
Mr. Ivan Lewis: The numbers of people resident in Leeds, North-West constituency who were students at Further Education colleges in each year since 1997/98 are shown in the table. Due to the way the data is collected, figures prior to 2000/01 are only available for students funded by the Learning and Skills Council (LSC), or as it was then, the Further Education Funding Council (FEFC). Learners not funded by the council are included for 2000–01 and 2001–02.
| Academic year | Council funded | Non-council funded |
|---|---|---|
| 1997–98 | 5.4 | N/a |
| 1998–99 | 5.4 | N/a |
| 1999–2000 | 5.3 | N/a |
| 2000–01 | 4.9 | 1.0 |
| 2001–02 | 5.4 | 1.1 |
Source:
Individualised Student Record
Gifted Children
Mr. Wray: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what measures are in place to ensure that gifted children that are (a) moved up educational years at school and (b) placed in a different school retain contact with their peer group. [127957]
Mr. Miliband: It is rare for a gifted pupil to be accelerated to an older year group for all subjects, and rarer still to be placed in a different school. Such decisions are taken locally. Schools and local education authorities should take account of all relevant factors, particularly the academic and social needs of the student concerned.
Internet Access
Dr. Murrison: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what assessment he has made of the internet access available to the economically disadvantaged. [130195]
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Mr. Charles Clarke: We assess internet access through quarterly surveys produced by the Office for National Statistics. Access is tracked by income, age, gender and region. Latest figures from the Office for National Statistics (published in July) show that levels of internet access in the UK continue to grow. 54 per cent. of the adult population are now regular users of the internet.
However the figures also show that take-up among economically disadvantaged groups is lower. 12 per cent. of households in the lowest income group have internet access compared to 86 per cent. in the highest income group.
In May and June, to help drive up levels of internet among those less likely to be online the Office of the e-Envoy, supported by the Department for Education and Skills ran the Get Started campaign. The campaign promoted the benefits of the internet to key groups such as the unemployed, lone parents, those with disabilities and the elderly. People were encouraged to visit UK online centres throughout the country that offered free internet starter sessions. Evaluation of the campaign, particularly its impact on economically disadvantaged groups, will be completed shortly.
Key Stage Attainment
Mr. Chaytor: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what proportion of children who attained (a) level 4 in mathematics Key Stage 2 assessment in 1998 achieved level 5 or above in mathematics Key Stage 3 assessment in 2001; and what proportion who attained level 5 in mathematics Key Stage 2 assessment in 1998 achieved level 6 or above in mathematics Key Stage 3 assessment in 2001. [131291]
Mr. Miliband: The information requested is as follows:
Of those pupils who achieved level 4 or above in the 1998 Key Stage 2 Maths tests, the proportion who went on to achieve level 5 or above in the 2001 Key Stage 3 Maths tests was 92.6 per cent.
Of those pupils who achieved level 5 or above in the 1998 Key Stage 2 Maths tests, the proportion who went on to achieve level 6 or above in the 2001 Key Stage 3 Maths tests was 96.5 per cent.
Mr. Chaytor: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what proportion of children who attained level 4 in English Key Stage 2 assessment in 1998 achieved level 5 or above in English Key Stage 3 assessment in 2001; and what proportion who attained level 5 in English Key Stage 2 assessment in 1998 achieved level 6 or above in English Key Stage 3 assessment in 2001. [131288]
Mr. Miliband: The information requested is as follows:
Of those pupils who achieved level 4 or above in the 1998 Key Stage 2 English tests, the proportion who went on to achieve level 5 or above in the 2001 Key Stage 3 English tests was 85.4 per cent.
Of those pupils who achieved level 5 or above in the 1998 Key Stage 2 English tests, the proportion who went on to achieve level 6 or above in the 2001 Key Stage 3 English tests was 81.6 per cent.
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Learning and Skills Councils
Mr. Boswell: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what proportion of funds available to the Learning and Skills Council was devolved to the discretion of local LSCs in (a) 2001–02, (b) 2002–03 and (c) 2003–04; and what proportion is projected for 2004–05. [131013]
Alan Johnson: This is a matter for the Learning and Skills Council. John Harwood, the Council's Chief Executive, will write to the hon. Gentleman with the information requested and place a copy in the Library.
Mr. Pike: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what changes he is making in financial provision for learning and skills councils for the next three financial years; what assessment he made of the effect of these changes; and if he will make a statement. [131299]
Alan Johnson: The budgets allocated to the Learning and Skills Council for the next three financial years were set out in the Grant Letter to the LSC on 5 December 2002. A copy of this was placed at the time in the Library. The budget figures in the letter are £8,095 million in 2003–04, rising to £8,618 million in 2004–05 and £9,200 million in 2005–06. These figures represent record levels of investment in the learning and skills sector and will substantially improve standards and increase the number of people engaged in learning.
Decisions relating to the allocation of budgets by the LSC National Office to local LSCs are a matter for the LSC. Mark Haysom, the Council's Chief Executive from 1 October 2003 will write to the hon. Gentleman with this information and a copy of his reply will be placed in the Library.
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