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3 Nov 2003 : Column 457W—continued
Funding (Primary Schools)
Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills if he will make a statement on the funding arrangements for primary school non-contact time. [135469]
Mr. Miliband [holding answer 30 October 2003]: Many primary teachers already receive non-contact time as part of their regular timetable. As a result of the National Agreement on raising standards and tackling workload, all teachers will be entitled to 10 per cent. guaranteed time for planning, preparation and assessment (PPA) from 1 September 2005.
The costs of implementing this contractual change in primary schools will vary. Many schools have already done so; others will need to take a rigorous look at how they use their existing resources. The more radical approach a school takes in pursuing workforce reform, the lower the cost is likely to be. Schools that abandon unnecessary tasks; reform their use of support staff; maximise the contribution of ICT and reduce reliance on expensive supply teachers will be able to deliver guaranteed PPA time from their base budgets.
The announcement, on 29 October, of a package of measures to deliver greater stability in school budgets for 2004–05 and 2005–06 will also help primary schools plan for the introduction of guaranteed PPA time.
Further and Higher Education
Mr. Alan Campbell: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many people resident in Tynemouth constituency are (a) further and (b) higher education students. [130387]
Alan Johnson: Figures are not available at constituency level. The available figures cover North Tyneside LEA.
In 2001/02,16,445 people resident in North Tyneside LEA attended Further Education (FE) sector colleges.
In 2002/03, 856 people resident in North Tyneside LEA were accepted through the Universities and, Colleges Admissions Service (UCAS) onto full-time undergraduate courses.
Mrs. Gillan: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many people in (a) Chesham and Amersham and (b) Buckinghamshire are (i) further and (ii) higher education students. [129891]
Alan Johnson: Figures are not available at constituency level. The available figures cover Buckinghamshire LEA.
In 2001/02, 19,396 people resident in Buckinghamshire LEA attended further education (FE) sector colleges.
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In 2002/03, 3,316 people resident in Buckinghamshire were accepted through the Universities and Colleges Admissions Service (UCAS) onto full-time undergraduate courses.
Mr. Alan Campbell: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many people beginning higher education courses in 2002 had previously attended a fee-paying school. [130382]
Alan Johnson: The available information is from the Universities and Colleges Admissions Service (UCAS) and covers full-time undergraduate entrants. Figures are in the table.
| Previous educational establishment | Numbers | Percentageof known |
|---|---|---|
| Maintained school | 121,911 | 46 |
| Independent school | 30,293 | 11 |
| Further education colleges | 110,083 | 42 |
| Other | 1,480 | 1 |
| Total known | 263,767 | 100 |
| Unknown | 67,958 | ? |
| Total | 331,725 | ? |
Source:
UCAS
Learning Support Units
Mr. Damian Green: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills (1) how much funding each learning support unit has attracted for each year since 1997, broken down by local education authority; [133681]
- (2) what funding has been provided to each learning support unit in each year since 1997, broken down by local education authority; [133682]
(3) how many learning support units in England (a) opened and (b) closed in each year since 1997, broken down by local education authority. [133683]
Mr. Ivan Lewis: I refer the hon. Member to the reply given on 30 April 2003, Official Report, column 411W.
Literacy/Numeracy Strategies
Mr. Willis: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills if he will list the contractual penalties incurred by contractors responsible for the delivery of primary (a) literacy and (b) numeracy strategies for failure to meet targets set by the strategies in the last three years. [131342]
Mr. Stephen Twigg: The responsibility for the achievement of the primary literacy and numeracy national targets lies solely with the Department for Education and Skills. The contractor responsible for the delivery of the primary literacy and numeracy strategies, CfBT Education Services, provides educational and operational support under the strategic direction of the Department.
Medical Examinations (Schools)
Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills at what age medical examinations are normally carried out on school pupils. [134795]
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Dr. Ladyman: I have been asked to reply.
The provision of medical examinations for pupils at school is a matter for local primary care trusts to consider in accordance with professional advice.
Parliamentary Questions
Mr. Love: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills when he will reply to the questions of the hon. Member for Edmonton, Refs (a) 120769, (b) 120770, (c) 120771, (d) 120772 and (e) 120773, tabled on 19 June. [125007]
Mr. Stephen Twigg: Replies were issued on:
- (a) 23 September
(b) 7 July
(c) 14 July
(d) 14 July
(e) 30 September
Phonics Teaching Methods
Mr. Gibb: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills if he will make an assessment of the need for further clarification of the National Literacy Strategy's Framework for Teaching guidance on phonics instruction. [135022]
Mr. Miliband: As outlined in the Department's response in August to Professor Greg Brooks' report of the phonics seminar held in March 2003, we agree that some clarification of the National Literacy Strategy's Framework for teaching is required and the Primary Strategy is developing further guidance, including a supplement to the "Progression in Phonics" material. This supplement will be made available to teachers towards the end of the spring term 2004.
Pupil Safety
Mr. Kidney: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what measures he proposes to take to ensure that (a) local education authorities and (b) individual schools (i) take steps to assess the safety of pupils on journeys between home and school and (ii) take action where appropriate to improve their safety. [135476]
Mr. Charles Clarke: In September 2003, my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Transport and I launched an Action Plan to encourage more children to walk, cycle and take the bus to school where it is safe for them to do so. We are encouraging all schools to put in place School Travel Plans, which will be developed jointly by schools, parents, local authorities and others. Safety will be an important consideration, and my Department is providing capital funding which can be used for safety related changes to school premises. Outside school premises, local authority highways departments are responsible for road safety and are an integral part of the school travel planning process.
Local education authorities arrange home to school transport where they consider it is necessary for pupils to get to school. In deciding on appropriate provision, they must consider several matters including pupils' ages and the nature of their routes to school. In "Travelling to School: an Action Plan", we set out
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proposals to encourage local authorities to trial innovative school transport arrangements, and we identified pupils travelling along routes that their parents consider unsafe as a group who could benefit from exemplar schemes.
School Funding (Suffolk)
Mr. Spring: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills pursuant to his answer of 7 July 2003, Official Report, column 632W, on school funding (Suffolk), what representations he has received from Suffolk county council about the funding of schools in Suffolk. [135794]
Mr. Miliband: My right hon. Friend has received a number of representations from the local authority and schools in Suffolk about the funding of schools. He made a statement to the House on 29 October 2003 about support for schools in 2004–05 and 2005–06.
Skills
Mr. Gardiner: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what assessment his Department has made of the effect on the UK skills base of those on low incomes choosing not to seek new employment because of concerns over short term cash flow problems. [129862]
Mr. Ivan Lewis: This Department has not made an assessment of the effect on the skills base if those on low incomes choose not to seek new employment. The recent Skills Strategy White Paper sets out a number of measures aimed at ensuring individuals have the skills they need to be employable, and work productively in a flexible labour market. In addition, the 'Department for Work and Pensions is committed to making work pay for all those who are able to work, and to supporting households, including low-income households, in sustaining employment.
The Department for Work and Pensions believe that most people moving from one job to another will be able to manage until they receive payment from their new job, as wages are paid in arrears. For those in receipt of working tax credit, continuity of payment is maintained when people move from one job to another, as long as the gap between jobs is no more than seven days. The new working tax credit has been extended to people aged 25 and over without children. If people receive the child tax credit, this continues to be paid direct to the main carer throughout any changes in employment. People in low paid employment may also be entitled to housing benefit and council tax benefit.
People who are unable to manage while waiting for payment of wages, leading to a serious risk to their own health or safety or that of their family, may be able to get an interest free Crisis Loan. Repayment of a Crisis Loan does not start until the period of crisis is over and the rate of repayment takes account of a person's income and other commitments to avoid hardship.
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