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18 Nov 2003 : Column 774W—continued
Average Pay
Mrs. Iris Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what the average weekly gross pay in Northern Ireland for individuals was at the latest date for which figures are available. [137809]
Mr. Pearson: Average gross weekly earnings of all full-time adult employees in Northern Ireland was £404.50 at April 2003.
Monitoring Commission
David Burnside: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland whether the International Monitoring Commission has the authority to investigate the allegations of activities by the Provisional IRA and members of Sinn Fein in (a) Colombia and (b) Florida; and what sanctions it has power to recommend. [132895]
Mr. Paul Murphy: The Independent Monitoring Commission will decide what matters are relevant to the exercise of its functions, which are set out in the draft International Agreement published on 4 September. However, the Agreement makes clear that the focus of the Commission will be on continuing activity by paramilitary groups.
In line with Article 7 of the draft International Agreement, the Commission's reports shall recommend any remedial action considered necessary. The Commission may also recommend what measures, if any, it considers might appropriately be taken by the Northern Ireland Assembly. Such measures are limited to those which the Northern Ireland Assembly has power to take under relevant United Kingdom legislation.
Planning Applications
Mr. Beggs: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many applications to the Planning Service are awaiting consideration; and what the average waiting time for the consideration of these applications has been. [138941]
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Angela Smith: There are currently 13,832 applications awaiting consideration in the system. The average waiting time for consideration of these applications is 28 weeks.
Skills Shortages
Mr. Beggs: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what steps are being taken to address skills shortages in Northern Ireland, with particular reference to the elementary occupations; and if he will make a statement. [132793]
Jane Kennedy: The Northern Ireland Skills Task Force was established in 1999 to advise Government on skills issues. The Task Force has published skills monitoring reports, the most recent in September 2003, and has conducted research on future skills needs in priority skills areas including engineering, construction and tourism.
The Department seeks to address the identified skill needs through its various programmes including the Jobskills Training programme and Further and Higher Education provision. Jobskills, including Modern Apprenticeships, together with a wider range of vocational education and training which addresses local and NI-wide skills needs, is provided through a network of further education colleges and private sector training providers.
The Department has highlighted six priority skill areas for the further education sector and provides additional funding for these areas (computing, construction and the built environment, electronic engineering, manufacturing engineering, hospitality and catering, and software engineering). The development of Centres of Excellence in colleges in the six priority skill areas ensures that the provision is of industry standard. There are currently 13 Centres of Excellence in eight colleges.The Department also works closely with 13 Sector Training Councils in NI covering the major industrial sectors. In addition, the Department plays a full role in the new Skills for Business Network, a UK-wide system including Sector Skills Councils (SSCs). These SSCs aim to address all of the skill needs of their sectors and to involve employers more fully in these issues.
With regard to elementary occupations, the Department seeks to fill such vacancies through its network of jobs and benefits offices and through use of the New Deal Programme where appropriate.
The Department has also launched the Essential Skills for Living Strategy and Action Plan, which aims to support 25,000 adults to improve their literacy and numeracy skills by the year 2005. This will enable them to improve their overall quality of life, their personal development and employment opportunities. In the first year of the strategy, 6,500 learners have participated in a range of courses offered by the colleges, employers and community and voluntary providers.
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EDUCATION AND SKILLS
Adult Learning
Sandra Gidley: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what steps the Government are taking to encourage people over 60 to take part in adult learning. [138163]
Mr. Ivan Lewis: The White Paper '21st Century Skills: Realising Our Potential', published in July this year, reiterates the Government's commitment to ensuring that adults of all ages have the opportunities to develop the skills they need for employment and personal fulfilment. The White Paper highlights the benefits of learning for older people and sets out our intention to safeguard a wide range of learning opportunities for pensioners, including leisure-based learning which is accessed by many older people.
Older people will also benefit from the new entitlement, announced in the White Paper, to free learning for all those studying for their first full Level 2 qualification [5 GCSEs or a similar vocational qualification] as a skills foundation for employability.
Brampton Abbotts School
Mr. Keetch: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills if he will make a statement on the funding of Brampton Abbotts Church of England primary school in Herefordshire. [139055]
Mr. Miliband: Funding of individual maintained schools is the responsibility of the local education authority, which in the case of Brampton Abbotts CE Primary School is Herefordshire council.
Bullying
Dr. Kumar: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what services are available to (a) students and (b) teachers to deal with bullying in schools. [137538]
Mr. Ivan Lewis: Students receive support from their school's pastoral support system. In addition ChildLine's CHIPS programme, which is part-funded by my Department, enables students at participating schools to talk to a trained peer supporter, buddy or mediator. Students at other schools can ring ChildLine's confidential helpline (0800 1111).
Teachers can get support from senior managers in their schools, LEA advisory services (including the specialist Key Stage 3 Behaviour and Attendance advisers), the DfES anti-bullying pack "Bullying: don't Suffer in Silence" and the anti-bullying sections of our Key Stage 3 package of behaviour audit and training materials.
Mr. Woodward: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills (1) what the Government's estimate is of the proportion of children that were bullied in schools in (a) the United Kingdom, (b) the North West region and (c) Merseyside in each of the last three years; [137977]
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- (2) what plans he has to reduce the number of children that are bullied in schools in England; and what additional resources the Government have made available in this financial year to schools to tackle bullying. [138010]
Mr. Ivan Lewis: Data on bullying is not collected centrally and there is no reliable basis for an estimate of prevalence. However, any level of bullying is too high so we are determined to help schools tackle it.
Our guidance pack for schools 'Bullying: Don't Suffer in Silence' and anti-bullying website (www.dfes.gov.uk/bullying) offer advice and examples of good practice in preventing bullying.
I recently launched a new public information film aimed at children and young people. "Tell Someone" encourages pupils experiencing bullying to tell someone who can help rather than suffer in silence.
Later this month I will be launching an anti-bullying Charter which I hope as many schools as possible will sign and use. The Charter is being drawn up in consultation with the professional associations and voluntary sector partners. It will be accompanied by a summary of effective practice to help schools review and enhance their anti-bullying policies.
The Charter will be launched at the first of a series of regional conferences. These conferences will involve schools, local education authorities and voluntary organisations. As well as raising awareness, they will celebrate and share good practice in tackling bullying.
We are investing nearly £470 million over the next three years in measures to tackle the full range of behaviour and attendance problems faced by schools and pupils. This programme promotes whole-school approaches and reflects local as well as national priorities so spending on bullying cannot be disaggregated. However, in 2003–04 we have separately provided ChildLine in Partnership with Schools (CHIPS) with £240,000 for anti-bullying work involving peer support and just over £190,000 to Parentline Plus for their helpline for parents which takes enquiries about bullying.
Childhood Obesity
Mr. Pike: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what recent discussions he has had with (a) the Department of Health, (b) the Department for Culture, Media and Sport and (c) educational representatives on the role of education in tackling obesity among children; and if he will make a statement. [139448]
Mr. Miliband: The Department works closely with the Department of Health (DH), the Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) and others on a range of initiatives which educate children about the benefits of healthy eating, healthy food choices, and physical activity. One example is the National Healthy Schools programme that promotes healthy eating and healthy lifestyles, which is jointly sponsored by DfES and DH. A second example is the national PE, School Sport and Club Links strategy designed to ensure that 75 per cent. of five to 16-year-olds in England spend at least two hours each week on high quality PE and school sport, which is supported by DfES and DCMS.
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Last week the Secretary of State for Education and Skills announced that he will be working with the Secretary of State for Health and others to develop a joint "Healthy Schools: Healthy Living Action Plan", which will make healthy living an integral part of school life.
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