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Teacher Qualifications

Mr. Wiggin: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills (1) if he will make a statement on the relative value of the (a) English and (b) Welsh Qualified Teacher Status qualifications; [150599]

(2) what assessment he has made of obstacles to prospective teachers who live on the Welsh borders qualifying as teachers; [150600]

(3) whether a teacher who completes their initial teacher training course in England may undertake the practical experience element in a Welsh school. [150603]

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Mr. Miliband: The funding, content and standards required of courses of initial teacher training provided by Welsh institutions are matters for the National Assembly for Wales. Courses funded by the Department for Education and Skills through the Teacher Training Agency and which lead to the award of Qualified Teacher Status by the General Teaching Council for England are governed by the Education (School Teachers' Qualifications) (England) Regulations 2003. These require that any periods of practical experience undertaken as part of a course of initial teacher training in England must take place wholly or mainly at schools in England, but do not preclude some periods of teaching experience taking place elsewhere. The same regulations provide for the automatic recognition in England of teaching qualifications awarded by the General Teaching Council for Wales.

Teenage Parents

Mr. George Osborne: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what estimate he has made of the proportion of teenage parents who were in local authority care in each of the last five years. [147334]

Margaret Hodge: The information requested is not currently available at national level. Officials within DfES are currently identifying ways in which this data can be collected. At the meeting of the Technical Working Group on Personal Social Services Statistics, held on 23 October 2003, it was agreed that the question "Was the young person a parent at 31 March (if female)" would be included in the SSDA903 return for 2004–05. In addition, the Technical Working Group agreed that other questions for future returns and detailed guidance be referred to an ad hoc Working Group for further consideration. The newly established Working Group will assess the feasibility of obtaining information about births among young people in and leaving care and identify methods for collecting this information, taking account of legal and confidentiality considerations.

Tribunal Judgments

Mr. Boswell: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what mechanism exists for monitoring and enforcement of local authority compliance with Special Education Needs and Disability Tribunal judgments; and if he will make a statement. [146979]

Margaret Hodge: There are no formal mechanisms to monitor or enforce the Special Educational Needs and Disability Tribunal's decisions on special educational needs appeals or disability claims. By law, local education authorities (LEAs) must carry out the Tribunal's decision. If a parent believes that an LEA has failed to comply with the Tribunal's decision within the given timescale they can write to complain to the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, who will consider what action to take.

Universities (Children in Care)

Mr. George Osborne: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what proportion of children in care went to university in each of the last five years; and how many completed their course in each year. [147331]

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Margaret Hodge: The Department for Education and Skills collects data from local authorities about accommodation and activity of children and young people in their nineteenth year, who were recently looked after by local authorities. This data collection was introduced for the first time in 2002–03. The collection specifically records the number of young people who were in education, training or employment at age 19 and of those, the number involved in higher education. It does not identify which are at university or those in other age groups.

In 2002–03, of the 4,900 young people in the cohort, 2,400 were in education, training or employment on their nineteenth birthday. Of these, 280 were in higher education (6 per cent. of children). This figure includes those studying for degrees, diplomas in higher education, teaching and nursing qualifications. Data is not available on how many completed their courses.

University for Industry

Mr. Willis: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills whether University for Industry-funded learning targets were achieved in (a) 2001–02 and (b) 2002–03. [149992]

Alan Johnson: In 2001–02, my Department set Ufi/learndirect 12 targets. Of these nine can be classified as "learning targets"—the others referred to the information and advice service/learning materials. Ufi achieved eight out of these targets. In 2002–03, Ufi/learndirect met four out of seven "learning targets".

Website Publications

Mr. Lazarowicz: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what criteria his Department uses when deciding whether a leaflet which it publishes is to be made available only on its website. [149556]

Mr. Charles Clarke: The Department does not publish leaflets on websites only. We do make printed material available on our websites but it is not departmental policy to publish leaflets online only.

Working Skills

Mr. Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what steps he is taking to increase the proportion of the working age population in the West Midlands reaching degree level qualifications. [149832]

Alan Johnson: These are a range of initiatives from which the region will benefit.

Foundation Degrees are a positive step in expanding opportunities for people to enter higher education. The combination of academic study and work-based learning with this flexible approach means that they appeal to a wide variety of people including those already in work. The Higher Education Funding Council for England has invited the region to bid for 1,000 additional student places in 2004/05.

For mature learners we are providing an important pathway to higher education through Access to HE Courses. The West Midlands is served by one of the larger Access providers—the Open College Network for the West Midlands.

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The Aimhigher Programme in conjunction with the Higher Education Funding Council for England and the Learning and Skills Council is very active in the region in improving links between its schools, FE colleges and HEIs, with part of its remit to encourage more young people to take up degrees.

We are also funding five 14–19 pathfinders in the West Midlands to test local delivery of 14–19 education and training with the aim, amongst other things, of equipping young people to enter further or higher education.

Excellence in Cities is raising aspirations and attainment in Schools. A part of their remit is to encourage pupils to consider higher education. From 2005 Excellence in Cities will be involved in all secondary schools across the City of Coventry.

DEPUTY PRIME MINISTER

Cambridge Private Planning Application

Mr. Wyatt: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister whether he will allow the Cambridge private planning application to proceed. [150787]

Keith Hill: My right hon. Friend, the Deputy Prime Minister issued his decision to grant planning permission for the application by Cambridge University to build a Bl(b) research centre on 20 November 2003. My right hon. Friend, the Deputy Prime Minister has no further jurisdiction with regard to this matter and cannot therefore make any further comment. The implementation of this permission is now a matter for Cambridge University. However, the decision is the subject of a legal challenge.

Council Tax

Mr. Rosindell: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what guidance he has issued to local authorities on the minimum council tax level appropriate for a band D home. [150123]

Mr. Raynsford: The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister has issued no guidance on the minimum level of council tax.

Mr. Rosindell: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what the (a) average, (b) maximum and (c) minimum council tax is for a band D home. [150378]

Mr. Raynsford: The average area council tax for a Band D property occupied by two adults in England in 2003–04 is £1,102. The maximum is £1,294 and the minimum is £570.

In practice, lower figures than those quoted above are payable where discounts have been granted, and zero council tax is payable for Band D properties that are exempt.

Erith Marshes

John Austin: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what assessment he has made of the environmental consequences of building on the Erith Marshes; what assessment he has made of whether such development conflicts with the (a) local council's biodiversity plan and (b) recommendations of the biodiversity team of the

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Mayor of London; what assessment he has made of the increased flood risk in adjacent areas if the development proceeds; and if he will make a statement. [150904]

Keith Hill: These are matters for consideration by the local planning authority as part of the planning process. Where a project is receiving funding through the Thames Gateway programme a flood risk assessment is required, and applicants must consult with the Environment Agency where there is a potential risk of flooding.

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