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School Year

Mr. Tyrie: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills whether he was consulted prior to the Government's announcement of support for proposals to change the school year; what assessment he has made of the overall impact on the economy of these proposals; and what assessment he has made of the impact on specific sectors of the economy, with particular reference to (a) tourism and (b) transport. [159874]

Mr. Miliband: Proposals for a standard six-term school year have been developed by an independent commission on the school year which was established by the Local Government Association. The Commission included representation from the tourism industry. My right hon. Friend sees merit in the argument in favour of standardising the length of school terms. Decisions on school term dates and holidays however continue to be the responsibility of individual local education authorities or school governing bodies, depending on the category of school.

Specialist Schools

Mr. Chaytor: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many (a) specialist schools and (b) non-specialist schools are designated under section 100 of the School Standards and Framework Act 1998; and how many and what percentage of pupils they have selected in each of the last six years. [155621]

Mr. Miliband: Schools' admission arrangements are determined locally without central consultation or approval. The DfES therefore cannot provide figures on

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the number of schools which fall into this category (i.e. whose selective admission arrangements pre-dated the 1998 Act).

The evidence suggests that just under 6 per cent. of the 685 schools that had specialist status in September 2001 used aptitude as part of their admission arrangements. The following table shows the latest collated information relating to partial selection by specialist schools. Most of these schools were selecting by aptitude

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prior to the 1998 Act, with some selecting more than 10 per cent. of their pupils. The next time specialist schools will be asked to provide aptitude selection data will be this autumn.

The admissions framework for specialist schools is the same as for all other maintained schools. Applicants must be considered against the school's published admission arrangements, including, where applicable, selection.

Specialist schools selecting by aptitude as at September 2001

Specialism	School	LEA	Start	Percentage(1)
Technology	Archbishop Blanch School	Liverpool	1996	5.6
Technology	Archbishop Temple School	Lancashire	1995	10.0
Language	Bohunt School	Hampshire	1996	10.0
Arts	Brentwood Ursuline Convent School	Essex	1999	10.0
Technology	Budmouth Technology College	Dorset	1995	10.0
Technology	Central School (The)	Lincolnshire	2001	10.0
Technology	Chaucer Technology School	Kent	1996	67.0
Arts	Chestnut Grove School	Wandsworth	1997	16.0
Technology	Cornwallis School	Kent	1994	10.0
Technology	Deacon's School	Peterborough, city	1994	15.0
Technology	Denbigh School	Milton Keynes	1997	10.0
Arts	Eastwood School (The)	Southend on Sea	2001	10.0
Technology	George Spencer GM School	Nottinghamshire	1994	10.0
Technology	Glyn Technology School	Surrey	1994	15.0
Technology	Heathside School	Surrey	1995	4.0
Language	Hendon School	Barnet, LB of	1995	10.0
Language	Hockerill Anglo European School	Hertfordshire	1998	10.0
Arts	Intake High School	Leeds	1998	10.0
Arts	Latimer Community Arts College	Northamptonshire	1997	10.0
Technology	Lodge Park School	Northamptonshire	1994	10.0
Technology	Lynn Grove VA High School	Norfolk	1994	15.0
Technology	Mill Hill County High School	Barnet, LB of	1994	10.0
Technology	Monks' Dyke Technology College	Lincolnshire	1995	10.0
Technology	Moseley Park School	Wolverhampton	1995	10.0
Technology	Ninestiles School	Birmingham	1997	10.0
Arts	North Kesteven School	Lincolnshire	2000	10.0
Sports	Oakbank School	Bradford	1997	10.0
Sports	Oldfield School	Bath and NE Somerset	1997	10.0
Technology	Philip Morant School	Essex	1994	10.0
Technology	Princes Risborough School	Buckinghamshire	2001	3.2
Language	Robert Pattinson School	Lincolnshire	2001	2.0
Technology	Sandwich Technology School	Kent	1996	10.0
Technology	Small Heath School	Birmingham	1994	10.0
Technology	St. Margaret's C of E High School	Liverpool	1997	15.0
Technology	St. Martin's School	Essex	1995	10.0
Arts	St. Marylebone School (The)	Westminster	1998	10.0
Sports	Southfields Community College	Wandsworth, LB of	2000	10.0
Arts	Stantonbury Campus North	Milton Keynes	1998	5.0
Sports	Whitefield School	Barnet, LB of	1999	10.0
Sports	Wye Valley School (The)	Buckinghamshire	1998	10.0

⁽¹⁾ Of the 685 specialist schools operational as at September 2001, the above 40 (that is, just under 6 per cent.) selected a percentage of their pupils on aptitude/ability in the chosen specialist subject.

Notes:

The percentages refer to aptitude selection relating to the schools' specialist school designations, some schools may also select for aptitude in other specialisms.

This information was taken from progress reports submitted by 685 specialist schools operational as at September 2001.

Working Group on 14 to 19 Reform

Mr. Andrew Turner: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what the (a) budget and (b) estimated cost to date is of the Working Group on 14 to 19 reform. [159638]

Mr. Miliband: The information requested is as follows:

(a) Budget: £724,000 in 2003–04, including £224,000 for running costs;

(b) Estimated cost to date: £518,000 as at 31 January, including £198,000 on running costs.

Mr. Andrew Turner: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills who has (a) been approached by and (b) responded to consultation by the Working Group on 14 to 19 Reform. [159639]

Mr. Miliband: Following the publication of its Progress Report in July 2003, the Working Group on 14–19 Reform consulted a wide variety of organisations and individuals, including schools, colleges, higher education

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institutions, employers and their representative bodies. I understand that, following his appearance at a meeting of the Select Committee on Education and Skills on 3 March, Mike Tomlinson, Chair of the Working Group, will be sending the hon. Member and other Members of the Select Committee details of the 350 organisations and individuals who commented on the Progress Report. I will ensure that this information is also placed in the Library of the House of Commons.

The Working Group is currently inviting comments on the recommendations in its Interim Report, which was published on 17 February. It will therefore be in dialogue with key stakeholders to ensure that the concerns of employers; higher education; young people and their parents are carefully considered. It is also holding a series of regional events to make sure those in the front line of education and training delivery have opportunities to comment. The aim is to ensure direct engagement of all these parties in the development of the recommendations of the final report of the Working Group, due in the autumn.

Mr. Andrew Turner: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what estimate has been made of the cost of implementing the proposals of the Working Group on 14 to 19 Reform. [159640]

Mr. Miliband: The Government welcomes the recent publication of the Interim Report of the Working Group on 14–19 Reform. The Working Group will be submitting its final report in the autumn. That final report will include recommendations for the timetable and the way in which proposals should be implemented; the costs and other resource and practical implications of reform; and the further policy and implementation work needed. The Government will decide on the way forward for the 14–19 phase of learning in the light of the recommendations in the final report, including the cost implications.

CULTURE, MEDIA AND SPORT

Foster Inquiry

Mr. Don Foster: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what the planned date is for the completion of the Foster inquiry into the funding of British athletics; when its report will be published; how soon after the publication of the report the remainder of the legacy money will be allocated to athletics in the UK; and if she will make a statement. [156891]

Mr. Caborn: The Foster inquiry is due to be completed around the middle of April, with the report to be published shortly afterwards. Legacy funds will be released as soon as is practicable based upon the report's recommendations.

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