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Mathematics Teaching

14. Mr. Gibb: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills when he will respond to the proposals made in the report by Professor Smith on post-14 mathematics teaching. [169218]

Mr. Charles Clarke: As I have said before, I very much welcome Professor Smith's report. It provides a sound framework for determining the way ahead.

I have already accepted the broad thrust of his recommendations. I am able to report that work is in hand to advertise the appointment of a chief adviser of mathematics and Anita Straker, of the Centre of British Teachers, has been appointed on an interim basis. I   affirm that I am still committed to the idea of a National Centre for Excellence in Mathematics Teaching that is separate from the science centre.

I am discussing implementation of the report in detail with Professor Smith and others and will announce my decisions on individual elements in due course.

Children of Military Personnel (Schools Funding)

15. Bob Russell: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills when he will announce additional funding for schools with a large proportion of children of military personnel under the terms of the turbulence factor. [169219]

Mr. Stephen Twigg: Local education authorities have discretion to make extra funding available to schools with high pupil turnover as a result of armed forces redeployments, and some do so, including Essex. We are aware that schools with a high proportion of service family children among their pupils have a range of concerns about funding and other issues; and a series of regional meetings is taking place in May with a new national body including representative head teachers of such schools, as well as Government officials. We shall be considering the results in due course, with a view to meeting the needs of these schools.

School Selection (Hertfordshire)

16. Claire Ward: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what representations he has received regarding the independent adjudicator's decision on school selection in Hertfordshire. [169220]

 
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Mr. Miliband: We have received representations from a small number of parents, either complaining that they disagree with the decision, or that it has taken too long for this issue to be resolved. However, adjudicators are independent of the Secretary of State and their decisions can only be challenged through the courts.

Disruptive Pupils

17. Mr. Blizzard: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what support he will give to schools to enable them to deal with disruptive pupils. [169221]

Margaret Hodge: We are the first Government to adopt a comprehensive strategy to improve behaviour in schools. We are providing all secondary schools with high-quality training materials and expert consultancy, developing similar materials for primary schools and focusing intensive support such as multi-agency teams on schools facing the greatest challenges. This is in addition to the learning support units and learning mentors already provided through our Excellence in Cities programme.

Schools (Drinks Dispensers)

18. Mr. Simon Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what proportion of (a) primary and (b) secondary schools have (i) soft drinks machines and (ii) free water dispensers for pupils. [169222]

Mr. Stephen Twigg: The information requested is not collected centrally but the Education (School Premises) Regulations 1999 require schools to have a wholesome supply of drinking water.

Centres of Vocational Excellence

19. Ross Cranston: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what assessment he has made of the impact of Centres of Vocational Excellence upon standards in further education colleges. [169223]

Alan Johnson: Centres of Vocational Excellence are already making a significant contribution to our drive to    raise standards in further education colleges, particularly in engaging employers and responding to their needs. 82 per cent. of employers rate CoVE training as excellent or good.

We expect the contribution of CoVEs to improving standards to increase significantly when we reach our target of 400 and each centre is fully developed. And we are already two-thirds of the way to achieving this target.

Adult Education

Mr. Kilfoyle: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how much has been spent in Liverpool on (a) adult literacy and (b) adult numeracy in each year between 1997 and 2003. [166956]

Mr. Ivan Lewis: The estimated total spend on "Skills For Life" (the Government's strategy for literacy, language and numeracy needs of all post-16 learners from pre-entry level up to and including level 2) and on Key Skills (essential skills of communication, application of number and information technology),
 
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from April 2001 to July 2003, in the Greater Manchester Learning and Skills Council (LSC) area is set out in the table.
£000

	Basic skills	Key skills
April 2001 to July 2001(31)	8,925	2,598
August 2001 to July 2002	15,369	3,586
August 2002 to July 2003	27,258	4,210

⁽³¹⁾ The figures for April to July 2001 include costs incurred from August 2000 on learning aims continuing into April 2001.

From the information available to the LSC it has not been feasible to obtain estimates at constituency level or    separate figures by subject without incurring disproportionate cost. Likewise it has not been feasible to obtain comparable figures for periods before April 2001 when the Skills for Life strategy was launched and the LSC was formed, but information shows it was considerably less than at present.

Broadband

Malcolm Bruce: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many and what percentage of schools have access to broadband-enabled internet, broken down by those in (a) urban, (b) rural and (c) deprived areas. [168668]

Mr. Charles Clarke: By the end of March 2004, 60 per cent. of schools had access to broadband connectivity and we are on track to connect all schools by 2006. My Department does not hold information on the percentage of schools in deprived areas with access to broadband, or regularly collect such information for rural schools. The most recent position for which data on rural schools is available is August 2003, at which point 42 per cent. of all schools and 33 per cent. of rural schools were connected to broadband.

Capital Modernisation Fund (Wigan)

Mr. Neil Turner: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how much money was allocated to Wigan from the Capital Modernisation Fund. [169292]

Mr. Charles Clarke: The Department for Education and Skills does not hold this information centrally. Capital Modernisation Fund is allocated by projects and not by area.

Careers Advisers

Mr. Simmonds: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many careers advisers there were in each year since 1997. [167990]

Margaret Hodge: My Department does not collect data on the number of careers advisers or the specialist qualifications held by Connexions Personal Advisers. Although Connexions Partnerships report the numbers of Personal Advisers in post, they are not yet required to provide data on those with a careers guidance specialism. This information will be available in the annual survey of all Connexions staff due to take place at the beginning of May.
 
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Child Care (Preston)

Mr. Hendrick: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills (1) how many child care places have been created in Preston since 1997; [168114]

(2) how many children in Preston have gained from the National Childcare Strategy. [168131]

Margaret Hodge: The Department is unable to provide details of child care places for Preston. However, from April 1999 to December 2003 Lancashire local authority created 20,860 new child care places helping some 36,821 children. This shows an increase in the stock of child care places, taking into account turnover, of 9,046 helping some 16,274 children.

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