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Specialist Speech and Language Support

Mrs. May: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills (1) what assessment has been made of the need for children with severe speech difficulties to have access to specialist speech and language support within mainstream schools; [169942]

(2) what guidelines exist for the minimum level of specialist speech and language teaching support to be provided by each local education authority. [169943]

Margaret Hodge: Speech and language needs and the necessary the collaboration between education and health to meet those needs were considered in a research report published in November 2000, "Provision for children with speech and language needs in England and Wales: facilitating communication between education and heath services" (Department for Education and Employment Research Report RR239). This was published alongside the report of the Working Group on Speech and Language Therapy Services to Children with Special Educational Needs (England).

Local education authorities, maintained schools, early years settings and others have to have regard to the Special Educational Needs Code of Practice published in November 2001. This gives practical advice on carrying out their statutory duties to identify, assess and make suitable provision for children with SEN. The Code includes a section on speech and language therapy support.

No guidance has been issued in relation to the minimum level of specialist speech and language teaching support, since provision should reflect the assessed needs of individual children, some of whom may have severe or complex needs or multiple disabilities. The DfES and Department of Health have however established an Action Forum to improve provision for children with speech, language and communication needs in mainstream schools or other settings. This group brings together key interests with a view to identifying and promoting good practice.

Staff Disciplinary Cases

Mr. Todd: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills whether he has reviewed the handling of serious staff disciplinary cases in colleges following the publication and distribution of the Newby Report, Review of complaints against St. Austell College. [170641]

Mr. Miliband: Further Education institutions are independent corporate bodies and are therefore responsible for their own employment policies. The Government does however expect colleges to have robust and defensible policies and practices in place. In July 1996, at the request of the Secretary of State for
 
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Education and Employment, the Further Education Funding Council (FEFC) commissioned Professor Howard Newby to review the actions of and disciplinary and grievance procedures used by St. Austell College whilst conducting a staff disciplinary case. In his review Professor Newby concluded that serious errors had been made by the College, The FEFC published the review in June 1998 to advise and inform other Further Education institutions in reviewing their procedures.

Student Finance

Mr. Willis: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills if he will estimate for each English university the net benefit from tuition fees if (a) the maximum fee is charged to all students, (b) the maximum fee is charged to 50 per cent. of students and (c) the maximum fee is charged to 25 per cent. of students. [166853]

Alan Johnson [holding answer 21 April 2004]: Information on the additional income from fees in different scenarios is contained in the Regulatory Impact Assessment published on 8 January alongside the HE Bill. Because of the nature of a variable scheme, the additional net income from fees will vary not only according to the number of students an institution recruits, but also depending on decisions the higher education institutions themselves take on the level of fee and the cost of any measures, such as bursaries for students from lower income backgrounds, that they put in place to safeguard access. Figures for extra fee income cannot therefore be estimated precisely. Copies of the Regulatory Impact Assessment were placed in the Library of the House; it is also available on the Department for Education and Skills website.

Sure Start/Early Excellence Centres

Mr. Frank Field: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many (a) Sure Start centres and (b) early excellence centres have been created in Birkenhead. [166302]

Margaret Hodge: There are three Sure Start local programmes in Birkenhead-Birkenhead North, Birkenhead Central and Ferries. Five neighbourhood nurseries are being developed in Birkenhead. Of these, four are open and offering 175 Places. Two of these are linked to the Birkenhead North and Ferries programmes and are operating from temporary accommodation while the main building is completed. The fifth is due to open in the next few weeks. There are no Early Excellence Centres in Birkenhead.

Mr. Benton: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills (1) how many (a) Sure Start centres and (b) Early Excellence centres have been created in Bootle; [169081]

(2) how many new nurseries have been established in Bootle since 1997. [169082]

Margaret Hodge: There are two Sure Start local programmes in Bootle constituency; Litherland Bootle and Orrell and Seaforth and Bootle. Seaforth and Bottle local programme have built a Sure Start centre in Seaforth. Litherland Bootle and Orrell have not yet
 
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created any new buildings. Sefton local authority have submitted their strategic plans for Children Centres and these two Programmes are included in these plans.

No Early Excellence Centres have been created in Bootle.

Sefton local authority are responsible for determining local need for nursery places in Bootle they maintain information on current provision. Under the Neighbourhood Nursery Scheme three nurseries were opened in Bootle constituency providing a total of 110 places. A further two nurseries are to be opened in June providing another 115 places.

Mr. Pike: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills (1) how many (a) Sure Start centres and (b) Early Excellence centres have been created in Burnley; [167919]

(2) how many new nurseries have been established in Burnley since 1997. [167920]

Margaret Hodge: No early excellence centres have been created in Burnley since 1997. There are three Sure Start Local Programmes in Burnley. The first Local programme Burnley (Daneshouse and Stoneyholme) was approved in August 2000 and has spent all of their capital funding of 1,548,000, The other two Local Programmes Duke Bar and Burnley Wood and South West Burnley were approved by the Sure Start Unit with indicative capital funding of 1,000,000 for each of the programme. Duke Bar and Burnley Wood and South West Burnley have not yet submitted their capital plan for this money. This money will support the development of new nurseries places in Burnley.

Lancashire local authority is responsible for determining the local need for nursery in Burnley. They collect information on current provision. Under the Neighbourhood Nurseries scheme 97 new nursery places have been opened in Burnley.

Lancashire county council is currently developing plans to implement Children's Centres in the 20 per cent. most disadvantaged wards, Burnley will be included in these plans.

Mr. Hendrick: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills (1) how many (a) Sure Start Centres and (b) Early Excellence Centres have been created in Preston; [168136]

(2) how many new nurseries have been established in Preston since 1997. [168133]

Margaret Hodge: No Sure Start Centres have yet been completed in Preston. There are five Sure Start local programmes in Preston. Sure Start Ribbleton has commenced work on a Sure Start Centre which is due to be completed in December 2004. Sure Start Preston West is building a Sure Start Centre as an extension to a nursery school which will be completed in August 2004. The other three programmes have yet to submit plans for the use of the majority of their capital funding.

One Early Excellence Centre has been created in Preston, based at Stoneygate Nursery School.
 
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Lancashire county council is responsible for determining local need for nursery places in Preston and maintaining information on current provision. Under the Neighbourhood Nurseries scheme 198 new nursery places have been created in Preston in six nurseries.

Lancashire county council is currently developing plans to implement Children's Centres in the 20 per cent. most disadvantaged wards, Preston will be included in these plans.

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