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Schools (Physical Exercise)

Harry Cohen: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what steps he is taking to (a) increase the percentage of pupils spending at least two hours a week on physical exercise and school sport and (b) increase the time children spend on exercise; and if he will make a statement. [171447]

Mr. Stephen Twigg: The Government are investing more than £1 billion in England to transform PE, school sport and club links. The funding will help deliver an ambitious Public Service Agreement target, shared with the Department for Culture, Media and Sport, to increase the percentage of 5–16 year olds who spend a
 
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minimum of two hours each week on high quality PE and school sport within and beyond the curriculum to 75 per cent. by 2006.

Spearheading action is the creation of a network of 400 specialist sports colleges and School Sport Partnerships. There are six other interlinked programmes within the strategy which are designed to help schools and their partners ensure pupils take up their PE and sports entitlement:

1. Professional Development

2. School/Club Links

3. Step Into Sport

4. Gifted and Talented

5. Swimming

6. The QCA PE and School Sport Investigation

Learning through PE and Sport provides a comprehensive guide to the strategy and a copy has been placed in the House Library.

Special Educational Needs

Mr. Simmonds: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what assessment his Department has made of the effectiveness of special educational needs co-ordinators. [171367]

Margaret Hodge: Special educational needs co-ordinators (SENCOs) play a vital role, in conjunction with head teachers and governing bodies, in co-ordinating schools' work on identifying, assessing and meeting the needs of children with special educational needs.

The Office for Standards in Education considers the effectiveness of schools in meeting the needs of all learners and this takes account of the contribution made by SENCOs. Ofsted is currently carrying out a thematic study of the implementation of the inclusion framework introduced through the Special Educational Needs and Disability Act 2001 and the Special Educational Needs Code of Practice 2001. The code of practice introduced changes to the school based elements of SEN provision, including measures designed to help reduce paper work for SENCOs.

Mrs. Brooke: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what steps he is taking to ensure that teachers have appropriate training to identify and to respond to the special needs of children in school settings. [172342]

Margaret Hodge: New standards for Qualified Teacher Status (QTS) came into effect in September 2002 and new induction standards came into force a year later. Both place a greater emphasis on special educational needs (SEN). The Department's guidance on induction also reflects the duties of head teachers and schools under the Disability Discrimination Act 1995.

In order to be awarded QTS, trainee teachers must demonstrate that they understand their responsibilities under the statutory SEN Code of Practice, know how to seek advice from specialists on less common types of SEN, can differentiate their teaching to meet the needs of pupils, including those with SEN, and can identify and support pupils who experience behavioural, emotional and social difficulties.
 
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The standards for the Induction Support Programme for those awarded QTS require that newly qualified teachers can demonstrate that they can plan effectively to meet the needs of pupils in their classes with SEN, with or without a statement, and, in consultation with the SEN co-ordinator, contribute to the preparation and implementation of individual education plans or the equivalent.

Once qualified, teachers are expected to identify their developmental needs through performance management arrangements, and to address identified needs, including improving their teaching skills in the area of SEN, by undertaking appropriate professional development.

Our recently published SEN Strategy, "Removing Barriers to Achievement", recognises the importance of training. We are committed to working closely with the Teacher Training Agency, higher education institutions and other interested parties to ensure that effective arrangements are in place.

Teenage Pregnancy

Mr. Hopkins: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what measures are being taken to reduce levels of teenage pregnancy in the UK. [172574]

Mr. Stephen Twigg [holding answer 13 May 2004]: The Government have set a target to reduce under 18 conceptions by 50 per cent. by 2010. To achieve this, each local authority has developed a local 10 year strategy, with reduction targets of between 40 and 60 per cent. Based on the best available international research, local strategies adopt a multifaceted approach, which includes a range of measures: to help young people resist peer pressure to have early sex; to improve the quality of sex and relationship education and access to effective contraceptive services; and to involve parents and the wider community. Research published in February 2003 by the Health Development Agency further endorses this approach.

Mr. Hopkins: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills if he will make a statement on the effect of the Teenage Pregnancy Strategy on the number of teenage pregnancies in the UK. [172576]

Mr. Stephen Twigg [holding answer 13 May 2004]: Provisional data for 2002 published on 26 February by the Office for National Statistics, shows that the conception rate among under 18-year-olds in England has fallen by 9.4 per cent. since 1998 (baseline year for Teenage Pregnancy Strategy).

Under-five Testing

Mr. Simmonds: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills if he will make a statement on the Government's policy on testing for under fives. [172629]

Margaret Hodge: We do not test under fives. We do ask for a written summary of a child's progress and learning needs at the end of the Foundation Stage, based on teacher observation. Assessment is an integral part of teaching and learning. The Foundation Stage Profile
 
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summary ensures that every child is assessed on a consistent basis. The information helps teachers and parents to support each child's development and progress; at local and national level it ensures that support is targeted appropriately to improve classroom practice.

TRANSPORT

Civil Contingencies

Patrick Mercer: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what measures are in place to cope with the immediate (a) physical and (b) economic effects of a floating bomb. [170059]

Mr. Jamieson: The Government regulates a comprehensive maritime security regime under the Aviation and Maritime Security Act 1990. From 1 July 2004 this will be augmented by the introduction of the International Maritime Organisation's "International Ship and Port Facility Security (ISPS) Code". We have in addition measures that would enable us to respond proportionately to a range of scenarios.

The response to mitigate the economic effects would depend on the size and location of a particular incident.

Early Retirement

Bob Spink: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many staff in his Department took early retirement, and at what total cost, in the last financial year. [171867]

Mr. McNulty: In the financial year 2003–04, 11 officials of the Department for Transport took early retirement, i.e. before they reached the age of 60, at a cost of £1.45 million.

Electric Cars

Mr. Sheerman: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what action his Department is taking to promote the use of electric cars. [173824]

Mr. Jamieson: The Department promotes the use of electric cars in a number of ways. The PowerShift programme provides grants towards the purchase of electric vehicles and the New Vehicle Technology Fund is currently supporting the demonstration of several electric vehicles. The Government also provides fiscal incentives. Electric vehicles are subject to zero vehicle excise duty, an enhanced capital allowance rate of 100 per cent. in the first year and lower personal benefit in kind tax liability. PowerShift approved electric vehicles are also exempt from the London Congestion Charge.

Mr. Sheerman: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many electric cars have been in use in each of the last 10 years. [173905]

Mr. Jamieson: The following number of electric cars were licensed at the end of each of the last 10 years.
 
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	Number
1994	93
1995	74
1996	94
1997	116
1998	151
1999	195
2000	221
2001	272
2002	326
2003	372

Source:
DVLA vehicle database.

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