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20 May 2004 : Column 1149W—continued
Apprenticeships
Mr. Simmonds: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what estimate his Department has made of the number of 14 to 16-year-olds that will register for young apprenticeships in each of the next three years. [173748]
Mr. Ivan Lewis: We estimate that 1,000 pupils will participate in the Young Apprenticeship programme from September 2004. It is our intention to rapidly accelerate the number of places in year two.
Mr. Simmonds: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what steps his Department will take to ensure the (a) young apprenticeship, (b) apprenticeship and (c) advanced apprenticeship schemes are successful in recruiting and retaining trainees. [173749]
Mr. Ivan Lewis:
For young apprenticeships, the strategy is to set high quality standards, offer attractive learning opportunities alongside the statutory curriculum and ensure that recruits have good means of support for the duration of the programme. First, we have set demanding entry criteria for both the candidates and the partnerships that want to participate in the programme. Second, recruits will have every incentive to complete the programme as they will gain worthwhile skills, experience and qualifications as well as more training opportunities. Third, the programme will provide generous funding as well as comprehensive advice and support from partners such as the Sector Skills Councils. Finally, we believe the programme will meet an unmet need and will therefore prove itself popular among the recruits.
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For apprenticeships post 16 accurate initial assessment by the Learning and Skills Council working with the Connexions Service will ensure that young employees are placed on the programme most appropriate to their training need. In addition the LSC published its 'Quality Improvement Strategy to 2006' in February 2004. This sets out how the LSC will set out to improve training provider performance including the setting minimum performance levels. Where these are not met the LSC will withdraw contracts from providers. We are looking to SSCs to work with the LSC to raise levels of employer engagement in apprenticeship programmes.
Mr. Simmonds: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what financial incentives will be available to (a) apprentices and (b) employers providing (i) young apprenticeships, (ii) apprenticeships and (iii) advanced apprenticeships; what the cost to the public purse will be of incentives to (A) apprentices and (B) employers in the next three years; and whether those costs will be met from his Department's existing budgets. [174037]
Mr. Ivan Lewis: As we announced on 10 May 2004, financial incentives for apprentices and employers are being reviewed as part of a range of reforms to ensure apprenticeships are fit for purpose and meet employers' needs. Decisions are subject to subject to post-Spending Review allocations and announcements will be made when appropriate.
Attitude Surveys
Norman Lamb: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what surveys of public perceptions of (a) his Department, (b) schools and other education institutions and (c) teaching unions have taken place over the last 12 months; what the (i) title and (ii) nature of these surveys was; what the findings of each survey were; where these findings have been published; what the cost of all such surveys was; and if he will place copies of the surveys in the Library. [174339]
Mr. Stephen Twigg [holding answer 18 May 2004]: In the past 12 months my Department has contributed to the British Social Attitudes Survey and commissioned a survey of public perceptions of education.
The British Social Attitudes Survey is an annual independent survey on a range of issues which is managed by the National Centre for Social Research. The Department contributes to a module of questions around education and skills issues. The Department's contribution to the survey in 2003 cost £62,700. Findings are published by the National Centre for Social Research in hardcopy and on their website and results for 2003 are due to be published in November 2004.
The Public Perception of Education Survey is an annual survey commissioned by the Department that asks the public's view of the education service nationally. It was last carried out in November 2003 and cost £51,140. The findings will be published on the Department's internet site in June 2004 and a copy will be placed in the Library.
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Timber
Ms Walley: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills whether his Department plans to contribute financially to the establishment of the second phase of the Central Point of Expertise on Timber. [167627]
Mr. Stephen Twigg: I refer my hon. Friend to the answer given by my hon. Friend the Minister for the Environment and Agri-environment on 10 May 2004, Official Report, column 31W. The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs are the lead Department for the central point of expertise on timber procurement and will be consulting with my Department to determine objectives and resources required.
Class Sizes
John Mann: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how average class sizes have varied in the last 20 years in England. [171314]
Mr. Miliband: A table showing how class sizes have changed over the last 20 years has been placed in the House of Commons Library. This shows an overall rise in the size of primary school classes between 1984, when the average class contained 25 pupils, to a peak in 1998 of 27.8. Primary class sizes have fallen steadily from 1999 to 2004, with the average class now containing 26.3 pupils.
The average secondary class contained 20.9 pupils in 1984, peaking in 2000 at 22.2, and falling to 21.8 in 2004.
Mr. Ben Chapman: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many children in Wirral, South were taught in classes of more than 30 pupils on the latest date for which figures are available. [173627]
Mr. Miliband [holding answer 14 May 2004]: Tables giving the requested class size information for all parliamentary constituencies have been placed in the House of Commons Library. Final figures for 2003 and the latest provisional figures for 2004 have been provided. Further details on the 2004 provisional figures on class sizes by local education authority can be found on http://www.dfes.gov.uk/rsgateway/DB/SFR/s000457/index.shtml.
Dentistry
Mr. Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many undergraduate dentists started university degrees in each year since 2001, broken down by university. [157357]
Alan Johnson: The available information is given in the table.
(8) Provisional until November 2004 when a finalised figure will be declared.
Source:
Higher Education Funding Council for England.
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Figures do not include intakes to Scottish, Welsh or Northern Irish Dental schools, which are the responsibility of the devolved administrations, although students from these institutions will be eligible to work in England.
Ms Dari Taylor: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many children in Stockton South were taught in classes of more than 30 on the latest date for which figures are available. [171478]
Mr. Miliband: Tables giving the requested class size information for all parliamentary constituencies have been placed in the House of Commons Library. Final figures for 2003 and the latest provisional figures for 2004 have been provided. Further details on the 2004 provisional figures on class sizes by local education authority can be found on http://www.dfes.gov.uk/rsgateway/DB/SFR/s000457/index.shtml
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