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Foreign Language Learning

Chris Grayling: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what steps he is taking to encourage students to study a foreign language. [183638]

Mr. Stephen Twigg: In December 2002, the Department for Education and Skills published a National Languages Strategy "Languages for All: Languages for Life—A Strategy for England". It lays out the Government's plans to increase the number of people of all ages with (foreign) language skills. The strategy's key objectives are: to deliver opportunities for all Key Stage 2 pupils to learn a foreign language by the end of the decade; to introduce a new voluntary recognition scheme to provide an alternative qualification for giving learners credit for their language skills; and, to increase the number of people studying languages in further and
 
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higher education and work-based learning. The implementation of the strategy is being steered by a National Director for Languages and supported by a dedicated investment rising to £10 million per year by 2005–06.

By introducing language learning at an earlier age we believe that pupils will be more motivated and enthused at Key Stage 3 and will want to continue to build on their language skills at Key Stage 4 and beyond. By providing alternative language qualification routes we will provide more flexibility to offer learners a wider range of relevant language learning programmes.

Higher Education Bill

Chris Grayling: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what research his Department has undertaken into the attitudes of (a) parents of schoolchildren and (b) schoolchildren towards university education since the publication of the Higher Education Bill. [183639]

Alan Johnson: As part of our regular stakeholder tracking study of parents, schools staff and LEAs, the last wave of which was run in March 2004, we posed questions on attitudes to higher education among parents of schoolchildren.

The recently launched 'Next Steps' study, also known as the Longitudinal Study of Young People in England interviews both school pupils and their parents. Among the topics are questions to both pupils and parents on their views on a number of educational issues, including their expectations for the young people's futures, such as possible participation in HE. The core of Next Steps is a survey of more than 20,000 Year 9 pupils and their parents.

Wave 1 of the study began in early April 2004, is currently in progress and will continue to September 2004. The current target date for making data available from Wave 1 of the study is June 2005.

Higher Education Regulation Review Group

Chris Grayling: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills (1) how the members of the Higher Education Regulation Review Group were chosen; and what the terms of reference of the Group will be; [183631]

(2) what relationship the Higher Education Regulation Review Group will have with the Better Regulation Review Group; [183632]

(3) what targets the Higher Education Regulation Review Group has been set; [183633]

(4) how often the Higher Education Regulation Review Group will meet; [183634]

(5) whether the Department is supporting the Higher Education Regulation Review Group with staff members; [183635]

(6) what the budget is for the Higher Education Regulation Review Group in 2004–05. [183636]

Alan Johnson: The Higher Education Regulation Review Group (HERRG) has been established to help improve the quality of regulation across the Higher
 
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Education sector; and ensure that regulatory demands are effectively assessed by those who impose them. Its creation was recommended by the Better Regulation Review Group (BRRG) which will disband in the autumn. It is chaired by Dame Patricia Hodgson and has 11 other members drawn from senior managers of Higher Education Institutions. These were appointed from those who applied to details circulated to Higher Education Institutions by UniversitiesUK, Standing Conference of Principals and other representative bodies. The HERRG will meet up to six times per year. It is supported by a Secretariat of DfES staff and has a budget of £35,000 per year. Terms of reference are available at Annex 1 of the "Government Response to the BRRG Interim Report" published on 17 June 2004 (http://www.dfes.gov.uk/hegateway/hereform/). The HERRG is meeting for the first time shortly to discuss its future work plan.

Looked-after Children

Harry Cohen: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what assessment he has made of the impact of the policy to place looked-after children in family homes instead of children's homes since the policy was announced; what estimate he has made of the financial implications of the policy; and if he will make a statement. [183146]

Margaret Hodge: One of the Government's objectives for children's social services is to ensure that all children are securely attached to carers capable of providing safe and effective care for the duration of their childhood ¹ . Most children's needs are such that they will develop more positively in family settings rather than in residential care, although for a minority of children residential care will continue to offer the best solution. In most cases caring for children in a family setting will also cost less than residential care.

The Government have a £113 million, three year programme called Choice Protects which is helping local authorities to improve the way they plan and commission all placements and services for looked after children. In order to assess the costs and effectiveness of different services for children in need the Department of Health has funded a research programme which has looked in depth at a number of questions including the consequences of different types of child care provision. Publication of these findings is planned for early 2005.

¹ Modernising Social Services, Department of Health, 1998.

Marriage and Relationship Support Grants

Andrew Selous: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how much the Marriage and Relationship Support Grant Programme provided in grants in each year between 1997 and 2004. [182923]

Margaret Hodge: The grants provided by the Marriage and Relationship Support Programme for the financial years since 1977 are as follows:

1997–98—£3.4 million;

1998–99—£3.0 million;

1999–2000—£3.2 million.

 
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In line with Sir Graham Hart's recommendations in his report to the Lord Chancellor on Marriage Support Funding (published in November 1999), the allocation was increased as follows:

2000–01—£4 million;

2001–02—£4.5 million;

2002–03 and 2003–04—£5 million.

Ministerial Air Travel

Mr. Paul Marsden: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills if he will list for each year since 1997 the number of miles flown by each Minister on official departmental business. [181869]

Mr. Stephen Twigg: The Department does not hold this information centrally. To provide this information could only be done at disproportionate cost.

However, since 1999 the Government have published an annual list of all visits overseas undertaken by Cabinet Ministers costing £500 or more during each financial year. The Government have also published on an annual basis the cost of all Ministers' visits overseas. Copies of the list are available in the Libraries of the House. These report information reaching back to 1995–6. Information for 2003–4 is currently being assembled and will be published shortly. All ministerial travel is undertaken in accordance with the rules set out in the Ministerial Code and Travel by Ministers, copies of which are available in the Libraries in the House.

New Foundation Degrees

Chris Grayling: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills (1) which institutions have been awarded grants for developing new foundation degrees; and how much each received; [183651]

(2) if he will list the new foundation degrees that are to be developed under the Higher Education Funding Council for England funding. [183652]

Alan Johnson: This information was published by the Higher Education Funding Council for England in their Outcomes Circular April 2004/15 entitled 'Allocation of Development Funds and Additional Places' and is available on their website. In summary a total of £5.6 million has been awarded for development funding across 101 higher and further education institutions. Full-time equivalent places totalling 8,960 have been awarded; 5,211 for 2004/05 and 3,749 for 2005/06.

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