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25 Feb 2005 : Column 863W—continued
Education and Youth Council
Mr. Hood: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what the outcome was of the Education and Youth Council held on 21 February 2005; what the Government's stance was on the issues discussed, including its voting record; and if she will make a statement. [218159]
Mr. Ivan Lewis: I attended the Education and Youth Council on behalf of the United Kingdom. During the education part of the Council, we discussed the education and training aspects of the Lisbon mid-term review and adopted conclusions on the importance of education and training to Lisbon. The conclusions will be transmitted to the European Council and ask it to emphasise education and training in the Lisbon mid-term review, for example by calling on member states to have lifelong learning strategies in place by 2006 and by improving the exchange of good practice on education and training at European level. As part of the discussion, Commissioner Figel presented the Commission's communication on Lisbon and explained that it identified six key areas of work for Education Ministers; effective investment; national lifelong learning strategies; higher education; vocational training; European qualifications framework and the Youth Pact.
I tabled a paper setting out the UK position and also spoke to emphasise that growth and employment should be the focus of the Lisbon strategy and that achieving the Lisbon goals depended on investing effectively in education and skills, which was strongly supported. I also highlighted the importance of a flexible labour market and suggested that while it was important for the state to pay for basic skills, employers and individuals should invest in higher level skills. I also suggested that member states should work together on reforming higher education funding, discuss the use of ICT in delivering lifelong learning and collect evidence on the links between skills and productivity.
On the basis of presentations from experts, we held an exchange of views on how discussion did not lead to any conclusions but the presidency has asked the Commission to continue to look at these issues. I also tabled a paper under this item and explained that the UK was beginning to give schools more autonomy, but that school leadership was also a key element to success. I also noted, along with Italy, that we are developing an approach based on the principle of personalising the learning experience to the needs of the individual. On the issue of equal opportunities for all, I explained that financial incentives were being offered in the UK for pupils from lower income backgrounds to stay on in school after compulsory education.
During the youth part of the Council, we discussed and adopted conclusions on the youth aspects of the Lisbon mid-term review. The conclusions endorse the initiative proposed by France and supported by Germany, Sweden and Spain to establish an EU Youth Pact. I tabled a UK position paper and said that I saw the Youth Pact as an opportunity to demonstrate to young people that the EU is not simply a remote bureaucracy with no impact on their lives. The Pact should work towards eliminating youth unemployment, developing young people's skills and confidence to prepare them both professionally and personally and
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encouraging a positive approach to learning amongst young people. Commissioner Figel explained that the Commission would adopt a communication in May, which would outline their ideas for the content of the Pact.
EU Committees
Angus Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many times during the (a) Italian, (b) Irish and (c) Dutch presidency of the EU the Committee on the second general system for the recognition of professional education and training met; when and where these meetings took place; what UK Government expert was present; and if he will make a statement. [214309]
Dr. Howells: No meetings of the Committee on the second general system were held during the Italian and Dutch presidencies. A meeting was held during the Irish presidency on 23 April 2004, in Brussels, and the UK National Co-ordinator responsible for the general system was present.
Financial Education
Ms Walley: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what steps are being taken to include financial education as a compulsory element of the national curriculum. [217722]
Derek Twigg: In the 14–19 Education and Skills White Paper, the Department has set out our commitment to supporting financial capability education. In line with the emphasis on improving function skills set out in the White Paper and as part of the wider review of GCSE maths, we have asked the QCA to consider including financial capability more explicitly in the maths curriculum.
Personal finance education is covered in the curriculum through the non-statutory framework for Personal, Social and Health Education (PSHE), and through subjects such as Citizenship, Mathematics and Business Studies. The Department recognises the importance of financial education in enabling young people to develop the financial capability they need to make informed decisions.
Formal Consultations
Mr. Hoban: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many formal consultation processes the Department has initiated since 1997. [217767]
Derek Twigg: My Department was established after the general election in 2001 and has initiated a total of 148 formal written consultations since then. Prior to 8 June 2001, the Department for Education and Employment (DfEE) conducted a total of 407 formal written consultations. A list of the initiatives my Department has consulted on since June 2001 can be found at: www.dfes.gov.uk/consultations/
Freedom of Information
Dr. Julian Lewis:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what her policy is in respect of the publication (a) on the departmental website and (b) by
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placing copies in the Library of (i) all or (ii) only a selection of the information disclosed in response to Freedom of Information requests since January. [215195]
Derek Twigg [holding answer 10 February 2005]: "Guidance on Publication Schemes, issued by the Department for Constitutional Affairs in July 2002, recommended that where information is disclosed to an individual in response to a request under the Freedom of Information Act, Departments and NDPBs should consider whether the information disclosed is of general interest and include released information in the Publication Scheme where appropriate"
The DfES has a publication scheme in place and the Department does intend to provide information of wider public interest released under the Freedom of Information (FOI) Act as an extension to the current scheme. Technical work is currently being undertaken to provide a disclosure log. The Department does not routinely place information in the Library and there are no proposals to amend this policy in the light of FOI.
Growth Areas (Funding)
Phil Sawford: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what funding her Department has earmarked for growth areas to ensure that they have the resources required to meet the demands of a growing population. [218328]
Derek Twigg: All local authorities are required to provide annual information as part of the Pupil Level Annual Schools Census (PLASC). This provides the Department with up-to-date information on pupil numbers, including forecast increases. PLASC data are used to calculate the allocation of funding to local authorities and schools which takes into account new pupil places in growth areas.
Higher Education (EU Nationals)
Mr. Clappison: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills whether students from EU accession states will be eligible for (a) university bursaries and (b) higher education grant from 2006 onwards; and what estimate she has made of (i) the number of students from EU accession states likely to apply to UK universities and (ii) the proportion of such students eligible for the higher education grant. [217860]
Dr. Howells: It is for universities to decide who should be eligible for bursary schemes that they administer. EU students who are not migrant workers, or are not the spouse, civil partner or child of migrant workers, will not be eligible for the new £2,700 grant to be introduced from 2006/07 onwards. The Department does not produce projections of EU students from accession countries independently of the EU as a whole.
Mr. Clappison: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many students from EU accession countries have obtained places at English universities in each year since 1997. [217957]
Dr. Howells:
The available information on undergraduate entrants is taken from the Higher Education Statistics Agency (HESA) student record and figures are given in the table.
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(14) Includes Cyprus, the Czech Republic, Hungary, Malta, Poland, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Slovenia and Slovakia.
(15) Figures exclude the OU.
Note:
Snapshot as at 1 December and figures are rounded to the nearest 5.
Source:
Higher Education Statistics Agency (HESA)
The Universities and Colleges Admissions Service (UCAS) have published figures for entry in 2004 which show that there were 2,422, applicants from EU accession countries accepted to full-time undergraduate courses at UK institutions.
Early figures for 2005 entry suggest that the number of applicants from the EU accession countries who have applied by the 15 January advisory early closing date has increased by 78.8 per cent. to 3,427 compared to 1,917 at the same point last year.
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