| Previous Section | Index | Home Page |
26 May 2005 : Column 210W—continued
Plumbing Courses
Mr. Walker: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what central funding is provided for training courses in plumbing in Hertfordshire; and if she will make a statement. [770]
Phil Hope: Central Government make a substantial investment in skills development through local Learning and Skills Councils (LSCs) who determine how public funding for training is allocated in their area. The latest available figures for the Hertfordshire LSC do not separately identify plumbing. The LSC is currently providing £2,398,803 overall for learning in the construction trades, including plumbing. Construction has been identified as a high priority area by the Hertfordshire LSC for 2005/06.
Racial Abuse (Schools)
Mr. Walker:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills (1) what steps she is taking to
26 May 2005 : Column 211W
protect those attending schools and other learning institutions from (a) racial abuse, (b) harassment and (c) assault; and if she will make a statement; [769]
(2) what measures she is taking to protect teachers from physical and verbal assault from (a) students and (b) parents; and if she will make a statement. [778]
Jacqui Smith: The great majority of schools are safe and orderly places. But we are determined to reduce the risk of abuse and violence to an absolute minimum. To achieve that we have:
given every secondary school access to high-quality behaviour management training materials and expert advice from behaviour management consultants;
funded extra support for schools facing the greatest challenges through our Excellence in Cities and Behaviour Improvement Programmes;
supported schools to ban aggressive parents from the site and have them removed and prosecuted if they flout the ban; and
giving every primary school access to high-quality training and curriculum materials for developing pupils' social, emotional and behavioural skills and developing similar materials for secondary schools;
developing specific violence prevention advice and training with associations representing heads and other school staff;
working with the Home Office on legislation to give heads the power to search pupils for offensive weapons; and
establishing an expert group of heads and teachers to consider what else the Government, local authorities, school staff and parents can do to promote discipline and a culture of respect in all schools.
School of Oriental and African Studies
Mr. Clappison: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what representations she has received regarding reported intimidation experienced by Jewish students at the School of Oriental and African Studies; and if she will make a statement. [419]
Bill Rammell: I have seen a dossier of complaints about alleged anti-Semitic incidents at the School of Oriental and African Studies (SOAS). I have also seen copies of correspondence from the Principal of SOAS in response to some of these complaints.
The Government deplores racism in all its forms. While universities are autonomous institutions which operate independently of Government, we have acted to ensure there is adequate protection in law against all forms of racism on campus. The Race Relations (Amendment) Act 2000 places a duty on the governing bodies of universities to promote race equality in their institutions. This duty applies to all of a governing body's functions, including its obligations in respect of the running of student unions under the Education Act 1994, and its obligations in respect of freedom of speech under the Education (No 2) Act 1986.
I welcome the fact that the Equality Challenge Unit (an independent, HE sector funded group) is looking at the issue of extremism and intolerance on campus with a view to updating guidance to universities.
26 May 2005 : Column 212W
School Repairs
Mr. Hoban: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what the backlog of repairs is for each local education authority. [758]
Jacqui Smith: The following table shows school buildings maintenance requirements for each English local education authority. The figures are derived from data supplied to the Department by authorities, based on their condition assessments. In addition to backlog repair work, the figures cover work needed over a five year period from the dates of the assessments, including cyclical and scheduled maintenance.
Central Government capital support for investment in schools has increased from under £700 million in 1996–97 to £5.5 billion this year and will rise further to £6.3 billion by 2007–08. Progress is being made year-by-year in improving the quality of the school building stock.
(14) These small authorities were not asked to supply data.
26 May 2005 : Column 214W
| Next Section | Index | Home Page |