House of Commons Hansard Written Answers for 15 Jun 2005 (pt 31)

15 Jun 2005 : Column 494W—continued

Prison Education

Mr. Dunne: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many prisoners are registered on prison education programmes. [4417]

Phil Hope: The Prison Service does not collect centrally individual information on prisoners participating in learning and skills through its contracts with education providers.

However, a 2003 report published by the Learning and Skills Development Agency (Education, Training, Assessment and Learner Support in HM Prisons and Young Offender Institutions"), found that 39 per cent. of prisoners were engaged in education and training.

Mr. Stephen O'Brien: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what was the (a) target for and (b) number of offenders acquiring (i) Basic Skills Level 1, (ii) Basic Skills Level 2, (iii) Basic Skills Level 3, (iv) Basic Skills Level 4 and (v) Basic Skills Level 5 in each year since 2002. [4494]

Phil Hope: Since 2002, targets and achievement by offenders of awards in literacy, language and numeracy at entry level, level one and level two in prisons in England and Wales, have been:

Custody 2002–03 2003–04 2004–05

Entry Level Target 6,000 7,749 16,970

Entry Level Achievement 9,181 13,500 22,301

Level 1 Target 12,000 14,462 23,430

Level 1 Achievement 16,991 18,911 25,371

Level 2 Target 10,800 14,420 15,600

Level 2 Achievement 15,147 14,233 15,875

Custody	2002–03	2003–04	2004–05
Entry Level Target	6,000	7,749	16,970
Entry Level Achievement	9,181	13,500	22,301
Level 1 Target	12,000	14,462	23,430
Level 1 Achievement	16,991	18,911	25,371
Level 2 Target	10,800	14,420	15,600
Level 2 Achievement	15,147	14,233	15,875

For offenders in the community, the National Probation Service collects information on the number of offenders taking up a basic skills course as well as the number of literacy, language and numeracy awards that offenders in the community achieve. Targets are not broken down by level of award. Since 2002–03, targets and achievement have been as follows:

Community 2002–03 2003–04 2004–05

Basic skills 'starts' target 6,000 16,000 32,000

Basic skills 'starts' achievement 5,983 14,971 34,199

Basic skills awards target 1,000 4,000 8,000

Basic skills awards achievement 848 2,815 9,451

Community	2002–03	2003–04	2004–05
Basic skills 'starts' target	6,000	16,000	32,000
Basic skills 'starts' achievement	5,983	14,971	34,199
Basic skills awards target	1,000	4,000	8,000
Basic skills awards achievement	848	2,815	9,451

Mr. Stephen O'Brien: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what target has been set by Offenders' Learning and Skills in relation to the number of prisoners undertaking Open University degrees by 2006; what progress has been made towards that target; and what resources have been made available to realise the target. [4495]

15 Jun 2005 : Column 495W

Phil Hope: There is no target for Open University participation by offender learners.

However, we have provided funding to increase the number of Open University undergraduate places and access courses for offenders in custody from 450 in 2002–03 to 1,100 in 2004–05. In 2005–06 we are providing £1,048,050 in order to support 1,300 Open University undergraduate places and access courses for offender learners in custody.

15 Jun 2005 : Column 496W

Pupil Exclusions

John Cummings: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many pupils have been excluded from each school in the Easington constituency in each year since 2000. [3757]

Jacqui Smith: The requested information is given in the table. Figures for 2003/04 will be available from 23 June 2005.
Maintained primary, secondary and all special schools: number and percentage of permanent exclusions 1999/2000 to 2002/03, Easington parliamentary constituency

1999/2000
2000/01⁽⁴³⁾
2001–02⁽⁴³⁾
2002–03⁽⁴³⁾

URN Establishment name No. % No. % No. % No. %

Total 14 0.10 14 0.11 11 0.08 15 0.12

114202 Murton Primary School ⁽⁴⁵⁾— ⁽⁴⁵⁾— 0 0.00 0 0.00 ⁽⁴⁵⁾— ⁽⁴⁵⁾—

114286 Seaham School of Technology 4 0.36 ⁽⁴⁵⁾— ⁽⁴⁵⁾— ⁽⁴⁵⁾— ⁽⁴⁵⁾— ⁽⁴⁵⁾— ⁽⁴⁵⁾—

114313 Dene Community School of Technology ⁽⁴⁵⁾— ⁽⁴⁵⁾— 4 0.54 ⁽⁴⁵⁾— ⁽⁴⁵⁾— ⁽⁴⁵⁾— ⁽⁴⁵⁾—

114314 Shotton Hall School 4 0.38 ⁽⁴⁵⁾— ⁽⁴⁵⁾— 0 0.00 ⁽⁴⁵⁾— ⁽⁴⁵⁾—

114318 Easington Community School ⁽⁴⁵⁾— ⁽⁴⁵⁾— 4 0.39 5 0.51 5 0.53

114346 Glendene School ⁽⁴⁵⁾— ⁽⁴⁵⁾— 0 0.00 0 0.00 0 0.00

114145 Haswell Primary School 0 0.00 ⁽⁴⁵⁾— ⁽⁴⁵⁾— 0 0.00 ⁽⁴⁵⁾— ⁽⁴⁵⁾—

114327 Peterlee St. Bede's Catholic Comprehensive School 0 0.00 ⁽⁴⁵⁾— ⁽⁴⁵⁾— ⁽⁴⁵⁾— ⁽⁴⁵⁾— 0 0.00

⁽⁴³⁾ There are known quality issues with exclusions data for these years. Figures shown here are as reported by schools but are unconfirmed and should be used with caution.
⁽⁴⁴⁾ The number of exclusions expressed as a percentage of the total number of pupils on the school roll in January of the same school year. Excludes dually registered pupils.
⁽⁴⁵⁾ Less than 3, or a rate based on less than 3.
Source:
Annual Schools Census

		1999/2000	2000/01⁽⁴³⁾	2001–02⁽⁴³⁾	2002–03⁽⁴³⁾
URN	Establishment name	No.	%	No.	%	No.	%	No.	%
	Total	14	0.10	14	0.11	11	0.08	15	0.12
114202	Murton Primary School	⁽⁴⁵⁾—	⁽⁴⁵⁾—	0	0.00	0	0.00	⁽⁴⁵⁾—	⁽⁴⁵⁾—
114286	Seaham School of Technology	4	0.36	⁽⁴⁵⁾—	⁽⁴⁵⁾—	⁽⁴⁵⁾—	⁽⁴⁵⁾—	⁽⁴⁵⁾—	⁽⁴⁵⁾—
114313	Dene Community School of Technology	⁽⁴⁵⁾—	⁽⁴⁵⁾—	4	0.54	⁽⁴⁵⁾—	⁽⁴⁵⁾—	⁽⁴⁵⁾—	⁽⁴⁵⁾—
114314	Shotton Hall School	4	0.38	⁽⁴⁵⁾—	⁽⁴⁵⁾—	0	0.00	⁽⁴⁵⁾—	⁽⁴⁵⁾—
114318	Easington Community School	⁽⁴⁵⁾—	⁽⁴⁵⁾—	4	0.39	5	0.51	5	0.53
114346	Glendene School	⁽⁴⁵⁾—	⁽⁴⁵⁾—	0	0.00	0	0.00	0	0.00
114145	Haswell Primary School	0	0.00	⁽⁴⁵⁾—	⁽⁴⁵⁾—	0	0.00	⁽⁴⁵⁾—	⁽⁴⁵⁾—
114327	Peterlee St. Bede's Catholic Comprehensive School	0	0.00	⁽⁴⁵⁾—	⁽⁴⁵⁾—	⁽⁴⁵⁾—	⁽⁴⁵⁾—	0	0.00

Mr. Willis: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many school age children were permanently excluded for bringing knives or other offensive weapons into schools in each year between 1997–98 and 2004–05. [4259]

Jacqui Smith: The requested information is not available.

We have recently started to collect reasons for exclusions. First findings for the 2003/04 academic year will be published in a Statistical First Release on 23 June 2005. This will include information on the number of permanent exclusions by reason, although there will not be a specific category relating to possession of knives and other offensive weapons.

Race Relations (Amendment) Act

Keith Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many and what percentage of staff in her Department have received training on the general and specific duties of the Race Relations (Amendment) Act 2000, broken down by (a) ethnicity and (b) grade. [3559]

Maria Eagle: Our ongoing programme of staff awareness training (for all staff) on the Race Relations Amendment Act began before the Act was passed and the specific duties had to be implemented. We continue to offer regularly updated guidance i.e. on line and in person.

We measure the positive impact of mainstreaming equality and diversity throughout our programmes, through data collection and analysing feedback on participation. Key tools to measure progress are the DfES Staff Survey and the Learning Academy evaluation strategy. As part of these we collect and analyse information on the ethnic breakdown of people applying for and taking part in learning activities. If results show disparities, we take action to investigate and, as appropriate, remedy the situation.

Further detail on our approach to monitoring and learning and development can be found on the DfES website in the Race Equality Scheme.

Keith Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what arrangements are in place to ensure that bodies within the responsibility of her Department comply with the requirements of the Race Relations (Amendment) Act 2000. [3560]

Maria Eagle: Our arrangements involve mainstreaming Race Equality Impact Assessments into the policy-making process for all of our programmes and policies. On line guidance is available to policy teams in our equality proofing web tool Fairway".

DfES provides strategic direction to delivery partners. Our key delivery partners have their own Race Equality Schemes. We require partners who implement DfES policies to fulfil the requirements of the Race Relations Amendment Act.

Further details can be found in the recently published DfES Race Equality Scheme and its summary of Race Equality Impact Assessments on the DfES website.

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