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20 Jun 2005 : Column 734W—continued
Pupil Suspensions
Mr. Malins: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what powers head teachers have (a) to search and (b) to suspend pupils at (i) state secondary schools and (ii) private schools if they suspect a pupil of carrying any form of weapon on school premises. [5826]
Jacqui Smith:
State and independent school head teachers can search a desk or locker without the pupil's consent, search a bag or jacket with consent, or ask the police to do a personal search. Proposals in the Violent Crime Reduction Bill would give all schools additional powers to search outer clothing and belongings without consent, where they reasonably suspect an offensive weapon is being carried. State school head teachers can permanently exclude a child for carrying an offensive weapon, even on a first offence, and appeal panels
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should not normally reinstate such pupils. Private school proprietors draw up their own discipline policies and decide what sanctions the head teacher can impose.
Special Needs Assistance
Mr. Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what account local authorities take of social class in assessing applications for special needs educational assistance. [5129]
Maria Eagle: Local authorities do not take account of social class as an indicator of the need for special educational needs (SEN) support. On request from parents or schools, local authorities are under a duty, where necessary, to assess children's SEN and draw up statements which set out the provision to meet those needs. The Education (Special Educational Needs) (England) (Consolidation) Regulations 2001 require local authorities when making assessments of a child's SEN to seek advice from the social services authority as to the educational, medical, psychological or other features of the case which appear to be relevant to the child's educational needs and how those features could affect the child's educational needs. The local authority would have to take account of any relevant advice from the social services authority concerning a child's family and social situation, rather than the child's social class, when making an assessment.
Special Schools
Mr. Cameron: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills (1) when the Government's audit of special schools began; and when it is expected to conclude; [4760]
(2) what account will be taken of the views of parents in the Government's audit of special schools; [4761]
(3) who will conduct the Government's audit of special schools; what the terms of reference are; and if she will make a statement. [4764]
Maria Eagle: The National Audit of Low Incidence Special Educational Needs (SEN) support, services and provision commenced on 1 February 2005. The audit is due to report back to the Department early January 2006.
The Special Needs Consultancy is undertaking the audit on behalf of the Department. The audit will take into account the views of education, social care, health and the voluntary and private sectors. The aims of the audit are
Establish how local authorities meet the needs of the children in their authority with low incidence SEN.
Use the above to support and inform policy and practice development for regional and local planning and provision so that more pupils have their needs met locally.
Identify local, regional and national centres of good practice and expertise, especially those with the potential for enhancing their role to provide advice and/or support to schools.
It is not the intention to survey schools or parents at this stage, the audit will predominantly seek the views in each local authority area of those sectors and groups involved in the delivery of SEN support services and provision.
Mr. Cameron: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills if she will impose a moratorium on the closure of special schools until the Government's audit have been completed. [4762]
Maria Eagle: The National Audit of Low Incidence Special Educational Needs (SEN) support, services and provision commenced on 1 February 2005. The audit is due to report back to the Department early January 2006.
The Special Needs Consultancy is undertaking the audit on behalf of the Department. The audit will take into account the views of education, social care, health and the voluntary and private sectors. The aims of the audit are:
Establish how local authorities meet the needs of the children in their authority with low incidence SEN.
Use the above to support and inform policy and practice development for regional and local planning and provision so that more pupils have their needs met locally.
Identify local, regional and national centres of good practice and expertise, especially those with the potential for enhancing their role to provide advice and/or support to schools.
Special schools provision of reorganisations or closures is a matter for local decision.
Mr. Cameron: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills whether the review of provision of special schools will take evidence from (a) Baroness Warnock and (b) other experts. [4763]
Maria Eagle: We published the Report of the Special Schools Working Group" in 2003 which contained a number of specific proposals and recommendations which would allow special schools to develop their role within the wider schools framework. The Group's recommendations are contained in our SEN strategy Removing Barriers to Achievement". One of the recommendations of the Group was for the Department to carry out a National Audit of low Incidence SEN Specialist support services and provision in order to promote effective regional and sub-regional planning to meet the needs of children with low incidence needs.
The National Audit of Low Incidence Special Educational Needs (SEN) support, services and provision commenced on 1 February 2005. The audit is due to report back to the Department early January 2006. The audit will predominantly seeking the views in leach local authority area of those sectors and groups involved in the delivery of SEN support services and provision.
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FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS
Arms Sales (Sudan)
John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what the Government's policy is towards the application made by Belarus to the UN Sanctions Committee seeking permission to sell arms to Sudan. [4924]
Dr. Howells: There have been no applications to the relevant UN Sanctions Committee seeking permission to sell arms to Sudan. The Government of Belarus have sought clarification on the scope of the UN arms embargo against Sudan, which has been provided by the Chairman of the UN Sudan Sanctions Committee.
Asylum Seekers
Mr. Martyn Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment he has made of the forced deportations of Uzbek asylum seekers by the Kyrgyz Government; and if he will make a statement. [4986]
Mr. Douglas Alexander: Our ambassador, accredited to Kyrgyzstan, visited the country from the 6–8 June. He was assured by the Kyrgyz Foreign Minister and the Chairman of the National Security Council that Kyrgyzstan would honour its commitments to the refugees under international law. He also spoke to the United Nations High Commission for Refugees (UNHCR) and United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) representatives in Kyrgyzstan about the refugee situation. The Acting President of Kyrgyzstan reassured the Organisation for Security and Co-operation in Europe on 30 May that Kyrgyzstan would make all efforts necessary to ensure the safety and welfare of refugees and to comply with relevant international commitments. The handing over of four refugees to the Andizhan prosecutor on 9 June appears to be a clear, and deeply regrettable, breach of those commitments.
During his visit our ambassador publicly emphasised the importance of involving the UNHCR in the process of determining the future of the refugees. The involvement of UNHCR is essential to ensure that Kyrgyzstan meets its international obligations. On 13 June the conclusions of the General Affairs and External Relations Council of the EU called on the Kyrgyz to respect these international commitments. This message was reinforced again by an EU statement at the OSCE on 16 June. Our EU partners and we will continue to monitor the situation closely.
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