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21 Jul 2005 : Column 2055W—continued
Education (Milton Keynes)
Mr. Lancaster: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many children of school age in Milton Keynes are not attending either a state or independent school. [13995]
Jacqui Smith: The information requested is shown in the table.
(23)Pupils of compulsory school age (5–15) as at 31 August 2004.
(24)Includes non-statemented pupils in hospital excluding pupils in maintained general hospital or special hospital schools.
(25)Includes other pupils not in school e.g. pupils taught at home, Traveller children, asylum seekers at FE colleges or with voluntary sector providers.
Source:
8B Survey
Mr. Lancaster: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many (a) full-time teachers, (b) full-time equivalent teachers and (c) full-time equivalent teaching assistants there were in Milton Keynes in (i) 1985 and (ii) the last year for which figures are available. [12918]
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Jacqui Smith: In January 2004, the latest year available, there were 1,870 full-time and 2,040 full-time equivalent number of full and part-time regular teachers and 530 full-time equivalent number of teaching assistants in service in Milton Keynes local education authority. This information is not available for 1985. Milton Keynes local education authority was created in April 1997. In January 1998 the earliest information available there were 1,620 full-time, 1,730 full-time equivalent and 260 full-time equivalent number of teaching assistants in service in the authority.
Emergency Contraception
Mr. Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills (1) what measures are in place to ensure that girls aged under 16 years are properly supervised when taking emergency contraception [12781]
(2) if she will list the schools in Southend that allow emergency contraception to be distributed to children at that school without parental knowledge or consent; [12782]
(3) how many times school nurses in Southend have issued emergency contraception in each of the last five years for which figures are available; [12783]
(4) how many girls in Southend have been given emergency contraception by school nurses in each of the last five years for which figures are available, broken down by the age of the girl; [12784]
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(5) what guidance she has given to schools regarding the potential liability of (a) school governors, (b) teachers, (c) head teachers and (d) other school staff in the event of possible adverse consequences following emergency contraception being provided to girls under the age of 16 years by school staff or on school premises without the consent of parents; [12785]
(6) what guidance she has given schools regarding the possible adverse consequences of emergency contraception being provided to girls under the age of 16years by school staff or on school premises. [12786]
Beverley Hughes: Provision of emergency contraception is always by a health professional under medical supervision. This includes community and school nurses and community pharmacists, working to Patient Group Directions (a written instruction for thesupply or administration of medicines to groups of patients without an individualised doctor's prescription). Emergency contraception cannot be provided by non-health professionals.
Health professionals can provide contraception to young people aged under 16 provided they are satisfied that the young person is competent to understand fully the implications of any treatment and to make a choice of the treatment involved. Health professionals work within an established legal framework which involves assessing the young person's competence to understand the choices they are making and encouraging them to talk to their parents.
The decision on whether to provide school-based health advice services and the scope of the service is for each individual governing body, in consultation with parents, teachers and the wider school community. There is no requirement on schools to provide data for central collection.
Employer Training
Mr. Stephen O'Brien: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills (1) what proportion of the employer training pilots were delivered successfully by the (a) private and (b) public sectors; [13896]
(2) whether contracts for the national employer training programme will be open to providers from the (a) private and (b) public sectors; and whether part of the budget will be ring-fenced for public sector providers; [13897]
(3) if she will make a statement on the relative emphasis of the employer training pilots between (a) increasing the number of employees with NVQ qualifications and (b) ensuring that employees meet a skills demand. [13970]
Phil Hope:
Figures provided by the Learning and Skills Council (LSC) show that as of July 2005, 31 per cent. of learners participating in employer training pilots have their learning delivered by colleges of further education and 69 per cent. delivered by independent providers.
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As we announced in our White Paper, Skills: Getting on in business, getting on at work", the national employer training programme (NETP) will offer employers informed choice between quality-assured training providers. This is an essential part of putting the employer in a position where, in effect, they are able to make the purchasing decision about what training they get. Brokers, acting on behalf of the employer, will be able to source training from any LSC-approved provider, whether colleges or other providers.
We are continuing to work closely with the LSC on the details of NETP funding and how it will be allocated to providers in the context of agenda for change. We cannot give precise details about allocations to providers until this work is complete.
The emphasis of employer training pilots (ETPs) has been to encourage employers to invest in skills and qualifications, particularly for low skilled trainees. They are testing out a package of public financial support measures to improve access to training and enable employees to attain Skills for Life and/or their first full NVQ level 2 qualification.
At the end of June 2005, the pilots had signed up 23,101 employers and 184,198 employees, and 68,902 learners had successfully completed their learning.
As with the pilots, the core of the national employer training programme will be free, high quality training for employees who lack basic skills in literacy, language and numeracy or a first full Level 2 qualification. Beyond that core of free training up to Level 2, employers will be able to access more comprehensive training packages to meet their wider needs, including at Level 3 and higher, and non-qualification based training. As part of the partnership between Government and the employer in raising investment in skills, we will look to employers to pay a fair contribution towards the cost of this wider training.
Language Learning
Mr. Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many primary schools in Southend offered language learning opportunities in each of the last five years; and in which languages. [14304]
Jacqui Smith:
This information is not part of the Department's statutory annual data collection. However, research carried out for the DFES in 2002–03 showed that 44 per cent. of schools teaching pupils aged seven to 11 offered some form of language learning, 35 per cent. of which took place in curriculum time. This is up from 21 per cent. of schools offering some form of language learning in 2000, and we expect that number will have increased again significantly last year. Our research showed that French is the language most commonly taught, followed by Spanish, German and Italian. 28 LEAs reported other languages being taught.
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We know from our key stage 2 language Pathfinders that a wide range of languages are now being taught at primary schools, including community and other world languages.
Management Consultants
Mr. Austin Mitchell: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what her Department's total spending on management consultants has been in each of the last three years. [13154]
Bill Rammell: The Department for Education and Skills spent the following sums from administration costs for the periods in question—£4.0 million in 2002–03; £4.7 million in 2003–04 and £3.9 million in 2004–05. The total cost of consultants charged to programmes from November to March 2004–05 was £4.4 million. The cost charged to programmes before November 2004 was not recorded centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost. These figures relate to all forms of consultancy. Figures for management consultants could be extracted only at disproportionate cost.
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