| Previous Section | Index | Home Page |
3 Nov 2005 : Column 1321W—continued
Sex Education
Nick Harvey: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what research her Department has commissioned on the effects of the provision of sex education on the level of teenage pregnancy. [24187]
Maria Eagle: The factors that influence the rate of teenage pregnancy are complex and it is difficult to be precise about the impact that a single factor—such as the quality of sex and relationships education (SRE)—has on individuals' choices or rates of teenage pregnancy in particular locations. However, we do know that:
The Social Exclusion Unit's report on Teenage Pregnancy (1999) identified ignorance" of sex as a major contributory factor in England's high rate of teenage pregnancy, and argued that improving the quality of SRE should be a key element of the multi-faceted strategy to halve the rate of under-18 conceptions by 2010;
The evidence-base for the teenage pregnancy strategy was reviewed by the Health Development Agency in 2003, which concluded that There is good evidence on the effectiveness of school based sex education, particularly linked to contraceptive services, in preventing unintended teenage pregnancies; and
The national evaluation of the first four years of the teenage pregnancy strategy shows that young women receiving the greatest number of SRE lessons and reporting that SRE fully met their needs, are significantly less likely to become pregnant before 18.
Nick Harvey: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills if she will make it her policy to encourage the teaching of sex education in schools, with particular reference to (a) preventing teenage pregnancy and (b) informing young people of the risk of contracting HIV and sexually-transmitted diseases. [24188]
Maria Eagle: There is a statutory duty on secondary schools to teach key aspects of sex and relationships education (SRE)—in particular teaching about human reproduction and STIs and HIV—within the statutory science curriculum.
DfES further recommends that schools should teach about sex and relationships within the framework for Personal, Social and Health Education (PSHE), and in 2000 issued non-statutory guidance on SRE to help schools achieve this objective. PSHE aims to give young people the skills and knowledge to avoid a range of negative outcomes, including unplanned pregnancies and STIs.
DfES is also supporting improved delivery of PSHE by providing continuing professional development (CPD) programmes for teachers and community nurses involved in delivering PSHE; developing guidance for schools to help them better assess what young people are learning in PSHE; and by making it a requirement that schools who achieve healthy school status must have an effective PSHE programme in place.
Special Educational Needs
Mr. Holloway: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what steps she is taking to support children with special educational needs, with particular reference to Gravesham. [19622]
Maria Eagle:
Local authorities have important and extensive duties to identify, assess and make provision for children with special educational needs and to keep their arrangements for doing so under review. Schools, early education settings, local authorities and others
3 Nov 2005 : Column 1323W
must have regard to the Special Educational Needs Code of Practice, which gives guidance on carrying out their statutory duties under the 1996 Education Act. Decisions about the support to be provided for children in Gravesham are a matter for the Kent local authority, taking account of their statutory duties. The Government have no direct role in this.
More broadly, the national policy on SEN is set out in the Government's SEN strategy Removing Barriers to Achievement", published in February 2004. The strategy sets out a long-term programme to improve SEN provision and to improve outcomes for children and young people with SEN. As part of this strategy, the Department is promoting more consistent practice through a team of national SEN advisers. The advisers are working with all local authorities to provide support and challenge on key SEN issues, including the management of provision for children with special needs.
Lynne Featherstone: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what steps the Government are taking to ensure the recommendations in Removing Barriers to Achievement: The Government's Strategy for Special Educational Needs" is fully implemented across the country; and if she will make a statement. [24278]
Maria Eagle: Much progress has already been made on implementing the long-term programme of action set out within Removing Barriers to Achievement". A team of national advisers for Special Educational Needs (SEN) is working with local authorities across the country to take forward the action in the strategy. The advisers, together with the network of 11 SEN Regional Partnerships, will help to identify and disseminate effective practice in provision for children with SEN. The implementation of Removing Barriers to Achievement is an integral part of the Government's policies to improve outcomes for children with SEN and disabilities and their families.
Tuition Fees
Mr. Lancaster: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how much has been spent on the recent advertising campaign on tuition fees. [23457]
Bill Rammell: The Student Finance campaign is aimed at potential higher education students and their parents, in England only, to raise awareness and understanding of the new student finance arrangements that will come into force in September 2006. Although the campaign includes messages around the new fee arrangements its key focus remains to raise awareness of the fact that there is financial help available for all students in higher education. The cost of this advertising in 2005/06 will be around £2.5 million.
University Admissions
Mr. Stephen O'Brien: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how much money has been budgeted for the consultation on post-qualification university applications. [23217]
3 Nov 2005 : Column 1324W
Bill Rammell: To date, the modest costs of this consultation have comprised DfES staff time; and some expenditure associated with meetings of a consultation group and a stakeholders' conference amounting to just under £16,000. I expect any further costs associated with the conclusion of the consultation to fall within my Department's administration costs budgets.
University Student Placements
Mr. Davey: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what estimate she has made of the percentage of university students who undertook work experience and internships as part of their coursework in each of the last three school years. [16679]
Bill Rammell: The latest available information is shown in the table. Figures for 2004/05 will be available in December 2005.
(10) A small number of students (around 30) were recorded as being on foundation degrees and on an industrial placement.
Notes:
1. Numbers have been rounded to the nearest 5. Percentages have been rounded to 1 decimal place.
2. Figures are on a whole year count basis, which counts students who are enrolled at any point in the academic year.
Source:
Higher Education Statistics Agency (HESA).
In addition to those undergraduates whose course contains a period of work experience or an industrial placement, all foundation degree courses involve an element of work-based learning as an integral part of the course.
Vocational Qualifications
Mr. Gibb: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills (1) how many and what proportion of 15-year-olds achieved one or more Part One General National Vocational Qualification at (a) Foundation and (b) Intermediate level in each year since 1995; [23452]
(2) how many and what proportion of 15-year-olds achieved one or more Full General National Vocational Qualification at (a) Foundation and (b) Intermediate level in each year since 1995. [23453]
Phil Hope:
The information requested can be found in the following tables.
3 Nov 2005 : Column 1325W
(11) Age at the beginning of the academic year (i.e. 31 August).
(12) Figures for 2005 are provisional. All other figures are final.
| Next Section | Index | Home Page |