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Mr. Gibb: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills (1) what methods of assessment of (a) literacy and (b) numeracy skills are used as part of the recruitment process by employees of her Department; [23786]
(2) what proportion of new recruits to her Department do not have a level 2 qualification in English and mathematics. [23778]
Maria Eagle: In 2002, the last time the Department undertook a large recruitment of administrative staff, candidates were assessed via a selection process, which included written tests for numeracy and literacy.
We are unable to provide information on proportion of new recruits to the Department who have a level 2 qualification as the Department has not undertaken an external recruitment campaign at administrative level since 2002. Our selection processes at this level are competency based, supplemented with written tests covering numeracy and literacywe do not recruit purely on qualifications.
Mr. Gibb: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many maintained schools share their site with another school. [25670]
Jacqui Smith: The information requested is not held centrally. This information would be available only from individual local authorities or schools.
John Penrose: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills which companies were in receipt of funds as part of the National Employer Training Programme in 200405; and how much each received in each pilot area. [25519]
Phil Hope: Employer Training Pilots (ETP) were introduced in September 2002 to encourage employers to invest in skills and qualifications, particularly for low skilled trainees. The National Employer Training Programme (NETP) to be rolled-out from April 2006 will apply lessons learned from the Employer Training Pilots.
Information on individual employers taking part in ETP is treated as commercial-in-confidence; and the cost of disaggregating data to a financial year would be disproportionate.
The total number of employers who had participated in ETP since September 2002 (as of 3 November 2005) was 25,938. The numbers participating in each local Learning and Skills Council area involved were:
The support received by employers, via the pilots, was mainly indirect with payments going to a skills broker, learning provider and Information, Advice and Guidance adviser, rather than directly to the employer. However in some, though not all, pilots employers did receive a wage compensation payment aimed at reimbursing them for the time their participating employees spent on training. The rate of wage compensation varied between pilots, from between zero to 150 of pay, but averaged £260 per learner. Based on an average of eight learners per employer over the period of the pilots, the average payment received per employer for wage compensation equates to £2,080. From Phase 3 of the Pilots (September 2004), employers only receive wage compensation for time off actually taken when a learner successfully completes their learning.
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John Penrose: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what estimate she has made of the financial impact on existing commercial providers of the introduction of the National Employer Training pilot. [25520]
Phil Hope: The new National Employer Training Programme (NETP) will be rolled-out from April 2006. It will offer employers informed choice between quality-assured, Learning and Skills Council approved training providers, whether colleges or other providers, that deliver the training employers want. It is based on the lessons learnt from the Employer Training Pilots (ETP) which have been running since September 2002.
By September 2005, over 203,000 individual learners had participated in ETP. The amount allocated from the ETP budget to training expenditure since the launch of the Pilots is £120,878,086. This covers actual training costs (but not other elements of the budget such as initial training assessments or additional learner support).
It is estimated that around 75 per cent. of ETP learning has been provided through commercial, private providers, and 25 per cent. by Further Education colleges. However, college engagement varies between ETP areasthe majority have 25 per cent. or higher college activity, with some reporting up to a 50:50 split of activity between private providers and colleges.
John Penrose: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what proportion of National Employer Training provision represents (a) provision which would have been provided previously at a fee to employers and (b) new provision which would not otherwise have been provided. [25521]
Phil Hope: Employer Training Pilots (ETP) were introduced in September 2002 to encourage employers to invest in skills and qualifications, particularly for low skilled trainees. The National Employer Training Programme (NETP) to be rolled-out from April 2006 will apply lessons learned from the Employer Training Pilots.
NETP will give employers real choice over the training they offer their employees, and will respond directly to their business development needs, whether for basic or high level skills. Training will be delivered flexibly, including in the workplace. The Government will fully fund the training of employees undertaking basic skills and first full Level 2 qualifications. Therefore most training up to and including Level 2 will be free to employers and employees.
By September 2005, over 25,000 employers had participated in ETP. A report by the Institute for Employment Studies (IES) published in March 2005, Platform for Progression: Employer Training Pilots Year 2 Evaluation Report", found that half of the employers taking part in ETP had a previous involvement with either a business support agency, a training provider, or a national training initiative. One-third had been involved with at least one agency, provider or initiative. The remaining 14 per cent. had no previous involvement and could therefore be classified as harder-to-reach employers.
The IES evaluation found that ETP employers have a relatively positive approach to training compared with average employers. Most adopt a strategic approach to
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training, express positive attitudes, and say that they provided at least some training to low-skilled employees.
Helen Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what guidance she has issued to Learning and Skills Councils on the definition of non-essential learning; and what definition of this term her Department uses. [26582]
Bill Rammell: I have issued no guidance of this type. I do not recognise the term non-essential learning. I wrote to hon. and right hon. Members on 21 October outlining my Department's priorities for further education and training for the period 200608. More detailed information is provided in the Learning and Skills Council's publication Priorities for SuccessFunding for Learning and Skills". This document is available on the LSC's website: www.lsc.gov.uk.
John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills (1) what action is being taken by her Department to ensure that parenting contracts are effective; [26041]
(2) what assessment she has made of the contribution of parenting contracts to school discipline; [26042]
(3) what action is being taken by her Department to improve parental responsibility for pupil behaviour in school. [26045]
Jacqui Smith: Parenting contracts are available for school behaviour and attendance. They are formal agreements between parent and school or parent and local authority in which each side sets out the steps they will take to secure an improvement in the child's behaviour or attendance.
My Department has provided dedicated support and advice to local authorities on the introduction of these measures and their effective implementation. To support further, guidance and examples of effective practice have been published on the departmental website.
Parenting contracts are one of a range of strategies that schools and local authorities can use to improve school discipline. They can be used alone or in conjunction with other measures such as pastoral support programmes for pupils.
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