| Previous Section | Index | Home Page |
28 Nov 2005 : Column 166W—continued
Uganda
Mary Creagh: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations he has made to the Ugandan President following the arrest of the opposition leader Dr. Kiiza Besigye on 14 November. [30554]
Ian Pearson:
I refer my hon. Friend to the answer I gave the hon. Member for Boston and Skegness (Mark Simmonds) and my hon. Friend the Member for Falkirk (Eric Joyce) on 22 November 2005, Official Report, column 1901W. Subsequently, my noble Friend the Foreign and Commonwealth Office Minister for Africa (Lord Triesman of Tottenham) also spoke to the
28 Nov 2005 : Column 167W
Foreign Minister Kutesa on 17 November regarding the situation, and on 18 November, the UK issued a statement on the situation on behalf of the EU.
Mr. Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the implications of the arrest of Kiiza Besigye in Uganda. [30606]
Ian Pearson: I refer my hon. Friend to the answer I gave the hon. Member for Boston and Skegness (Mark Simmonds) and my hon. Friend the Member for Falkirk (Eric Joyce) on 22 November 2005, Official Report, column 1901W and to the answer I gave my hon. Friend the Member for Wakefield (Mary Creagh) today (UIN 30554). The UK, in common with our EU partners, views with deep concern the arrest of the Forum for Democratic Change (FDC) leader, Dr. Kiiza Besigye, and 22 others on charges including treason. The move to a pluralist democratic system in advance of the next elections in February or March 2006 is seen by theEU as a crucial step in the political development of Uganda. In this regard, the EU is concerned that all parties should be able, and be seen to be able, to compete in a fair and transparent manner. The UK therefore calls for the due legal process and protection guaranteed under the Ugandan Constitution to be made fully available to Dr. Besigye and the others charged, and for those charged to be granted an early, free and transparent trial.
Mr. Streeter: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations he has made to the Government of Uganda about the recent imprisonment of presidential candidate Dr. Kizza Besigye. [31863]
Ian Pearson: I refer the hon. Member to the answers I gave the hon. Member for Boston and Skegness (Mark Simmonds) on 22 November 2005, Official Report, column 1901W, and my hon. Friend the Member for Wakefield (Mary Creagh) and hon. Friend the Member for Stroud (Mr. Drew) today (UIN 30554 and 30606). The British high commissioner also raised this issue with the Ugandan Prime Minister on 23 November 2005.
EDUCATION AND SKILLS
Adult Education
Kelvin Hopkins: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what assessment she has made of the change in the level of enrolment on adult education courses in further education colleges in 2005–06; and whether she took this information into account when deciding funding priorities for adult education courses in (a) 2006–07 and (b) 2007–08, as set out in her Department's Press Notice 2005/0123. [23609]
Bill Rammell:
Although detailed individual learner data about the current year, 2005/06, was not available when deciding funding priorities for 2006–08 we and the Learning and Skills Council (LSC) had initial information, based on local intelligence, available for the beginning of the academic year. The funding priority work was informed by local LSCs' planning data and trend from earlier years.
28 Nov 2005 : Column 168W
At Risk Register
John Hemming: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many children died due to mistreatment by an adult responsible for their care in each year since 1989; and how many were on the at risk register at the time. [26432]
Maria Eagle: The Commission for Social Care Inspection (CSCI) collect information on the number of deaths, illness and other events under Regulation 37 of the Care Homes Regulation 2001. Although CSCI's Regulation and Inspection of Notifiable Incidents database captures this information it is not possible to give a breakdown on the number of children that have died due to mistreatment by an adult responsible for their care as the database does not collect data by this specific category.
Details are shown as follows of the number of children and young people on child protection registers at 31 March since 1989.
(69)Figures for the years 1989 to 1998 have been estimated and are derived entirely from those councils responding in sufficient detail.
(70)Figures may not add due to rounding and the 'all children' figures including unborn children.
Building Schools for the Future Programme
Jim Cousins: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills whether assets, buildings and developments that are conventionally financed rather than by private finance initiative under the 'Building Schools for the Future' programme will be subject to the facilities management and maintenance arrangements agreed by local education partnerships. [32414]
Jacqui Smith:
It is for the local authority as commissioner of services to determine the scope of services that it wishes the Local Education Partnership to be responsible for, including the provision of facilitiesmanagement arrangements for conventionally procured schools.
28 Nov 2005 : Column 169W
Bullying
Mr. Hands: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what measures are in place to ensure that head teachers thoroughly investigate and act upon incidents of bullying; and if she will make a statement. [32076]
Jacqui Smith: We attach a high priority to helping schools prevent and combat bullying: it is a serious problem which puts the emotional well-being and educational achievement of pupils at risk. All schools should treat bullying seriously and take steps to combat it promptly and firmly whenever and wherever it occurs.
Since September 1999, head teachers of maintained schools have been under a duty to draw up measures to prevent all forms of bullying among pupils; this should include the making of rules and provision for enforcing them. Our detailed guidance Don't Suffer in Silence" offers further advice on strategies and approaches schools can utilise in investigating and responding to incidents of bullying, alongside those that can be used preventatively. Additionally, many local authorities provide guidance on anti bullying to their schools to supplement and localise the guidance issued by the DfES nationally.
Tim Farron: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many cases of bullying were recorded in (a) primary and (b) secondary schools in Cumbria in each year since 1997; and what the average figures were for English county councils. [32119]
Jacqui Smith: As data on bullying are not collected centrally, we do not have statistics relating to incidents of bullying at primary and secondary schools in Cumbria, nor average figures for England. Schools and local authorities are increasingly carrying out local surveys of children and young people's views of bullying to inform the development of their anti bullying strategies. Bullying cases do appear to be reported more often now than before but we have no hard evidence that bullying is increasing or that it is affecting more children.
However, any level of bullying is too high and we are determined to help schools tackle the problem. Our guidance Bullying: Don't Suffer in Silence", the anti-bullying charter and the anti-bullying website www.dfes.gov.uk/bullying offer detailed advice on preventing and addressing bullying. Additionally, we have undertaken a number of public awareness campaigns, including anti bullying week, to encourage and support children to 'tell someone' and seek help if they are being bullied.
| Next Section | Index | Home Page |