House of Commons Hansard Written Answers for 6 Dec 2005 (pt 25)

6 Dec 2005 : Column 1165W—continued

Literacy

Mr. Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many people in (a) Southend, (b) Essex, (c) Hertfordshire, (d) each London borough and (e) England she estimates were illiterate (i) at the last date for which figures are available and (ii) in each year since 2000. [34219]

Bill Rammell: The Skills for Life Survey: A national needs and impact survey of literacy, numeracy and ICT skills (DfES, October 2003) provides the latest estimates of literacy levels across England. The survey assessed the literacy, numeracy and ICT skills of around 8,000 adults aged 16 and above in England. The estimates are available to individual education authority area; however they are only available for 2003 and not every year since 2000.

The survey findings are shown in the tables following for the regions requested. The assessment levels correspond to the literacy and numeracy National

6 Dec 2005 : Column 1166W

Standards: these were introduced in 2002 to provide a framework for all adult screening tests, diagnostic tools, programmes of study and qualifications. Learners are assessed for levels of literacy from Entry Level 1 to Level 2. Level 2 is broadly equivalent to a higher grade GCSE (A*-C).'
(a) Southend-on-Sea

Overall literacy
16 to 65-year-olds

Percentage Number

All entry level or below 11 11,070

Level 1 43 41,400

Level 2 or above 46 44,410

100 85,920

Source:
For population figures: Census 01 Skills for Life survey, 2003

(b) Essex

Overall literacy
16 to 65-year-olds

Percentage Number

All entry level or below 10 105,600

Level 1 41 414,700

Level 2 or above 49 490,900

100 1,011,200

Source:
For population figures: Census 01 Skills for Life survey, 2003

(c) Hertfordshire

Overall literacy
16 to 65 year olds

Percentage Number

All entry level or below 7 42,750

Level 1 43 281,800

Level 2 or above 50 330,900

100 655,450

Source:
For population figures: Census 01 Skills for Life survey, 2003

(d) London

Overall Literacy
All entry level or below
Level 1
Level 2 or above

16 to 65-year-olds

Number Percentage Number Percentage Number Percentage

Barking and Dagenham 19,340 19 47,690 47 33,800 34

Barnet 20,670 10 83,250 41 99,720 49

Bexley 8,695 6 71,530 52 57,550 42

Brent 34,400 19 62,360 35 82,950 46

Bromley 20,500 11 60,000 32 105,500 57

Camden 9,210 7 47,490 35 78,960 58

City of London 215 4 1,560 30 3,495 66

Croydon 27,500 13 96,410 45 90,290 42

Ealing 26,980 13 86,730 42 91,420 45

Enfield 26,500 15 75,510 43 74,310 42

Greenwich 22,380 16 61,070 44 54,950 40

Hackney 24,520 18 46,430 34 64,410 48

Hammersmith and Fulham 7,515 6 43,100 36 68,440 57

Haringey 26,620 18 49,230 33 73,470 49

Harrow 17,440 13 53,390 40 63,680 47

Havering 12,730 9 61,330 44 65,670 47

Hillingdon 22,870 15 55,600 36 76,080 49

Hounslow 21,400 15 58,430 41 63,380 44

Islington 9,395 8 48,720 40 64,290 53

Kensington and Chelsea 5,620 5 34,920 31 71,580 64

Kingston upon Thames 8,940 9 31,320 32 57,090 59

Lambeth 22,200 12 70,250 37 95,940 51

Lewisham 25,440 15 60,160 36 81,900 49

Merton 11,870 9 51,700 41 63,190 50

Newham 59,900 38 44,170 28 53,330 34

Redbridge 23,750 16 63,720 42 65,550 43

Richmond upon Thames 8,990 8 31,210 27 74,420 65

Southwark 30,740 19 57,010 34 77,500 47

Sutton 14,100 12 39,350 34 61,880 54

Tower Hamlets 24,240 18 48,300 37 58,680 45

Waltham Forest 22,690 16 66,510 46 55,920 39

Wandsworth 10,860 6 58,730 31 118,000 63

Westminster 12,290 10 41,060 32 75,440 59

London 925,975 19 1,640,600 34 2,204,970 46

6 Dec 2005 : Column 1167W

(e) England

Overall Literacy
16 to 65-year-olds

Percentage Number (million)

All Entry level or below 16 5.2

Level 1 40 12.6

Level 2 or above 44 14.1

100 31.9

Source:
For population figures: Census 01 Skills for Life survey, 2003

Overall literacy
	16 to 65-year-olds
	Percentage	Number
All entry level or below	11	11,070
Level 1	43	41,400
Level 2 or above	46	44,410
	100	85,920

Overall literacy
	16 to 65-year-olds
	Percentage	Number
All entry level or below	10	105,600
Level 1	41	414,700
Level 2 or above	49	490,900
	100	1,011,200

Overall literacy
	16 to 65 year olds
	Percentage	Number
All entry level or below	7	42,750
Level 1	43	281,800
Level 2 or above	50	330,900
	100	655,450

Overall Literacy
	All entry level or below	Level 1	Level 2 or above
	16 to 65-year-olds
	Number	Percentage	Number	Percentage	Number	Percentage
Barking and Dagenham	19,340	19	47,690	47	33,800	34
Barnet	20,670	10	83,250	41	99,720	49
Bexley	8,695	6	71,530	52	57,550	42
Brent	34,400	19	62,360	35	82,950	46
Bromley	20,500	11	60,000	32	105,500	57
Camden	9,210	7	47,490	35	78,960	58
City of London	215	4	1,560	30	3,495	66
Croydon	27,500	13	96,410	45	90,290	42
Ealing	26,980	13	86,730	42	91,420	45
Enfield	26,500	15	75,510	43	74,310	42
Greenwich	22,380	16	61,070	44	54,950	40
Hackney	24,520	18	46,430	34	64,410	48
Hammersmith and Fulham	7,515	6	43,100	36	68,440	57
Haringey	26,620	18	49,230	33	73,470	49
Harrow	17,440	13	53,390	40	63,680	47
Havering	12,730	9	61,330	44	65,670	47
Hillingdon	22,870	15	55,600	36	76,080	49
Hounslow	21,400	15	58,430	41	63,380	44
Islington	9,395	8	48,720	40	64,290	53
Kensington and Chelsea	5,620	5	34,920	31	71,580	64
Kingston upon Thames	8,940	9	31,320	32	57,090	59
Lambeth	22,200	12	70,250	37	95,940	51
Lewisham	25,440	15	60,160	36	81,900	49
Merton	11,870	9	51,700	41	63,190	50
Newham	59,900	38	44,170	28	53,330	34
Redbridge	23,750	16	63,720	42	65,550	43
Richmond upon Thames	8,990	8	31,210	27	74,420	65
Southwark	30,740	19	57,010	34	77,500	47
Sutton	14,100	12	39,350	34	61,880	54
Tower Hamlets	24,240	18	48,300	37	58,680	45
Waltham Forest	22,690	16	66,510	46	55,920	39
Wandsworth	10,860	6	58,730	31	118,000	63
Westminster	12,290	10	41,060	32	75,440	59
London	925,975	19	1,640,600	34	2,204,970	46

Overall Literacy
	16 to 65-year-olds
	Percentage	Number (million)
All Entry level or below	16	5.2
Level 1	40	12.6
Level 2 or above	44	14.1
	100	31.9

A copy of the survey report is in the House of Commons Library and on the DfES website: www.dfes.gov.uk

Oral Hygiene (Children)

Mr. Wallace: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills (1) if the Government will fund the provision of toothbrushes and toothpaste to Sure Start nurseries in deprived areas; [34234]

(2) if the Government will support the Stop-the-Rot campaign to encourage nurseries to help prevent tooth decay in small children. [34237]

Beverley Hughes: Many Sure Start settings offer a diverse range of activities to improve oral health in very young children, for example, by issuing free toothbrushes and toothpaste packs to families, free information leaflets and advice sessions. This is in addition to the Department of Health's pilot scheme 'Brushing for Life ' where Health Visitors are giving free packs containing a tube of fluoride toothpaste, toothbrushes and a leaflet on oral hygiene to families with children aged eight and 18 months living in

6 Dec 2005 : Column 1168W

areas with the highest level of tooth decay and in areas served by a Sure Start Local Programme where fluoride is not added to the water supply.

The pilot scheme has been the subject of a positive evaluation and, when the pilot concludes, primary care trusts wishing to participate in the scheme will be able to

order packs through the NHS purchasing and supply authority's catalogue.

The Stop-the-Rot scheme and associated website was publicised in the November edition of Sure Start News which is a regular newsletter e-mailed to all Sure Start settings and other early years providers.

Mr. Wallace: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what steps she is taking to encourage primary school children to brush their teeth at lunchtime. [34235]

Jacqui Smith: Promoting oral hygiene in children is a responsibility for the Department of Health, with whom we liaise and seek advice from in health matters. The Department of Health has not recommended that it is necessary for primary schools to encourage all pupils to clean their teeth at lunch.

Middle Schools

Mr. Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills which local education authorities operate a middle school system; how many middle schools there are; and which of these are for children aged nine to 13 years. [34604]

Jacqui Smith: As at January 2005 there were 24 local authorities in England that had a total of 367 middle schools, 235 of which were for children aged 9 to 13. The table lists the 24 local authorities and details of numbers of schools for each.
Maintained primary, middle and secondary schools: number of schools—January 2005—local authorities with middle schools

Maintained primary, middle and secondary schools

Number of primary and secondary schools Number of middle schools1 of which: middle schools 9–131 Total number of schools

820 Bedfordshire 163 40 40 203

873 Cambridgeshire 232 1 1 233

835 Dorset 158 16 16 174

310 Harrow 47 19 0 66

919 Hertfordshire 492 6 6 498

921 Isle of Wight 51 16 16 67

886 Kent 575 3 3 578

382 Kirklees 177 7 5 184

855 Leicestershire 270 10 0 280

826 Milton Keynes 82 17 0 99

391 Newcastle upon Tyne 83 6 4 89

926 Norfolk 388 49 0 437

392 North Tyneside 67 4 4 71

815 North Yorkshire 374 2 0 376

928 Northamptonshire 310 2 2 312

929 Northumberland 156 44 44 200

836 Poole 29 9 1 38

933 Somerset 254 9 9 263

860 Staffordshire 363 14 14 377

935 Suffolk 292 40 40 332

938 West Sussex 268 14 0 282

865 Wiltshire 245 3 2 248

868 Windsor and Maidenhead 55 4 4 59

885 Worcestershire 217 32 24 249

⁽¹⁴⁾ School types derived from returns made by schools to the Department in the Annual Schools' Census.
Source:
Annual Schools' Census

6 Dec 2005 : Column 1169W

		Maintained primary, middle and secondary schools
		Number of primary and secondary schools	Number of middle schools1	of which: middle schools 9–131	Total number of schools
820	Bedfordshire	163	40	40	203
873	Cambridgeshire	232	1	1	233
835	Dorset	158	16	16	174
310	Harrow	47	19	0	66
919	Hertfordshire	492	6	6	498
921	Isle of Wight	51	16	16	67
886	Kent	575	3	3	578
382	Kirklees	177	7	5	184
855	Leicestershire	270	10	0	280
826	Milton Keynes	82	17	0	99
391	Newcastle upon Tyne	83	6	4	89
926	Norfolk	388	49	0	437
392	North Tyneside	67	4	4	71
815	North Yorkshire	374	2	0	376
928	Northamptonshire	310	2	2	312
929	Northumberland	156	44	44	200
836	Poole	29	9	1	38
933	Somerset	254	9	9	263
860	Staffordshire	363	14	14	377
935	Suffolk	292	40	40	332
938	West Sussex	268	14	0	282
865	Wiltshire	245	3	2	248
868	Windsor and Maidenhead	55	4	4	59
885	Worcestershire	217	32	24	249

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