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Education Model (Sweden)

Dr. Kumar: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what research her Department has commissioned into the Swedish education model. [37782]

Bill Rammell: The Department, alongside education authorities in Sweden and other member countries of the OECD and the EU, commissions regular international studies of educational attainment from several multilateral research bodies. The picture of the Swedish education system's performance that emerges is mainly strong. Particular strengths are in primary-age reading and in adult literacy; for both, Sweden came first in international studies. For literacy among secondary school pupils Sweden does well but is not one of the leaders, and mathematics performance is average by OECD standards.

From time to time the Department commissions its own studies of education in other countries, covering aspects of the Swedish model. Because of its strong adult education tradition, Sweden has been chosen as one of the exemplar countries for a study entitled International Comparisons in Further Education", now under way and due to report by mid-February 2006.

It is not possible to ascribe Sweden's success for certain to the nature of its education system. The Swedish model is broadly similar to that of other Nordic countries, at least as regards schools: start of compulsory education at age 7; all-through schools to age 15; pupil testing to standards determined at school rather than national level; and a high degree of decentralisation across the entire system. Swedish and Finnish performance is consistently strong, while Denmark and Norway with similar systems have mixed results.

Educational Psychologists

Mr. Gibb: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many and what proportion of educational psychologists in English schools have a doctorate in psychology. [39505]

Maria Eagle: This information is not collected centrally.

Educational Trips

Jeremy Corbyn: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills if she will take steps to assist families on low incomes, including those above the income support threshold, with the cost of educational trips. [40366]

Jacqui Smith: The consultation on the education outside the classroom manifesto, which endorses all pupils having the opportunity for high quality out-of-classroom educational experiences, will finish at the end
 
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of January 2006. The ten working groups will make proposals for action early next year. No decisions have yet been made on assistance for families on low incomes.

Engineering Apprenticeships

Mrs. Curtis-Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many people have (a) begun and (b) successfully completed apprenticeships related to engineering in each of the last five years for which records are available. [30116]

Phil Hope: Figures for those starting and successfully completing apprenticeships in engineering and related occupations funded by the Learning and Skills Council (LSC) derive from the Individual Learner Record (ILR). This was collated for the first time in 2001/02 (as an Interim ILR) and comparable completions figures are available for the three years from then.
 
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(a) Table 1 shows the number of starts on apprenticeships or NVQ training done within a work-based learning programme in engineering, technology and manufacturing.
Table 1: Number of starts in LSC funded WBL provision in engineering, technology and manufacturing

	2001/02	2002/03	2003/04
Advanced Apprenticeships	16,200	16,600	20,600
Apprenticeships at level 2	8,000	11,400	15,400
NVQ training	7,700	6,400	4,100
Total—any framework or NVQ	32,000	34,400	40,100

Note:
Numbers may not add to totals due to rounding.

(b) Table 2 shows numbers (and proportions) of learners who successfully completed LSC funded apprenticeships or NVQ training done within a work-based learning (WBL) program in engineering, technology and manufacturing.
Table 2: Number of successful completers of LSC funded WBL provision in engineering, technology and manufacturing

	Framework (x)		NVQ only (y)		NVQ successes (x + y)		Total leavers
	Number	Percentage	Number	Percentage	Number	Percentage	Number
Advanced Apprenticeships 2001/02	5,100	35	1,200	8	6,300	44	14,500
Advanced Apprenticeships 2002/03	6,600	45	1,000	7	7,600	52	14,600
Advanced Apprenticeships 2003/04	6,200	43	1,000	7	7,200	50	14,600
Apprenticeships at level 2 2001/02	1,300	19	900	13	2,200	32	6,900
Apprenticeships at level 2 2002/03	1,900	24	1,100	14	3,000	38	7,800
Apprenticeships at level 2 2003/04	2,800	30	1,100	12	3,900	42	9,400
NVQ training 2001/02	—	—	4,000	43	—	—	9,100
NVQ training 2002/03	—	—	3,300	44	—	—	7,600
NVQ training 2003/04	—	—	3,000	62	—	—	4,800
Total—any framework or NVQ 2001/02	—	—	—	—	12,500	41	30,600
Total—any framework or NVQ 2002/03	—	—	—	—	13,900	46	29,900
Total—any framework or NVQ 2003/04	—	—	—	—	14,100	49	28,700

Note:
Numbers and percentages may not add up to totals due to rounding

EU Committees

Angus Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many meetings of the EU (a) Socrates Committee, (b) Erasmus sub-committee, (c) Comenius sub-committee, (d) Tempus Committee, (e) Leonardo da Vinci Committee and (f) Advisory Committee on vocational training have taken place during the UK presidency of the EU; who presided over each meeting; what other UK representatives were present; what provision was made for representation of the devolved governments; and if she will make a statement. [38644]

Jacqui Smith: The EU Socrates Committee, the Leonardo da Vinci Committee and the Comenius sub-committee met once each during the UK's presidency of the EU, and there was also one meeting of the Advisory Committee on Vocational Training (ACVT). In addition, there was a joint meeting of the Socrates and Leonardo da Vinci Committees. The Erasmus sub-committee also met once but UK officials were not able to attend as a result of a transport strike in Belgium. There was no meeting of the Tempus Committee.

The United Kingdom was represented by officials of the Joint International Unit for the Department for Education and Skills and Department for Work and Pensions, and an official from the Department for Education and Skills also attended the ACVT meeting. Officials of DG Education and Culture presided over all the meetings. The UK Government takes into account the views and interests of the devolved administrations when formulating the UK's policy position on all EU and international issues which touch upon devolved matters. Provision for attendance at EU meetings by Ministers and officials of the devolved administrations is set out in paragraphs 4.12–15 of the Concordat on Co-ordination of European Union Policy Issues (part of the Memorandum of Understanding between devolved Ministers and the UK Government). Ministers from the devolved administrations have attended and do attend Councils, by agreement with the lead Whitehall Minister.

A copy is available on the internet at: http://www.dca.gov.uk/constitution/devolution/pubs/odpm_dev_600629.pdf

Angus Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many meetings of the EU (a) Committee for the implementation of the Community action programme concerning co-operation policy in the youth field, including European voluntary service and youth exchanges within the Community and with third countries, (b) Scientific and Technical Research Committee and (c) Euratom Scientific and Technical Advisory Committee have taken place during the UK
 
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presidency of the EU; who presided over each meeting; what other UK representatives were present; what provision was made for representation of the devolved Governments; and if she will make a statement. [38645]

Jacqui Smith: The EU Youth Programme Committee met once during the UK's Presidency of the EU. Officials of the DG Education and Culture presided over the meeting. The United Kingdom was represented by officials of the Joint International Unit for the Department for Education and Skills and Department for Work and Pensions.

The other committees fall within the responsibility of my right hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry. I understand, however, that the Scientific and Technical Research Committee (CREST) met four times during the UK's Presidency of the EU. Officials from DG Research chaired each meeting. Officials from the Office of Science and Technology and DTI's Innovation Group represented the United Kingdom. The Euratom Scientific and Technical Advisory Committee met once during the UK Presidency. The meeting was chaired by an Italian technical representative. Scientific experts from UKAEA represented the UK.

The UK Government takes into account the views and interests of the devolved Administrations when formulating the UK's policy position on all EU and international issues which touch upon devolved matters. Provision for attendance at EU meetings by Ministers and officials of the devolved Administrations is set out in paragraphs 4.12–15 of the Concordat on Co-ordination of European Union Policy Issues (part of the Memorandum of Understanding between devolved Ministers and the UK Government). Ministers from the devolved Administrations have attended and do attend Councils, by agreement with the lead Whitehall Minister.

A copy is available on the internet at:
 
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http://www.dca.gov.uk/constitution/devolution/pubs/odpm_dev_600629.pdf

Angus Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many meetings of the EU (a) Advisory Committee on veterinary training, (b) Advisory Committee on training in architecture and (c) Committee on the second general system for the recognition of professional education and training have taken place during the UK presidency of the EU; who presided over each meeting; what other UK representatives were present; what provision was made for representation of the devolved governments; and if she will make a statement. [38783]

Jacqui Smith: No meetings of the Advisory Committee on veterinary training or the Committee on the second general system were held during the UK presidency. Two meetings of the Advisory Committee on training in architecture took place during the UK presidency. The meetings were chaired by Dr. James Horan (Head of the School of Architecture at the Dublin Institute of Technology). The representatives, on behalf of all UK countries, were Professor James Low (Head of the School of Architecture of the University of Central England, Birmingham) on 30 September 2005 and Dr. Jon Levett (Head of Education, Architects Registration Board) on 15 December 2005.

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