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7 Mar 2006 : Column 1409W—continued
A-levels
Mrs. Curtis-Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills (1) what guidance her Department issues to encourage more girls to undertake A-Level science subjects; [56427]
(2) how many (a) girls and (b) boys undertook A-Level physics in each of the last four years; what assessment she has made of the reasons for the difference in take up of such courses between boys and girls; and if she will make a statement. [56428]
Jacqui Smith: The Department has not issued guidance to encourage more girls to undertake A-Level science subjects. Through the new programme of study for science at key stage 4 which will be introduced in September 2006, we will ensure the science taught in schools inspires learners to pursue further study.
We are working closely with the Institute of Physics to consider what can be done in schools to change this, including the role that the Science Learning Centres can play.
The following table shows GCE A-level entries in physics by candidates aged 16–18 in all schools and Further Education institutions 2002–05.
(34) Ages are taken at the start of the academic year i.e. 31 August.
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BBC Digital Curriculum
Mr. Vaizey: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what assessment she has made of the impact of the BBC digital curriculum on the commercial market for educational software; and if she will make a statement. [56011]
Jacqui Smith: The BBC digital curriculum, now BBC Jam, was launched at the end of January this year. It is therefore too early to tell the impact the service will have on the commercial market.
The BBC was given the go ahead for the service on the basis of 18 conditions. These conditions included requirements to ensure the content was separate, distinctive from, but complimentary to that offered by the commercial sector.
Bologna Process
Mr. Boswell: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what (a) secretariat and (b) follow-up resources her Department has provided toward implementation of commitments made under the Bologna Process. [56336]
Bill Rammell: The UK is responsible for providing a Secretariat to the Bologna Process from July 2005 until June 2007. The Secretariat is based in my department and consists of three officials including one from the Scottish Executive. Its purpose is to provide administrative and operational support for the Bologna Follow Up Group leading up to the next meeting of Bologna Ministers in London in May 2007. The Department is working closely with the devolved UK Administrations and with the UK higher education sector to ensure effective implementation across the UK of commitments made under the Bologna Process.
Building Schools for the Future
John Cummings: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills whether approval of the bid from Durham county council under building schools for the future is conditional on incorporating an academy as part of the overall scheme. [55822]
Jacqui Smith:
It is an absolute requirement for building schools for the future (BSF) proposals that local authorities (LAs) come forward with hard-edged proposals for how their BSF project will raise standards in all secondary schools in the area. In doing that, we require all LAs to give serious consideration to whether the establishment of an academy would benefit one or more schools. It is only right that when we are making unprecedented levels of capital investment in schools, rising from £5.5 billion in 2005–06 to £6.3 billion in 2007–08, all LAs have robust plans in place.
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Care Leavers
Mr. Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many young people leaving care in Coventry, South in 2004–05 received a leaving care grant of (a) less than £500, (b) over £500, (c) over £1,000 and (d) over £2,000. [55990]
Maria Eagle: This information is not collected centrally.
Ed Balls: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what support services are available to young people leaving care in (a) West Yorkshire and (b) Wakefield district to help them deal with the financial and practical aspects of independent living. [54798]
Maria Eagle: Each of the five local authorities in West Yorkshire has a pathway/leaving care service, which offers support to young people 16 to 24 who have left care. The services are delivered either directly by the local authority or by a voluntary organisation contracted by the authority to offer leaving care support. The West Yorkshire Connexions service contributes to all five leaving care teams, having staff based in each one.
Every care leaver must have a personal 'pathway plan', which should record specific arrangements to provide financial advice and support. Where young people are living in independent accommodation, these services will be responsible for ensuring that they have the support necessary to manage the financial and practical requirements of living.
Services to care leavers in Wakefield are provided through Signpost—a partnership between Wakefield social services and Barnardo's. The Signpost annual report for 2004–05 reports that the service employs two teams:
(1) The Leaving Care Team—providing support and making plans for all care leavers registered with Signpost; and
(2) The Accommodation and Employability Team—consisting of housing support workers, accommodation recruitment workers, and employability workers.
This latter team has a remit to provide specific and additional support around care leavers employability and accommodation needs.
Ed Balls: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many young people in (a) West Yorkshire and (b) Wakefield district who left care in 2005 stayed in (i) their own house, (ii) with friends and (iii) in hostel or bed-and-breakfast accommodation. [54799]
Maria Eagle: The Department will be releasing national and local authority level figures on looked-after children in a statistical volume on 30 March 2006. Figures for looked-after children aged 16 and over will be available on the Department's website http://www.dfes.gov.uk/rsgateway/DB/VOL/index.shtml National and local authority figures for all children looked after will be available after this date.
I will write to my hon. Friend and provide him with the information he has requested by 7 April 2006.
Ed Balls:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many (a) leaving care workers and (b) personal advisers are available to young
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people leaving care in (i) the Wakefield district and (ii) Normanton constituency; and how regularly they have contact with individuals. [54800]
Maria Eagle: Services to care leavers in Wakefield are provided through Signpost—a partnership between Wakefield social services and Barnardo's. The Signpost annual report for 2004–05 reports that the service employs two teams:
(1) The Leaving Care Team—consisting of 10 personal advisors (PAs) providing support and making plans for all care leavers registered with Signpost; and
(2) The Accommodation and Employability Team—consists of three housing support workers, two accommodation recruitment workers, and three employability workers.
This latter team has a remit to provide specific and additional support in relation to care leavers employability and accommodation needs.
The frequency of contact between PAs and individual care leavers will be an operational matter that should depend on the specific needs of each young person.
Ed Balls: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many young people leaving care in 2004–05 received a leaving care grant of (a) less than £500, (b) over £500, (c) over £1,000 and (d) over £2,000. [54801]
Maria Eagle: This information is not collected centrally.
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