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3 July 2006 : Column 678W—continued


Further Education Colleges

Mr. Jenkins: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what the average change is in funding for further education colleges in (a) England, (b) each region and (c) each county for (i) 2006-07 and (ii) 2007-08. [80139]

Bill Rammell: I announced last October as part of our post-16 funding strategy—Priorities for Success—that planned expenditure for further education would increase to £4.8 billion in 2006-07 and £4.9 billion in 2007-08, a 3 per cent. increase in funding compared to 2005/06 baselines. These figures cover both 16-18 and adults but do not include work-based learning, Personal Community and Development Learning (PCDL) or additional funds for the roll out of Train to Gain, of which we expect colleges to receive a significant proportion.

Providers should now have received confirmed further education funding allocations from the Learning and Skills Council (LSC) for 2006/07. The LSC will be writing to all further education providers shortly with a more detailed analysis of the 2006/07 allocations and this information will also be available on the LSC website.

Mr. Jenkins: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what formula was used when setting the funding allocations for further education colleges for (a) 2006-07 and (b) 2007-08; and what criteria were used in deciding on the formula. [80140]

Bill Rammell: The process of setting funding allocations began last October when we announced our funding strategy, Priorities for Success. The strategy made clear that higher participation among young people must have the highest priority, alongside helping disadvantaged adults gain basic and Level 2 skills for employability. The allocations for 2006-07 are based on the principles that we outlined in Priorities for Success. The LSC have published a number of documents detailing how these principles would be applied in practice and the funding formula used to determine allocations is set out in the LSC's document “Funding Guidance for Further Education in 2006/07”.

The original Priorities for Success strategy laid out a clear path for funding priorities leading into 2007-08. We intend to provide an update to Priorities for Success in October 2006 and funding allocations will continue to be based on the principles outlined.


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Head Teachers

Anne Snelgrove: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what the average annual wage was of (a) secondary and (b) primary head teachers in each year since 1997. [79878]

Jim Knight: The following table provides the average salary of full-time head teachers in nursery, primary and secondary schools in England and Wales in each March from 1997 to March 2003, the latest year for which information is available.

Annual salary of full-time head teachers, March 1997 to March 2003
Nursery/primary Secondary

1997

30,050

41,520

1998

31,110

43,060

1999

32,510

44,870

2000

35,130

48,230

2001

37,330

50,820

2002

39,420

53,960

2003(1)

41,730

57,460

(1) Data are provisional. Source: Database of Teacher Records (DTR)

For both nursery/primary and secondary heads, the average salary has increased by 19 per cent. in real terms over the period.

Sarah Teather: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what the average length of time served in post by head teachers in England was according to the most recently available figures. [80014]

Jim Knight: The information requested is not available.

Sarah Teather: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills pursuant to the answer of 20 June 2006, Official Report, column 1704W, on head teachers, what percentage of all teachers in the leadership group retired early in (a) 2002-03, (b) 2003-04 and (c) 2004-05. [80534]

Jim Knight: The following table provides the percentage of teachers in the leadership group who retired early (defined as before the normal pension age of 60 on premature, actuarially reduced (ARB) or ill health grounds) in each year from 2002-03 to 2004-05, the latest information available.

Proportion of leadership group teachers in the maintained sector in England retiring early( 1) , 2002-03 to 2004-05
Percentage

2002-03

2.8

2003-04

3.1

2004-05

2.7

(1) Head, deputy and assistant head teachers awarded premature, actuarially reduced or ill health retirement benefits from the Teachers' Pensions Scheme. Note: Data are provisional. Source: Database of Teacher Records (DTR) and Pensioner Statistical System.

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Inclusion Agenda

Mr. Willis: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what support his Department gives to (a) teachers, (b) academics, (c) therapists and (d) psychologists who are supporting the Inclusion agenda in state (i) primary and (ii) secondary schools; and if he will make a statement. [80862]

Mr. Dhanda [holding answer 28 June 2006]: The Department provides substantial support to schools and those who work with them in delivering an inclusive education that meets the needs of all children, through the funding it provides for schools and local authorities, the funds it provides for the Training and Development Agency for Schools and the Qualifications and Curriculum Authority and the guidance it issues. The extent of the Government's commitment to supporting children in schools is illustrated by the fact that since 1997-98, total funding in England has increased nationally, by £1,170 per pupil from £2,940 in 1997-98 to £4,110 per pupil in 2005-06. This represents a rise of nearly 40 per cent. per pupil.

Lifelong Learning

Mr. Hayes: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills which UK non-governmental organisations have been funded by the project lines set to be combined in the Integrated Action Plan in the Field of Lifelong Learning. [80738]

Bill Rammell: The following list contains the names of UK non-governmental organisations (ie bodies which are not education institutions) funded in 2005 by the Leonardo da Vinci and Socrates programmes which will be replaced by the Lifelong Learning Programme from 2007. This is the latest year for which complete details are available.


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Mr. Hayes: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many UK (a) institutions and (b) academics have been funded by the project lines which are to be combined in the Integrated Action Plan in the field of lifelong learning. [80739]

Bill Rammell: The most recent data available for 2004/05 show that 156 UK higher education institutions benefited from the Erasmus programme. 1,304 teacher visits took place under the programme. This will become a part of the new action programme in the field of lifelong learning from the beginning of 2007.

Mr. Hayes: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills if he will make a statement on the teaching on non-EU languages as part of the EU integrated action plan in the field of Lifelong Learning. [80740]

Bill Rammell: The proposed Lifelong Learning programme will support the teaching of non-EU languages. It will provide for community funds to support projects and the production of materials for teaching and learning world languages such as Chinese, as well as the languages of our minority ethnic communities and indigenous regional languages such as Welsh and Gaelic. This is in line with our own national languages strategy, and support offered nationally by our new voluntary languages recognition scheme, the languages ladder.

Mr. Hayes: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills if he will make a statement on the development of the (a) Jean Monnet programme and (b) Erasmus Mundus programme as part of the EU integrated action plan in the field of lifelong learning. [80741]


3 July 2006 : Column 682W

Bill Rammell: We welcome the continuation of the Jean Monnet project under the new action programme in the field of lifelong learning and believe that it can continue to be of direct benefit to UK higher education institutions by providing funding towards academic posts and course modules. The Erasmus Mundus programme is a separate programme running until 2008 and there are currently no plans to integrate it in the new action programme in the field of lifelong learning.

Mr. Hayes: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills if he will make a statement on the involvement of non-EU countries as part of the EU integrated action plan in the field of lifelong learning. [80742]

Bill Rammell: The European Union's proposed action programme in the field of lifelong learning seeks to contribute to the development of the Community as an advanced knowledge society by fostering interchange cooperation and mobility between education and training systems. Intercultural dialogue and exchange are key elements of the programme, and so membership is rightly not limited to the EU member states, but also includes the EEA countries (Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway), Bulgaria, Romania and Turkey. In addition, Switzerland and the countries of the Western Balkans will be able to participate once bilateral agreements are concluded. Finally, the Jean Monnet sub-programme allows participation of higher education institutions in any other third country.

Mr. Hayes: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what assessment he has made of the compatibility of the Integrated Action Plan in the Field of Lifelong Learning with sections 406 and 407 of the Education Act 1996, with particular reference to the teaching of viewpoints on European integration; and if he will make a statement. [80743]

Bill Rammell: The European Union's proposed action programme in the field of lifelong learning seeks to contribute to the development of the Community as an advanced knowledge society by fostering interchange cooperation and mobility between education and training systems.

The programme has no bearing on sections 406 and 407 of the Education Act 1996. The programme does not promote partisan political activities. DFES policy is to teach about the nature and roles of all democratic institutions, including the European Union, as well as the UK Parliament, United Nations, North Atlantic Treaty Organisation, and the Commonwealth.

Mr. Hayes: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what legal obligations arise for his Department from Article 1 (3)(C) of the Integrated Action Plan in the Field of Lifelong Learning; and if he will make a statement. [80744]

Bill Rammell: The Decision of the European Parliament and of the Council establishing an action programme in the field of lifelong learning is legally binding on member states, as are all decisions. Article 1(3)(C) of the Decision states that a specific objective of the programme is to help improve the quality, attractiveness and accessibility of the opportunities for
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lifelong learning available within member states, which is in line with DfES policy. As Article 4 of the Decision makes clear, the Lifelong Learning Programme is aimed at supporting and supplementing action at member state level, and fully respects the responsibility of member states for the content of their education and training systems.

Mr. Gibb: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what assessment he has made of the proposed Recommendation of the European Parliament and of the Council on Key Competences for Lifelong Learning; and whether he plans to incorporate them into the national curriculum. [79931]

Bill Rammell: This Recommendation forms part of EU Education Ministers' response to the Lisbon Agenda and makes a reasonable and well balanced addition to the tools which the 25 member states have at their disposal when looking how best to modernise and reform their education and training systems.

The UK's policies already incorporate many aspects of this Recommendation and we have no plans to change the national curriculum in the light of the Recommendation.

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