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Chinese Students
Mr. Wills: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many students from mainland China studied in England in each year since 1997. [86632]
Bill Rammell: The latest available information is given in the table:
| Students from mainland China who studied( 1) in English higher education institutions in each year since 1997 | |
| Academic year | Number |
| (1)
Figures include both undergraduate and postgraduate students and also
full-time and part-time
students. Notes: 1. Figures are on a snapshot basis as at 1 December (excluding those writing up, on sabbatical or dormant). 2. Figures have been rounded to the nearest 5. Source: Higher Education Statistics Agency (HESA) student record data. | |
Communication Disability
Sarah Teather: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills (1) what guidance is available to children's trusts on joint working between agencies responsible for supporting children with communication disabilities; [86773]
(2) what professional support is available to assist early years practitioners to assist children with communication disabilities; [86774]
(3) what assessment the Department has made of the long-term impact for children with a speech and language disability; [86776]
(4) what steps he has taken to improve parental awareness of Government support for children with communication disabilities; [86777]
(5) what assessment his Department has made of the merits of implementing a national unitary framework for special educational needs. [86778]
Mr. Dhanda: The Joint Planning and Commissioning Framework for Children, Young People, and Maternity Services, published in March 2006, aims to help local partners to put in place a unified planning and commissioning system which will put improved outcomes at the centre of their thinking, will create a clear picture of what children and young people need, will make the best use of resources, and will join up services so that children and young people with multiple needs experience a seamless service.
To assist the
process of joint working, the Department for Education and Skills and
the Department of Health have commissioned a study of good practice in
the provision of speech and language
therapy services to children and young people with special educational
needs in the age range 0 to 19. A research team from Christ Church
College Canterbury is carrying out this study and the fieldwork is
currently under
way.
The Department recognises that early identification of need, early intervention and early coordinated support are key in improving outcomes for children with communication difficulties. As part of a major new £250 million investment in improving the quality of the early years work force, the Department has identified training to support practitioners working in private, voluntary and independent sector settings in meeting the needs of disabled children and their families as one of four priority areas. This is new money and complements the training resources already available to local authorities through the General Sure Start Grant. The Department has also funded the development in partnership with 45 partnership areas of a wide range of practical resources and training materials through the Early Support Programme.
The Department is supporting a longitudinal study by the university of Warwick looking into the learning needs of a group of children with specific language and communication difficulties, the characteristics of the current provision made for them and its impact, their aspirations for the future and the ways in which services can best support them. The results of the study are due to be published in autumn 2006.
Parental awareness of speech and language difficulties is of course very important. In 2005 the Department published a detailed and well received information booklet for parents on speech and language difficulties under the Early Support Programme. This resource was produced in close collaboration with specialist organisations in the voluntary sector and the Royal College of Speech and Language Therapists. It explains how children normally develop communication, language and speech, how adults can help in this, the difficulties that can arise and how to seek help from professionals.
In the report of their inquiry into special educational needs published on 6 July 2006, the Education and Skills Select Committee make recommendations concerning the possible shape and nature of a national framework on SEN. We are considering the Select Committee's report very carefully and will respond in due course.
Diplomas
Mr. Gibb: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills (1) what projections he has made of the number and proportion of pupils in the fourth key stage who will opt to study for (a) a general diploma and (b) a specialised diploma in each of the first five years following their introduction; [87353]
(2) what his Department’s targets are for the take-up of (a) academic and (b) vocational qualifications in each of the next five years; [87354]
(3) how many and what proportion of pupils (a) in the fourth key stage and (b) between the ages of 14 and 19 years he expects to opt for vocational qualifications in each of the next five years. [87355]
Jim Knight: The Chapter 6, paragraph 18, of the ‘Department’s Five Year Strategy for Children and Learners’, published on 8 July 2004, set out our aim to extend vocational options across all schools as part of our commitment to strengthening choice and the personalisation of the curriculum. To support this aim, the Strategy stated that we will dramatically increase the number of 14-16 year olds studying vocational subjects in schools, colleges and training providers to just over 180,000 by 2007-08.
The Department published its projections for 14-16 year olds take up of specialised Diplomas in the 14-19 Implementation Plan, Chapter 1, page 20, figure 1.3. A copy of the Implementation Plan is in the Library. Figure 1.4 shows the estimated participation of 16-18 year olds in education and work-based learning over the period 2002/03 to 2014/15. We expect the numbers of young people participating to increase as more learning options become available to them. We also expect the balance of provision to shift towards specialised Diplomas as these come on stream.
Young people wishing to do just GCSEs will be able to do so. They will also be eligible for award of the General Diploma when this is introduced in 2009.
Electronic Children's Database
Mrs. Spelman: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills pursuant to the answer of 6 July 2006, Official Report, column 1384W, on the Electronic Children’s Database (1) what plans he has to prevent accidental loss or theft of data stored in the index; [86889]
(2) what plans there are (a) to link and (b) to enable data-sharing between the Information Sharing Index and the National Identity Register; [86890]
(3) what rights (a) children, (b) their parents and (c) children on the index who have reached adulthood will have to view their personal data stored on the Information Sharing Index; [86891]
(4) what legal requirement there will be permanently to delete information from the Information Sharing Index once (a) the child reaches adulthood and (b) a set period of time has passed; [86892]
(5) whether the Information Sharing Index will hold (a) fields and (b) information for Audit Trail log files on which organisations or individuals have been examining or amending individual records; [86901]
(6) what the differences are between the Information Sharing Index database and Integrated Children’s system database; [86902]
(7) what plans he has to introduce offences for the misuse or abuse of the database; [86903]
(8) whether he plans to establish the statutory limitation on what data the Information Sharing Index will hold and which public sector bodies can access the database by means of (a) primary legislation and (b) secondary legislation. [86978]
Beverley Hughes: In relation to questions (86889 and 86903), the Information Sharing Index will be designed to ensure a high level of physical and environmental security to protect against natural hazards that could interrupt service. Arrangements will be in place to enable operations to continue effectively, notwithstanding any system component failures. There will be an effective and tested contingency plan that would, for example, ensure that a back-up system is in place.
We see no need to introduce specific offences as there are already measures in criminal law which impose penalties for theft or misuse of data or unauthorised access to computer records. Mandatory training for all users and operators of the index will stipulate that the Data Protection Act provides that a serious offence, with a penalty of a fine up to the statutory maximum, will be committed where personal data is unlawfully obtained or disclosed without the consent of the data controller. The Computer Misuse Act 1990 provides that unauthorised access, or attempted unauthorised access to a program or data held on a computer may be punishable by imprisonment.
In relation to question (86901), all index use will be monitored through the creation of an audit trail record. Users will be required to supply a valid reason when searching for and viewing an index record. All access to any record will be recorded and reviewed regularly for suspicious patterns of access. Misuse of the index will therefore be detected and dealt with through internal disciplinary procedures or the criminal measures referred to.
In relation to question (86890), the index will not be linked to the National Identity Register, nor are there plans for data-sharing between them.
In relation to
questions (86892 and 86891), the Children Act 2004 provides that
records of children and young people will remain on the index until
they reach age 18. There is also provision for records of young people
who receive additional services—for example care leavers and
those with learning
disabilities—to remain on the index, with their consent, up to
age 25 in order to provide continued support in the transition to adult
services. We will be consulting over the autumn on draft regulations
that will, among other issues, propose a period of time during which
records will be kept in a secure archive before permanent
destruction.
Children, young people, and parents when acting on their behalf, have rights under the Data Protection Act to see the data that is held about them on the index and to request that incorrect data is corrected or removed.
In relation to question (86902), the Information Sharing Index is a central database containing a basic record on all children in England, with contact details of practitioners working with them. There will be no case information on the index record. The Integrated Children’s System (ICS) is not a database. ICS is a framework that provides a set of principles for case record management by local practitioners working with individual children in need (as defined under the Children Act 1989) and looked-after children. ICS is not itself an IT system, but it is IT-enabled to help practitioners carry out their key tasks effectively.
In relation to question (86978), section 12 of the Children Act 2004, and affirmative resolution regulations to be made under section 12, will set out the information that must or may be included on the index and specify the types of practitioner whose role would make it appropriate for them to have access. Consultation on the draft regulations will run over the autumn.
Examinations
Mr. Willetts: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many pupils under the age of 18 years sat (a) SATs (b) GCSEs, (c) GNVQs and (d) A-levels in each year since 1997. [86446]
Jim Knight [holding answer 20 July 2006]: The information required is in the following table.
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