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29 Mar 2007 : Column 1682W—continued


English: Teaching Methods

Mr. Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills pursuant to his answer of 15 January 2007, Official Report, columns 800-1W, on English language teaching, (1) if he will assess the merits of using the skills and materials available in the learning English section of the BBC World Service to maintain the accessibility of online/distance learning English for Speakers of Other Languages courses; and if he will make a statement; [120255]

(2) when he expects to reply to Question 120255, on the BBC World Service and English language teaching, tabled by the hon. Member for Portsmouth, South on 6 February. [130500]


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Phil Hope: There are a wide variety of materials and resources to support the learning of English and we would encourage those that are effective and of high quality.

The Skills for Life Strategy has implemented national standards for adult literacy and numeracy and all provision eligible for funding as basic skills has to be mapped to these. The standards are reinforced and supported by national core curricula for literacy, numeracy, ESOL and ICT which provide a context within the learning environment. Learners wishing to improve their English skills should follow approved courses based on the Skills for Life national standards and curriculum and which lead to nationally recognised qualifications.

We recognise the value and potential of delivering English language online and via distance learning and we are currently investigating this area.

Mathematics: Secondary Education

Mr. Willetts: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what proportion of mathematics lessons in mainstream maintained secondary schools is observed by Ofsted, broken down by school year group. [129708]

Jim Knight: This is a matter for Ofsted. HM Chief Inspector, Christine Gilbert, has written to the hon. Member and a copy of her reply has been placed in the House Library.

Letter from Christine Gilbert, dated 28 March, 2007:

Proportion of lessons observed in maintained secondary schools which were mathematics lessons
Year group Percentage

7

14

8

15

9

14

10

14

11

15

12

8

13

9

All

14


Nurseries: Qualifications

Mr. Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what assessment he has made of the viability of playgroups in circumstances where staff of those groups are found by Ofsted to have insufficient qualifications. [130067]


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Beverley Hughes: Ofsted regulates to the National Standards for under 8s day care and childminding and makes a judgment about whether all managers, staff and volunteers have the appropriate experience skills and ability to do their jobs. National Standards 1 and 2 of the sessional care standards sets the qualification requirements for playgroups. Where providers do not currently meet these requirements Ofsted will normally accept an action plan showing how they intend to fulfil them and over what timescale, and monitor progress at the next inspection.

Public Sector Pensions

Mr. Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills (1) what the cash equivalent transfer value is of the public sector pensions of the 10 highest paid members of staff in his Department and its executive agencies; and if he will make a statement; [113816]

(2) when he will answer Question 113816, on public sector pensions, tabled on 5 January 2007 by the hon. Member for Yeovil. [120260]

Mr. Dhanda: The cash equivalent transfer value (CETV) of the pensions of the 10 highest paid departmental employees at 31 March 2006 was £4,340,480.00. This includes the CETV of the members of the senior management team named in the Department’s remuneration report, which is published annually and which is in the public domain. The Department has no executive agencies.

Special Educational Needs

Annette Brooke: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills (1) what recent representations he has received on the availability of textbooks for blind, partially sighted and dyslexic children in accessible formats; and if he will make a statement; [130337]

(2) what assessment he has made of the availability of textbooks in formats accessible to blind, partially sighted and dyslexic children; [130338]

(3) what steps he will take to improve blind, partially sighted and dyslexic children's access to books in accessible formats in the next two years. [130339]

Mr. Dhanda: The Department regularly discusses the provision it makes for children with special educational needs and disabilities through the SEN and disability frameworks with key stakeholders both in the voluntary sector and across Government, including support for visually impaired and dyslexic children. A central record is not kept of the approaches made to the Department on individual issues.

We continue to invest significant resources to support the education of children with SEN and disabilities—some £4.5 billion in 2006/07. It is for schools and local authorities to plan to improve access to the curriculum and written materials for disabled pupils over time and the Disability Equality Duty requires schools them to promote disability equality.

To assist the provision of materials in accessible alternative formats for blind, partially sighted and dyslexic
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children specifically, the Government supported the Copyright (Visually Impaired Persons) Act 2002 which reduces delays in gaining copyright clearance to produce books and other printed materials in formats accessible to visually impaired people. The Department of Trade and Industry is also working on a feasibility study to look at opportunities for publishers to provide education material in accessible formats more quickly and this Department is involved in the process.

Vocational Training

Mr. Hayes: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills (1) how many hours of training on average were undertaken by participants in the Train to Gain programme; [123390]

(2) what percentage of participants in the Train to Gain programme received no training as a result of first stage assessment; [123391]

(3) what percentage of participants in the Train to Gain programme have received training of more than (a) 60 hours, (b) 70 hours and (c) 100 hours; [123392]

(4) what percentage of the Train to Gain programme budget has been spent on (a) training, (b) accreditation and (c) skills brokers. [123393]

Bill Rammell: Train to Gain is an ongoing service and as such performance is updated on a regular basis. Detailed operational information is not held centrally by the Department but is collected by the Learning and Skills Council (LSC). Mark Haysom the LSC chief executive has written to the hon. Member and a copy of his replies has been placed in the House Library.

Letter from Mark Haysom, dated 28 March 2007:

Letter from Mark Haysom, dated 12 March 2007:

Letter from Mark Haysom, dated 12 March 2007:


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Letter from Mark Haysom, dated 12 March 2007:

Written Questions

Lynne Featherstone: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, when he expects to answer Question 110609, on young people in London, tabled by the hon. Member for Hornsey and Wood Green on 18 January. [130602]

Mr. Dhanda: The hon. Member’s question will be responded to by the Department for Work and Pensions. The question was transferred on 26 January.

Young People: EC Action

Mr. Hayes: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what steps the UK is taking under the EU Youth in Action programme (EU budget code 15 01 04 55); and if he will make a statement. [130658]

Bill Rammell: The EU Youth in Action Programme started on 1 January 2007 and will run until 31 December 2013. I have appointed Connect Youth, part of the British Council, to manage the programme in the UK and to maximise the take up by eligible young people in this country.

Youth Opportunities

Ann Coffey: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what assessment he has made of the degree to which the Youth Opportunity and Youth Capital funds are reaching the disadvantaged young people in Greater Manchester following submission by local authorities of reports to the Government Office in the North West. [129981]

Mr. Dhanda: Local authorities are required to report to Government offices on delivery of the Youth Opportunity and Youth Capital Funds on a six monthly basis. The first six monthly reports received at the end of October 2006 provided evidence predominantly on set up of the funds in each area. As a result, levels of participation by disadvantaged young people in the funds are not identifiable. The second reports due at the end of April 2007 will include full
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management information on participation, and will provide information on how the funds are reaching disadvantaged young people in each local authority.

Transport

A21: Compulsory Purchase

Gregory Barker: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport whether the Highways Agency plans to issue compulsory purchase orders along the A21 between Flimwell and Robertsbridge. [130594]

Dr. Ladyman: I refer the hon. Member to my answer of 1 February 2007, Official Report, column 425W.

Aerodrome Charges

Mr. Todd: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport whether he plans to consult on how to determine the interests of persons who live in the area in which an aerodrome is situated in determining the use of his powers under the Civil Aviation Act 1982 to fix charges. [129998]

Gillian Merron: Section 1 of the Civil Aviation Act 2006 inserts a new section 38 into the Civil Aviation Act 1982. Subsection 5 of this section requires that where the Secretary of State is considering whether to exercise his power, conferred by subsection 4, to direct an airport operator to fix its charges by reference to aircraft noise or emissions, he must

We do not plan to consult on a general process for determining those interests. Rather, we recognise that the interests will depend on specific local circumstances. If the Secretary of State were to consider the use of section 38(4) in a specific case, we would expect a public consultation giving local authorities, amenity groups, the airport's Consultative Committee, other local interest groups and individuals an opportunity to make their views clear. Decisions following consultation would depend on the merits of the case.

Aircraft

Chris Grayling: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when the aircraft for the use of the Prime Minister will be ready to enter service; and what the estimated whole life cost of such aircraft is estimated to be. [125931]

Gillian Merron: The Department for Transport plans to introduce the new air travel service as early as possible, consistent with best procurement practice and the need to deliver value for money and appropriate levels of safety, security and reliability. The timetable for delivery will depend upon the contractual arrangements and the lead-in times needed by suppliers to meet the new requirement.

Sir Peter Gershon’s “Independent Air Travel Review” estimated that the new service would cost between £104 million and £107 million in net present
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value terms over a ten year period. This compares with a cost of £98 million over the same period of continuing with the existing arrangements. Sir Peter Gershon’s Review calculated that such an arrangement would add no further burden to the public purse.


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