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9 May 2007 : Column 298W—continued
Giles Brook Primary School: Repairs and Maintenance
Dr. Starkey: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how much has been spent on Giles Brook Primary School, Milton Keynes in (a) original building costs, (b) repairs and making good building defects and (c) provision of temporary classrooms. [136265]
Jim Knight: This information is held locally. Much of the Department’s capital resources are allocated to local authorities and schools by needs-related formulae, so that priorities for investment can be decided locally and in accordance with locally prepared asset management plans.
Guardianship
Mr. Stewart Jackson: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many children live outside care and in households with adult friends or family members who are not their birth parents. [134895]
Beverley Hughes [holding answer 1 May 2007]: This information is not collected centrally.
Head Lice
Lynne Featherstone: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what guidance his Department gives schools regarding the prevention and treatment of head lice; and if he will make a statement. [133041]
Mr. Ivan Lewis: I have been asked to reply.
The Department has produced a leaflet containing guidance on the prevention and treatment of head lice, which includes the option of using lotions as well as combing. The leaflet is widely available from locations that include schools and general practioners’ surgeries and on the Department’s website at:
A copy of the leaflet has been placed in the Library.
Maintained Schools: Qualifications
Mr. Willetts: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many pupils in maintained schools did not turn up for a GCSE exam for which they had been entered in 2006. [132182]
Jim Knight: The Department does not hold the information required to answer the question.
Mental Health
Lynne Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what measures he is taking to promote actively the employment within (a) his Department and (b) public sector bodies for whom he has responsibility of people with mental illnesses in line with the advice and codes of practice produced by the Disability Rights Commission. [117081]
Mr. Dhanda:
Under the Disability Equality Duty introduced by the Disability Discrimination Act 2005, the Department and the public sector bodies for which I
am responsible are required to publish and implement a Disability Equality Scheme. These are plans setting out how we will carry out the Disability Equality Duty, monitor and report on progress. In particular this includes our arrangements for gathering information on the effect of our policies and practices on the recruitment, development and retention of our disabled employees, including those with mental health conditions, and making use of that information.
The Department, and the public sector bodies for which I am responsible, also have duties under the employment provisions in Part 2 of the Disability Discrimination Act 1995 not to discriminate against, and to make reasonable adjustments for, disabled job applicants and employees. The arrangements are set out in the Department’s Disability Equality Scheme which is a matter of public record.
In addition, specifically on mental health, the Department will be launching a stress policy, and are working closely with ‘Action on Stigma’, the Department of Health led initiative to promote and sustain employment for people with mental illness.
The public sector bodies sponsored by the Department that are subject to these requirements are responsible for publishing and implementing their own Disability Equality Schemes.
Action the Department is taking includes; an internal guide which describes how individuals and managers can manage and support mental health issues in the workplace, including sources of support for new joiners and existing employees; a stress policy based on the HSE Stress Management Standards; a 24/7 Employee Assistance provider who will provide telephone advice or 1:1 counselling; health fairs where material on mental health issues supplied by our local primary care trusts was distributed; and no pre-screening for health prior to recruitment or appointment with a guarantee that a person’s health status does not form part of the selection process.
New Schools
Mr. Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills pursuant to the answer of 26 March 2007, Official Report, column 1288W, on new schools, if he will provide a breakdown of the number of schools completed in each year by (a) region and (b) London borough. [132585]
Jim Knight: The information given in the answer of 26 March 2007, Official Report, column 1288W was partial. The Department is currently collecting details from all authorities of buildings investment in schools, including new schools built from all sources of funding. This information will be made available later this summer. I will ensure that copies are placed in the House Library, and that the hon. Member is informed when this happens.
Nursery Schools: North East Region
Dr. Kumar: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many children in (a) the North East and (b) Middlesbrough South and East Cleveland are in free nursery education. [134769]
Beverley Hughes: The available information is shown in the table.
The latest figures on early education places for three and four-year-olds in England were published in Statistical First Release 32/2006 “Provision for children under five years of age in England—January 2006 (final)” in August, which is available on my Department’s website www.dfes.gov.uk/rsgateway/.
Primary Education: Teachers
Philip Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, pursuant to the answer of 28 March 2007, Official Report, column 1545W, on primary education teachers, whether he has taken steps to encourage schools to employ more men as primary school teachers; how much has been spent advertising jobs in publications likely to reach a predominantly male audience; whether he has encouraged schools to put in place targets for the recruitment of male teachers; whether specific training courses are offered only to male teachers; whether any advice has been given to schools of their right to advertise jobs under Section 47(1a) of the Sex Discrimination Act 1975; and if he will make a statement on the present number of male primary school teachers. [135532]
Jim Knight: DfES and TDA-Training and Development Agency for Schools-are working together to develop a programme of action to increase the number of men working in primary schools.
The TDA has a range of actions specifically designed to encourage men to train to be primary teachers, in particular, three day TDA funded primary teaching 'taster courses' specifically for men. TDA advertises in national newspapers rather than male-themed publications because those have been more effective in attracting potential high quality teachers. TDA advertise for able, committed and high-quality trainees, regardless of gender.
Neither TDA nor schools have targets for the recruitment of male trainees or staff. Employers must recruit the best candidate for the job. Training providers are expected to recruit the best quality candidates. The TDA aim is to improve annually on the existing 14 per cent. of male trainees accepted onto primary ITT courses. TDA does not offer teacher training courses specifically to males.
Schools are free to advertise their vacancies where they wish. No advice has been given to schools on Section 47 (1a) of the Sex Discrimination Act 1975.
The latest provisional figure available for the number of male teachers in primary schools in 2005 was 26,700.
Pupil Exclusions
Mr. Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many exclusions from maintained (a) primary and (b) secondary schools there were in each year since 1997, broken down by reason for the exclusion. [126525]
Jim Knight: The available information is shown in tables which have been placed in the Library.
Only two years of data relating to the reason for exclusion are currently available. The first year for which information on the reason for exclusion is available relates to the 2003/04 academic year. Exclusions data for 2004/05 academic year were published in June 2006.
Pupil Exclusions: Greater London
Mr. Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many pupils were excluded from schools in (a) each London borough and (b) each school in the London borough of Sutton in each of the last five years. [132649]
Jim Knight: The information requested is in the following tables.
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