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29 Oct 2007 : Column 831W—continued
Zimbabwe: Human Rights
Mr. Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what steps the Government have taken to strengthen mechanisms for the reporting of human rights violations in Zimbabwe. [161474]
Meg Munn: We remain deeply concerned about the deteriorating human rights situation in Zimbabwe. The UK, together with other EU member states, regularly monitors human rights violations and has obtained a wide-ranging and detailed picture of the level and extent of political violence. We actively participate in the implementation of the EU human rights defenders strategy in Zimbabwe, which includes regular contact with and support for human rights defenders. Our embassies in the region, and in particular in Harare, regularly meet with EU and other key partners, including local and international non-governmental organisations, to consider how best human rights can be defended. As part of the EU, and in our national capacity, the UK regularly raises concerns at the UN Human Rights Council, most recently in September.
The UK has also given substantial financial support to civil society organisations in Zimbabwe working to defend human rights, monitor violations and promote good governance (£2.5 million in 2006, increasing to £3.3 million in 2007).
Children, Schools and Families
Academies
Mr. Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families what estimate he has made of the percentage of English pupils who were educated in academies in each year since 2005; and what projection he has made of the percentage in each year until 2020. [161071]
Jim Knight: Information on the proportion of pupils in England educated in academies from 2005 to 2008 is included in the following table. The projected number of academies to be opened (and therefore the overall number of pupils in academies) by the end of the 2008-09; 2009-10 and 2010-11 financial years is subject to the detailed allocation of funds to the academies programme from the Department's spending review settlement, which will be announced shortly. Financial allocations for later years, which will impact on the number of academies and pupils receiving education in them, are subject to future spending review decisions.
| Percentage | ||
| Proportion of all pupils in England educated in academies | Proportion of all pupils aged 11 to 15 in England educated in academies | |
| (1) Represents a proportion that is less than 1 per cent. Notes: 1. Percentages are rounded to the nearest percentage point. 2. Total pupil numbers in all schools include those in maintained nursery, maintained primary, maintained secondary, city technology colleges, maintained special schools, maintained pupil referral units, non-maintained special schools, independent schools and academies. 3. Calculations based on full-time equivalents where part-time pupils are counted as 0.5. 4 School information used in calculations is pupil level based from all schools except for Pupil Referral Units. Data include dually registered pupils. 5. Figures for 2007 and 2008 are projections. Source: 2006 Annual Schools Census and DCSF projections. | ||
Academies: Finance
Helen Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families if he will seek to legislate to ensure that if an academy acts in contravention of its funding agreement to the detriment of a pupil or parent, any person disadvantaged would have a direct remedy in law. [160827]
Jim Knight [holding answer 25 October 2007]: Academies’ funding agreements are legally binding. If an academy acted in contravention of its funding agreement to the detriment of any pupil or parent, any person disadvantaged by the contravention could raise the matter with the Secretary of State. The Secretary of State can intervene to ensure any such matter is rectified and may pursue the issue through the courts if appropriate.
Children: Autism
Mr. Gibb: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families what recent estimate he has made of the number of children on the autistic spectrum who do not have a school place; and what the average length of time such children spent out of school before an appropriate placement is found was in the last period for which figures are available. [160628]
Jim Knight: The Department for Children, Schools and Families does not hold this information.
We do collect some information about the placement of children with a statement of SEN, In January 2007, 850 children with a statement were awaiting provision and a further 160 children had been permanently excluded and not yet placed elsewhere.(1)
( 1) Source:
SEN2 Survey, January 2007 previously published on 26 June 2007 in the Statistical First Release ‘Special Educational Needs in England, January 2007’. Numbers have been rounded to the nearest 10.
Children: Day Care
Jo Swinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families what definition he uses of affordable childcare; what estimate he has made of the number of affordable childcare places which (a) were required in each of the last 10 years and (b) will be required in future years for which estimates are available; and how many affordable childcare places (i) were available in each of the last 10 years and (ii) he expects to be available in future years for which figures are available. [157730]
Beverley Hughes: There is no universally applicable definition of affordability. Individual family circumstances will determine how affordable childcare is in relation to family income and is relative to the different levels of wages in different regions. We know however that childcare costs can have a substantial impact on the family budget, especially those in lower income households, which is why we are providing substantial help (over £3 million a day) through the tax credit system and 12.5 hours of free early education for all three and four year olds.
The Childcare Act 2006 requires local authorities in England to assess childcare in their areas by April 2008, and then to secure sufficient childcare for working parents and those in education or training leading to work. The affordability of childcare will be an important factor in determining whether there is sufficient childcare in a local authority area.
Children: Diabetes
Mr. Amess:
To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families what guidance his
Department issues to schools on the care of children with diabetes; and if he will make a statement. [161095]
Jim Knight: The Department, in conjunction with Department of Health, published in 2005 guidance for schools ‘Managing Medicines in Schools and Early Years Settings’ which includes specific advice on diabetes.
The Department also publishes guidance to schools on the Teachernet website on handling incidents arising from medical conditions, including hypoglycaemic episodes.
Children: Poverty
Sandra Gidley: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families how many children were considered to be living in poverty in each year since 1997. [151052]
Caroline Flint: I have been asked to reply.
The most commonly used poverty indicator is the proportion of households below 60 per cent. of contemporary median income. Income is measured before housing costs: this is the international norm.
The information requested is available on page 53 of the Households Below Average Income 1994/95-2005/06 (Revised). This is available in the Library.
Coleham School Shrewsbury: Finance
Daniel Kawczynski: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families if he will meet the Head of Coleham Primary School to discuss funding issues in Shrewsbury. [159163]
Jim Knight: Due to diary commitments the Secretary of State is unable to meet the head teacher of Coleham Primary School. Officials in the Department will contact the hon. Member to arrange a meeting in the near future.
Curriculum
Mr. Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families what proportion of children in year 11 in English schools were taught (a) history, (b) geography, (c) a modern language and (d) physics in each year since 1990; and if he will make a statement. [161074]
Jim Knight: The information requested is in the following table:
Data are not available prior to 1994. A time series for any modern foreign language is not available, and so separate time series for French, German and Spanish have been given.
The Department does not hold data on the number of pupils to study certain subjects. The closest indicator held by the Department is the number of entries for each subject. It is possible that some students may study a subject but not be entered for a qualification in it.
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