Previous Section | Back to Table of Contents | Lords Hansard Home Page |
Lord Ouseley asked Her Majesty's Government:
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department for Education and Skills (Baroness Ashton of Upholland): The education of children of asylum seekers and refugees is the responsibility of local education authorities (LEAs) and the process of admitting them to school is no different from that which applies to any other child. It is not possible to specify either the number of these children who are without a school place or the LEAs in which they are located. To collect such data would be a very complex exercise and a considerable burden on schools.
LEAs allocate school places to children of asylum seekers and refugees as quickly as possible. However, we recognise that as the majority of these children arrive during the school year it will often happen that school's places will already have been allocated before they arrive in an LEAs area. Where this happens, an LEA is still required to make arrangements for them to receive suitable education until a school place can be found.
Children of asylum seekers and refugees have the same right as any other child to access the education system in the United Kingdom. The right to education, however, does not give rise to the right to be admitted to any particular school. Provided that the proper steps to remedy any shortfall in school places have been taken and that suitable education is provided until a school place can be found, we believe that LEAs will have complied with their obligations under the European Convention on Human Rights.
LEAs must also comply with the provisions of the Race Relations Act 1976. They must ensure, therefore, that the children of asylum seekers and refugees awaiting a school place are not treated any less favourably than any other child on racial grounds.
Lord Morris of Manchester asked Her Majesty's Government:
(a) state registered chiropodists; and
(b) unregistered chiropodists.[HL2297]
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department of Health (Lord Hunt of Kings Heath): Currently, courses of study in chiropody (podiatry) offered in the United Kingdom that lead to eligibility for state registration include degree or honours degree level. The minimum qualification required for state registration is one approved by the chiropodists board of the Council for Professions Supplementary to Medicine as conferring sufficient knowledge and skill to practise the profession. There is no minimum requirement for other non-state registered practitioners.
Lord Laird asked Her Majesty's Government:
The Lord Privy Seal (Lord Williams of Mostyn): I am advised that the Northern Ireland Human Rights Commission aims to respond to all correspondence as quickly as is practicable, by acknowledgement initially if a substantive response requires more time. I understand that the commission's normal turn around for correspondence is within a week of receipt, although in some instances it can take longer. The Northern Ireland Office target for answering correspondence is ten working days. The Northern Ireland Human Rights Commission's stated normal response time therefore appears to me to be within acceptable limits.
Lord Lucas asked Her Majesty's Government:
Lord Williams of Mostyn: In principle there is no reason why a Peer who has requested it could not be sent a copy of a Written Answer on request. In practice, no formal arrangements have been put in place by the House to enable Peers to make such requests but this should not prevent departments sending a copy of an Answer by e-mail if the Peer lets them know he would like it. If the House would like to formalise this, the Cabinet Office would be happy to liaise on behalf of departments on how this should be done.
What is the average length of time taken during 2001 by the Northern Ireland Human Rights Commission to respond to correspondence; and whether they consider the time taken to be acceptable.[HL2189]
Which government departments are now prepared to send to Peers who so request it copies of Answers to Written Questions by e-mail.[HL2312]
Back to Table of Contents
Lords Hansard Home Page