| Previous Section | Back to Table of Contents | Lords Hansard Home Page |
Foreign Language Teaching in Schools
Lord Watson of Richmond asked Her Majesty's Government:
- What practical progress they are making in providing foreign language learning to every child in every school, especially at the primary level. [HL2476]
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department for Education and Skills (Baroness Ashton of Upholland): The noble Lord will recall that I promised during a debate on languages held on 16 January to provide by autumn 2002 a national strategy for the provision of foreign language learning. The Languages Steering Group that I chair will advise on what form the Government's strategy should take.
We need to address this issue by raising the profile of languages, by engaging children at an early age and by demonstrating the value of language competence in the workplace. We need to look at flexible and innovative ways of delivering languages in the curriculum.
General Teaching Council: Consideration of Unacceptable Professional Conduct
Lord Lucas asked Her Majesty's Government:
- Whether the report in the Times Educational Supplement of 18 January that a teacher is being accused in front of the General Teaching Council of "criticising his headteacher and colleagues to an inspector" and "writing to an examination board to complain about the running of a GCSE maths exam" is true; and, if so, why such action could be construed as misconduct. [HL2534]
Baroness Ashton of Upholland: Since June 2001, the General Teaching Council has had powers to investigate, consider and determine cases where it is alleged that a teacher registered with the council has been guilty of unacceptable professional conduct. The first such case is at present before the council and has been adjourned until March. It involves a number of allegations, including those referred to by the noble Lord. It is for the council to determine cases on the evidence and it would not be right for the Government to comment.
Government Sponsored Museums: Policy for Loans Abroad
Lord Freyberg asked Her Majesty's Government:
- Further to the Written Answer by Baroness Blackstone on 16 January (WA 166), whether they will be "monitoring and reviewing" the proposed loan from the Royal Armouries to the Owlsley Brown Frazier Historical Arms Museum in Louisville, Kentucky, United States; and[HL2573]
Further to the Written answer by Baroness Blackstone on 16 January (WA 166), whether insurance for the proposed loan from the Royal Armouries will be covered by the Owlsley Brown Frazier Historical Arms Museum or by the Government's indemnity scheme; and[HL2574]
Further to the Written Answer by Baroness Blackstone on 16 January (WA 166), whether the Royal Armouries has provided the Government
- with details of how it will generate fund-raising revenue at no expense to the taxpayer; and [HL2575]
Further to the Written Answer by Baroness Blackstone on 16 January (WA 166), whether they are satisfied that the Owlsley Brown Frazier Historical Arms Museum, which has yet to be built, will have the expertise and facilities to look after items from the national collection at the Royal Armouries to appropriate standards; and[HL2576]
Further to the Written Answer by Baroness Blackstone on 16 January (WA 166), whether, in the light of the coverage that has been given to the proposed loan from the Royal Armouries and that of the Parthenon Sculptures at the British Museum, they are considering the introduction of guidelines to cover all loans from government-sponsored museums and galleries.[HL2577]
The Minister of State, Department for Culture, Media and Sport (Baroness Blackstone): It is for the trustees of the Royal Armouries to carry out the monitoring necessary to ensure that the terms and conditions of the proposed loan to the Owlsley Brown Frazier Historical Arms Museum in Kentucky are met in full within the framework of their governing legislation.
The proposed loan will be insured by the Owlsley Brown Frazier Historical Museum in accordance with the Royal Armouries' standard overseas loan terms, which require the receiving institution to provide cover.
The Department for Culture, Media and Sport is waiting to receive a business case from the Royal Armouries setting out its plans in detail for an arrangement with the Owlsley Brown Frazier Historical Arms Museum in Louisville, Kentucky, USA.
The Board of Trustees of the Royal Armouries will sanction the loan of items from its national collection to the Owlsley Brown Frazier Historical Arms Museum only if it agrees to meet the terms and conditions of that loan in full.
There are no plans to introduce guidelines on the loan of items from government-sponsored museums. These loans are a matter for the trustees of those museums with reference to their governing legislation.
Sweden: Ministerial Visits
Baroness Miller of Hendon asked Her Majesty's Government:
- How many ministerial visits and visits by government departmental officials were made to Sweden in the year 2001; by which Ministers and departments; and for what purposes.[HL2235]
The Minister for the Cabinet Office and Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster (Lord Macdonald of Tradeston): Listed below are details of Ministers' visits to Sweden in 2001.
| Dates of Travel 2001 | Minister | Reason |
| 9–10 January | Secretary of State for Defence | Bilateral discussions in advance of the Swedish EU Presidency and visiting a military unit |
| 21–23 January | Leader of the House of Lords and Minister for Women | Swedish Presidency Ministerial Meeting on Equality |
| 22–23 January | Parliamentary Under- Secretary of State for Social Security | Attending informal meeting with Ministers on Gender Equality and Social Security |
| 22–23 January | Parliamentary Under- Secretary of State for Employment and Equal Opportunities | Attending Work Life Balance Conference |
| 28–30 January | Minister of State for the Home Department | Attending Holocaust Memorial Day |
| 6 February | Leader of the House of Lords and Minister for Women | Launch of UK/Swedish Report on Women Entrepreneurship Joint Initiative |
| 7–9 February | Secretary of State for the Home Department | Attending Justice and Home Affairs Council Meeting |
| 7–9 February | Minister of State for the Home Department | Attending Justice and Home Affairs Council Meeting |
| 12 February | Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs | Attending bilateral meeting |
| 13 February | The Parliamentary Under- Secretary of State for Science | Attending meeting with Thomas O |
| stros, Swedish Research Minister | ||
| 15–16 February | The Minister for Employment, Welfare to Work and Equal Opportunities | Attending meetings of Ministers for Telecommunications and Employment |
| 22-23 February | The Minister of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Office | Launching a diversity initiative |
| 1–3 March | The Minister for Education and Employment | Attending meeting with EU Education Ministers |
| 1–3 March | The Parliamentary Under- Secretary of State for Science | Attending an informal meeting of education and research Ministers |
| 11–13 March | Parliamentary Secretary for the Cabinet Office | Liaising with Swedish counterparts on better regulation and e- government issues |
| 22–24 March | Prime Minister | Attending European Council |
| 22–23 March | Chancellor of the Exchequer | Ecofin |
| 23–24 March | Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs | Attending European Council |
| 23–24 March | The Minister of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs | Attending European Council |
| 30 March | Parliamentary Under- Secretary of State for Environment | Attending informal Environment Council meeting |
| 7–10 April | Minister of State for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food | Attending informal Agriculture Council meeting |
| 23 April | The Minister for Trade | Attending a meeting on trade policy |
| 20–21 April | Chancellor of the Exchequer | Ecofin |
| 4–6 May | The Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs | Attending Foreign Affairs informal meeting |
| 14–16 June | Prime Minister | Attending European Council |
| 14–16 June | The Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs | Attending European Council |
| 15–16 June | Minister of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs | Attending European Council |
Information on overseas visits by departmental officials is not held centrally. In most departments decisions about such travel are taken within the management line, and to assemble such information would involve considerable effort and disproportionate cost.
The Countess of Mar asked Her Majesty's Government:
Lord Macdonald of Tradeston: The cost of printing and publishing the report of the Policy Commission on the Future of Food and Farming, Farming and Food: a sustainable future was £5,650. This is for the initial printing of 2,500 copies; more may be ordered to satisfy demand.
Baroness Pitkeathley asked Her Majesty's Government:
Lord Macdonald of Tradeston: The Government have today published their regulatory reform action plan. This fulfils a commitment given in July 2001 to produce a list of reforms, including those that could be delivered through the new streamlined process under the Regulatory Reform Act 2001.
This action plan contains 63 new proposals for regulatory reform orders. It is also wide-ranging, covering reform at all levels, across all sectors and by all routes and bringing together over 260 proposals for change that will benefit businesses, charities, the voluntary and wider public sectors and the individual citizen.
The Government are committed to better regulation. This involves legislating only where necessary and in the most efficient way and deregulating and simplifying existing legislation wherever possible. The action plan brings together our proposals for deregulation and better regulation.
The plan represents a beginning, and the Government will report on progress. In the plan we also ask people to come forward with detailed
Copies of the plan are available from the Libraries of both Houses.
Baroness Anelay of St Johns asked Her Majesty's Government:
The Lord Privy Seal (Lord Williams of Mostyn): The Prime Minister has asked the Performance and Innovation Unit (PIU) to carry out a joint study with
The project team will consider the roles and responsibilities of government and the private and voluntary sectors in helping sport better achieve the objectives of increased grassroots participation in sport and elite sporting excellence. The project team will clarify the roles and responsibilities and interventions of government to help sport better achieve its own objectives. They will develop an overall strategy for guiding government's decisions on sports policy (including major events) and review the existing institutional and financial arrangements in the context of government's own wider objectives. The initial scoping note for the project is available on the PIU website (http://www.piu.gov.uk/2001/sport/scope.shtml). My right honourable friend the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport will be the sponsor Minister for the project. The unit aims to complete its study by summer 2002.
What was the cost of printing and publishing Farming and Food: a sustainable future.[HL2645]
When their regulatory reform action plan will be published, as promised by the Prime Minister at the Confederation of British Industry Annual Conference on 5 November 2001.[HL2652]
What deadline they have set for the Performance and Innovation Unit (PIU) in its consideration of the structure for major international sporting events; and when they will publish the recommendations of the PIU.[HL1923]
Back to Table of Contents
Lords Hansard Home Page