§ 1. Mr. Jim Cunningham (Coventry, South) (Lab)If he will make a statement on the volunteers in education mentoring programme at the university of Warwick. [175987]
§ The Secretary of State for Education and Skills (Mr. Charles Clarke)The Government-funded education mentoring programme in Warwick is helping young people to realise their potential and strengthening voluntary groups and neighbourhoods. The project will receive £55,999 per annum for the years 2004–05 and 2005–06. Last year, 200 students volunteered in over 40 schools. It is an important scheme that shows that we can develop this in many ways. I am grateful for the support that my hon. Friend has given it.
§ Mr. CunninghamI cannot stress enough the importance of that scheme, particularly in inner cities and deprived areas. Does my right hon. Friend have plans to expand the scheme up and down the country?
§ Mr. ClarkeWe do. There is a range of such schemes, including an interesting one pioneered by Simon Singh, the author, to get maths students to spend part of their course acting as teaching assistants in maths classes in local schools. We are drawing up detailed proposals for a major expansion of precisely that type of work because we have seen the benefits to which my hon. Friend referred.