§ Dr. StarkeyTo ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what was the expenditure by local education authorities on pupils and students with statements of special educational needs for the years(a) 1990–91, (b) 1991–92, (c) 1992–93 and (d) 1993–94. [47456]
§ Ms Estelle MorrisInformation on local education authority expenditure on pupils with statements of special educational needs was not collected before 1993–1994. The amount spent by LEAs on pupils with statements of special educational needs for that year was £1.13 billion.
Action zones Name Areas Education Action Zones Barnsley, Basildon, Birmingham (2 applications), Blackburn with Darwen, Brighton, Croydon, Halifax, Herefordshire, Hull Lambeth, Leicester City, Middlesbrough, Newcastle, Newham, Norfolk, North East Lincolnshire (Grimsby), Nottingham City, Plymouth, Salford and Trafford, Sheffield, North Somerset (Bridgwater), Southwark, South Tyneside, Wigan
Employment Zones Glasgow, Liverpool and Sefton, North West Wales, Plymouth and South Tees 302W
Pilot schemes—Education Name Areas Action Research Projects Barnsley, Coventry, Derbyshire, Devon, Dudley, Islington, Lancashire, Leeds, Leicester, Manchester, Portsmouth, Rochdale, Sheffield, Solihull, Southwark, Tower Hamlets, Wakefield, Warwickshire, Wigan, York City
§ Mr. WillsTo ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment (1) if he intends to publish plans for action to improve mainstream provision for children with special educational needs; [47578]
(2) how he will define his objectives for the improvement during the next four years in the performance of children with special educational needs at mainstream schools, with particular reference to literacy and numeracy targets. [47579]
§ Ms Estelle MorrisFollowing consultation on the Green Paper, "Excellence for all Children", we will publish an action programme in the early autumn. This will set out the steps we shall take to improve the provision for children with SEN, in mainstream and special schools, and to raise the standards they achieve. As one early action point from the Green Paper, we have increased support through the Schools Access Initiative for projects to increase disabled access to mainstream schools, from £4m in 1997–1998 to £l lm in 1998–99. We have also announced specific measures to promote literacy and numeracy for children with SEN, including pilot summer literacy schools for pupils with low literacy levels and in special schools; and guidance on the application of the literacy hour for children with SEN.
§ Dr. CableTo ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what studies his Department has evaluated into the placement of children into mainstream or special schools when a care home with education closes. [47887]
§ Ms Estelle MorrisThe Department has not commissioned work on this subject specifically. However, good practice in re-integrating looked after children in mainstream schooling is an issue we shall expect to address in new guidance in the next two years on educational provision for these children.