§ Mr. PicklesTo ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment (1) how many education welfare officers he assumes Essex County Council has for the purpose of his Department's plan for the delivery of the Government's policy on education; [150805]
(2) how many education welfare officers he assumes each local authority on average has for the purpose of his Department's plan for the delivery of the Government's policy on education. [150811]
§ Jacqui SmithFurther to my reply of 12 February 2001,Official Report, column 46W, the number of education welfare officers employed in a local education authority is a matter for each authority to determine, bearing in mind the need to secure attendance of children at school. Numbers employed will depend on the size of the authority and the level of non-attendance at school. Essex local education authority employs 51 education welfare officers.