HC Deb 01 April 1985 vol 76 cc418-20W
Mr. Chris Smith

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if, with reference to paragraph 106 of his White Paper, "Better Schools", Cmnd. 9469, he will publish in the Official Report a list of all those organisations and individuals who have expressed a view to him on the establishment of AS level courses; and which of those have expressed support and which have expressed opposition to the proposal.

Mr. Fisher

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science (1) if he will estimate the additional costs for (a) central Government and (b) local education authorities of implementing his proposals on education of ethnic minority pupils published in Cmnd. 9469, "Better Schools";

(2) if he will estimate the additional costs for local education authorities of implementing his proposals on governing bodies and the legal framework published in Cmnd. 9469, "Better Schools";

(3) if he will estimate the additional costs for implementing his proposals on monitoring published in Cmnd. 9469, "Better Schools";

(4) if he will estimate the additional costs for (a) central Government and (b) local education authorities of implementing his proposals on in-service training published in Cmnd. 9469, "Better Schools";

(5) if he will estimate the additional costs for (a) central Government and (b) local education authorities of implementing his proposals on teaching quality published in Cmnd. 9469, "Better Schools";

(6) if he will estimate the additional costs for (a) central Government and (b) local education authorities of implementing his proposals on education of the under-fives published in Cmnd. 9469, "Better Schools";

(7) if he will estimate the additional costs for (a) central Government and (b) local education authorities of implementing his proposals on examinations and assessment published in Cmnd. 9469, "Better Schools";

(8) if he will estimate the additional costs for (a) central Government and (b) local education authorities of implementing his proposals on primary and secondary education published in Cmnd. 9469, "Better Schools";

(9) if he will estimate what additional expenditure on (a) books, (b) equipment, (c) science equipment and (d) school maintenance will be necessary to implement his proposals in Cmnd. 9469, "Better Schools".

Sir Keith Joseph

The costs to central Government of following-up the objectives set out in the White Paper "Better Schools" (Cmnd. 9469) will fall to be met within the planned provision for the Department of Education and Science and Welsh Office, described in Cmnd. 9428. The costs to local education authorities are discussed in general terms in chapter 11 of Cmnd. 9469. References are also made in other chapers to the resources implications of particular policies and proposals, for example those on the education of the under-fives (paragraph 130), the proposed new specific grant to support local education authority expenditure on most aspects of in-service training (paragraph 176) and the proposed new arrangements for school government (paragraph 262).

Mr. Fisher

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science (1) what additional measures and staffing will be required to implement his proposals on monitoring published in Cmnd. 9469, "Better Schools";

(2) what additional staffing will be required to implement his proposals on governing bodies and the legal framework published in Cmnd. 9469, "Better Schools";

(3) what additional resources and staffing will be required to implement his proposals on education of ethnic minority pupils published in Cmnd. 9469, "Better Schools";

(4) what additional resources and staffing will be required to implement his proposals on in-service training published in Cmnd. 9469, "Better Schools";

(5) what additional resources and staffing will be required to implement his proposals on teaching quality published in Cmnd. 9469, "Better Schools";

(6) what additional resources and staffing will be required to implement his proposals on education of the under-fives published in Cmnd. 9469, "Better Schools";

(7) what additional resources and staffing will be required to implement his proposals on examinations and assessment published in Cmnd. 9469, "Better Schools";

(8) what additional resources and staffing will be required to implement his proposals on primary and secondary education published in Cmnd. 9469, "Better Schools";

Sir Keith Joseph

The possible implications for the number of teachers employed by local education authorities of the Government's policies for the schools were explored in the Department's discussion paper "Schoolteacher Numbers and Deployment in the Longer Term", and in the light of that analysis "Better Schools" (Cmnd. 9469) acknowledges that there is a need for some further limited improvement in the overall pupil to teacher ratio for England and Wales. The extent to which this can be achieved, and the pace of any change, must depend on future public expenditure plans.

The employment of non-teaching staff in schools is a matter for individual local education authorities. I look to them to continue to seek greater efficiency in this area taking account, for example, of recent advice from the Audit Commission and within the resources available to support provision in the classroom in pursuance of the policies in Cmnd. 9469.

Mr. Spearing

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if, in respect of paragraph 106 of Cmnd. 9469, "Better Schools", he will list those organisations or bodies which have supported or opposed the introduction of the AS level examinations.

Sir Keith Joseph

Over 200 responses were received to the proposals published in May 1984. Those who responded included higher education bodies (the Committee of Vice-Chancellors and Principals, the Standing Conference on University Entrance, the Committee of Directors of Polytechnics, the Council for National Academic Awards and about 15 individual universities and polytechnics); the local authority associations; local education authorities (35); local advisers (5); colleges of further and higher education (20) and schools (about 50); all the GCE boards; the main teachers' associations; subject associations (9); employers' organisations (3); the TUC; professional and learned societies (15); and a variety of other bodies and individuals. No simple tally of those who supported and opposed the proposals is possible because many responses supported some aspects of the proposals while criticising others. Paragraph 105 of the White Paper summarises the tenor of the responses.