HC Deb 16 February 1988 vol 127 cc572-4W
16. Mr. Thurnham

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what recent representations he has received about the assessing and testing proposals within the new school curriculum.

Mrs. Rumbold

A few representations have been received since the publication of the report of the task group on assessment and testing on 12 January. Some 14,000 individuals and organisations have written in response to the Government's consultation document on the national curriculum, published last July. Many of these have expressed a variety of views about the place of assessment and testing.

26. Dr. Michael Clark

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what representations he has received regarding the percentage of time proposed for foundation subjects in the Education Reform Bill; and if he will make a statement.

Mrs. Rumbold

The Education Reform Bill makes no provision for the percentage of time to be spent on foundation subjects.

44. Mr. Hannam

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what representations he has received asking him to take steps in the Education Reform Bill to provide improved education for handicapped children.

73. Mr. Ashley

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what representations he has received regarding the effect of the proposals in the Education Reform Bill on the education of disabled children; and what was the nature of his response.

Mr. Dunn

The statistical breakdown is available only in respect of responses to the national curriculum consultation document. Of the 13,800 responses, approximately 12,000 were from individuals and 1,800 from organisations. Some representations concerning children with special educational needs were made by 836 individuals and 213 organisations. My right hon. Friend is drawing the attention of the task group on assessment and testing and of the subject working groups to the implications of those representations which concerned the national curriculum. The Government believe that the proposals in the Education Reform Bill hold every prospect of improved educational provision for children with special educational needs.

47. Mr. Fallon

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what assessment he has made of the effect of allowing boroughs in district councils to opt out of county local education authorities.

Mrs. Rumbold

The outer London boroughs have had responsibility for education for over 20 years, and under the proposals announced by my right hon. Friend on 4 February, at columns 1178–79, the inner London boroughs will assume similar responsibilities on 1 April 1990. The Government have no further plans to reorganise the arrangements for the administration of education.

52. Mr. Speller

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science how many inquiries or comments he has received from school governing bodies in the county of Devon relating to individual schools opting out of the local education authority system.

Mr. Dunn

All individual schools which have approached the Department about this proposal have done so on the basis that their interest will be treated in confidence.

61. Mr. Blunkett

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what steps he intends to take, should the Education Reform Bill become law, to enforce the compulsory nature of the national test for seven-year-olds.

Mrs. Rumbold

The Education Reform Bill places duties on local education authorities, governing bodies and head teachers to secure implementation of the national curriculum, including assessment and testing arrangements. It also provides for regulations requiring information to be made available which will enable parents and the public to check on implementation; and for procedures to deal with complaints that statutory requirements are not being implemented. If necessary, the Secretary of State could use the powers under sections 68 or 99 of the 1944 Act to issue a direction in order to secure compliance.

69. Mr. Vaz

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he has had any representations from teachers or parents groups in Leicestershire about the Education Reform Bill.

Mrs. Rumbold

The Department has received about 60 representations from teachers' and parents' groups in Leicestershire in addition to many from individual teachers and parents.

Mr. Harry Greenway

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what is his latest estimate of the number of schools likely to opt out if the Education Reform Bill becomes law; what will be the earliest date for them to do so; and if he will make a statement.

67. Mr. Grocott

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what is his latest estimate of the number of schools that would opt out under the terms of the Education Reform Bill.

Mr. Dunn

Schools will be able to initiate the procedures leading to an application for grant-maintained status as soon as the Education Reform Bill has received Royal Assent. I expect the first few grant-maintained schools to come into being in September 1989, and anticipate a steady increase in their numbers thereafter.

32. Mr. Steinberg

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science how the proposals contained in the Education Reform Bill will help integrate pupils with special educational needs into the educational system.

Mr. Dunn

The changes proposed in the Bill will provide improved educational opportunities for all children and do not affect the integration principles established under the Education Act 1981. Pupils with special educational needs in ordinary schools will benefit from the new opportunities, whether the schools remain within LEA control or become grant-maintained.