§ Mr. IllsleyTo ask the Secretary of State for Education how many formal assessments are currently being undertaken by Barnsley local education authority and what length of time each stage of the assessment has taken so far together, indicating whether that time exceeds the current legislative maximum time for each stage.
§ Mr. ForthThe Barnsley LEA has told my officials that it is currently undertaking 337 formal assessments. Information about the length of time taken for each stage of assessment is not availble centrally. There is at present no statutory maximum time for making a formal assessment. However, subject to Parliament's approval, regulations made under the 1993 Education Act will set statutory time limits for the making of assessments and statements, with effect from autumn this year.
§ Mr. IllsleyTo ask the Secretary of State for Education how many appeals have been submitted to his Department from within Barnsley local education authority since 1981; and what length of time each has been with his Department indicating when that time exceeds the current legislative maximum time for such appeals.
§ Mr. ForthSince 1981, the Department has received a total of 28 appeals under the 1981 Act and related complaints under the 1994 Act from within Barnsley LEA. A breakdown of this figure for each year since 1981, and information about the length of time taken to resolve each appeal or complaint, could be made available only at disproportionate cost. There is no statutory maximum time for resolving appeals under the 1981 Act. The Department is currently consulting upon draft regulations and rules of procedure which will, subject to Parliament's approval, govern the operation of the new special educational needs tribunal, to be established under the Education Act 1993. The tribunal will set time targets for the various stages of an appeal. These will be set out in the tribunal's guide for parents. Performance will be assessed in the tribunal's annual report.