§ Mr. WorthingtonTo ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what(a) research he has conducted into the scale of the problem of disruptive pupils in Northern Ireland, (b) guidance he has given to education and library boards about remedies and (c) cross-board initiatives he has planned. [33827]
§ Mr. AncramWhile no specific research has been conducted into the scale of the problem of disruptive pupils in Northern Ireland, the Department of Education 521W is aware from reports from the inspectorate of the general standards of behaviour in schools throughout the Province. A pilot project aimed at developing strategies to help them improve standards of discipline has been operating in a number of primary and secondary schools in Belfast during the past three years. The department will discuss with the education and library boards and other interested parties what more might be done to support schools and how the strategies developed in the pilot project might be disseminated to all schools in Northern Ireland.