HC Deb 24 January 1996 vol 270 cc285-6W
Mrs. Anne Campbell

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what new information is being collected by her officials in the current survey into the levels of provision of information technology in schools. [11129]

Mr. Robin Squire

Some questions have been updated in the survey to be carried out in March 1996 to reflect the changing provision of information technology in schools resulting from new technology developments. No new categories of information are involved.

Mrs. Campbell

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment how many local education authority advisory information technology centres there were in each year since 1991. [11113]

Mr. Squire

The information is not held centrally. It is a matter for individual local education authorities to decide how to provide IT support arrangements in the light of demand from schools. The Department's statistical bulletin "Survey of Information Technology in Schools", issue No. 3/95, ISSN 0142-5013, gives information on sources of technical support.

Mrs. Campbell

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what proportion of teachers in the current work force have received some formal training in information technology. [11116]

Mr. Squire

A sample survey of information technology provision in schools carried out by the Department in 1994 showed that the proportion of teachers who had received some training in information technology was 94 per cent. in primary schools, 86 per cent. in secondary schools and 92 per cent. in special schools.

The ability to make constructive use of IT is among the competencies now required of all newly qualified teachers.

Mrs. Campbell

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment if she will make a statement on the current survey by her Department into the level of provision of information technology in schools. [11128]

Mr. Squire

The Department will be carrying out a further survey of information technology provision in a representative sample of schools in England in March 1996. The results of the survey should be available around the end of the year.