§ Mr. EasthamTo ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what change has taken place in the definition of the key client group of the careers service since its contracting out. [29708]
§ Mr. EasthamTo ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what measures she will take to protect the interests of local education authorities following the contracting out of the careers service, with particular reference to strategic planning. [297071
§ Mr. PaiceThe duty to provide careers services in England was transferred to the Secretary of State from local education authorities by section 45 of the Trade Union Reform and Employment Rights Act 1993. Provision of a careers service is no longer an LEA duty. However, in the majority of the new careers service companies, local education authorities are involved in the partnerships.
§ Mr. EasthamTo ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what safeguards her Department took in respect of a possible conflict of interest when the careers service inspector who drew up the guidelines for the content and quality of bids for the careers service for the Bolton, Bury and Rochdale area took employment with the Nord Anglia careers service company; and if she will make a statement. [29705]
§ Mr. PaiceGuidelines for the assessment of the quality and content of bids for careers service contracts are of national application and were decided centrally. The individual to whom the hon. Member refers advised on some aspects of their development and only as part of a team. The Department was aware of his intention to seek alternative employment before his contract expired and took positive steps to ensure that he had no involvement with the contract negotiations for new services.
§ Mr. EasthamTo ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment if she will make a statement on the future role of the careers service inspectorate. [29709]
§ Mr. PaiceSince the enactment of the Trade Union Reform and Employment Rights Act 1993, the role of the careers service inspectorate—led by the chief inspector—has been to establish arrangements for assessing the performance of careers services against the standards set by the Secretary of State. This includes developing and managing a process for auditing careers services' quality management systems, the direct assessment of aspects of careers service performance and reporting to the Secretary of State on whether the statutory duty has been met. There are no plans to change this role.
§ Mr. EasthamTo ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what safeguards her Department took in respect of the possibility of a conflict of interest when the official who had been the point of contact between the Government office north-west and bidders for the careers service for the Bolton, Bury and Rochdale area took early retirement and a job with Nord Anglia careers service company; and if she will make a statement. [29703]
600W
§ Mr. PaiceAll civil servants, including those who have recently left the civil service, are subject to standard terms and conditions which cover their subsequent employment outside the civil service. The official in question has notified the Government office for the north-west that she has been offered a job with Nord Anglia Ltd., and she is currently seeking clearance before taking up this appointment.
§ Mr. EasthamTo ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what plans she has to ensure stable long-term funding for the careers service. [29711]
§ Mr. PaiceThe Department's 1996 departmental report shows the Government's intention to invest in excess of £200 million per annum on the careers service to 1998–99. Plans for funding in future years will depend on the outcome of the annual public expenditure survey.
§ Mr. EasthamTo ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what provision her Department has made to preserve the objectivity and impartiality of the careers service following its contracting out. [29706]
§ Mr. PaiceCareers services are contractually bound to provide their services in an impartial and unbiased way. The careers service inspectorate—led by the chief inspector—has established arrangements for assessing the performance of careers services against these and other standards set by the Secretary of State.
§ Mr. EasthamTo ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what monitoring is carried out of career guidance standards(a) nationally and (b) locally; and if she will make a statement. [29702]
§ Mr. PaiceMy right hon. Friend the Secretary of State sets the requirements for careers guidance provided by careers services in the requirements and guidance for careers service providers and other documentation. The requirements and guidance for providers specifies the need for all services to have a quality management system, which is monitored locally by staff in Government offices within a national system developed by the chief inspector of careers services. The chief inspector also manages a programme of inspections of aspects of the guidance process in a nation sample of services. The findings of both local and national monitoring are set out in the chief inspector's annual report on the careers service to the Secretary of State, a copy of which is placed in the Library.
§ Mr. EasthamTo ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what plans she has to ensure that the careers service caters to the needs of adults. [29710]
§ Mr. PaiceThe Trade Union Reform and Employment Rights Act 1993 provides that adults in full-time education and part-time vocational education, except higher education are in the careers service client group.
§ Mr. EasthamTo ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what representations she has received about the bidding process for the careers service for the Bolton, Bury and Rochdale area. [29704]
§ Mr. PaiceLetters from two Members of Parliament were received by the Secretary of State in support of a partnership bid by the two local education authorities and 601W training and enterprise council that cover the Bolton and Bury bidding area in the third round of competitive tendering for the provision of careers services in England.