§ Sir Teddy TaylorTo ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what proposals he has for application for European Union(a) funds and (b) material for schools educational projects. [27370]
§ Dr. HowellsSchools educational projects are funded by the European Union's SOCRATES programme, which is administered in the UK by the Central Bureau for Educational Visits and Exchanges. In 1997 the UK's allocation was 5.3 Mecu (£3.7 million). This enabled 1,681 UK schools to participate in transnational partnership projects. In addition 4,572 head teachers and teachers received funding to update or diversify their foreign language teaching skills; to make study visits; to make project planning visits to schools, or to receive in-service teacher training.