§ Mr. GorrieTo ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what plans he has to implement the recommendations concerning better contact between schools, examining bodies, the inspectorate and professional mathematicians contained in the 1995 report, "Tackling the Mathematics Problem". [48837]
§ Ms Estelle MorrisI understand that the 1995 Report's recommendations were considered by the Government of the day and their response was made publicly available.
490WThe Department for Education and Employment has given top priority to raising standards in mathematics. The Numeracy Task Force established by my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State, which includes as a member one of the authors of the Report, has been considering the available evidence relating to mathematics. The Task Force's main objective has been to establish a national strategy to raise standards in mathematics in order to reach the national numeracy target by 2002. Its preliminary report, Numeracy Matters, was the subject of wide consultation earlier this year. Its final report, which will be published shortly, will contain firm recommendations and a practical agenda for implementing the National Numeracy Strategy.
The National Curriculum review for 2000, on which work has begun, will reflect the priority being given to raising standards in mathematics.