§ Mrs. DeanTo ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment if he will replace food technology with home economics in the National Curriculum. [111951]
§ Jacqui SmithMy right hon. Friend the Secretary of State announced in September last year the revised National Curriculum which will apply from September 2000. The revisions were the outcome of a wide-ranging review and consultation which considered, among other matters, how pupils are taught about food, nutrition and textiles in the curriculum.
Within the revised National Curriculum, food technology (including cooking) and textiles remain within the Design and Technology programmes of study; and nutrition and health eating are covered in Science and Personal, Social and Health Education. Home economics also can play a complementary role, and many schools include it within their curriculum. It is also available as a GCSE option.
We are continuing to look at food and cooking in the curriculum with the aim of ensuring a more coherent approach. We will, of course, take into account the role of home economics in this context.