Mr. Gareth R. ThomasTo ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment (1) how much funding was given by his Department to supplementary language schools in England and Wales in each year since 1992 and 1993; [113655]
(2) what monitoring of the quality of supplementary language schools is undertaken by his Department. [113678]
§ Jacqui Smith[holding answer 9 March 2000]: Supplementary language schools are independent community-based educational initiatives in England and are not directly funded by the DfEE. These schools fall outside of the immediate responsibility of this Department for monitoring and quality control.
The DfEE will be setting up a Supplementary School Support Service by tender later this year. The primary responsibility for this service will be to develop the capacity for supplementary schools to improve the educational achievement of minority ethnic pupils in National Curriculum subject areas.
The Study Support Team of the Schools Plus Division, Schools Directorate of the DfEE has assisted with some funding towards a publication called "A Directory of Supplementary and Mother-tongue Classes 1999–2000".
I refer my hon. Friend to the Welsh Assembly for the element of his question relating to Wales.