HC Deb 23 April 2002 vol 384 cc161-2W
Julie Morgan

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what provisions of race relations statutory provision apply to access to school places for children of asylum seekers. [51801]

Mr. Ivan Lewis

There are no specific statutory provisions that apply in respect of the access to school places for children of asylum seekers.

Section 17 of the Race Relations Act 1976 makes it unlawful for school admission authorities to discriminate against a person (a) in the terms that it offers to admit a child to the school, (b) by refusing or deliberately omitting to accept the application for the child's admission to the school as a pupil, or (c) where the child is a pupil at a school (i) in the way that the pupil is granted access to any benefits, facilities or services or by refusing or deliberately not allowing the pupil access to them or (ii) excluding them from the school or subjecting them to other detriment.

Section 18 of the same Act makes it unlawful for an LEA to perform any act which constitutes racial discrimination, not covered by section 17, when carrying out any of its functions under the education legislation.

These apply to all children, including those of asylum seekers.

Mr. Woodward

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what assessment she has made of the availability of places in schools in the vicinity of the proposed sites for accommodation centres. [51660]

Mr. Ivan Lewis

No such assessment has been made. The proposed sites for the accommodation centres have not yet been decided.

Mr. Woodward

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills whether accommodation centres which provide education for asylum seekers will be required to have a governing body. [51663]

Mr. Ivan Lewis

The administration and management of accommodation centres will be a matter for contractors who will run the centres. Bids to operate them have not yet been invited but contractors (once appointed) will run the centres within parameters defined by my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State.

Mr. Woodward

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills whether children seeking asylum have the same right to education as other children in England and Wales; and if she will make a statement. [51176]

Mr. Ivan Lewis

[holding answer 22 April 2002]: Asylum seeking children have the same right to education as all other children in England and Wales.

Mr. McNamara

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills which bodies have been consulted on removing some refugee children from the application of sections 13 and 14 of the Education Act 1996; and which bodies were in favour. [51782]

Mr. Ivan Lewis

[holding answer 22 April 2002]: The views of a number of chief education officers and interested organisations were sought informally. All those who responded asked for LEA duties in respect of asylum seeker children in accommodation centres to be clarified. The majority were not in favour of any changes to LEA duties.