HC Deb 20 October 2003 vol 411 cc434-5W
Mr. Chaytor

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills if he will list for each local education authority(a) the floor target with respect to the percentage of year 11 pupils attending maintained schools gaining five or more GCSE results at Grades A* to C and (b) the date by which the floor target has to be achieved; whether the GCSE results of pupils attending academies will be included in calculating each local education authority's performance; and which local education authorities did not achieve the floor target in 2003. [131402]

Mr. Miliband

[holding answer 16 October 2003]The information regarding floor targets is as follows:

The floor target is that 38 per cent. of 16-year-old pupils in schools in each LEA are to achieve five or more grades A*-C at GCSE/GNVQ by 2004. The GCSE/GNVQ results of pupils attending Academies will be taken into account in calculating each Local Education Authority's performance.

Based on 2003 provisional figures, the following Local Education Authorities have not yet achieved the 2004 floor target yet: Bristol City (35.0 per cent.), Greenwich (34.5 per cent.), Hackney (36.8 per cent.), Haringey (37.5 per cent.), Islington (36.9 per cent.), Kingston-upon-Hull (31.6 per cent.), Knowsley (33.2 per cent.), North East Lincolnshire (35.0 per cent.), Nottingham City (34.3 per cent.), Salford (36.2 per cent.), Sandwell (35.3 per cent.) and Southwark (37.7 per cent.).

Mr. Brady

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what recent discussions his Department has had with(a) the Qualifications and Curriculum Authority and (b) the exam boards on control procedures for (i) GCSE and (ii) A level exams. [131808]

Mr. Miliband

The control procedures for public examinations are detailed in the GCSE, GCE, VCE, GNVQ and AEA Code of Practice which was jointly drawn up by the Regulatory Authorities in England, Wales and Northern Ireland. The Qualifications and Curriculum Authority (QCA) as Regulator, is responsible for ensuring the three unitary awarding bodies in England fulfil their obligations under the Code of Practice and conduct regular reviews to ensure parity.

Undergraduate1 participation on Electronic and Electrical Engineering courses
Electronic Engineeing Electrical Engineering Electronic/Electrical Engineering
Academic year Number Percentage2 Number Percentage2 Number Percentage2
2001–02 21,734 1,42 5,022 0.33 26,756 1.74
2000–01 19,790 133 5,143 0.35 24,933 1.68
1999–2000 18,474 1,28 4,468 0.31 22,942 1.59
1998–99 18,050 1.25 4,567 0.32 22,617 1.57
1997–98 17,828 1.26 4,964 0.35 22,792 1.61
1 Figures cover all undergraduates studying full and part time courses at UK HE institutions.
2 Percentage of all undergraduate enrolments

Source:

Higher Education Statistics Agency (HESA)