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Paternity Leave
Keith Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills (1) what plans the Government have to change provisions for paternity leave; [7133]
(2) what plans the Government have to introduce shared parental leave in the second six months after a child's birth. [7135]
Mr. Sutcliffe: I have been asked to reply.
The Government want to give families more choice about how to balance their work and caring responsibilities. The Work and Families: Choice and Flexibility" consultation sought views on how to enable
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fathers to share a proportion of the mother's maternity leave and pay. We are currently considering the responses to the consultation and will respond in due course.
Keith Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what research the Government have commissioned on the percentage of fathers who would stay home to look after children if it was financially viable to do so. [7134]
Mr. Sutcliffe: I have been asked to reply.
The DTI part funded the Equal Opportunities Commission's report Fathers and the First Year" which was published on 16 June 2005. The report indicates that almost 80 per cent. of working fathers surveyed said they would be happy to stay at home and look after their child, but did not provide any information as to whether financial considerations affected that response.
Prison Education
Mr. Stephen O'Brien: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills pursuant to the answer of 15 June 2005, Official Report, column 490W, on prison education, what the targets are for numbers of offenders acquiring Basic Skills Level qualifications beyond (a) entry level, (b) level 1 and (c) level 2; and how many offenders acquired these qualifications in each year since 2002. [7380]
Phil Hope: The framework for basic skills qualifications is set out in Skills for Life", the national strategy for improving adult literacy and numeracy skills. That document contains no basic skills level qualifications beyond level 2 and therefore, as part of our aim to bring offender learning and skills in line with mainstream learning and skills provision, there are no targets for basic skills achievements by offenders in qualifications beyond entry level and levels 1 and 2.
Sector Skills Councils
Mr. Boswell: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what the date of licence of each Sector Skills Council is, listed in chronological order; what employment sector each covers; how many employers each covers; and what the most recent annual budget was of each. [6653]
Phil Hope: The following table provides information on Sector Skills Councils (SSCs) which are independent organisations. The number of employers is a broad estimate and excludes sole traders. The amount of public funding each SSC receives through the Sector Skills Development Agency (SSDA) is detailed as follows on an accruals basis, for the year ending 31 March 2005. However, the information about the budgets of each SSC is commercially confidential as most generate significant amounts of external funding.
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Special Educational Needs/Tribunals
Mr. Hoyle: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills if she will make a statement on the future of (a) Mayfield and (b) Astley special schools in Chorley. [6613]
Maria Eagle: Under arrangements introduced in the School Standards and Framework Act 1998, the consideration of proposals for establishing, altering, or discontinuing maintained special schools are a matter for local decision making.
Mr. Hoyle: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many special schools there are in Lancashire education authority; and if she will make a statement on the long-term provision of special needs education in Lancashire. [6614]
Maria Eagle: Removing Barriers to Achievement", our SEN strategy, provides a clear long-term vision for improving support and outcomes for children with SEN. It sets out action to ensure that children with SEN receive the help they need as quickly as possible, from schools and other services. The SEN strategy was informed by a review of special schools. Special schools have a vital role teaching children with the most severe and complex needs, and sharing expertise with mainstream schools.
In January 2005 there were 32 maintained special schools in Lancashire local education authority. The schools are listed as follows.
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Mr. Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills pursuant to her answer of 16 June 2005, Official Report, column 593W, on special needs tribunals, in how many cases appellants (a) were successful, (b) were unsuccessful, (c) withdrew their cases and (d) settled cases outside tribunal, broken down by local education authority. [6965]
Maria Eagle: We do not collect information in this format; cases settled outside the tribunal result in a parental withdrawal or LEA concession, so data is provided under those two heads.
The following table shows appeal outcomes by LEA for the reporting year 2003–04. It shows the number of appeals withdrawn by the parent, conceded by the LEA and decided by the tribunal. Of those decided it shows the number upheld and the number dismissed, where upheld refers to any decision where the tribunal found in favour of the parents on any part of their appeal.
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