| Previous Section | Back to Table of Contents | Lords Hansard Home Page |
Written Answers
Tuesday, 23 March 2004.
Coroner and Death Certification Service
Lord Avebury asked Her Majesty's Government:
- Whether they will now announce their plans for the reform of the coroners, cremation and death certification systems.[HL1780]
The Minister of State, Home Office (Baroness Scotland of Asthal): My honourable friend, the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Correctional Services and Reducing Reoffending (Paul Goggins), made a Written Statement in another place on Friday 12 March 2004 announcing a paper setting out the Government's position on the arrangements we propose to introduce to replace existing systems for the certification and investigation of deaths in England, Wales and Northern Ireland. A copy of this paper is available to Members in the House.
Feltham Young Offender Institution: Literacy Programme
Baroness Hilton of Eggardon asked Her Majesty's Government:
- What were their reasons for withdrawing support form the Society of Voluntary Associates' literacy programme at Feltham Young Offender Institution; and [HL1783]
What provisions there will be for literacy programmes at Feltham Young Offender Institution in future.[HL1784]
Baroness Scotland of Asthal: Her Majesty's Young Offender Institution Feltham has not withdrawn funding from the literacy programme set up by the Society of Voluntary Associates (SOVA). Although SOVA is withdrawing from Feltham, the literacy programme for 18 to 21 year-old offenders will continue and indeed expand in 2004–05, with even more effective targeting of the needs of these young people.
Anabolic Steroid Misuse
Lord Moynihan asked Her Majesty's Government:
- What is their estimate of the number of people in the United Kingdom who are abusing anabolic steroids; and [HL1946]
What steps they are taking to reduce the abuse of anabolic steroids.[HL1949]
Baroness Scotland of Asthal: The British Crime Survey figures for 2002–03 show that the prevalence of drug misuse from anabolic steroids was 0.1 per cent of the United Kingdom population aged 16 to 59.
The Government are concerned about the misuse of anabolic steroids although the degree of prevalence in the UK is still very low. They are controlled as class C drugs under the Misuse of Drugs Act 1971. In 2003, Customs and Excise seized just over 300,000 steroid tablets. The Talk to Frank website highlights the risks of using steroids. The use and misuse of all drugs, including steroids, is covered under substance misuse programmes in schools.
Youth Sport Trust: DfES Support
Lord Moynihan asked Her Majesty's Government:
Whether they will provide details of the contractual arrangements in place between the Youth Sport Trust and the Department for Education and Skills.[HL1839]
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department for Education and Skills (Baroness Ashton of Upholland): The Department for Education and Skills is funding the Youth Sport Trust to:
- provide support to aspiring sports colleges and those already within the programme; this work is currently overseen by the Secretary of State's financial memorandum with the Youth Sport Trust and a grant letter, and work is carried out in accordance with the programme's delivery plan;
- provide development support for academies; this work is currently overseen by a grant letter;
- provide development support within the School Sports Partnerships programme; this work is currently overseen by a grant letter and carried out in accordance with the programme's delivery plan;
- co-ordinate and contribute to the gifted and talented work strand within the national PE, school sport and club links strategy. The work is currently being overseen by a letter of intent and is being carried out in accordance with the programme's delivery plan.
The Departments for Education and Skills and for Culture, Media and Sport have also appointed the Youth Sport Trust to co-ordinate the United Kingdom's participation in the 2004 European Year of Education through Sport. This work is being overseen by a grant letter and the arrangements for the year stipulated by the European Commission.
In addition, the Youth Sport Trust is part of the consortium (the British Association of Advisers and Lecturers in Physical Education, the Physical Education Association of the United Kingdom, Sports Coach UK and the Youth Sport Trust) which
successfully tendered, via an open competition, to develop and manage the PE and school sport professional development programme. The consortium is currently working under a letter of intent, while a contract for the programme is negotiated, and is being carried out in accordance with the programme's delivery plan.School Sport Partnerships
Lord Moynihan asked Her Majesty's Government:
- Whether the analysis in the report The Impact of School Sport Partnerships has been independently verified; and [HL1917]
What assessment was made of the quality of physical education and school sport provision in the report entitled The Impact of School Sport Partnerships.[HL1918]
Baroness Ashton of Upholland: The analysis of the data reported in The Impact of School Sport Partnerships was undertaken by Taylor Nelson Sofres, an independent market research company.
For the purposes of the 2003–04 Physical Education, School Sport and Club Links Survey schools have assessed for themselves whether the physical education and school sport provision they offer pupils represents high quality. Clear guidance was provided to schools to help them make this judgment including the definition of high quality physical education and school sport within Learning through PE and Sport (DfES/DCMS March 2003).
Physical Education Teachers
Lord Moynihan asked Her Majesty's Government:
- What effect the number of specialist physical education teachers will have on the ability of the Department for Education and Skills and the Department for Culture, Media and Sport to achieve their targets for increasing access to high quality physical education and school sport.[HL1919]
Baroness Ashton of Upholland: Specialist physical education (PE) teachers have a crucial role to play in the delivery of high quality PE and school sport for our young people. The Government's PE, school sport and club links strategy complements and runs alongside the school workforce reform agenda. The Department for Education and Skills has secured 300 additional initial teacher training places in PE for the three years from 2003–04. This, along with healthy levels of PE teacher recruitment and retention, will ensure that sufficient trained specialist PE teachers are available to help deliver the Government's commitment to increase access to high quality PE and school sport.
Physical Education: Obese and Overweight Pupils
Lord Moynihan asked Her Majesty's Government:
- What advice is available for schools regarding the provision of suitable high quality physical education to obese and overweight pupils.[HL1920]
Baroness Ashton of Upholland: The Qualification and Curriculum Authority's Physical Education and School Sport Investigation—one of the work strands within the national physical education school sport and club links strategy—is identifying and disseminating guidance and examples of best practice to help schools provide high quality physical education to all pupils. A number of the case studies published as part of the investigation are designed to help schools address health issues including providing physical education for obese or overweight pupils. In addition, all modules within the professional development work strand of the national strategy seek to promote inclusion and the differentiation of provision to meet the individual needs of pupils.
A27
Lord Baker of Dorking asked Her Majesty's Government:
- Whether they will place in the Libraries of both Houses any correspondence that they have had with the Highways Agency about the A27 since 4 August 2003.[HL1888]
Lord Davies of Oldham: Correspondence from the Highways Agency is internal departmental correspondence and contains policy advice to Ministers. As such, it would be contrary to Part II of the Code of Practice on Access to Government Information to place such correspondence in the House Libraries.
Ministers have recently reached a decision on the proposals for improvement to the A27 Southerham to Beddingham. Details of this announcement are available on the DfT website. A copy of the preferred route decision letter will be placed in the Libraries of both Houses as soon as this is available. Further work is in progress on options for improvements to other parts of the A27 and local consultation will be carried out before decisions on the way forward are taken.
Railway Stations
Lord Morris of Manchester asked Her Majesty's Government:
- What consideration they have given to bringing Britain's railway stations back under public control; and whether they expect to make an announcement in the current parliamentary session.[HL1906]
Lord Davies of Oldham: We have no plans to bring Britain's railway stations back under public control. However, management of stations is being considered as part of the rail review announced by my right honourable friend the Secretary of State for Transport on 19 January.
Next Section
Back to Table of Contents
Lords Hansard Home Page