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Dept for Education and Employment

Answer

Mr. Cousins: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment if he will estimate the percentage of adults with the lowest numeracy and literacy skills in each region and nation of the UK. [145863] Mr. Wicks: [holding answer 16 January 2001]: In 1998 a Basic Skills Agency `benchmarking' survey provided estimates of literacy and numeracy rates in England by region. This identified three attainment groups, all of which have levels of literacy and numeracy below that expected of an average 11-year-old. The results are contained in the following tables. Percentage _________________________________________________________________________________________________. Approaching level 1 Between entry and level Below entry 1 Literacy (Minor difficulties) (Significant (Serious difficulties) Total with poor skills difficulties) East of England 14.7 4.0 3.6 22.2 East Midlands 15.4 4.6 4.4 24.4 London 13.4 4.6 4.9 22.9 North East 16.3 5.4 5.4 27.2 North West 15.7 5.1 4.9 25.6 South East 14.5 3.7 3.4 21.6 South West 15.2 3.7 3.5 22.4 West Midlands 15.7 5.1 5.1 25.9 Yorkshire and Humber 15.9 5.1 5.0 25.9 National average 15 5 4 24 _________________________________________________________________________________________________. Percentage _________________________________________________________________________________________________. Numeracy Group A (low) Group B (lower) Group C (very low) Total with poor skills East of England 11.0 6.3 4.6 21.8 East Midlands 12.3 7.1 5.6 25.0 London 10.7 6.6 5.8 23.0 North East 13.3 8.3 6.8 28.4 North West 12.6 7.6 6.2 26.5 South East 10.5 6.0 4.4 20.8 South West 10.7 6.8 5.3 22.7 West Midlands 12.8 7.7 6.4 26.9 Yorkshire and Humber 12.7 7.8 6.3 26.7 National average 12 7 5 24 _________________________________________________________________________________________________. Note: Small errors of ×0.1 per cent. may exist due to rounding The international adult literacy surveys published as "Adult Literacy in Britain" (1997) and "Adult Literacy in Northern Ireland" (1998), used a different methodology to provide data for adults of working age (16-65) who are at level 1 or below for literacy and numeracy. These show that levels of literacy and numeracy were, England (21 per cent. to 23 per cent.), respectively Wales (24 per cent. to 25 per cent.), Scotland (23 per cent. to 24 per cent.) and Northern Ireland (24 per cent. to 25 per cent.). Since these surveys were carried out new standards for basic skills have been published by the QCA that establish equivalencies between basic and key skills. A key element of our new national strategy for basic skills, which will be launched in February, is a new baseline survey based on these standards that will provide us with a clearer understanding of the challenge we face to raise the levels of adult literacy and numeracy.

Secondary information

Type

Written question

Reference

361 c550-2W;361 c552-3W; 145863

Session

2000-01

Subjects

Adult education Economic regions Literacy Numeracy

Contains statistics

Yes

Link

View this Written question on www.publications.parliament.uk