Written question asked by Vincent Cable (Liberal Democrat) on Wednesday, 19 January 2000, in the House of Commons. It was due for an answer on Tuesday, 25 January 2000. It was answered by Baroness Smith of Malvern (Labour) on Tuesday, 25 January 2000 on behalf of the Department for Education and Employment.

Dept for Education and Employment

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment, what recent guidance his Department has issued on educational provision for children looked after by local authorities.

Answer: Dr. Cable: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what recent guidance his Department has issued on educational provision for children looked after by local authorities. [106753] Jacqui Smith: In June last year, my Department and the Department of Health jointly consulted on draft guidance on the education of children looked after by local authorities. Some 205 consultees replied by the mid-October deadline, and officials have since discussed some of the key issues arising from the consultation with partners in local government and the voluntary sector. Officials are now revising the guidance, and I expect the final guidance to issue before the end of March. We believe that this guidance, backed up by support for local authorities during the implementation period, should enable them to fulfil better their role as corporate parents and raise the level of educational attainment of this group of young people. Higher educational attainment should in turn improve their general life chances.

Secondary information