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My Lords, given the abolition of Becta, how will the Government ensure that schools have the appropriate ICT equipment, back-up and know-how to allow them to make the very cost-effective use that some schools are already making of teleconferencing in accessing native language speakers? Some schools are doing that very cost-effectively. Teleconferencing allows one native language speaker to support several schools from one location, but they must have the technology to do it.
My Lords, given the abolition of Becta, how will the Government ensure that schools have the appropriate ICT equipment, back-up and know-how to allow them to make the very cost-effective use that some schools are already making of teleconferencing in accessing native language speakers? Some schools are doing that very cost-effectively. Teleconferencing allows one native language speaker to support several schools from one location, but they must have the technology to do it.
Asked by
Baroness Walmsley
(Liberal Democrat)
Oral questions - Supplementary
Status
Answered
Answered on
22 December 2010
My Lords, I am grateful to the noble Baroness for bringing that scheme to my attention. Clearly, technology can have an important role in many aspects of education, including the teaching of modern foreign languages. Given the work that Becta has done over a long period, including the work done under the previous Government, the general view is that the use of technology is well embedded in schools, but that is clearly something that we need to ensure continues.
Subjects
Finance; Education; Languages; Teachers; British Council
Date
22 December 2010
Reference
723 c1094-5
Chamber / Committee
House of Lords chamber
House
House of Lords
Will the Minister ensure that there is a neuroscientist who specialises in babies’ brain development on the committee to which he referred? Is he aware of the great importance of keeping stress away from babies during the very early years, because otherwise the brain does not develop normally and the child has all kinds of problems later in life? A scientist of that nature would understand the urgency of the matter.
Will the Minister ensure that there is a neuroscientist who specialises in babies’ brain development on the committee to which he referred? Is he aware of the great importance of keeping stress away from babies during the very early years, because otherwise the brain does not develop normally and the child has all kinds of problems later in life? A scientist of that nature would understand the urgency of the matter.
Asked by
Baroness Walmsley
(Liberal Democrat)
Oral questions - Supplementary
Status
Answered
Answered on
9 December 2010
My Lords, I will look into who is on the advisory group. I am afraid that I cannot remember the membership. I will also be sure to relay my noble friend’s important point back to the responsible Minister.
Subjects
Adoption
Date
9 December 2010
Reference
723 c291-2
Chamber / Committee
House of Lords chamber
House
House of Lords
My Lords, given the importance of early intervention, will the Government supply an equivalent amount of money to early-years settings that take children from very disadvantaged backgrounds? If so, will the same criteria be used as are used for children who are at school beyond the compulsory school age?
My Lords, given the importance of early intervention, will the Government supply an equivalent amount of money to early-years settings that take children from very disadvantaged backgrounds? If so, will the same criteria be used as are used for children who are at school beyond the compulsory school age?
Asked by
Baroness Walmsley
(Liberal Democrat)
Oral questions - Supplementary
Status
Answered
Answered on
6 December 2010
As my noble friend will know, because she and others in her party have campaigned for this so hard, the Deputy Prime Minister announced fairly recently that there will be a sum, building up to £300 million over the spending review period, for extending help for the most disadvantaged two year-olds in early education.
Subjects
Disadvantaged; Finance; Eligibility; Pupils; Schools; Pupil premium
Date
6 December 2010
Reference
723 c7-8
Chamber / Committee
House of Lords chamber
House
House of Lords
My Lords, is the Minister aware of any cost-benefit analysis of the value of early assessment of children’s difficulties by properly qualified professionals? Does he agree that there is probably an opportunity cost if those professionals are not available?
My Lords, is the Minister aware of any cost-benefit analysis of the value of early assessment of children’s difficulties by properly qualified professionals? Does he agree that there is probably an opportunity cost if those professionals are not available?
Asked by
Baroness Walmsley
(Liberal Democrat)
Oral questions - Supplementary
Status
Answered
Answered on
15 November 2010
I very much agree with my noble friend that there clearly must be an opportunity cost if those professionals are not available. I have not seen any cost-benefit analysis but I do not need to be convinced of the benefit and the good that educational psychologists do.
Subjects
Educational psychology
Date
15 November 2010
Reference
722 c512
Chamber / Committee
House of Lords chamber
House
House of Lords
Given the continued need for more specialist teachers and the continued budgetary constraints, will the Minister join me in welcoming the British Council scheme which funds temporary cover for teachers to go away during term time, as well as their own time, to foreign countries to increase their language skills? Will he encourage other organisations to put their money into similar schemes?
Given the continued need for more specialist teachers and the continued budgetary constraints, will the Minister join me in welcoming the British Council scheme which funds temporary cover for teachers to go away during term time, as well as their own time, to foreign countries to increase their language skills? Will he encourage other organisations to put their money into similar schemes?
Asked by
Baroness Walmsley
(Liberal Democrat)
Oral questions - Supplementary
Status
Answered
Answered on
8 June 2010
My Lords, I will be very interested to hear more about the British Council scheme; it sounds extremely good. I would like to talk to the noble Baroness about that and to see whether we could encourage other organisations into it.
Subjects
Curriculum; Languages; Primary education
Date
8 June 2010
Reference
719 c600
Chamber / Committee
House of Lords chamber
House
House of Lords
My Lords, do the Government intend to adhere to the Leitch target that by 2020 more than 40 per cent of adults will have a university degree? In the light of the inevitability of belt-tightening, and given the mess that the previous Administration have left us in, how do the Government intend to adhere to that target?
My Lords, do the Government intend to adhere to the Leitch target that by 2020 more than 40 per cent of adults will have a university degree? In the light of the inevitability of belt-tightening, and given the mess that the previous Administration have left us in, how do the Government intend to adhere to that target?
Asked by
Baroness Walmsley
(Liberal Democrat)
Oral questions - Supplementary
Status
Answered
Answered on
7 June 2010
As the noble Baroness will be aware, this Government are less committed to targets for everything than their predecessor and are much concerned about improving the quality of technical education, apprenticeships and the like. We are not so worried about the target of 40 per cent. However, since the number of people reaching the age of 18 will fall in the next 10 years, without further expansion of university education the proportion of 18 year-olds going to university may increase.
Subjects
Finance; Universities
Date
7 June 2010
Reference
719 c501
Chamber / Committee
House of Lords chamber
House
House of Lords
Is there any correlation between truancy figures and those schools that have home-school outreach workers? What will the Government do to ensure that every school can afford at least one of these officers, who can work not just with the school and parents, but also with other agencies such as the Youth Justice Board?
Is there any correlation between truancy figures and those schools that have home-school outreach workers? What will the Government do to ensure that every school can afford at least one of these officers, who can work not just with the school and parents, but also with other agencies such as the Youth Justice Board?
Asked by
Baroness Walmsley
(Liberal Democrat)
Oral questions - Supplementary
Status
Answered
Answered on
6 April 2010
My Lords, the noble Baroness is right to point to the importance of the role of school support staff in tackling problems of attendance. We are particularly concerned that schools work together to share expertise and advice in promoting high and improving attendance; so it is particularly worrying that the choice in this general election is between the Government and an opposition party that would reduce the numbers of support staff below the increase of 200,000 that we have achieved, which would undermine the achievement of this Government in driving up attendance.
Subjects
Pupils; Schools; Truancy
Date
6 April 2010
Reference
718 c1358
Chamber / Committee
House of Lords chamber
House
House of Lords
To ask Her Majesty’s Government why the target to halve the rate of teenage pregnancies is not on course to be met.
To ask Her Majesty’s Government why the target to halve the rate of teenage pregnancies is not on course to be met.
Asked by
Baroness Walmsley
(Liberal Democrat)
Answered by
Baroness Morgan of Drefelin
(Labour)
Oral questions - Lead
Status
Answered
For answer on
25 March 2010
Answered on
25 March 2010
My Lords, our target is to halve the 1998 rate of teenage conceptions by 2010. Data for 2010 will not be available until February 2012. While we accept that we are currently behind the trajectory needed to achieve the target, real progress has been made in tackling our historically high teenage pregnancy rates. Between 1998 and 2008, the under-18 conception rate fell by 13.3 per cent to its lowest level in over 20 years.
Subjects
Teenage pregnancy
Date
25 March 2010
Reference
718 c1059
Chamber / Committee
House of Lords chamber
House
House of Lords
I thank the Minister for that reply. Teenage pregnancy is indeed a complex social issue, on which the independent advisory board has made a lot of sensible recommendations. I would like to ask her about two of them. The first is for early identification of risk, followed by early intervention. Can she say how much money the Government have spent on that programme, and what are their plans for the long-term evaluation of its benefits? The second is for statutory sex and relationship lessons in school. Will she join me in urging parents to engage with schools so that they can satisfy themselves that this very sensitive subject is being taught appropriately and therefore refrain from withdrawing their children?
I thank the Minister for that reply. Teenage pregnancy is indeed a complex social issue, on which the independent advisory board has made a lot of sensible recommendations. I would like to ask her about two of them. The first is for early identification of risk, followed by early intervention. Can she say how much money the Government have spent on that programme, and what are their plans for the long-term evaluation of its benefits? The second is for statutory sex and relationship lessons in school. Will she join me in urging parents to engage with schools so that they can satisfy themselves that this very sensitive subject is being taught appropriately and therefore refrain from withdrawing their children?
Asked by
Baroness Walmsley
(Liberal Democrat)
Oral questions - 1st Supplementary
Status
Answered
Answered on
25 March 2010
My Lords, I apologise to the noble Baroness; I shall have to write to her on her first question because I do not have that information with me today. However, I agree that early intervention is vital. That is why the teenage pregnancy prevention strategy the Government have been promoting for the past 10 years has worked to ensure that there are co-ordinated services and that PCTs are working with the education sector and so on. Since we relaunched our strategy, that has been very important.
On the question of parental involvement in schools, the noble Baroness is absolutely right. We must ensure that all schools have policies around sex and relationship education and that parents are consulted and involved. And, yes, while parents can at present withdraw children up to the age of 19 from sex and relationship education, we would like to see that limit lowered to 15. That is why the Children, Schools and Families Bill is so important.
Subjects
Schools; Teenage pregnancy; Relationships and sex education
Date
25 March 2010
Reference
718 c1060
Chamber / Committee
House of Lords chamber
House
House of Lords
My Lords, in those YOIs that do not have a social worker what arrangements are being made for young people who were formerly in care regarding where they should be resettled and the level of support they should receive when they leave custody? These children are one of the main focuses that the social workers are supposed to have, as is working in partnership with other professionals.
My Lords, in those YOIs that do not have a social worker what arrangements are being made for young people who were formerly in care regarding where they should be resettled and the level of support they should receive when they leave custody? These children are one of the main focuses that the social workers are supposed to have, as is working in partnership with other professionals.
Asked by
Baroness Walmsley
(Liberal Democrat)
Oral questions - Supplementary
Status
Answered
Answered on
11 March 2010
I want to be absolutely clear. This is a very important issue and it is absolutely right and proper that young people in YOIs get proper support—particularly children who were in care or who are just leaving care. Their home local authority has a duty to ensure that their needs are met even when they are in detention, and this includes visiting them when they are in detention. The responsibilities are very clear. The Local Government Association is very much opposed to top-slicing for this kind of provision. We are doing what we can to work with the association of children’s directors and others to ensure that this provision is properly met.
Subjects
Vacancies; Social workers; Young offender institutions
Date
11 March 2010
Reference
718 c338
Chamber / Committee
House of Lords chamber
House
House of Lords
Does the Minister agree that it is important that children have somebody in school in whom they have the confidence to be able to disclose that they have either directly been subjected to domestic violence or seen their mother subjected to domestic violence? Will she endorse the work of the charity Place2Be and other voluntary organisations that work in schools? What are the Government doing to support schools financially so that they can take on those therapists?
Does the Minister agree that it is important that children have somebody in school in whom they have the confidence to be able to disclose that they have either directly been subjected to domestic violence or seen their mother subjected to domestic violence? Will she endorse the work of the charity Place2Be and other voluntary organisations that work in schools? What are the Government doing to support schools financially so that they can take on those therapists?
Asked by
Baroness Walmsley
(Liberal Democrat)
Oral questions - Supplementary
Status
Answered
Answered on
8 March 2010
I am happy to support the noble Baroness in recognising the work of the charity Place2Be. It is right that we should equip all school staff, through dedicated training as part of the initial teacher training and then through professional development, with the confidence that, where there is a disclosure, they know how to support the child. That is what this review has been all about; it is about looking at what work DCSF should be doing. We accept all the recommendations and we are absolutely committed to getting the funding in the right place and to making sure that schools are confident.
Subjects
Curriculum; Crimes of violence; Women; Domestic abuse; Personal, social, health and economic education; Schools
Date
8 March 2010
Reference
718 c2-3
Chamber / Committee
House of Lords chamber
House
House of Lords
In view of the announcements today about secondary school choices, can the Minister say what percentage of toddlers got their first choice of Sure Start centre? Does she agree that parents vote with their feet when it comes to evaluating Sure Start centres and that the best centres are very oversubscribed by the middle classes? What are the Government doing to ensure that the most vulnerable people get those places?
In view of the announcements today about secondary school choices, can the Minister say what percentage of toddlers got their first choice of Sure Start centre? Does she agree that parents vote with their feet when it comes to evaluating Sure Start centres and that the best centres are very oversubscribed by the middle classes? What are the Government doing to ensure that the most vulnerable people get those places?
Asked by
Baroness Walmsley
(Liberal Democrat)
Oral questions - Supplementary
Status
Answered
Answered on
1 March 2010
My Lords, my view is that 100 per cent of parents have been able to achieve their choice of Sure Start centre in their community with this Government’s vision because we are committed to ensuring that there is a Sure Start children’s centre in every community. That is a commitment to a universal service, which was achieved when we created a statutory footing for Sure Start centres in the ASCL Bill. We must ensure that we really drive through our commitment to Sure Start centres by ensuring that there is outreach to disadvantaged communities; we learnt at the start that many of the Sure Start centres in the disadvantaged communities were very conscious of excluding parents who were on their borders. That is not necessary. We also know that Sure Start centres in more advantaged areas are used by children from disadvantaged areas, and that is why it is so important that we have a universal service.
Subjects
Sure Start programme; Children's centres
Date
1 March 2010
Reference
717 c1190
Chamber / Committee
House of Lords chamber
House
House of Lords
To ask Her Majesty's Government how many girls under 16 years old became pregnant in each year since 2005; in how many cases the father was also under 16 years old; and in how many cases the pregnancy was terminated.
To ask Her Majesty's Government how many girls under 16 years old became pregnant in each year since 2005; in how many cases the father was also under 16 years old; and in how many cases the pregnancy was terminated.
Asked by
Baroness Walmsley
(Liberal Democrat)
Answered by
Baroness Royall of Blaisdon
(Labour)
Type
Written questions
Status
Answered
Answered on
22 February 2010
The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority. I have asked the authority to reply.
Subjects
Abortion; Teenage pregnancy
Date
22 February 2010
Reference
1916; 717 c259-60WA
House
House of Lords
To ask Her Majesty's Government (a) what research and analysis they have conducted, and (b) what research and analysis by other organisations they are aware of, in regard to the effects on children of television product placement of (1) gambling products, (2) alcohol, (3) tobacco, and (4) foods high in...
To ask Her Majesty's Government (a) what research and analysis they have conducted, and (b) what research and analysis by other organisations they are aware of, in regard to the effects on children of television product placement of (1) gambling products, (2) alcohol, (3) tobacco, and (4) foods high in...
Asked by
Baroness Walmsley
(Liberal Democrat)
Answered by
Lord Davies of Oldham
(Labour)
Type
Written questions
Status
Answered
Answered on
9 February 2010
The Government have not conducted any research or analysis into the effects of television product placement on children. So far as the Government are aware, such independent research as there is on the effects of product placement contains little information about its potential impact on children.
UK television broadcasters are not currently allowed to include product placement in programmes they have made or had had made for them. This has been the position since commercial television began in the UK in the mid-1950s.
In 2008, the Government commissioned Professor David Buckingham to lead an assessment of the impact of the commercial world on children's well-being. That assessment—the report of which was published in December 2009—found that there is little conclusive evidence one way or the other about the impact of commercial messages on children.
Subjects
Children; Alcoholic drinks; Advertising; Gambling; Food; Research; Television; Tobacco
Date
9 February 2010
Reference
1766; 717 c105-6WA
House
House of Lords
My Lords, I suspected that the answer would be a big fat zero and I have not been disappointed. Is the Minister aware that none of the youth groups with which I have talked knows anything at all about this, and that the Big Lottery Fund, which will distribute the money eventually, has not even had its policy direction from the Government? Will the Minister ensure that when the policy direction is sent, it is as flexible as possible so that the Big Lottery Fund can respond to what young people really want rather than to what Whitehall prescribes?
My Lords, I suspected that the answer would be a big fat zero and I have not been disappointed. Is the Minister aware that none of the youth groups with which I have talked knows anything at all about this, and that the Big Lottery Fund, which will distribute the money eventually, has not even had its policy direction from the Government? Will the Minister ensure that when the policy direction is sent, it is as flexible as possible so that the Big Lottery Fund can respond to what young people really want rather than to what Whitehall prescribes?
Asked by
Baroness Walmsley
(Liberal Democrat)
Oral questions - 1st Supplementary
Status
Answered
Answered on
2 February 2010
The direction to the Big Lottery Fund lies within the authority of the Department for Children, Schools and Families, after consultation with DCMS and HMT. That direction will be given in due course, but, first, we must follow the procedures decreed by Parliament to establish and authorise the reclaim fund. Once that has been done, the mechanisms will be set in place to address the priorities which have been very clearly delineated in the 2009 PBR.
Subjects
Bank services; Finance; Youth services; Big Lottery Fund; Dormant assets scheme
Date
2 February 2010
Reference
717 c112
Chamber / Committee
House of Lords chamber
House
House of Lords
To ask Her Majesty’s Government how much money from dormant bank accounts has reached front-line youth services to date.
To ask Her Majesty’s Government how much money from dormant bank accounts has reached front-line youth services to date.
Asked by
Baroness Walmsley
(Liberal Democrat)
Answered by
Lord Myners
(Labour)
Oral questions - Lead
Status
Answered
For answer on
2 February 2010
Answered on
2 February 2010
Although no money from the dormant account scheme has yet been released to any of the spending priorities, the 2009 PBR announced that the Co-operative Financial Services Group intends to submit an application to the FSA for authorisation to establish and administer the reclaim fund. If the work on this proceeds as planned, it is expected to be operational by mid-2010, which will enable funds to flow to the Big Lottery Fund and to spending priorities from that date.
Subjects
Bank services; Finance; Youth services; Dormant assets scheme
Date
2 February 2010
Reference
717 c112
Chamber / Committee
House of Lords chamber
House
House of Lords
My Lords, does the Minister accept that foreign exchange trips are really helpful to young people who are learning languages? Yet a lot of schools are very reluctant to carry them out; indeed, the survey says that only 40 per cent of schools have them. What are the Government doing to help schools overcome the practical difficulties, and the anxieties of parents about the safeguarding of their children and the vetting procedures in the foreign countries concerned?
My Lords, does the Minister accept that foreign exchange trips are really helpful to young people who are learning languages? Yet a lot of schools are very reluctant to carry them out; indeed, the survey says that only 40 per cent of schools have them. What are the Government doing to help schools overcome the practical difficulties, and the anxieties of parents about the safeguarding of their children and the vetting procedures in the foreign countries concerned?
Asked by
Baroness Walmsley
(Liberal Democrat)
Oral questions - Supplementary
Status
Answered
Answered on
28 January 2010
I will have to get back to the noble Baroness about the safeguarding; I have no comment on that. However, there are other ways to achieve the same benefits. For example, there is a good project, Connecting Classrooms, which uses the internet as a way of achieving contact between schools from different countries. The British Council is involved in a number of those projects. I am not denying the importance of foreign trips. I am just saying that we ought to use the technology in imaginative ways to encourage young people to stay with language learning.
Subjects
Languages; Secondary education
Date
28 January 2010
Reference
716 c1521-2
Chamber / Committee
House of Lords chamber
House
House of Lords
To ask Her Majesty's Government when Ofqual will be established; and what was the legal authority for making the Chief Regulator of Qualifications and Examinations Order 2009 (SI 2009/3208).
To ask Her Majesty's Government when Ofqual will be established; and what was the legal authority for making the Chief Regulator of Qualifications and Examinations Order 2009 (SI 2009/3208).
Asked by
Baroness Walmsley
(Liberal Democrat)
Answered by
Baroness Morgan of Drefelin
(Labour)
Type
Written questions
Status
Answered
Answered on
25 January 2010
Our intention is to commence the provisions in the Apprenticeships, Skills, Children and Learning Act 2009 which establishes Ofqual on 1 April 2010.
Her Majesty the Queen, on the advice of the Privy Council, has by order appointed Kathleen Tattersall OBE as the first Chief Regulator of Qualifications and Examinations from that date. The order, dated 9 December 2009, was made under paragraph 2(1) of Schedule 9 to the Apprenticeships, Skills, Children and Learning Act 2009. Section 13 of the Interpretation Act 1978 allows statutory powers of appointment to be exercised before the commencement of the provision under which the appointment is made.
Legislation
Chief Regulator of Qualifications and Examinations Order 2009
Subjects
Public appointments; Ofqual
Date
25 January 2010
Reference
1289; 716 c300WA
House
House of Lords
Will the Minister join me in regretting the decision by the YJB to appeal the decision by the Information Commissioner that the restraint manual should be published? Parents at the very least, if not the wider public, should certainly know what is happening to their young people. Will the Government go further and follow the model of the Australian department of corrections, which involves parents in planning the management of young people following serious incidents?
Will the Minister join me in regretting the decision by the YJB to appeal the decision by the Information Commissioner that the restraint manual should be published? Parents at the very least, if not the wider public, should certainly know what is happening to their young people. Will the Government go further and follow the model of the Australian department of corrections, which involves parents in planning the management of young people following serious incidents?
Asked by
Baroness Walmsley
(Liberal Democrat)
Oral questions - Supplementary
Status
Answered
Answered on
13 January 2010
I am afraid that I do not agree with the noble Baroness on that. The general part of the manual is already in the Library of the House. The part that has not been disclosed is the detailed description of the specific techniques. We believe that a detailed knowledge of the techniques, as applied, would allow those being restrained to take countermeasures that would reduce the effectiveness of the techniques and put trainees, staff and other persons in the secure establishment at risk. As the noble Baroness says, the Information Commissioner’s decision on this is being appealed, and we will just have to await the result.
Subjects
Body searches; Pain; Young offenders; Restraint techniques; Youth custody; European Committee for the Prevention of Torture and Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment
Date
13 January 2010
Reference
716 c502
Chamber / Committee
House of Lords chamber
House
House of Lords
Why does it take so long for the LSC to process capital funding applications? It took nearly 12 months for the NSA Creative & Cultural Skills application to be processed. It then required the money to be spent within just over a year. Then, apart from two directors, the majority of the staff of the LSC got bonuses.
Why does it take so long for the LSC to process capital funding applications? It took nearly 12 months for the NSA Creative & Cultural Skills application to be processed. It then required the money to be spent within just over a year. Then, apart from two directors, the majority of the staff of the LSC got bonuses.
Asked by
Baroness Walmsley
(Liberal Democrat)
Oral questions - Supplementary
Status
Answered
Answered on
13 January 2010
Right. Perhaps I should deal with the second issue first before we get carried away in imagining that LSC staff are receiving bankers’ bonuses, of which I am sure some noble Lords on the other side are so fond. LSC staff improved on the number of people who were successfully in learning, so they met a number of their targets.
In relation to the noble Baroness’s first point on the National Skills Academy for Creative & Cultural Skills, we are supportive of that project. There was some delay, but we always made it clear to Creative & Cultural Skills that the money was budgeted for and had to be spent by the end of March 2011. We should not forget that the Government are providing a £5 million investment. We regret the delay in the first instance and we make it clear that we urge the National Skills Academy for Creative & Cultural Skills to work with the LSC to discuss how these issues can be resolved to mutual benefit.
Subjects
Capital investment; Further education; Learning and Skills Council for England
Date
13 January 2010
Reference
716 c504
Chamber / Committee
House of Lords chamber
House
House of Lords