Results 1-20 of 2,054 for speaker:Mr Stephen Twigg

Education Bill [Lords] (7 Apr 2005)

Mr Stephen Twigg: I beg to move, That the Bill be now read the Third time. I am delighted to open this afternoon's Third Reading debate on this fourth Session Education Bill. I apologise that my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State cannot be with us today. On Second Reading, she set out that improving outcomes for children and learners should be at the heart of everything that our Department does, and that...

Education Bill [Lords] (7 Apr 2005)

Mr Stephen Twigg: The hon. Gentleman makes the reasonable point that legislation is only one of the ways in which we can raise standards. The role of legislation is important in providing the framework, and Parliament and Government clearly have an important role in providing the resources for schools, but what really makes the difference, as he rightly reminds us, is what actually happens in the classroom. He...

Education Bill [Lords] (7 Apr 2005)

Mr Stephen Twigg: I apologise to my hon. Friend because I was not aware that the lady is his sister-in-law. I have looked at some of the work that has been done in respect of Clackmannanshire. The commitment that I gave today is that in responding to the Select Committee report we shall do exactly what my hon. Friend suggests by fully investigating the lessons from Clackmannanshire, particularly to assess any...

Education Bill [Lords] (7 Apr 2005)

Mr Stephen Twigg: I thank my right hon. Friend, who refers to an issue that was very much part of the debate in the other place and in Committee. We want to ensure that while we promote the autonomy of schools we also encourage them not only to work with each other but, as she rightly says, to work with other agencies that are concerned with the needs of children and young people. It is vital that we as a...

Written Answers — Education and Skills: Departmental Budget (7 Apr 2005)

Mr Stephen Twigg: I refer the hon. Member to the reply given by, Financial Secretary to the Treasury, on 4 April 2005, Official Report, column 1170 W.

Written Answers — Education and Skills: Energy Consumption (7 Apr 2005)

Mr Stephen Twigg: holding answer 15 March 2005 The Department for Education and Skills itself is not a party to any private finance initiative (PFI) contracts and therefore does not advertise such contracts. PFI projects for the provision of schools are delivered through contracts between local authorities and private sector contractors and these contracts are advertised in the Official Journal of the...

Written Answers — Education and Skills: School Funding (7 Apr 2005)

Mr Stephen Twigg: It has not proved possible to respond in the time available before Prorogation.

Written Answers — Education and Skills: Teachers (Life Expectancy) (7 Apr 2005)

Mr Stephen Twigg: An individuals total life expectancy is defined as their current age plus their life expectancy from the current age. For a group of individuals of the same age, total life expectancy increases with age attained because those dying at earlier ages are excluded from the group. Thus, an individual's life expectancy at birth is very different to their total life expectancy at later ages. As part...

Written Answers — Education and Skills: Teachers' Pensions (7 Apr 2005)

Mr Stephen Twigg: We are committed to the continued provision of arrangements within the Teachers' Pension Scheme (TPS) that would enable teachers to pay additional contributions for a higher level of pension benefits. We are looking at how the TPS could provide new opportunities for paying additional contributions that are flexible, appropriate for a public service pension scheme and provide teachers with...

Written Answers — Education and Skills: Correspondence (5 Apr 2005)

Mr Stephen Twigg: holding answer 4 April 2005 A reply was sent to the right hon. Member on 31 March.

Written Answers — Education and Skills: Education Business Links (5 Apr 2005)

Mr Stephen Twigg: Learning and Skills Council (LSC) funding to support education business links activities is a matter for the LSC. Mark Haysom, the LSC's chief executive, will write to my hon. Friend, and a copy of his reply will be placed in the Library.

Written Answers — Education and Skills: Special Schools (5 Apr 2005)

Mr Stephen Twigg: Since 1997 281 special schools 1 have closed in England. There were no special school closures 2 in Coventry during this period. 1 Special schools include: Other independent special schools, community special schools, non-maintained special schools, foundation special schools and independent schools approved for SEN pupils. 2 The figures include special schools that closed as a result of the...

Written Answers — Education and Skills: Disabled Teachers (4 Apr 2005)

Mr Stephen Twigg: The information requested is not collected centrally.

Written Answers — Education and Skills: Education Spending (Crosby) (4 Apr 2005)

Mr Stephen Twigg: The information requested is collected at local education authority level. Crosby is part of Sefton LEA and the following table contains the information requested: Total funding (real terms) from 1997–98 to 2004 Total funding (£ million) 1997–98 128.5 1998–99 133.4 1999–2000 139.2 2000–01 152.9 2001–02 161.2 2002–03...

Written Answers — Education and Skills: Ethnic Minority Teachers (4 Apr 2005)

Mr Stephen Twigg: The Teacher Training Agency's commitment to increase the recruitment of trainees from minority ethnic backgrounds to 9 per cent. of the allocated training places has been a priority since 2000. In 2004, the provisional figures for entry to initial teacher training show that 2,934 trainees (9.1 per cent.) were from a minority ethnic background. This is an increase of 759 (35 per cent.)...

Written Answers — Education and Skills: Food Provision (4 Apr 2005)

Mr Stephen Twigg: The Learning and Skills Council funds these qualifications as part of apprenticeship programmes or through colleges and other providers working with employers. The Learning and Skills Council funding rates are in the attached annex. Annex A Funding through apprenticeships Food processing and cooking: NVQ at level 2 16–18 rate 19+ rate 2002/03 3,106 1,941 2003/04 3,449...

Written Answers — Education and Skills: Food Provision (4 Apr 2005)

Mr Stephen Twigg: People 1st held over 30 consultation meetings throughout the UK for employers, industry and training providers, FE colleges, external verifiers and the Food Standards Agency (FSA). In addition, 571 people downloaded the Standards from the People 1st website. The DfES and the FSA both supported the inclusion of a mandatory nutrition unit. The majority of industry personnel consulted were...

Written Answers — Education and Skills: Nutrition Training (4 Apr 2005)

Mr Stephen Twigg: Qualifications relating to food preparation and cooking are developed in response to employers needs, and at this point most employers do not want nutrition as a mandatory element. However, our recent work on improving school meals has shown the advantages of school catering staff having knowledge of nutrition and healthy eating. DfES, the Food Standards Agency and People 1st are developing...

Written Answers — Education and Skills: Nutrition Training (4 Apr 2005)

Mr Stephen Twigg: There was further consultation on the standards and the levels of some units. Nutrition was covered in this consultation and, again, the results indicated that there was not a strong enough industry view that nutrition should be included as a mandatory unit in the new food preparation and cooking N/SVQs.

Written Answers — Education and Skills: Nutrition Training (4 Apr 2005)

Mr Stephen Twigg: No such meetings have taken place.