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MMR Vaccine
Earl Howe asked Her Majesty's Government:
- Whether the research currently being conducted by the Moyne Institute of Preventive Medicine in Dublin into developing a vaccine to combat measles, mumps and rubella relying on recombinant ribonucleic acid instead of live viruses holds out the prospect of fewer adverse reactions; and whether they will monitor the results of this research.[HL1018]
Lord Warner: The work is funded by the European Union and will be carried out by Professor Atkins at Trinity College Dublin. The research involves using a novel genetic engineering technology to develop vaccine viruses which cannot replicate in human cells and therefore may in theory cause fewer adverse reactions than the current vaccines containing whole live attenuated viruses. However, this technology is very new and there is no guarantee that these novel vaccines will be as efficacious or as safe as the current products. The Department of Health will be asking Professor Atkins to provide regular updates on his work.
Carers
Lord Jones asked Her Majesty's Government:
- What is their estimate of the number of carers employed by local authorities in (a) England and (b) Wales.[HL1054]
Lord Warner: The estimated whole-time equivalent number of care staff employed by local authorities' social services departments as at 30 September 2002
(the latest date for which data are available) was for (a) England 78,230, and for (b) Wales 8,940. These exclude field social workers, central strategic and other administrative and support staff. The figure for Wales was provided by the National Assembly.Smoking
Lord Chadlington asked Her Majesty's Government:
- What percentage of people aged 13; 14; 15; 16; 17; and 18 smoke.[HL1109]
Lord Warner: The information is given in the tables.
| Percentages | |
| 13 years | 6 |
| 14 years | 16 |
| 15 years | 23 |
Notes:
1. A regular smoker is defined as usually smoking at least one cigarette a week.
Source:
National Centre for Social Research/National Federation for Education and Research—Smoking, drinking and drug use among young people in England in 2002.
Table 2: Percentage of young people aged 16 to 18 smoking cigarettes
England, 2001
Office for National Statistics—Living in Britain. Results from the 2001 General Household Survey.
Lord Northbourne asked Her Majesty's Government:
How many and what proportion of secondary schools in England and Wales which are delivering relationships education as part of the curriculum have one or more teachers who have been trained specifically to deliver this subject.[HL1049]
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department for Education and Skills (Baroness Ashton of Upholland): All secondary schools are expected to deliver education about relationships through the framework for personal, social and health education (PSHE), and through compulsory sex and relationship education (SRE).
Precise information about the numbers of teachers trained to deliver PSHE is not held centrally. However, latest evidence from Osted indicates that three out of five secondary schools have participated in in-service training relating to PSHE. In 2003 we rolled out a professional development programme for teachers of PSHE which includes a specialist module for SRE. Over 700 teachers in primary, secondary and special schools are currently taking part and 3,000 teachers will be targeted in 2004–05.
Lord Northbourne asked Her Majesty's Government:
Baroness Ashton of Upholland: The standards for the award of qualified teacher status, set out in Qualifying to teach, already require all trainees to be familiar with the programme of study for citizenship and the national curriculum framework for personal, social and health education (PSHE) relevant to the age range they are trained to teach. Qualifying to teach is supported by the Handbook of Guidance, which is updated regularly and contains exemplification material relating to PSHE and citizenship.
Lord Jones asked Her Majesty's Government:
Baroness Ashton of Upholland: In England, local education authorities receive funding through revenue support grant through the calculation of education formula spending shares for early years provision. The under-five sub-block in the education formula spending share calculation for 2004–05 was £2.67 billion. Authorities receive funding based on the number of four year-old pupils they have and the greater of the number of three year-old pupils or 85 per cent of their three year-old population.
Local authorities may also draw on the general Sure Start grant, worth some £1.2 billion for the period 2004–06.
The position in Wales is a matter for the Welsh Assembly.
lynne
Lord Jones asked Her Majesty's Government:
What is their estimate of the number of nursery assistants engaged in nursery schools in England and Wales.[HL1053]
Baroness Ashton of Upholland: In January 2003, in England there were 1,490 full-time equivalent (FTE) teachers, in maintained nursery schools and 7,190 in maintained primary schools who regularly worked in nursery classes. There were also 1,910 FTE teaching assistants (with certificate or diploma in childcare and education or equivalent) employed in nursery schools and a further 22,790 in primary schools.
There were 90 FTE teachers and 90 FTE qualified nursery assistants in maintained nursery schools in Wales in January 2003, and a further 2,500 FTE nursery assistants in primary schools. Data showing the number of teachers who regularly work in nursery classes in Wales were collected for the first time in January 2004 and results will be available later in the year.
Lord Northbourne asked Her Majesty's Government:
Baroness Ashton of Upholland: The Government regularly consult representative bodies such as the National Family and Parenting Institute (NFPI) which brings together all of those with expertise in the family and parenting field; the Parenting Education and Support Forum, a national umbrella organisation for those working in parenting education and support and Parentline Plus which operates a free telephone helpline on any parenting concerns, runs parenting workshops, produces information material and a website, and is currently piloting an e-mail helpline service.
Documents are distributed widely so that other organisations and individuals can respond if they so wish.
Lord Northbourne asked Her Majesty's Government:
Whether schools which are not able or willing to operate extended after-school programmes for their pupils will be allowed to enter into partnerships or other arrangements with providers from the private or voluntary sectors to run programmes on school premises; and whether such arrangements would qualify for grant or other support.[HL1052]
Baroness Ashton of Upholland: The Department for Education and Skills has made £12.6 million/£23.8 million/£97.2 million of funding available for the main extended schools programme and £2.8 million/£7.6 million/£14.7 million through the Sure Start unit for the childcare element of the programme over the period 2003–04 to 2005–06. Additionally, a small amount of funding has been made available to help join up the extended schools programme with community cohesion and neighbourhood renewal programmes.
Funding may be used by schools to cover the costs of staff to help to develop and manage the extended services, including managing relationships between different agencies, and may also cover additional staffing and revenue costs, capital adjustments and transport costs associated with extended school activities. Funding is being rolled out over a three-year period. Over one third of LEA areas have benefited so far and the funding will reach all LEA areas by April 2006.
Guidance issued by the Department for Education and Skills in October 2002 states that there are no restrictions on who may set up programmes or services. It gives advice about the key groups to be consulted and suggests that schools may work in partnership with local and national community and voluntary groups and clubs, and businesses. A copy of the guidance has been placed in the Library.
Percentages
16 years 23
17 years 27
18 years 26
Source:
How many and what proportion of secondary schools in England and Wales are regularly delivering relationships education as part of the curriculum to all pupils; and [HL1048]
Whether they have any plans to increase the teacher training facilities for relationships education.[HL1050]
What is their estimate of annual grants to local education authorities in (a) England and (b) Wales to assist them in the provision of nursery schooling.[HL1039]
What is their estimate of the number of fully-qualified professional nursery teachers employed by local education authorities in (a) England and (b) Wales; and[HL1038]
9 Feb 2004 : Column WA134
Whom they consult in order to obtain the views of parents in relation to any Green Paper or other consultation document which relates to the care, education or parenting of the nation's children.[HL828]
What arrangements are being made for the funding of extra costs incurred by "extended schools"; and [HL1051]
9 Feb 2004 : Column WA135
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