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To ask the Secretary of State for Defence on what date his officials first discussed with Essex local authority schooling for the children of Colchester Garrison; on what subsequent dates discussions have been held; which (a) officials from his Department and (b) officials from Essex local authority attended; which (i)...

Asked by

Bob Russell (Liberal Democrat)

Answering body

Ministry of Defence

Type

Written questions

Status

Answered

Tabled on

22 January 2008

For answer on

24 January 2008

Answered on

25 April 2008

I have agreed to meet with the hon. Member to discuss this issue and will write to him after the meeting. Substantive answer from Derek Twigg to Bob Russell:"I know you have continued to express your very close interest in the future of Alderman Blaxill School, a local authority school in your constituency, on a number of occasions. I am writing to follow up our meeting on 5 February, and to confirm what was discussed—including the specific information you requested in your Parliamentary Question of 28 January 2008 (Official Report, column 32W) I am sorry that I have not been able to write sooner—and what has happened since. First may I say that I was grateful for your very positive comments about your visit to Afghanistan on the Armed Forces Parliamentary Scheme and your acknowledgement that, regardless of some media coverage, morale was exceptionally high and the atmosphere among our troops wholly positive.""I hope you found the meeting a good opportunity to pass on your views on the future of Alderman Blaxill School. I reiterate that the best possible education for all children in this country is at the heart of this Government's plans. I made the point to you that the MOD does not lead on education in the UK, although we are responsible for Service schools for children from Service families who are living overseas. For Alderman Blaxill School, it is the local authority that leads but with a responsibility to consult all those with an interest. This includes the local Service community, both through direct consultation and through their representatives in an Armed Forces context, the local chain of command. For that reason I was pleased that Colonel Tony Phillips, the Deputy Garrison Commander in Colchester, and Lieutenant Colonel (Retired) Ray Housley, the Army Welfare Service lead for these matters in Colchester, were able to join us for the meeting. It was clear that there is close contact between you and Colonel Phillips on a range of local issues. This is the right basis of Ministry of Defence (MOD) involvement in an issue like planning for local schools; it is the local chain of command who understand the local conditions and can, on a daily basis, look out for the best interests of their people.""In turn you made some good points about the importance of pastoral support in schools, not least for Service children. I agree with you; that support will need to be strong whatever the shape of education is in Colchester in the future. We may have some good practice to offer here from our experience with Service schools overseas within our Service Children's Education (SCE) Agency. This is being considered by the Service Children In State Schools (SCISS) forum, which is run by and for head teachers from schools in England with a significant population of children from Service families. They are developing a booklet that will offer a range of advice and best practice to schools, so that they can offer the best possible support to Service children. The forum has the support and involvement of both MOD and Department for Children, Schools and Families (DCSF) officials. The guidance will be made widely available, for example through teachernet, the key DCSF online resource for all teaching professionals in England.""At our meeting you heard that Colonel Phillips was fully satisfied with the approach of the local authority on plans for Alderman Blaxill School, in relation to the engagement that had occurred and the consultation that had been planned and undertaken. He felt that Service families had had every opportunity to understand what was being proposed and to comment on it. The MOD cannot, of course, take a central view on all proposals for the future of individual schools in UK. But we do expect there to be good local interaction, so that Service families affected can be confident that their voices can and will be heard. I am confident that this has happened in this case, and I hope you were reassured on that point by Colonel Phillips.""On the detailed questions you raised, I can confirm that discussions between MOD officials and the local authority first took place on 27 June 2007, between Lieutenant Colonel Housley and Major Di Waddington from Colchester Garrison staff and Mr Peter Wright and Mr Graham Ranby from Essex County Council. The purpose of the meeting was for the local authority representatives to inform the Colchester Garrison ""representatives of the circumstances of Alderman Blaxill and Thomas Lord Audley Schools and that a recommendation had been made to consider their replacement with an Academy. The local authority wanted to ensure that Service families affected could be made aware of any subsequent proposals and involved in any consultation. A second meeting was held on 17 October 2007 between Lieutenant Colonel Housley and Mr Wright. The aim of the meeting was for the consultation process to be explained and the consultation documentation described. There was also some discussion of the best way to encourage engagement with Service families. Finally, I can confirm that there were no Ministers or Essex County Councillors at either of the meetings.""At our meeting Colonel Phillips emphasised to you his confidence that Garrison staff had ensured that all Service families affected had been made aware of the proposals and had had an opportunity to comment. I should add that the Garrison staff worked to make this happen, although this did not involve further meetings with the local authority. Since our meeting we have been waiting for the results of the consultation but at this time I have little to pass on. There has been telephone contact between Colchester Garrison and local authority staff which has confirmed that the consultation had drawn 236 responses. It is not possible to state how many of those were from Service families but the local authority have noted strong interest from Service families at meetings held during the consultation period. Like you, we look forward to hearing the outcome of the consultation in due course.""This letter to you on the subject of the future of Alderman Blaxill School follows responses I have given to your Parliamentary Question on 9 July 2007 (Official Report, column 1281W), to your letter of 10 July 2007, to points you made in intervention during the Armed Forces Personnel Debate on 10 January 2008 and at our meeting on 5 February 2008. I hope that you are reassured that the MOD has played a proper part in ensuring that Service families have a free and open opportunity to make their views known on the future of the school, although the responsibility for deciding on that future does not lie with the MOD."

Notes

Corrects information on 28 January 2008, at 471 c32W

Date

25 April 2008

Reference

474 c2296-8W; 182349

House

House of Commons

Armed Forces: Schools

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many of the recommendations contained in the Defence Committee report, Educating Service Children (HC (2005-06) 1054), have been implemented; and if he will make a statement.

Asked by

Bob Russell (Liberal Democrat)

Answering body

Ministry of Defence

Type

Written questions

Status

Answered

Date

30 January 2008

Reference

471 c367W; 180433

House

House of Commons

School Places

What discussions he has had with the Essex local education authority on provision of school places for the children of personnel to be stationed in super garrisons with reference to recommendation 5 of the Defence Committee report on educating service children (HC(2005-06) 1054); and if he will make a statement.

Asked by

Bob Russell (Liberal Democrat)

Answering body

Ministry of Defence

Oral questions - Lead

Status

Answered

Date

21 January 2008

Reference

470 c1193; 180005

House

House of Commons

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