To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what is his estimate of the (a) number and (b) percentage of total school hours that is spent on physical education in (i) primary and (ii) secondary schools in the last year for which figures are available. [81806]

The number of school hours spent on physical education varies from school to school. Evidence from Ofsted inspections during 1998 of the average number of hours per week primary and secondary schools currently spend teaching National Curriculum PE is given.

	Average hours of PE per week (approximately)
Key Stage 1 (ages 5-7)	1 hour 20 minutes
Key Stage 2 (ages 7-11)	1 hour 35 minutes
Key Stage 3 (ages 11-14)	2 hours
Key Stage 4 (ages 14-16)	1 hour 15 minutes

As a percentage of teaching time, these times are approximately: Key Stage 1—6·3 per cent.; Key Stage 2—6·8 per cent.; Key Stage 3—8·3 per cent. and Key Stage 4—5·2 per cent. These figures do not account for travelling and changing time incurred in the provision of swimming tuition. At Key Stage 4, the figure relates to the time allowed for the National Curriculum compulsory component of PE. Pupils studying for GCSE normally have between 8 per cent. and 12 per cent. extra time for the examination course.