[holding answer 23 January 2007]: Specialist schools in the South East of England and on a national level will continue to be funded and supported under the Specialist Schools Programme. This is a key initiative to raise standards of achievement and to improve choice for pupils. There are currently 2,608 designated specialist schools, which is approximately 85 per cent. of all eligible secondary schools. The Government have a target that by 2008, 95 per cent. of eligible secondary schools that want to be, will be either specialist or an academy.