To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families what steps the Government have taken to encourage schools to make school trips (a) affordable by and (b) available to all pupils. (188538)

Through the manifesto for Learning Outside the Classroom, we are encouraging schools, local authorities and visit providers, to sign up to the vision that

“every young person (0-19) should experience the world beyond the classroom as an essential part of learning and personal development, whatever their age, ability or circumstances”.

Almost 900 have already done so.

Through our manifesto partners and other channels we are promoting the personal and educational benefits of learning outside the classroom to schools and parents. The ‘Out and About package’ of guidance, practical tools, resources and training modules for schools will be published in the summer term.

With the new secondary curriculum being introduced from this September, we are emphasising the importance of relevant practical experiences as part of subject teaching.

Not all learning outside the classroom incurs a financial cost, for example, many schools use their grounds and local area. When schools do go further afield, for example on day visits, they are not permitted to charge pupils if these visits are wholly or mainly during school time, or are linked to the curriculum or external examination courses, although they may request a contribution towards costs.

To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families (1) what estimate he has made of the percentage of A-level geography students who had the opportunity to participate in a half-day field trip in the school year ended 1997; (189162)

[holding answer 26 February 2008]: The Department for Children, Schools and Families does not collect this information broken down by subject and qualification.

I refer the hon. Member to the reply given on 21 February 2008, Official Report, column 853W.