(1) Is the Minister able to say what literacy and remedial education programs operate in the Northern Territory, including those offering assistance to Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander people.

(2) Where does each program operate.

(3) What are the particular services provided by each of the programs.

(4) Who operates the programs.

(5) What proportion of clients of each of the programs identifies as Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander.

(6) How many (a) full-time, (b) part-time and (c) casual staff are employed in each of the programs, and of the total staff, how many identify as Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander.

(7) How many (a) full-time, (b) part-time and (c) casual staff are employed in the programs in areas related to the correctional services and justice, and of the total staff, how many identify as Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander.

(8) What is the total allocation of financial resources provided for the programs by the (a) Commonwealth and (b) Northern Territory.

(9) What is the total allocation of financial resources provided for the programs in areas related to the correctional services and justice by the (a) Commonwealth and (b) Northern Territory.

(10) What is the total per capita allocation of financial resources provided for the programs by the (a) Commonwealth and (b) Northern Territory.

(11) What is the total per capita allocation of financial resources provided for the programs in areas related to the correctional services and justice by the (a) Commonwealth and (b) Northern Territory.

(12) What proportion of total expenditure by the Commonwealth is the total allocation of financial resources provided for the programs in areas related to the correctional services and justice by the Commonwealth.

(13) What proportion of total expenditure by the Northern Territory is the total allocation of financial resources provided for the programs in areas related to the correctional services and justice by the Northern Territory.

(1) to (7) The administration of schools, including the provision of literacy and remedial education, is the responsibility of the State and Territory education departments and non-government education authorities, not the Commonwealth.

The Commonwealth's indigenous education programs which can assist the literacy and remedial learning outcomes for Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander people are the Indigenous Education Strategic Initiatives Program (IESIP) and the Indigenous Education Direct Assistance (IEDA) Program.

These programs provide supplementary assistance for the education of indigenous students for literacy and remedial education not just for literacy and remedial assistance.

Under IESIP, recipients determine how these funds are best used to achieve the mutually agreed targets specified in their individual agreements with the Commonwealth.

Under IEDA, literacy and remedial education assistance can be provided to students through the Aboriginal Tutorial Assistance Scheme (ATAS), an element of the IEDA Program. This is generally provided independently, outside of school hours.

The Commonwealth is working with the States and Territories to ensure that all children achieve an acceptable standard of literacy and numeracy skills. Under the Literacy and Numeracy Program the Commonwealth will provide approximately $200 million for literacy and numeracy for disadvantaged school students in 2000. State and Territory Government and non-government education authorities are responsible for the detailed administration of this program in their systems and schools.

Literacy and remedial education is also a priority under the majority of other Commonwealth Schools Programs. (See tables below)

(a) The Commonwealth does not require education authorities to provide this information.

(8) (a)

Funding table for Non-Government Schools in the Northern Territory for the year 2000 ($000's)

Note: Figures are legislated allocations where available or based on final 1999 expenditure or enrolments.

All figures are in initial 2000 prices

# The Special Leaning needs amount is a pool available to NT and Non-Government Schools

* The Special Learning Needs amount is a national pool available to all States - non-government sector only.

The Literacy and Languages and Special Learning Needs Joint Component amounts are available to all States and both sectors.

Funding table for Government Schools in the Northern Territory for the year 2000 ($000's)

Note: Figures are legislated allocations where available or based on final 1999 expenditure or enrolments.

All figures are in Initial 2000 prices.

# The Special Leaning needs amount is a pool available to NT Government and Non-Government Schools

* Joint Component amounts are available to all States and both sectors.

2000 IESIP Allocations

ATAS - The allocation for the 1999/2000 financial year for ATAS for Northern Territory is

$2.38 million. This program is funded solely by the Commonwealth.

(b) The Commonwealth is unable to determine the precise level of funding for Indigenous Education Programs originating from Northern Territory Government sources.

(9) to (13) Provision of educational services within correctional facilities is not relevant to this portfolio.