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1253227

registered interest
date	18/11/2020
answering body	Department for Education
answering dept id	60
answering dept short name	Education
answering dept sort name	Education
hansard heading	Educational Institutions: Coronavirus
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps he is taking to improve the quality of information available on the rates of infection and transmission of covid-19 in educational settings.
tabling member constituency	Hayes and Harlington
tabling member printed	John McDonnell
uin	117169
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 25/11/2020 answer text <p>The Department regularly reviews advice from Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies (SAGE), Public Health England, the Office for National Statistics and other sources to ensure our policies are guided by the most up to date scientific evidence. SAGE have committed to publishing minutes and papers following meetings on a regular basis and we will continue to work closely with them, keeping the guidance under review as we continue to monitor the situation over the winter. The Department will adjust and adapt our approach as necessary if more evidence becomes available.</p><p>The Department collects daily data on the open status of schools, the number of schools that have indicated they have sent children home due to COVID-19 containment, the number of pupils absent because they have suspected or confirmed case of COVID-19, and the number of pupils asked to isolate due to contact with a potential case.</p><p>The data from this collection is published at a national level as part of the official statistics series. The publication can be found here: <a href="https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/find-statistics/attendance-in-education-and-early-years-settings-during-the-coronavirus-covid-19-outbreak" target="_blank">https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/find-statistics/attendance-in-education-and-early-years-settings-during-the-coronavirus-covid-19-outbreak</a>.</p><p>Public Health England also collects data on infection, incidence, and COVID-19 cases overall and publishes weekly data on COVID-19 incidents by institution, including educational settings. This can be found here: <a href="https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/936672/Weekly_COVID-19_and_Influenza_Surveillance_Graphs_w47.pdf" target="_blank">https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/936672/Weekly_COVID-19_and_Influenza_Surveillance_Graphs_w47.pdf</a>. It shows COVID-19 clusters or outbreaks by educational setting, including colleges and universities. Age-range data is also available from the Office for National Statistics here: <a href="https://www.ons.gov.uk/peoplepopulationandcommunity/healthandsocialcare/conditionsanddiseases/bulletins/coronaviruscovid19infectionsurveypilot/20november2020" target="_blank">https://www.ons.gov.uk/peoplepopulationandcommunity/healthandsocialcare/conditionsanddiseases/bulletins/coronaviruscovid19infectionsurveypilot/20november2020</a>. This shows age-range positive test rates, including for academic school Year 12 to age 24.</p><p><ins class="ministerial">The department intends to publish school workforce attendance data from the new year. This data will be included as part of the publication ‘Attendance in education and early years settings during the coronavirus (Covid 19) outbreak’.</ins></p><p>The Department is continuing to review what we publish in our weekly dataset, alongside the quality of data we collect.</p> answering member constituency Bognor Regis and Littlehampton answering member printed Nick Gibb question first answered 25/11/2020 17:33:33 question first ministerially corrected 01/12/2020 12:05:02 answering member 111 label Biography information for Nick Gibb previous answer version 64402 answering member constituency Bognor Regis and Littlehampton answering member printed Nick Gibb answering member 111 label Biography information for Nick Gibb
tabling member	178 label Biography information for John McDonnell

1253228

registered interest
date	18/11/2020
answering body	Department for Education
answering dept id	60
answering dept short name	Education
answering dept sort name	Education
hansard heading	Performing Arts: Children
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what representations he has received from youth arts companies on bringing into line with the covid-19 regulations for boarding schools out-of-school arts activities that are run as residential courses.
tabling member constituency	Cardiff West
tabling member printed	Kevin Brennan
uin	117189
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 23/11/2020 answer text <p>The Department has been in close communication with various stakeholders, including some with connections to youth arts, since the start of the COVID-19 outbreak with respect to residential trips. We will continue this communication over the coming months.</p><p>The guidance for full opening of schools and the guidance for holiday and after school clubs, and other out-of-school settings, set out the Department’s current position in relation to educational visits. They can be found at: <a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/actions-for-schools-during-the-coronavirus-outbreak/guidance-for-full-opening-schools" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/actions-for-schools-during-the-coronavirus-outbreak/guidance-for-full-opening-schools</a> and <a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/protective-measures-for-holiday-or-after-school-clubs-and-other-out-of-school-settings-for-children-during-the-coronavirus-covid-19-outbreak/protective-measures-for-out-of-school-settings-during-the-coronavirus-covid-19-outbreak" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/protective-measures-for-holiday-or-after-school-clubs-and-other-out-of-school-settings-for-children-during-the-coronavirus-covid-19-outbreak/protective-measures-for-out-of-school-settings-during-the-coronavirus-covid-19-outbreak</a>.</p><p>At present, schools and out-of-school settings can undertake COVID-19 secure day visits within the UK but are advised against the resumption of domestic and overseas residential educational visits. This is because, unlike boarding schools, residential settings have a transient population with different groups rotating in and out of the centre on a weekly basis. This constant change of population serves to increase the risk of COVID-19 transmission.</p><p>This decision has not been taken lightly and is taken in the context of the Government announcing new national restrictions to address rising cases of COVID-19 in England. This position will be reviewed again before the end of November 2020.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency Bognor Regis and Littlehampton answering member printed Nick Gibb question first answered 23/11/2020 16:06:48 answering member 111 label Biography information for Nick Gibb
tabling member	1400 label Biography information for Kevin Brennan

1253251

registered interest
date	18/11/2020
answering body	Department for Education
answering dept id	60
answering dept short name	Education
answering dept sort name	Education
hansard heading	Special Educational Needs: Coronavirus
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment his Department has made of the effect on families with 18-year-old students with Down’s syndrome not being in education for four weeks due to shielding during the covid-19 outbreak, particularly in cases where a parent or carer will need to take time off work to provide care and support with learning at home.
tabling member constituency	Weaver Vale
tabling member printed	Mike Amesbury
uin	117363
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 27/11/2020 answer text <p>In September, the UK Chief Medical Officers (CMOs) reviewed the new information which showed that most adults with Down’s syndrome were at a higher risk amongst the population. Therefore, the UK CMOs decided that people aged 18 or over who have Down’s syndrome should be added to the clinically extremely vulnerable group. People who are clinically extremely vulnerable are advised not to attend their college or other educational setting.</p><p>We know that any period of absence from an education setting can cause anxiety for learners and their families, and we are aware that some young people with Down’s syndrome have expressed their disappointment at being advised to remain at home. However, it is too early in the implementation of the national restrictions to conduct any formal assessment of the impact on families. We have been working with our partners, including a wide range of charities and organisations which support families of children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) throughout the COVID-19 outbreak to understand the impact on them. We will continue to gather regular information from parents, carers, and young people themselves, through organisations such as the National Network of Parent Carer Forums. We continually review and update our guidance to educational settings to reflect the advice of the CMOs, as more information on the impact of COVID-19 for different groups becomes available.</p><p>Our priority is to ensure that young people can continue to learn even when they are unable to attend their usual setting. We have worked with providers to co-design the remote education service for schools, further education providers and teachers. In addition, the Oak National Academy education offer provides free video lessons across a broad range of subjects, including specialist content for pupils with SEND.</p><p>Where a young person who is clinically extremely vulnerable has an Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP), parents, education settings, health professionals and local authorities should work together to agree the best arrangement for that individual young person and their family to ensure that they continue to receive the support they need.</p><p>Families can request new or increased services from adult social care via their local authority, if this support is required to ensure the young person is safely cared for whilst they remain at home. It is for the local authority to carry out an assessment and to determine what service provision is required. During the period of national restrictions, those providing care or support to meet a vulnerable or disabled person’s everyday needs can continue to visit them in their home, ensuring they follow social distancing guidance where close or personal contact is not required.</p> answering member constituency Chelmsford answering member printed Vicky Ford question first answered 27/11/2020 12:37:01 answering member 4674 label Biography information for Vicky Ford
tabling member	4667 label Biography information for Mike Amesbury

1253290

registered interest
date	18/11/2020
answering body	Department for Education
answering dept id	60
answering dept short name	Education
answering dept sort name	Education
hansard heading	Assessments: Coronavirus
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Education, if he will publish contingency plans for 2021 GCSE and A Level examinations to ensure that schools can be adequately prepared and take account of lost learning time.
tabling member constituency	Central Suffolk and North Ipswich
tabling member printed	Dr Dan Poulter
uin	117231
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 27/11/2020 answer text <p>The changes to assessments in certain subjects that were announced by Ofqual in the summer, alongside the later starting date for examinations in summer 2021, will give schools and colleges extra time to plan teaching, and pupils extra time to study. Combined with the Department’s £1 billion catch-up package, including a catch-up premium worth a total of £650 million, these changes give young people the best chance of being ready for their examinations without undermining the value of the qualifications they receive.</p><p>The Department is working with Ofqual and engaging widely with the education sector to identify any risks to examinations at a national, local, and individual pupil level, and to consider measures needed to address any potential disruption. This could be a pupil unable to sit examinations due to illness or self isolation, or schools affected by a local COVID-19 outbreak during the examination season resulting in examination centres not being able to open. More details will be published later in the autumn.</p> answering member constituency Bognor Regis and Littlehampton answering member printed Nick Gibb question first answered 27/11/2020 17:09:15 answering member 111 label Biography information for Nick Gibb
tabling member	3932 label Biography information for Dr Dan Poulter

1253291

registered interest
date	18/11/2020
answering body	Department for Education
answering dept id	60
answering dept short name	Education
answering dept sort name	Education
hansard heading	Schools: Inspections
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Education, if he will (a) postpone Ofsted visits to schools to 2022 and (b) ensure that Ofsted focus on promoting covid-19 best practice in schools during visits during 2021.
tabling member constituency	Central Suffolk and North Ipswich
tabling member printed	Dr Dan Poulter
uin	117232
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 27/11/2020 answer text <p>It is important for school inspections to start up again in the new year, at the right time and in the right way. The Department is carefully considering with Ofsted and the sector how this can be achieved sensitively and gradually, with a clear focus on provision for pupils, whether in the classroom or remotely. Further details of the plans for 2021 will be made available soon.</p><p> </p><p> </p> answering member constituency Bognor Regis and Littlehampton answering member printed Nick Gibb question first answered 27/11/2020 17:12:17 answering member 111 label Biography information for Nick Gibb
tabling member	3932 label Biography information for Dr Dan Poulter

1253304

registered interest
date	18/11/2020
answering body	Department for Education
answering dept id	60
answering dept short name	Education
answering dept sort name	Education
hansard heading	Educational Institutions: Coronavirus
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what recent assessment he has made of the financial implications of covid-19 related expenditure for (a) schools and (b) colleges.
tabling member constituency	Slough
tabling member printed	Mr Tanmanjeet Singh Dhesi
uin	117347
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 01/12/2020 answer text <p>The Department appreciates the continued and significant efforts by schools and their staff to keep schools open this term. Returning to school full time has been vital for children’s education and wellbeing, and has rightly been a national priority. The latest published figures show that over 99% of state-funded schools are open. The Department published guidance to support schools to welcome back all children full-time. The guidance can be viewed at:</p><p><a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/actions-for-schools-during-the-coronavirus-outbreak/guidance-for-full-opening-schools" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/actions-for-schools-during-the-coronavirus-outbreak/guidance-for-full-opening-schools</a>.</p><p>On 27 November, the Department announced a new COVID-19 workforce fund for schools and colleges to help them remain open. It will fund the costs of teacher absences over a threshold in schools and colleges, for those with high staff absences that are also facing significant financial pressures. The fund will help schools and colleges to meet the cost of absences experienced during the period from the beginning of November until the end of this term. More information is available at: <a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/news/new-funding-to-support-schools-and-colleges-during-covid-pandemic" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/government/news/new-funding-to-support-schools-and-colleges-during-covid-pandemic</a>.</p><p>Schools have also continued to receive their core funding allocations throughout the COVID-19 outbreak. Following last year’s Spending Round, school budgets are rising by £2.6 billion in the 2020-21 financial year, £4.8 billion in 2021-22, and £7.1 billion in 2022-23, compared to 2019-20. This includes an additional £780 million this year and £730 million next year for high needs, taking total high needs funding to over £8 billion.</p><p>As stated in our guidance, schools should use their existing resources, including these funding increases, when making arrangements to support children this term. Ministers and officials continue to engage regularly with school leaders and their representatives on a wide range of issues around COVID-19, including discussions in relation to costs faced by schools at this time. The Department will continue to review the pressures schools are facing into next term.</p><p>The Department appreciates the continued and significant efforts by further education (FE) colleges and all staff to keep colleges open this term. We recognise the financial impact of the COVID-19 outbreak on FE colleges and have protected grant funding to the FE sector, worth over £3 billion for a full year, through paying scheduled monthly profiled payments for the remainder of the 2019-20 financial year and paying allocations for 2020-21 in line with the national profile. This year, the Department has increased investment in education and training of 16 to 19 year olds by £400 million, including an increased base rate, and more funding for high cost and high value subjects. We have also brought forward £200 million of the £1.5 billion for capital funding in colleges. For other providers with contracts with the Education and Skills Funding Agency, we set up a Provider Relief Scheme.</p><p>For colleges in significant financial difficulties, the existing support arrangements remain in place, including short-term emergency funding. The Department has also adapted and opened the College Collaboration Fund to support colleges to respond to current challenges, and we have announced the 20 colleges whose bids were successful.</p><p>My right hon. Friend, the Chancellor of the Exchequer, has announced an extensive and unprecedented package of support measures for businesses and employees. FE colleges can apply to the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme for non-grant-funded employees, which has been extended until March 2021.</p><p>The Department is working closely with colleges to monitor the financial impacts of the COVID-19 outbreak and ensure that any colleges facing financial difficulties are able to access relevant support. Financial forecasts for the current year were submitted by colleges in July, and updated cashflow projections are due to be provided this month.</p> answering member constituency Bognor Regis and Littlehampton answering member printed Nick Gibb question first answered 01/12/2020 18:53:52 answering member 111 label Biography information for Nick Gibb
tabling member	4638 label Biography information for Mr Tanmanjeet Singh Dhesi

1253306

registered interest
date	18/11/2020
answering body	Department for Education
answering dept id	60
answering dept short name	Education
answering dept sort name	Education
hansard heading	Remote Education: Coronavirus
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Education, which companies supplied dongles and mifi devices to his Department as part of the scheme to help children and families access remote education during the covid-19 outbreak; and what the cost to the Department was of that equipment.
tabling member constituency	Mitcham and Morden
tabling member printed	Siobhain McDonagh
uin	117170
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 27/11/2020 answer text <p>As part of over £195 million invested to support access to remote education and social care, the Department has already provided over 51,000 4G wireless routers, with free data for the academic year, to support disadvantaged children. The Department continues to provide 4G wireless routers, with free data, where schools experience disruption to face to face education and pupils need to access remote education.</p><p> </p><p>To date, the Department has invested over £6 million in connectivity, including hardware (4G wireless routers) and data (SIM cards and data roaming). The current contract is held by Computacenter.</p><p> </p><p>In partnership with mobile network operators, the Department is also providing access to free additional mobile data for the academic year. Schools can request free mobile data uplifts, via the Get Help with Technology service, when they experience disruption to face to face education or for clinically extremely vulnerable children.</p> answering member constituency Bognor Regis and Littlehampton answering member printed Nick Gibb grouped question UIN 117171 question first answered 27/11/2020 17:01:09 answering member 111 label Biography information for Nick Gibb
tabling member	193 label Biography information for Dame Siobhain McDonagh

1253307

registered interest
date	18/11/2020
answering body	Department for Education
answering dept id	60
answering dept short name	Education
answering dept sort name	Education
hansard heading	Remote Education: Coronavirus
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Education, which companies supplied SIMs to provide connectivity to the MiFi devices supplied as part of his Department's remote education support; and what the total cost was of that supply.
tabling member constituency	Mitcham and Morden
tabling member printed	Siobhain McDonagh
uin	117171
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 27/11/2020 answer text <p>As part of over £195 million invested to support access to remote education and social care, the Department has already provided over 51,000 4G wireless routers, with free data for the academic year, to support disadvantaged children. The Department continues to provide 4G wireless routers, with free data, where schools experience disruption to face to face education and pupils need to access remote education.</p><p> </p><p>To date, the Department has invested over £6 million in connectivity, including hardware (4G wireless routers) and data (SIM cards and data roaming). The current contract is held by Computacenter.</p><p> </p><p>In partnership with mobile network operators, the Department is also providing access to free additional mobile data for the academic year. Schools can request free mobile data uplifts, via the Get Help with Technology service, when they experience disruption to face to face education or for clinically extremely vulnerable children.</p> answering member constituency Bognor Regis and Littlehampton answering member printed Nick Gibb grouped question UIN 117170 question first answered 27/11/2020 17:01:09 answering member 111 label Biography information for Nick Gibb
tabling member	193 label Biography information for Dame Siobhain McDonagh

1253321

registered interest
date	18/11/2020
answering body	Department for Education
answering dept id	60
answering dept short name	Education
answering dept sort name	Education
hansard heading	Construction Industry Training Board: Redundancy
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what discussions he has had with the Construction Industry Training Board on recent changes to its redundancy policy; and if he will make an assessment of the effect of those changes on staff.
tabling member constituency	Newport East
tabling member printed	Jessica Morden
uin	117209
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 23/11/2020 answer text <p>The Industrial Training Act 1982, delegates employment matters to the Construction Industry Training Board (CITB). Schedule 1 (11) of the Act states, ‘An industrial training board may appoint such officers and servants, upon such terms as to remuneration, pension rights and other conditions of service, as the board may determine.’</p><p>The Department maintains ongoing dialogue with the CITB and is sighted on key activity impacting on CITB colleagues.</p> answering member constituency Chichester answering member printed Gillian Keegan question first answered 23/11/2020 11:28:17 answering member 4680 label Biography information for Gillian Keegan
tabling member	1548 label Biography information for Jessica Morden

1253324

registered interest
date	18/11/2020
answering body	Department for Education
answering dept id	60
answering dept short name	Education
answering dept sort name	Education
hansard heading	Department for Education: Non-departmental Public Bodies
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps he is taking to ensure that non-departmental Government bodies that report to his Department do not change their redundancy policy prior to the completion of a full consultation with staff.
tabling member constituency	Newport East
tabling member printed	Jessica Morden
uin	117210
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 27/11/2020 answer text <p>The Department’s arm's length bodies (ALBs) are usually responsible for the management of their own staff terms and conditions, including the need to consult with staff on any changes. Governance arrangements are in place to ensure the Department has oversight of any changes which require Departmental input or approval and to ensure this is managed compliantly. The guidance about the Department’s overall approach to ALBs, as set out in the Cabinet Office guide to public bodies, is available here: <a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/partnerships-with-arms-length-bodies-code-of-good-practice" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/partnerships-with-arms-length-bodies-code-of-good-practice</a>.</p> answering member constituency Bognor Regis and Littlehampton answering member printed Nick Gibb question first answered 27/11/2020 17:19:20 answering member 111 label Biography information for Nick Gibb
tabling member	1548 label Biography information for Jessica Morden