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1338410

registered interest
date	21/06/2021
answering body	Department for Education
answering dept id	60
answering dept short name	Education
answering dept sort name	Education
hansard heading	Schools: Coronavirus
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps his Department is taking to limit the (a) spread of covid-19 variants in schools and (b) disruptions caused by covid-19 variants in schools.
tabling member constituency	Streatham
tabling member printed	Bell Ribeiro-Addy
uin	19696
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 24/06/2021 answer text <p>The Department for Education has worked closely with Public Health England (PHE) to develop and refresh the system of controls, which include cleaning hands thoroughly more often than usual, minimising contact between individuals, and keeping occupied spaces well ventilated to reduce the risk of transmission in schools. Robust testing regimes and the system of controls, when implemented in line with schools’ own workplace risk assessment, create an inherently safer environment for children and staff where the risk of transmission of infection is substantially reduced. The way to control the COVID-19 outbreak is the same, even with the current new variants. The system of controls is available to view here: <a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/actions-for-schools-during-the-coronavirus-outbreak/schools-coronavirus-covid-19-operational-guidance#system-of-controls" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/actions-for-schools-during-the-coronavirus-outbreak/schools-coronavirus-covid-19-operational-guidance#system-of-controls</a>.</p><p>The system of controls is kept under review and is based on the latest scientific and medical advice, including the context of prevalence, new variants, and progress of the vaccination programme. The Department will continue to develop comprehensive guidance and to understand the impact and effectiveness of these measures on staff, pupils, students, and parents.</p><p>In areas where there is a high prevalence of the Delta variant, the Department is increasing the availability of testing for staff, pupils, and families and working with Directors of Public Health to reduce local transmission. The reintroduction of face coverings for pupils, students, or staff may be advised for a temporary period in response to particular localised outbreaks. Further information on responding to individual or regional outbreaks can be found in the contingency framework for education and childcare: <a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/coronavirus-covid-19-local-restrictions-in-education-and-childcare-settings/contingency-framework-education-and-childcare-settings" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/coronavirus-covid-19-local-restrictions-in-education-and-childcare-settings/contingency-framework-education-and-childcare-settings</a>.</p><p>The Department recognises that extended school restrictions have had a substantial impact on children and young people’s education and we are committed to helping pupils make up education lost as a result of the COVID-19 outbreak. In June 2021 £1.4 billion was announced to support education recovery for children aged 2 to 19 in schools, colleges, and nurseries. This money will provide an additional £1 billion for tutoring, which will provide up to 100 million hours of tuition for 5 to 19-year-olds by 2024, targeting disadvantaged children and key subjects such as Mathematics and English. This is in addition to the £1.7 billion already committed, bringing total investment announced for education recovery over the past year to over £3 billion.</p><p>The Department is also making available an extra £400 million to help to provide 500,000 teacher training opportunities across the country, alongside professional development for early years practitioners.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency Bognor Regis and Littlehampton answering member printed Nick Gibb question first answered 24/06/2021 12:34:39 answering member 111 label Biography information for Nick Gibb
tabling member	4764 label Biography information for Bell Ribeiro-Addy

1338535

registered interest
date	21/06/2021
answering body	Department for Education
answering dept id	60
answering dept short name	Education
answering dept sort name	Education
hansard heading	Schools: Coronavirus
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether he has plans to require schools to carry out on-site supervised lateral flow testing at the start of the 2021-22 school year before allowing new year seven students to commence home testing.
tabling member constituency	City of Durham
tabling member printed	Mary Kelly Foy
uin	19693
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 24/06/2021 answer text <p>Testing in schools and colleges should continue until the end of summer term. Further information on testing arrangements over the summer break and autumn term will be made available shortly.</p><p> </p><p><strong><br> </strong></p><p> </p> answering member constituency Bognor Regis and Littlehampton answering member printed Nick Gibb question first answered 24/06/2021 12:23:56 answering member 111 label Biography information for Nick Gibb
tabling member	4753 label Biography information for Mary Kelly Foy

1338563

registered interest
date	21/06/2021
answering body	Department for Education
answering dept id	60
answering dept short name	Education
answering dept sort name	Education
hansard heading	Schools: Coronavirus
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 Public Health England on determining the appropriate size of a bubble in schools during the covid-19 outbreak; and if he will publish the scientific guidance he received ahead of making that decision.
tabling member constituency	Sheffield, Hallam
tabling member printed	Olivia Blake
uin	19737
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 25/06/2021 answer text <p>At each stage of the Government’s response to the COVID-19 outbreak, we have listened to the latest medical and scientific advice. The Department has provided regularly updated guidance to support schools, with input from education leaders, unions, and sector bodies and in consultation with Public Health England and the Health and Safety Executive.</p><p>Schools must do everything possible to minimise contacts and mixing, while delivering a broad and balanced curriculum. The overarching principle to apply is reducing the number of contacts between pupils and staff. This can be achieved through keeping groups separate in ‘bubbles’ and through maintaining distance between individuals. Consistent groups reduce the risk of transmission by limiting the number of pupils and staff in contact with each other to only those within the group. Maintaining distinct groups or ‘bubbles’ that do not mix makes it quicker and easier in the event of a positive case to identify those who may need to self-isolate, and to keep that number as small as possible.</p><p>Schools should assess their circumstances and try to implement ‘bubbles’ of an appropriate size to achieve the greatest reduction in contact and mixing. They should make sure this will not affect the quality and breadth of teaching, or impact access for support and specialist staff and therapists.</p><p>Whatever the size of the group, they should be kept apart from other groups where possible. Pupils should be encouraged to keep their distance within groups. Schools should try to limit interaction, sharing of rooms, and social spaces between groups as much as possible.</p><p>When using larger groups, the other measures from the system of controls are even more important to minimise transmission risks and the numbers of pupils and staff who need to self-isolate. Younger pupils and those with complex needs will not be able to maintain social distancing and it is acceptable for them not to distance within their group. Using small groups can restrict the normal operation of education and present educational and logistical challenges.</p> answering member constituency Bognor Regis and Littlehampton answering member printed Nick Gibb question first answered 25/06/2021 13:11:16 answering member 111 label Biography information for Nick Gibb
tabling member	4864 label Biography information for Olivia Blake

1337919

registered interest
date	17/06/2021
answering body	Department for Education
answering dept id	60
answering dept short name	Education
answering dept sort name	Education
hansard heading	Schools: Coronavirus
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what support his Department is providing to schools for carrying out covid-19 track and trace on pupils and staff.
tabling member constituency	North West Durham
tabling member printed	Mr Richard Holden
uin	17874
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 22/06/2021 answer text <p>The Department has issued guidance which covers how to manage cases of COVID-19 amongst the school community. This recommends that schools keep a record of pupils and staff in each group, and any close contact that takes places between pupils and staff in different groups, to help identify close contacts.</p><p>Schools may receive support through the dedicated advice service introduced by Public Health England (PHE), which can be reached through the Department’s helpline on 0800 046 8687 or their PHE local health protection team if the case is escalated.</p> answering member constituency Bognor Regis and Littlehampton answering member printed Nick Gibb question first answered 22/06/2021 11:38:35 answering member 111 label Biography information for Nick Gibb
tabling member	4813 label Biography information for Mr Richard Holden

1329613

registered interest
date	04/06/2021
answering body	Department for Education
answering dept id	60
answering dept short name	Education
answering dept sort name	Education
hansard heading	Schools: Coronavirus
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what recent assessment his Department has made of the potential merits of requiring students to wear face coverings in schools following the increase in cases of the covid-19 variant originating in India.
tabling member constituency	St Albans
tabling member printed	Daisy Cooper
uin	10669
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 14/06/2021 answer text <p>When a variant of COVID-19 is classed as a variant of concern, the Department for Health and Social Care (DHSC) will increase targeted testing in that area to help suppress and control any possible new cases and better understand the new variants.</p><p>The reintroduction of face coverings for pupils, students or staff, may be advised for a temporary period in response to particular localised outbreaks, including variants of concern. In all cases, any educational drawbacks should be balanced with the benefits of managing transmission.</p><p>In Enhanced Response Areas, Directors of Public Health have discretion to recommend supervised in-school testing, or that secondary schools reintroduce face coverings in indoor communal areas including classrooms, subject to an assessment of the educational impact against public health benefit.</p><p>The Strengthened Support Packages are now the process for escalating any education-based interventions. NHS Test and Trace has set up Regional Partnership Teams (RPTs) made up of Public Health England (PHE) Regional Directors; Contain Regional Convenors; and Joint Biosecurity Centre Regional Leads to support local areas in managing outbreaks. Local Authorities or Directors of Public Health who are concerned about the impact of variants of concern on nurseries, schools and colleges should first and foremost engage with their RPTs. We continue to work closely with other government departments throughout the response to the COVID-19 outbreak, including PHE and DHSC, as well as stakeholders across the sector.</p><p>Our policy on the system of controls is kept under review and based on the latest scientific and medical advice including in the context of prevalence, new variants and progress of the vaccination programme. We will continue to develop comprehensive guidance and to understand the impact and effectiveness of these measures on staff, pupils, students and parents.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency Bognor Regis and Littlehampton answering member printed Nick Gibb question first answered 14/06/2021 16:47:20 answering member 111 label Biography information for Nick Gibb
tabling member	4769 label Biography information for Daisy Cooper

1315699

registered interest
date	18/05/2021
answering body	Department for Education
answering dept id	60
answering dept short name	Education
answering dept sort name	Education
hansard heading	Schools: Coronavirus
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Education, if he will make an assessment of the potential merits of providing further funding for schools to deal with the costs of (a) insurance, (b) sick pay, (c) supply teachers and (d) other costs associated with staff sickness during the outbreak of covid-19.
tabling member constituency	Lewisham East
tabling member printed	Janet Daby
uin	3155
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 26/05/2021 answer text <p>School budgets are rising by £2.6 billion in the 2020-21 financial year and will increase by a further £4.8 billion in 2021-22 and £7.1 billion in 2022-23, compared to 2019-20.</p><p>As part of the three-year increase to core funding – the biggest in a decade – schools have continued to receive their core funding throughout the COVID-19 outbreak, regardless of any periods of reduced attendance. This will ensure they can continue to pay their staff and meet other regular financial commitments.</p><p>Workforce absence and community transmission rates have reduced since the autumn term when we introduced the COVID-19 Workforce Fund to support schools and colleges with high staff absences and significant financial pressures to remain open. We will continue to monitor the situation.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency Bognor Regis and Littlehampton answering member printed Nick Gibb question first answered 26/05/2021 10:31:25 answering member 111 label Biography information for Nick Gibb
tabling member	4698 label Biography information for Janet Daby

1314553

registered interest
date	13/05/2021
answering body	Department for Education
answering dept id	60
answering dept short name	Education
answering dept sort name	Education
hansard heading	Schools: Coronavirus
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what data he held on the (a) aggregate number of cases, (b) incidence and (c) location of the coronavirus variant B.1.617.2 linked to schools up to 10 May 2021 when the Government made the announcement to remove requirements for face coverings in schools.
tabling member constituency	Eltham
tabling member printed	Clive Efford
uin	976
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 08/06/2021 answer text <p>Data on variants of concern is held by the Department of Health and Social Care, where Public Health England (PHE) leads on surveillance and outbreak management. Data on variants, including the Delta variant (B.1.617.2), was considered by the Government as part of meeting the four tests, in making the decision to proceed with Step 3 of the roadmap announced on 10 May.</p><p>PHE has published a technical briefing on COVID-19 variants of concern and variants under investigation in England, which is available here: <a href="https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/991343/Variants_of_Concern_VOC_Technical_Briefing_14.pdf" target="_blank">https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/991343/Variants_of_Concern_VOC_Technical_Briefing_14.pdf</a>. This sets out (page 36-45) data on the number of clusters or outbreaks associated with a range of settings, including education settings, covering the latest available data and the period prior to the decision and announcement on Step 3.</p><p>PHE also publishes the total number of cases of each variant in the UK as part of information on variants of COVID-19, which is available here: <a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/new-sars-cov-2-variant" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/new-sars-cov-2-variant</a>. This includes total confirmed Delta variant cases and prevalence split by region, as part of PHE weekly technical briefings, covering the latest available data and previously the period prior to the decision and announcement on Step 3.</p><p>The Government’s decision that face coverings no longer need to be worn in classrooms by staff, pupils or students, or in corridors or communal areas by pupils and students, was made in line with Step 3 of the roadmap. When the policy on face coverings in classrooms was introduced, this was an appropriate precautionary temporary measure while rates of infection were high in the community. As the four tests for easing restrictions in Step 3 of the roadmap were met, it was an appropriate time to remove the recommendation. In all schools we continue to recommend that face coverings should be worn by staff and visitors in situations outside of classrooms where social distancing is not possible.</p><p>While this moves children towards a greater sense of normality, measures within the PHE-supported system of controls remain very important to reduce transmission in schools, for example, social distancing and regular hand washing. Regular rapid testing will also continue to help find and isolate asymptomatic cases when they do occur, and we continue to encourage everyone to play their part and test themselves twice each week.</p><p>The reintroduction of face coverings for pupils, students or staff may be advised for a temporary period in response to localised outbreaks, including variants of concern. In all cases, any educational drawbacks should be balanced with the benefits of managing transmission. The Local Action Committee structure (bronze/silver/gold) should be used in such circumstances to re-introduce the use of face coverings. Immediate outbreak response (at the level of individual settings or a cluster of settings) remains for local directors of public health to advise on.</p> answering member constituency Bognor Regis and Littlehampton answering member printed Nick Gibb grouped question UIN 977 question first answered 08/06/2021 15:41:39 answering member 111 label Biography information for Nick Gibb
tabling member	165 label Biography information for Clive Efford

1314563

registered interest
date	13/05/2021
answering body	Department for Education
answering dept id	60
answering dept short name	Education
answering dept sort name	Education
hansard heading	Schools: Coronavirus
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what information he received from Public Health England on the (a) aggregate number of covid-19 cases and (b) incidence and location of Coronavirus variant B.1.617.2 linked to schools before 10 May 2021 prior to the decision to remove the requirement for face coverings to be worn in schools.
tabling member constituency	Eltham
tabling member printed	Clive Efford
uin	977
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 08/06/2021 answer text <p>Data on variants of concern is held by the Department of Health and Social Care, where Public Health England (PHE) leads on surveillance and outbreak management. Data on variants, including the Delta variant (B.1.617.2), was considered by the Government as part of meeting the four tests, in making the decision to proceed with Step 3 of the roadmap announced on 10 May.</p><p>PHE has published a technical briefing on COVID-19 variants of concern and variants under investigation in England, which is available here: <a href="https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/991343/Variants_of_Concern_VOC_Technical_Briefing_14.pdf" target="_blank">https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/991343/Variants_of_Concern_VOC_Technical_Briefing_14.pdf</a>. This sets out (page 36-45) data on the number of clusters or outbreaks associated with a range of settings, including education settings, covering the latest available data and the period prior to the decision and announcement on Step 3.</p><p>PHE also publishes the total number of cases of each variant in the UK as part of information on variants of COVID-19, which is available here: <a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/new-sars-cov-2-variant" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/new-sars-cov-2-variant</a>. This includes total confirmed Delta variant cases and prevalence split by region, as part of PHE weekly technical briefings, covering the latest available data and previously the period prior to the decision and announcement on Step 3.</p><p>The Government’s decision that face coverings no longer need to be worn in classrooms by staff, pupils or students, or in corridors or communal areas by pupils and students, was made in line with Step 3 of the roadmap. When the policy on face coverings in classrooms was introduced, this was an appropriate precautionary temporary measure while rates of infection were high in the community. As the four tests for easing restrictions in Step 3 of the roadmap were met, it was an appropriate time to remove the recommendation. In all schools we continue to recommend that face coverings should be worn by staff and visitors in situations outside of classrooms where social distancing is not possible.</p><p>While this moves children towards a greater sense of normality, measures within the PHE-supported system of controls remain very important to reduce transmission in schools, for example, social distancing and regular hand washing. Regular rapid testing will also continue to help find and isolate asymptomatic cases when they do occur, and we continue to encourage everyone to play their part and test themselves twice each week.</p><p>The reintroduction of face coverings for pupils, students or staff may be advised for a temporary period in response to localised outbreaks, including variants of concern. In all cases, any educational drawbacks should be balanced with the benefits of managing transmission. The Local Action Committee structure (bronze/silver/gold) should be used in such circumstances to re-introduce the use of face coverings. Immediate outbreak response (at the level of individual settings or a cluster of settings) remains for local directors of public health to advise on.</p> answering member constituency Bognor Regis and Littlehampton answering member printed Nick Gibb grouped question UIN 976 question first answered 08/06/2021 15:41:39 answering member 111 label Biography information for Nick Gibb
tabling member	165 label Biography information for Clive Efford

1314030

registered interest
date	12/05/2021
answering body	Department for Education
answering dept id	60
answering dept short name	Education
answering dept sort name	Education
hansard heading	Schools: Coronavirus
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Education, on what date his Department plans to withdraw the requirement on schools to complete the daily Educational Settings Status Form required by covid-19 regulations.
tabling member constituency	South Cambridgeshire
tabling member printed	Anthony Browne
uin	916
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 21/05/2021 answer text <p>The request that schools complete the daily educational settings status form is kept under continuous review. The information supplied by schools has been valuable in enabling the Government to manage the COVID-19 outbreak. There is no requirement on schools to complete the daily educational settings status form in COVID-19 regulations – it is a voluntary collection. The Government is grateful to the large proportions of schools and colleges who respond every day to help us understand the impacts of COVID-19 on the education sector, both at a national and local level.</p> answering member constituency Bognor Regis and Littlehampton answering member printed Nick Gibb question first answered 21/05/2021 13:02:16 answering member 111 label Biography information for Nick Gibb
tabling member	4801 label Biography information for Anthony Browne

1312372

registered interest
date	27/04/2021
answering body	Department for Education
answering dept id	60
answering dept short name	Education
answering dept sort name	Education
hansard heading	Schools: Coronavirus
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 Public Health England on determining the appropriate size of a bubble in schools during the covid-19 outbreak; and if he will publish the scientific guidance he received ahead of making that decision.
tabling member constituency	Sheffield, Hallam
tabling member printed	Olivia Blake
uin	188181
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 29/04/2021 answer text <p>It has not proved possible to respond to the hon. Member in the time available before Prorogation.</p> answering member constituency Bognor Regis and Littlehampton answering member printed Nick Gibb question first answered 29/04/2021 12:16:35 answering member 111 label Biography information for Nick Gibb
tabling member	4864 label Biography information for Olivia Blake