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1355448

registered interest
date	14/09/2021
answering body	Department for Education
answering dept id	60
answering dept short name	Education
answering dept sort name	Education
hansard heading	Schools: Ventilation
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps his Department has taken to improve ventilation in schools to inhibit the spread of covid-19.
tabling member constituency	Wycombe
tabling member printed	Mr Steve Baker
uin	49114
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 20/09/2021 answer text <p>On 21 August, the department announced that carbon dioxide monitors will be provided to all state-funded nurseries, schools, and colleges from September. Backed by a £25 million government investment, the new monitors will enable staff to act quickly where ventilation is poor and provide reassurance that existing ventilation measures are working.</p><p>The programme will provide nurseries, schools, and colleges with sufficient monitors to take representative readings from across the indoor spaces in their estate, assessing all spaces in a relatively short space of time. On 6 September, the department also provided new information to settings on how to use CO2 monitors to better manage ventilation.</p><p>The department has committed to supplying around 300,000 carbon dioxide monitors across England in the Autumn term. From 6 September, the department started to despatch carbon dioxide monitors to special schools and alternative provision, who have been prioritised to receive their full allocation given their higher-than-average numbers of vulnerable pupils.</p><p>The government has also launched a trial of air purifiers in 30 schools in Bradford, which is designed to assess the technology in schools and whether they could reduce the risk of transmission.</p> answering member constituency Worcester answering member printed Mr Robin Walker question first answered 20/09/2021 16:15:45 answering member 4091 label Biography information for Mr Robin Walker
tabling member	4064 label Biography information for Mr Steve Baker

1284688

registered interest
date	08/02/2021
answering body	Department for Education
answering dept id	60
answering dept short name	Education
answering dept sort name	Education
hansard heading	Pupils: Coronavirus
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what proportion of year 7 to 11 secondary school pupils have had their parents' consent to be tested for covid-19 in school.
tabling member constituency	Wycombe
tabling member printed	Mr Steve Baker
uin	150785
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 16/02/2021 answer text <p>Schools are the individual data controllers responsible for processing any personal data, including obtaining and maintaining records of consent, for testing carried out on their sites. As part of testing, schools share data on tests carried out with the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC), at which point DHSC becomes the data controller. Therefore, the Department for Education does not hold the requested information.</p> answering member constituency Bognor Regis and Littlehampton answering member printed Nick Gibb grouped question UIN 150786 150787 150788 150789 150790 question first answered 16/02/2021 14:11:28 answering member 111 label Biography information for Nick Gibb
tabling member	4064 label Biography information for Mr Steve Baker

1284689

registered interest
date	08/02/2021
answering body	Department for Education
answering dept id	60
answering dept short name	Education
answering dept sort name	Education
hansard heading	Pupils: Coronavirus
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what proportion of year 7 to 11 secondary school pupils have had their parents not consent to their being tested for covid-19 in school.
tabling member constituency	Wycombe
tabling member printed	Mr Steve Baker
uin	150786
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 16/02/2021 answer text <p>Schools are the individual data controllers responsible for processing any personal data, including obtaining and maintaining records of consent, for testing carried out on their sites. As part of testing, schools share data on tests carried out with the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC), at which point DHSC becomes the data controller. Therefore, the Department for Education does not hold the requested information.</p> answering member constituency Bognor Regis and Littlehampton answering member printed Nick Gibb grouped question UIN 150785 150787 150788 150789 150790 question first answered 16/02/2021 14:11:28 answering member 111 label Biography information for Nick Gibb
tabling member	4064 label Biography information for Mr Steve Baker

1284690

registered interest
date	08/02/2021
answering body	Department for Education
answering dept id	60
answering dept short name	Education
answering dept sort name	Education
hansard heading	Pupils: Coronavirus
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what proportion of year 7 to 11 secondary school pupils have had their parents abstain from giving permission to their being tested for covid-19 in school.
tabling member constituency	Wycombe
tabling member printed	Mr Steve Baker
uin	150787
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 16/02/2021 answer text <p>Schools are the individual data controllers responsible for processing any personal data, including obtaining and maintaining records of consent, for testing carried out on their sites. As part of testing, schools share data on tests carried out with the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC), at which point DHSC becomes the data controller. Therefore, the Department for Education does not hold the requested information.</p> answering member constituency Bognor Regis and Littlehampton answering member printed Nick Gibb grouped question UIN 150785 150786 150788 150789 150790 question first answered 16/02/2021 14:11:28 answering member 111 label Biography information for Nick Gibb
tabling member	4064 label Biography information for Mr Steve Baker

1284691

registered interest
date	08/02/2021
answering body	Department for Education
answering dept id	60
answering dept short name	Education
answering dept sort name	Education
hansard heading	Pupils: Coronavirus
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what proportion of year 12 and 13 pupils have (a) not self-consented and (b) had their parents not consent on their behalf to their being tested for covid-19 in their academic setting.
tabling member constituency	Wycombe
tabling member printed	Mr Steve Baker
uin	150788
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 16/02/2021 answer text <p>Schools are the individual data controllers responsible for processing any personal data, including obtaining and maintaining records of consent, for testing carried out on their sites. As part of testing, schools share data on tests carried out with the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC), at which point DHSC becomes the data controller. Therefore, the Department for Education does not hold the requested information.</p> answering member constituency Bognor Regis and Littlehampton answering member printed Nick Gibb grouped question UIN 150785 150786 150787 150789 150790 question first answered 16/02/2021 14:11:28 answering member 111 label Biography information for Nick Gibb
tabling member	4064 label Biography information for Mr Steve Baker

1284692

registered interest
date	08/02/2021
answering body	Department for Education
answering dept id	60
answering dept short name	Education
answering dept sort name	Education
hansard heading	Pupils: Coronavirus
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what proportion of year 12 and 13 pupils have (a) abstained and (b) had their parents abstain on their behalf on their being tested for covid-19 in their academic setting.
tabling member constituency	Wycombe
tabling member printed	Mr Steve Baker
uin	150789
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 16/02/2021 answer text <p>Schools are the individual data controllers responsible for processing any personal data, including obtaining and maintaining records of consent, for testing carried out on their sites. As part of testing, schools share data on tests carried out with the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC), at which point DHSC becomes the data controller. Therefore, the Department for Education does not hold the requested information.</p> answering member constituency Bognor Regis and Littlehampton answering member printed Nick Gibb grouped question UIN 150785 150786 150787 150788 150790 question first answered 16/02/2021 14:11:28 answering member 111 label Biography information for Nick Gibb
tabling member	4064 label Biography information for Mr Steve Baker

1284693

registered interest
date	08/02/2021
answering body	Department for Education
answering dept id	60
answering dept short name	Education
answering dept sort name	Education
hansard heading	Pupils: Coronavirus
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what proportion of year 12 and 13 pupils have (a) self-consented and (b) had their parents consent on their behalf to their being tested for covid-19 in their academic setting.
tabling member constituency	Wycombe
tabling member printed	Mr Steve Baker
uin	150790
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 16/02/2021 answer text <p>Schools are the individual data controllers responsible for processing any personal data, including obtaining and maintaining records of consent, for testing carried out on their sites. As part of testing, schools share data on tests carried out with the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC), at which point DHSC becomes the data controller. Therefore, the Department for Education does not hold the requested information.</p> answering member constituency Bognor Regis and Littlehampton answering member printed Nick Gibb grouped question UIN 150785 150786 150787 150788 150789 question first answered 16/02/2021 14:11:28 answering member 111 label Biography information for Nick Gibb
tabling member	4064 label Biography information for Mr Steve Baker

1276136

registered interest
date	13/01/2021
answering body	Department for Education
answering dept id	60
answering dept short name	Education
answering dept sort name	Education
hansard heading	Students: Coronavirus
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what progress the Government has made on mass lateral flow testing of university students; and if he will make a statement.
tabling member constituency	Wycombe
tabling member printed	Mr Steve Baker
uin	137198
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 28/01/2021 answer text <p>The Department for Education and the Department of Health and Social Care have worked in partnership with higher education (HE) institutions to deliver an asymptomatic mass testing programme to ensure that students could travel home from university in December and that students reading a subject listed within the guidance as essential in order to support the pipeline of future workers (as well as those with exemptions as outlined in guidance) can travel back to university safely and with confidence while protecting themselves, their friends, family and wider community.</p><p>Officials worked with the sector to ensure that almost all HE institutions were ready to provide 2 COVID-19 tests to students that returned in January 2021. I also wrote to Vice Chancellors on 21 January 2021, announcing that providers should commence regular ongoing lateral flow testing from 25 January 2021.</p> answering member constituency Chippenham answering member printed Michelle Donelan question first answered 28/01/2021 16:49:56 answering member 4530 label Biography information for Michelle Donelan
tabling member	4064 label Biography information for Mr Steve Baker

1256551

registered interest
date	30/11/2020
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 steps he is taking to deliver of covid- secure teaching without the use of (a) facemasks and (b) social distancing at special educational needs and disability schools during the covid-19 outbreak.
tabling member constituency	Wycombe
tabling member printed	Mr Steve Baker
uin	122675
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 03/12/2020 answer text <p>The guidance entitled ‘full opening: special schools and other specialist settings’ includes details on how settings should put in place proportionate ‘System of Control’ measures to minimise the risk of transmission, including advice on the use of face masks and managing social distancing. This guidance is available here: <a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/guidance-for-full-opening-special-schools-and-other-specialist-settings/guidance-for-full-opening-special-schools-and-other-specialist-settings" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/guidance-for-full-opening-special-schools-and-other-specialist-settings/guidance-for-full-opening-special-schools-and-other-specialist-settings</a>. Relevant for all specialist settings, this guidance is informed by advice from Public Health England and is updated, as necessary, to reflect current advice. Based on current evidence and the measures that settings have already put in place, such as the system of controls and consistent bubbles, face coverings will not be necessary in the classroom even where full social distancing is not possible. Face coverings could have a negative impact on teaching and their use in the classroom should currently be avoided.</p><p>Mainstream and special schools that teach children in years 7 and above, and which are under tier 1 local restrictions, may decide to recommend the wearing of face coverings for pupils and adults in indoor communal areas where social distancing is difficult to maintain. When an area moves to tier 2 or 3 local restrictions, face coverings should be worn by adults and pupils in year 7 and above in communal areas, and when moving around the premises outside of classrooms. This does not apply to those of any age who are exempt, such as those who cannot put on, wear or remove a face covering because of a physical impairment or disability, illness or mental health difficulties.</p><p>Primary school head teachers have the discretion to require adults to wear face coverings in indoor situations where social distancing is difficult to maintain. Primary-aged school children do not need to wear a face covering.</p><p>We recognise that maintaining distance or forming bubbles could be particularly difficult in special schools, particularly given the need for staff to administer care and provide therapies to children and young people. However, the average number of pupils or students attending a special school is much lower than the average number in a mainstream school, and this, in itself, will help to limit the number of contacts for any individual.</p><p>Our guidance, entitled ’Safe working in education, childcare and children’s social care settings, including the use of personal protective equipment (PPE)’ provides further support on preventing and controlling infection, including the use of PPE in education, childcare and children’s social care settings during the COVID-19 outbreak. This guidance is available here: <a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/safe-working-in-education-childcare-and-childrens-social-care/safe-working-in-education-childcare-and-childrens-social-care-settings-including-the-use-of-personal-protective-equipment-ppe#what-care-should-be-taken-in-residential-settings-including-residential-schools-residential-special-schools-and-childrens-care-homes" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/safe-working-in-education-childcare-and-childrens-social-care/safe-working-in-education-childcare-and-childrens-social-care-settings-including-the-use-of-personal-protective-equipment-ppe#what-care-should-be-taken-in-residential-settings-including-residential-schools-residential-special-schools-and-childrens-care-homes</a>.</p> answering member constituency Chelmsford answering member printed Vicky Ford question first answered 03/12/2020 11:46:15 answering member 4674 label Biography information for Vicky Ford
tabling member	4064 label Biography information for Mr Steve Baker

1231631

registered interest
date	04/09/2020
answering body	Department for Education
answering dept id	60
answering dept short name	Education
answering dept sort name	Education
hansard heading	Universities: Finance
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Education, if he will make it his policy under his Department's restructuring regime to enable (a) Buckinghamshire New University and (b) other financially strong higher education institutions to assist nearby institutions in financial difficulty; and if he will make a statement.
tabling member constituency	Wycombe
tabling member printed	Mr Steve Baker
uin	85039
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 14/09/2020 answer text <p>The government recognises the value of the higher education sector and that a high level of uncertainty remains around the scale of problems that higher education providers, as a whole and individually, may face in the coming academic year. We have been working closely with the higher education sector, in the Higher Education Taskforce, as well as with the Office for Students (OfS) and across the government to understand the financial risks that providers are facing and to help providers to access the support on offer. Providers with concerns about their financial viability or sustainability have been encouraged to contact the OfS at the earliest opportunity. They can now also directly contact the department’s Restructuring Unit at:<br><a href="mailto:HE.RestructuringRegime@education.gov.uk" target="_blank">HE.RestructuringRegime@education.gov.uk</a>.</p><p>My right hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Education, announced further information about the Higher Education Restructuring Regime on 16 July and more details are available here:<br><a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/higher-education-restructuring-regime" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/higher-education-restructuring-regime</a>.</p><p>This may be deployed as a last resort, if a decision has been made to support a provider in England, when other steps to preserve a provider’s viability and to mitigate the risks of financial failure have not proved sufficient. The overarching objectives that will guide the department’s assessment of cases will be to protect the welfare of current students, to preserve the sector’s internationally outstanding science base and to support the role that higher education providers play in regional and local economies through the provision of high-quality courses aligned with economic and societal needs.</p><p>We will consider providers’ circumstances on a case-by-case basis, supported by expert advice, to ensure there is a robust value-for-money case for intervention. In cases where an Independent Business Review is carried out, the resulting restructuring plan may include options for a merger as well as for consolidation and services sharing between providers. The department’s Restructuring Unit will work with the provider and other stakeholders to ensure that the best option forward is chosen to ensure that the overarching objectives, as mentioned previously, are met.</p><p>Regarding the circumstances of Buckinghamshire New University, the government does not comment on individual higher education providers.</p><p> </p><p> </p> answering member constituency Chippenham answering member printed Michelle Donelan question first answered 14/09/2020 15:50:12 answering member 4530 label Biography information for Michelle Donelan
tabling member	4064 label Biography information for Mr Steve Baker