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1468051

registered interest
date	07/06/2022
answering body	Department for Education
answering dept id	60
answering dept short name	Education
answering dept sort name	Education
hansard heading	Free School Meals: Voucher Schemes
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether his Department has made an assessment of the potential merits of providing pupils who are eligible for free school meals with food vouchers during the summer holidays; and if he will make that his policy.
tabling member constituency	Batley and Spen
tabling member printed	Kim Leadbeater
uin	13860
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 13/06/2022 answer text <p>Free school meals (FSM) are an educational entitlement and intended to support children while they are learning. Pupils do not receive FSM when they are not receiving education, including during school holidays.</p><p>Children who are in receipt of FSM are eligible for a place on the holiday activities and food programme, free of charge. This is being delivered in all 152 local authorities in England and ensures that disadvantaged children have access to healthy food and enriching activities during the longer school holiday periods.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency Colchester answering member printed Will Quince question first answered 13/06/2022 16:59:48 answering member 4423 label Biography information for Will Quince
tabling member	4923 label Biography information for Kim Leadbeater

1468057

registered interest
date	07/06/2022
answering body	Department for Education
answering dept id	60
answering dept short name	Education
answering dept sort name	Education
hansard heading	Work Experience: Disability
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether he is taking steps to help increase the number of work experience opportunities targeted at people with a disability.
tabling member constituency	Scunthorpe
tabling member printed	Holly Mumby-Croft
uin	13852
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 15/06/2022 answer text <p>The government is committed to ensuring that all learners, including learners with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND), have access to a world-class education that sets them up for life and to develop the skills needed to get good jobs.</p><p>The department knows that with the right preparation and support, the overwhelming majority of young people with SEND are capable of sustained, paid employment. All professionals working with them should share that presumption and should provide the career advice and support that help young people to develop the skills and experience, and achieve the qualifications, that they need to succeed in their careers.</p><p>The government is committed to supporting pathways to employment for learners with SEND, including strengthening the Supported Internship programme, which is a structured, work-based study programme for 16 to 24-year-olds with SEND, who have an education, health, and care plan. The core aim of the programme is a substantial work placement, facilitated by the support of an expert job coach. To support this, the department is investing up to £18 million over the next three years, aiming to double the capacity of the programme.</p><p>The careers statutory guidance makes it clear that schools should offer work placements, work experience, and other employer-based activities as part of their careers strategy for year 8-13 pupils and that secondary schools should offer every young person at least seven encounters with employers during their education.</p><p>All schools and colleges are expected to work towards the Gatsby Benchmarks of good careers guidance. This includes experiences of the workplace through work visits, work shadowing and/or work experience and ensuring opportunities for advice and support are tailored to the needs of each pupil.</p><p>The Careers &amp; Enterprise Company is supporting schools and colleges to make links with employers and increase the opportunities for all young people to engage with the world of work.</p><p>The department have also introduced T Levels, high-quality technical qualifications for 16–19-year-olds that include a meaningful 9-week industry placement. We have introduced flexibilities to help as many SEND students as possible to access T Level industry placements, including allowing up to 105 hours of their placement to take place on the provider’s site, for example, an on-site restaurant. This will enable students to prepare for their placement with an external employer, alongside pastoral support.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency Brentwood and Ongar answering member printed Alex Burghart question first answered 15/06/2022 12:35:02 answering member 4613 label Biography information for Alex Burghart
tabling member	4867 label Biography information for Holly Mumby-Croft

1468060

registered interest
date	07/06/2022
answering body	Department for Education
answering dept id	60
answering dept short name	Education
answering dept sort name	Education
hansard heading	Pre-school Education: Staff
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 help ensure that there are adequate numbers of early years teachers and practitioners.
tabling member constituency	Hornsey and Wood Green
tabling member printed	Catherine West
uin	13796
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 15/06/2022 answer text <p>The department recognises the huge contribution that early years educators make to giving every child the best start in life, and we are committed to supporting the sector to develop a workforce with the appropriate knowledge, skills, and experience to deliver high-quality early education and childcare.</p><p> </p><p>That is why the department announced up to £153 million in programmes to support workforce development as part of our work to support recovery from the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic.</p><p> </p><p>The department is also creating new early years training routes by increasing the number of places available for early years initial teacher training. Free level 3 early years qualifications are available through the Lifetime Skills Guarantee for adults without a level 3 or higher qualification, and from April 2022, eligibility was expanded to include adults who are unemployed or earning below the National Living Wage annually, regardless of any other qualifications held. Employer trailblazer groups have also developed level 2 and 3 apprenticeships, and in August 2021, the department launched a level 5 apprenticeship.</p> answering member constituency Colchester answering member printed Will Quince question first answered 15/06/2022 10:28:17 answering member 4423 label Biography information for Will Quince
tabling member	4523 label Biography information for Catherine West

1468064

registered interest
date	07/06/2022
answering body	Department for Education
answering dept id	60
answering dept short name	Education
answering dept sort name	Education
hansard heading	Pre-school Education: Staff
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment he has made of the (a) implications for his policies of the report by the Early Years Workforce Commission entitled A Workforce in Crisis: Saving Our Early Years, published in 2021 and (b) impact of levels of pay on early years staff.
tabling member constituency	Hornsey and Wood Green
tabling member printed	Catherine West
uin	13797
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 15/06/2022 answer text <p>The majority of the early years sector is made up of private, voluntary, and independent organisations who set their own rates of pay. However, the department acknowledges the concerns raised by the report, and more generally by the early years sector, regarding the perceived impact of salary rates and the link this has to workforce recruitment and retention.</p><p> </p><p>The department is working with the sector to build our understanding of the early years workforce, and how we might support providers in this area.</p> answering member constituency Colchester answering member printed Will Quince question first answered 15/06/2022 10:21:20 answering member 4423 label Biography information for Will Quince
tabling member	4523 label Biography information for Catherine West

1468086

registered interest
date	07/06/2022
answering body	Department for Education
answering dept id	60
answering dept short name	Education
answering dept sort name	Education
hansard heading	Students: Loans
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether he has made an assessment of the potential impact of restricting eligibility for student loans to people with (a) GCSEs and (b) other equivalent qualifications on social mobility in England.
tabling member constituency	Ealing Central and Acton
tabling member printed	Dr Rupa Huq
uin	13786
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 14/06/2022 answer text <p>In the higher education policy statement and reform consultation, which closed on 6 May 2022, the department started a conversation on the principle of a minimum eligibility requirement (MER) for access to student finance for those intending to study a degree-level qualification.</p><p>The department sought views on what would be a fair and proportionate level at which to potentially set a MER and on proposed exemptions from such a MER, such as for mature and/or part-time students.</p><p>The department strongly believe that access to higher education should be based on a student’s attainment and ability to succeed – not their background. It’s important that students, of all backgrounds, are not pushed into courses they are not ready for, and that are unlikely to provide high-quality outcomes for them and good value for money.</p><p>In every scenario the department are considering students would have other means of progressing to a degree. This is including by first doing a Foundation Year, an Access to higher education course, retaking their GCSEs or A-Levels, or by undertaking a Level 4 or 5 qualification (for example, a Higher Technical Qualification). Successfully completing any of these would allow a student to progress to a degree, regardless of their GCSEs or A-Levels.</p><p>A decision has not yet been made on whether to introduce a MER. The department is considering consultation responses and will publish the government's response in due course.</p><p>Our published equality analysis covers impacts potentially arising from proposed higher education reforms, including minimum eligibility requirements. The published equality analysis can be accessed here: <a href="https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/1058933/Higher_education_policy_statement_reform_consultation_-_Equality_analysis.pdf" target="_blank">https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/1058933/Higher_education_policy_statement_reform_consultation_-_Equality_analysis.pdf</a>.</p> answering member constituency Chippenham answering member printed Michelle Donelan question first answered 14/06/2022 15:42:00 answering member 4530 label Biography information for Michelle Donelan
tabling member	4511 label Biography information for Dr Rupa Huq

1468106

registered interest
date	07/06/2022
answering body	Department for Education
answering dept id	60
answering dept short name	Education
answering dept sort name	Education
hansard heading	Teachers: Pay
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Education, if his Department will take steps to close potential pay differentials between school teachers and further education lecturers.
tabling member constituency	Stockport
tabling member printed	Navendu Mishra
uin	13831
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 15/06/2022 answer text <p>It is for further education (FE) providers to set the terms and conditions of their staff and the department plays no role in setting FE teachers’ pay. The department has made available an extra £1.6 billion for 16-19 education in the 2024/25 financial year, compared with the 2021/22 financial year, in the latest Spending Review. This is in addition to the £291 million for 16-19 education in the 2021/22 financial year, and the £400 million that the department provided in the 2020/21 financial year.</p><p> </p><p>The department will also be investing nearly £52 million in the Further Education Workforce in the 2022/23 financial year, to continue to support the FE sector with the recruitment, retention, and development of teachers. This includes tax-free bursaries worth up to £26,000 each, which are available to support FE teacher training in priority subject areas for the 2022/23 academic year.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency Brentwood and Ongar answering member printed Alex Burghart question first answered 15/06/2022 12:23:01 answering member 4613 label Biography information for Alex Burghart
tabling member	4811 label Biography information for Navendu Mishra

1468107

registered interest
date	07/06/2022
answering body	Department for Education
answering dept id	60
answering dept short name	Education
answering dept sort name	Education
hansard heading	Adult Education: Finance
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Education, if his Department will make an assessment of the effectiveness of the Adult Education Budget business case processes.
tabling member constituency	Stockport
tabling member printed	Navendu Mishra
uin	13832
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 15/06/2022 answer text <p>In the 2019/20 and 2020/21 academic years the department lowered the Education and Skills Funding Agency (ESFA) grant funded Adult Education Budget (AEB) reconciliation threshold from 97% to 68% and 90% respectively. We also introduced an associated business case process to support ESFA grant funded providers whose curriculum plans were affected by the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. Where approved, these business cases thereby enabled ESFA grant funded providers to cover their essential costs of delivery, where factors outside their control disrupted their recruitment plans.</p><p>The department recognises the challenges providers have faced because of the pandemic. But we also know that many providers have been able to continue to deliver successfully and have adapted the way that they teach. For the current academic year (2021/22) we plan to maintain the ESFA AEB reconciliation threshold at 97%.</p><p>Separate arrangements apply for devolved AEB which are the responsibility of the relevant Mayoral Combined Authority or Greater London Authority. This includes Stockport which is in a devolved area (Greater Manchester Combined Authority).</p> answering member constituency Brentwood and Ongar answering member printed Alex Burghart question first answered 15/06/2022 12:43:41 answering member 4613 label Biography information for Alex Burghart
tabling member	4811 label Biography information for Navendu Mishra

1468108

registered interest
date	07/06/2022
answering body	Department for Education
answering dept id	60
answering dept short name	Education
answering dept sort name	Education
hansard heading	Further Education: Finance
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Education, if his Department will offer an income guarantee for colleges where student numbers were impacted by the grade inflation in last summer’s exams which led to young people staying in school sixth forms.
tabling member constituency	Stockport
tabling member printed	Navendu Mishra
uin	13833
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 13/06/2022 answer text <p>The Autumn Budget and Spending Review 2021 has made available an extra £1.6 billion for 16-19 education in the 2024/25 financial year, compared with the 2021/22 financial year. As part of this, significant increases were made to funding rates for the 2022/23 academic year, including:</p><ul><li>Increasing the 16-19 national funding rate for students aged 16 and 17, and students aged 18 and over, with high needs in band 5, from £4,188 to £4,542, with other funding rates also receiving an increase.</li><li>Increasing the high value courses premium from £400 to £600.</li><li>Increasing programme cost weightings in five subject areas considered to be under-weighted.</li><li>Increasing the disadvantage funding rate for students who have low prior attainment.</li><li></li></ul><p>Funding for the 2022/23 academic year is based on student numbers in 2021/22. Provisional data suggests that further education colleges, not including sixth form colleges, had in aggregate a fall of just over 1% in their 16-19 students in the 2021/22 academic year, compared with the previous year, which has had an impact on funding. However, the higher funding rates mean that despite this slight fall in student numbers, colleges will see a significant increase in funding in the 2022/23 academic year. The department expects to see only a small proportion of colleges with a reduction in funding for 16-19 students in the 2022/23 academic year, compared with the 2021/22 academic year, when allocations are published.</p><p> </p><p>The department recognises that colleges are facing financial pressures from increased costs, including the extra hours for 16-19 students, which will be delivered from the 2022/23 academic year onwards. Each year, the department looks to put in place exceptional in-year growth funding, subject to affordability. This is to help providers seeing a significant increase in students. The department will be looking carefully at what can be put in place to help colleges in the 2022/23 academic year.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>Where colleges are at risk of running out of funding, emergency funding is considered on a case-by-case basis. It is based on a thorough assessment of each college's circumstances and on the minimum funding needed to minimise disruption to learners.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency Brentwood and Ongar answering member printed Alex Burghart question first answered 13/06/2022 11:24:13 answering member 4613 label Biography information for Alex Burghart
tabling member	4811 label Biography information for Navendu Mishra

1468136

registered interest
date	07/06/2022
answering body	Department for Education
answering dept id	60
answering dept short name	Education
answering dept sort name	Education
hansard heading	Schools: Academic Year
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 encouraging schools to use their powers to alter term dates in order to spread the demand for school holidays and reduce holiday costs for parents and school staff.
tabling member constituency	North Swindon
tabling member printed	Justin Tomlinson
uin	13699
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 15/06/2022 answer text <p>The department does not have any plans to propose changes to term dates. School holidays are not determined at national level, they are agreed locally by trusts, schools, and local authorities (depending on school type). We believe that they are best placed to set school term and holiday dates in the interests of the pupils at their schools and their parents.</p><p>If schools do decide to change their term dates, they are required to act reasonably, giving parents notice and considering the impact on those affected. This includes pupils, teachers, the local community, parents’ work commitments and childcare options for both parents and teachers.</p><p> </p><p> </p> answering member constituency Worcester answering member printed Mr Robin Walker grouped question UIN 13700 question first answered 15/06/2022 10:06:16 answering member 4091 label Biography information for Mr Robin Walker
tabling member	4105 label Biography information for Justin Tomlinson

1468138

registered interest
date	07/06/2022
answering body	Department for Education
answering dept id	60
answering dept short name	Education
answering dept sort name	Education
hansard heading	Schools: Academic Year
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 setting different school term times for different regions in order to spread the demand for school holidays and thereby reduce holiday costs for parents and school staff.
tabling member constituency	North Swindon
tabling member printed	Justin Tomlinson
uin	13700
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 15/06/2022 answer text <p>The department does not have any plans to propose changes to term dates. School holidays are not determined at national level, they are agreed locally by trusts, schools, and local authorities (depending on school type). We believe that they are best placed to set school term and holiday dates in the interests of the pupils at their schools and their parents.</p><p>If schools do decide to change their term dates, they are required to act reasonably, giving parents notice and considering the impact on those affected. This includes pupils, teachers, the local community, parents’ work commitments and childcare options for both parents and teachers.</p><p> </p><p> </p> answering member constituency Worcester answering member printed Mr Robin Walker grouped question UIN 13699 question first answered 15/06/2022 10:06:16 answering member 4091 label Biography information for Mr Robin Walker
tabling member	4105 label Biography information for Justin Tomlinson