Show Search Form

Search Results

registered interest	true false
date	exactly: or between: and
answering body
answering dept id
answering dept short name
answering dept sort name
hansard heading
house id
legislature	pref label
question text
tabling member constituency
tabling member printed
uin
answer	is ministerial correction true false date of answer exactly: or between: and answer text answering member constituency answering member printed grouped question UIN question first answered answering member label previous answer version answering member constituency answering member printed answering member label
tabling member	label

Search

1138215

	registered interest
	date	10/07/2019
	answering body	Department for Education
	answering dept id	60
	answering dept short name	Education
	answering dept sort name	Education
	hansard heading	Universities: Racial Discrimination
	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 trends in the level of reports of racism against students and staff in UK universities in the last five years.
	tabling member constituency	Blackpool South
	tabling member printed	Gordon Marsden
	uin	275679
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 15/07/2019 answer text <p>The government takes all forms of hate crime extremely seriously. There is no place in our society - including within higher education – for hatred or for any form of harassment, discrimination or racism.</p><p> </p><p>The government is working closely with Universities UK (UUK) and the Office for Students (OfS) to support work to address racism and other forms of harassment in higher education, including the implementation of UUK’s Taskforce recommendations. The government has also tasked the OfS to support this work, and over £2 million has been invested in projects tackling hatred and harassment.</p><p> </p><p>The department regularly meets stakeholders and representative bodies about student experience issues including racism, hate crime and harassment. Officials hold quarterly meetings with the OfS and UUK to discuss how to make progress on harassment and hate crime, including racism within the sector. In addition, I have recently held meetings with the Union of Jewish Students and Jewish student representatives about antisemitism on campus.</p><p> </p><p>The government expects providers to keep records of incidents disclosed to them and to act swiftly to investigate and address them. It is important to recognise that under-reporting is common. Higher education providers should look at how they can continue to break down barriers to reporting, in spite of the potential for it to lead to spikes in disclosures, and to make sure that students and staff feel safe and able to disclose racist incidents.</p><p> </p><p>Evaluation to date has shown that progress has been made but that there is still more to do. On 7 January 2019; I wrote to the Equality and Human Rights Commission to welcome their Inquiry into Racial Harassment in Higher Education Institutions. I look forward to the new evidence that this inquiry will bring and will review its findings carefully.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p> answering member constituency Kingswood answering member printed Chris Skidmore grouped question UIN 275680 question first answered 15/07/2019 12:42:13 answering member 4021 label Biography information for Chris Skidmore
	tabling member	465 label Biography information for Gordon Marsden

1138218

	registered interest
	date	10/07/2019
	answering body	Department for Education
	answering dept id	60
	answering dept short name	Education
	answering dept sort name	Education
	hansard heading	Universities: Racial Discrimination
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what discussions (a) he and (b) Ministers in his Department have had with representatives from (i) Universities UK, (ii) other education sector bodies, (iii) trades unions representing staff, (iv) student unions and (v) NUS on the effect of incidences of racism directed at their members in the last 12 months.
	tabling member constituency	Blackpool South
	tabling member printed	Gordon Marsden
	uin	275680
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 15/07/2019 answer text <p>The government takes all forms of hate crime extremely seriously. There is no place in our society - including within higher education – for hatred or for any form of harassment, discrimination or racism.</p><p> </p><p>The government is working closely with Universities UK (UUK) and the Office for Students (OfS) to support work to address racism and other forms of harassment in higher education, including the implementation of UUK’s Taskforce recommendations. The government has also tasked the OfS to support this work, and over £2 million has been invested in projects tackling hatred and harassment.</p><p> </p><p>The department regularly meets stakeholders and representative bodies about student experience issues including racism, hate crime and harassment. Officials hold quarterly meetings with the OfS and UUK to discuss how to make progress on harassment and hate crime, including racism within the sector. In addition, I have recently held meetings with the Union of Jewish Students and Jewish student representatives about antisemitism on campus.</p><p> </p><p>The government expects providers to keep records of incidents disclosed to them and to act swiftly to investigate and address them. It is important to recognise that under-reporting is common. Higher education providers should look at how they can continue to break down barriers to reporting, in spite of the potential for it to lead to spikes in disclosures, and to make sure that students and staff feel safe and able to disclose racist incidents.</p><p> </p><p>Evaluation to date has shown that progress has been made but that there is still more to do. On 7 January 2019; I wrote to the Equality and Human Rights Commission to welcome their Inquiry into Racial Harassment in Higher Education Institutions. I look forward to the new evidence that this inquiry will bring and will review its findings carefully.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p> answering member constituency Kingswood answering member printed Chris Skidmore grouped question UIN 275679 question first answered 15/07/2019 12:42:13 answering member 4021 label Biography information for Chris Skidmore
	tabling member	465 label Biography information for Gordon Marsden

1138222

	registered interest
	date	10/07/2019
	answering body	Department for Education
	answering dept id	60
	answering dept short name	Education
	answering dept sort name	Education
	hansard heading	Higher Education: Equality
	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 adequacy of equality and diversity training provided by higher education institutions; and if he will make an assessment of the potential merits of making that training mandatory.
	tabling member constituency	Blackpool South
	tabling member printed	Gordon Marsden
	uin	275681
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 15/07/2019 answer text <p>The government is committed to tackling inequalities. That is why, in October 2018, my right. hon. Friend, the Prime Minister, launched measures to tackle barriers facing ethnic minorities in the workplace, including a new Race at Work Charter and a consultation on ethnicity pay reporting.</p><p>Like all employers, higher education providers have responsibilities under the Equality Act (2010) in relation to their staff. The government expects providers to comply fully with their obligations. As autonomous and independent institutions, it is for individual providers to ensure that the training they provide is appropriate.</p><p>The Equality Challenge Unit (part of Advance HE) has published guidance for higher education providers on embedding equality and diversity into HR policies. The Race Equality Charter also helps higher education providers to identify and address institutional and cultural barriers standing in the way of minority ethnic staff and students. The Athena SWAN Charter recognises work undertaken to address gender equality.</p><p>The regulator, the Office for Students (OfS), and its predecessor, have provided over £4.7 million in funding for projects tackling sexual harassment, online harassment and hate-based harassment. This includes projects with a focus on developing and providing training for both staff and students on matters such as bystander intervention and handling of reports and disclosures.</p><p>In guidance to the OfS, the government has asked the regulator to positively engage with work to counter harassment and hate-crime and to make campuses places of tolerance for all students, and work with providers on equalities issues.</p> answering member constituency Kingswood answering member printed Chris Skidmore question first answered 15/07/2019 12:23:39 answering member 4021 label Biography information for Chris Skidmore
	tabling member	465 label Biography information for Gordon Marsden

1138223

	registered interest
	date	10/07/2019
	answering body	Department for Education
	answering dept id	60
	answering dept short name	Education
	answering dept sort name	Education
	hansard heading	Universities: Ethnic Groups
	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 adequacy of the (a) terms and conditions for, (b) recruitment and (c) career advancement of BAME members of staff at UK universities.
	tabling member constituency	Blackpool South
	tabling member printed	Gordon Marsden
	uin	275682
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 15/07/2019 answer text <p>Despite recent progress in staff representation and progression, for example improvements in the number of women in leadership positions in higher education (HE), there is more to be done to create a HE workforce that is representative of British society.</p><p>On 1 February 2019, the government announced measures to tackle inequalities and improve outcomes for underrepresented groups in HE. These measures include asking the HE sector to take action to eliminate ethnic disparities in their workforce and support better outcomes for ethnic minority staff. UK Research and Innovation will also be commissioning a review to understand and address equality and diversity disparities in research and innovation funding.</p><p> </p><p>HE providers are independent, autonomous bodies and are responsible for decisions about who they employ and the terms and conditions of employment they offer. Like every employer they must meet their obligations under the Equality Act 2010 and give due consideration to the way their recruitment, retention and promotion practises affect different sections of their communities and staff at different stages of their career.</p><p> </p><p>The Concordat to Support the Career Development of Researchers states that ‘diversity and equality must be promoted in all aspects of the recruitment and career management of researchers’. We expect to see this commitment reinforced as a revised Concordat is published in Autumn 2019.</p><p> </p><p>The Race Equality Charter also helps HE providers to identify and address institutional and cultural barriers that may be impacting on minority ethnic staff and students. By improving the representation, progression and success of minority ethnic staff within HE we can ensure that everyone who has the potential to thrive at university, both as a student and as a member of staff, does so.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency Kingswood answering member printed Chris Skidmore question first answered 15/07/2019 13:44:41 answering member 4021 label Biography information for Chris Skidmore
	tabling member	465 label Biography information for Gordon Marsden

1137175

	registered interest
	date	05/07/2019
	answering body	Department for Education
	answering dept id	60
	answering dept short name	Education
	answering dept sort name	Education
	hansard heading	Higher Education: Casual Workers
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Education, with reference to the University and College Union report entitled, Counting the costs of casualisation in higher education, published June 2019, what assessment he has made of the (a) effect of job insecurity on mental and physical health and (b) level of financial stability of Cambridge teaching staff; and if he will make a statement.
	tabling member constituency	Feltham and Heston
	tabling member printed	Seema Malhotra
	uin	273794
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 10/07/2019 answer text <p>Mental health is a priority for the government, which is why my right hon. Friend, the Prime Minister recently announced measures (17 June 2019) which overhaul the government’s approach to preventing mental illness. These measures included providing £1 million to the Office of Students for a competition to find innovative new ways to support mental health at universities and colleges.</p><p> </p><p>The Department for Education is working closely with Universities UK on embedding the Step Change programme. This calls on higher education (HE) leaders to adopt mental health as a strategic priority and take a whole-institution approach to embed a culture of good mental health practice.</p><p> </p><p>The University Mental Health Charter, which was announced in June 2018, is also expected to drive up standards in promoting mental health and wellbeing, positive working environments and excellent support for both students and staff.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>As independent and autonomous institutions, HE providers are responsible for decisions regarding the contracts they offer to academic staff. Like all employers, HE providers, including Cambridge University have a duty of care to their staff. The department expects them to take this very seriously. We also expect universities to give due consideration to their obligations under the Equality Act (2010) and the way their employment practices affect different sections of their communities and staff at different stages of their careers.</p><p> </p><p>I gave a speech on 7 May 2019 that focused on early career researcher contracts. I am keen that early career academics do not get lost from policy debates, particularly around key issues such as mental health and wellbeing. The Independent Review of the Concordat to Support the Career Development of Researchers, led by Professor Julia Buckingham, has recognised issues of wellbeing and the challenges that arise from the use of short and fixed-term contracts. Recommendations are currently under review and a revised concordat is expected in September 2019.</p> answering member constituency Kingswood answering member printed Chris Skidmore question first answered 10/07/2019 13:55:00 answering member 4021 label Biography information for Chris Skidmore
	tabling member	4253 label Biography information for Seema Malhotra

1137209

	registered interest
	date	05/07/2019
	answering body	Department for Education
	answering dept id	60
	answering dept short name	Education
	answering dept sort name	Education
	hansard heading	Disabled Students' Allowances
	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 the specification of laptops supplied to students with vision impairment through the disabled students’ allowance is updated allow updating of necessary software over the duration of degree programme.
	tabling member constituency	Birmingham, Selly Oak
	tabling member printed	Steve McCabe
	uin	273733
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 10/07/2019 answer text <p>The department is currently reviewing the specification of equipment provided to visually impaired students, to ensure that it remains fit for purpose throughout the duration of students’ courses.</p><p> </p><p>Students that experience issues with their equipment are advised to contact their assessment centre or Student Finance England so that these issues can be considered and rectified.</p> answering member constituency Kingswood answering member printed Chris Skidmore question first answered 10/07/2019 14:25:54 answering member 4021 label Biography information for Chris Skidmore
	tabling member	298 label Biography information for Steve McCabe

1136917

	registered interest
	date	04/07/2019
	answering body	Department for Education
	answering dept id	60
	answering dept short name	Education
	answering dept sort name	Education
	hansard heading	Post-18 Education and Funding Review
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Education, which universities (a) Philip Augar and (b) members of the associated panel visited during the Post-18 review of education and funding.
	tabling member constituency	City of Durham
	tabling member printed	Dr Roberta Blackman-Woods
	uin	273353
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 12/07/2019 answer text <p>I refer the hon. Member for the City of Durham to the answer I gave on 26 June 2019 to Question <a href="https://www.parliament.uk/business/publications/written-questions-answers-statements/written-question/Commons/2019-06-21/267762/" target="_blank">267762</a>.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency Kingswood answering member printed Chris Skidmore question first answered 12/07/2019 12:06:37 answering member 4021 label Biography information for Chris Skidmore
	tabling member	1501 label Biography information for Dr Roberta Blackman-Woods

1136704

	registered interest
	date	03/07/2019
	answering body	Department for Education
	answering dept id	60
	answering dept short name	Education
	answering dept sort name	Education
	hansard heading	Higher Education: Antisemitism
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how many and which higher education institutions have adopted the IHRA definition of antisemitism.
	tabling member constituency	Ilford North
	tabling member printed	Wes Streeting
	uin	272895
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 10/07/2019 answer text <p>On 16 May 2019, I wrote to all higher education institutions to urge them to consider adopting the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA) definition of antisemitism. I set out my view that this is a useful tool, which will help front-line services better understand and recognise instances of antisemitism.</p><p> </p><p>The government believes that adopting the IHRA definition of antisemitism sends a clear message that antisemitic behaviour will not be tolerated, and that any instances of antisemitism will be taken very seriously.</p><p> </p><p>Higher education providers are autonomous organisations who are independent from the government and individually responsible for deciding whether to adopt the IHRA definition and this information is therefore not held centrally.</p> answering member constituency Kingswood answering member printed Chris Skidmore question first answered 10/07/2019 12:59:10 answering member 4021 label Biography information for Chris Skidmore previous answer version 127750 answering member constituency Kingswood answering member printed Chris Skidmore answering member 4021 label Biography information for Chris Skidmore
	tabling member	4504 label Biography information for Wes Streeting

1135834

	registered interest
	date	01/07/2019
	answering body	Department for Education
	answering dept id	60
	answering dept short name	Education
	answering dept sort name	Education
	hansard heading	Graduates: Average Earnings
	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 potential merits of ensuring universities publish potential earnings returns for all degree courses.
	tabling member constituency	Newcastle-under-Lyme
	tabling member printed	Paul Farrelly
	uin	271402
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 08/07/2019 answer text <p>Students’ ability to make informed choices is at the heart of the higher education reform agenda. The government is taking steps to improve the quality of information provided to students and how it is presented. We want to equip prospective students with the information to make the right choice for them about where and what to study.</p><p> </p><p>The value of higher education is about more than just economic returns. It provides wider benefits such as employability, social impact and important cultural value, which enriches our society. However, data shows that there are disparities between the outcomes seen from the same subject at different institutions, highlighting universities that need to improve and maximise the potential of their courses.</p><p> </p><p>The Unistats website is an official site that allows prospective students to search for and compare data and information on university and college courses across the UK, and it is available at: <a href="https://unistats.ac.uk/" target="_blank">https://unistats.ac.uk/</a>. It is owned and operated by The Department for the Economy in Northern Ireland, The Office for Students, The Higher Education Funding Council for Wales and The Scottish Funding Council and contains subject and course level data for each higher education provider. The information currently available includes average earnings 6 months after graduation, which has been taken from the Destinations of Leavers from Higher Education Survey, and average earnings 3 years after graduation which has been calculated from the Department for Education’s Longitudinal Education outcomes dataset. We expect that the Office for Students will launch a new information resource tool to replace Unistats in autumn 2019.</p> answering member constituency Kingswood answering member printed Chris Skidmore question first answered 08/07/2019 11:56:52 answering member 4021 label Biography information for Chris Skidmore
	tabling member	1436 label Biography information for Paul Farrelly

1135835

	registered interest
	date	01/07/2019
	answering body	Department for Education
	answering dept id	60
	answering dept short name	Education
	answering dept sort name	Education
	hansard heading	Students: Housing
	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 reduce the cost of university accommodation for students.
	tabling member constituency	Coventry South
	tabling member printed	Mr Jim Cunningham
	uin	271368
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 08/07/2019 answer text <p>Higher education providers are autonomous bodies, independent from the government; the government plays no direct role in the provision of student residential accommodation.</p><p> </p><p>This government increased living costs support by 10.3% for eligible students on the lowest incomes in 2016/17. Further inflationary increases in living costs support have been made in each academic year since. We have announced a further 2.8% increase in loans for living costs for the 2019/20 academic year – to a record amount. Students from the lowest-income households starting their courses in the academic year 2018/19 had access to the largest ever amounts of cash-in-hand support for their living costs.</p><p> </p><p>The independent panel supporting the Post-18 Review of Education and Funding published their report on 30 May where they recommended the Office for Students examines the costs of student accommodation and works with students and providers to improve the quality and consistency of data about costs, rents, profits and quality. The government has not yet taken decisions on these recommendations but will consider the panel’s proposals and conclude the review at the Spending Review.</p> answering member constituency Kingswood answering member printed Chris Skidmore question first answered 08/07/2019 12:02:33 answering member 4021 label Biography information for Chris Skidmore
	tabling member	308 label Biography information for Mr Jim Cunningham