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42734

	registered interest
	date	12/03/2014
	answering body	Department for Education
	answering dept id	60
	answering dept short name
	answering dept sort name
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what estimate he has made of the empty property business rates for the vacant properties recorded on the e-PIMS database owned by (a) his Department and (b) any executive agencies or non-departmental public bodies of his Department in the current financial year.
	tabling member constituency	Leeds Central
	tabling member printed	Hilary Benn
	uin	191806
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 19/03/2014 answer text <p>Since May 2010 the Department for Education has reduced the size of its estate from 30 properties, at a cost of circa £51 million per annum, to 11 properties costing circa £34 million per annum. This is a saving of circa £17 million per annum. The Department is planning to further reduce the size of the estate to 6 properties. This will achieve further annual savings to the Department of circa £2.5 million. The Department also plans to vacate Sanctuary Buildings at lease expiry in 2017.</p><p> </p><p>The Department for Education, including the Children and Family Court Advisory and Support Service (Cafcass), has the following vacant properties recorded on the e-PIMS property database.</p><table><tbody><tr><td> </td><td><p>Number of properties</p></td><td><p>Business Rates 13-14</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Department for Education</p></td><td><p>3</p></td><td><p>£79,010.25</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Children and Family Court Advisory and Support Service</p></td><td><p>1</p></td><td><p>£9,222.00</p></td></tr></tbody></table><p> </p><p>The Department for Education properties are legacy Training and Enterprise Council (TEC) properties which became the Department's responsibility following the closure of the TEC in the early 2000s. The Department had successfully sub-let a number of facilities, although over the last three years some of the sub-tenants have operated lease break options and the properties are again vacant.</p><p> </p><p>These properties are advertised on the Government Property Unit's e-PIMS property database for use by other Government Departments and we are also marketing these facilities to the private sector, via letting agents, to secure new sub-tenants in order to mitigate costs, including business rates. The Department has offered all vacant properties listed above to the Government business incubator initiative and for free schools.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency South West Norfolk answering member printed Elizabeth Truss question first answered 19/03/2014 12:00:00 answering member 4097 label Biography information for Elizabeth Truss
	tabling member	413 label Biography information for Hilary Benn

47534

	registered interest
	date	07/04/2014
	answering body	Department for Education
	answering dept id	60
	answering dept short name	Education
	answering dept sort name	Education
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what his policy is on career colleges.
	tabling member constituency	South West Bedfordshire
	tabling member printed	Andrew Selous
	uin	903663
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 10/04/2014 answer text <p>The Government's policy for career colleges is the same as for any other further education college that enrols 14- to 16-year-olds. The Education Funding Agency first needs to grant permission for the college to enrol 14- to 16-year-olds, and permission is restricted to colleges with a Good or Outstanding Ofsted rating.</p><p>The proposals set out by the Career College Trust, an independent charity, take advantage of the flexibilities and freedoms of the funding reforms introduced by this Government to provide an alternative approach to offering high quality academic and vocational education from age 14.</p><p>I await with interest developments in career colleges and other innovative schemes for 14-19 provision, which have arisen as a result of the Government's vocational education reforms.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency South West Norfolk answering member printed Elizabeth Truss question first answered 10/04/2014 12:00:00 answering member 4097 label Biography information for Elizabeth Truss
	tabling member	1453 label Biography information for Andrew Selous

76744

	registered interest
	date	09/07/2014
	answering body	Department for Education
	answering dept id	60
	answering dept short name	Education
	answering dept sort name	Education
	hansard heading	Schools: Transport
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Education, when data on children's travel behaviour stopped being collected as part of the School Census.
	tabling member constituency	Birmingham, Northfield
	tabling member printed	Richard Burden
	uin	204703
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 14/07/2014 answer text <p>Due to the unreliability of the data collected, the pupil's mode of travel was removed from the school census data collection from January 2012.</p> answering member constituency South West Norfolk answering member printed Elizabeth Truss question first answered 14/07/2014 16:54:24 answering member 4097 label Biography information for Elizabeth Truss
	tabling member	301 label Biography information for Richard Burden

76317

	registered interest
	date	08/07/2014
	answering body	Department for Education
	answering dept id	60
	answering dept short name	Education
	answering dept sort name	Education
	hansard heading	Languages: Education
	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 increase the uptake of foreign languages in schools.
	tabling member constituency	Upper Bann
	tabling member printed	David Simpson
	uin	204492
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 14/07/2014 answer text <p>The new national curriculum in England introduces the teaching of a foreign language to key stage 2 (ages 7 to 11) from September 2014. This will increase the take-up of foreign languages in both primary and secondary schools. By starting languages earlier, pupils will have longer to develop their skills to a high level before continuing with language learning in secondary school.</p><p>The English Baccalaureate is also already encouraging more young people to study a language at GCSE level. Take-up by key stage 4 pupils in England of a modern foreign language increased by over 20% between 2012 and 2013.</p><p>To support the introduction of languages at key stage 2, the Department for Education has allocated £350,000 this year to fund training on the new national curriculum for teachers of modern foreign languages in primary and secondary schools. The Department has also allocated £1.9 million to teaching schools to lead curriculum change across and within their teaching school alliances.</p><p>Approximately 46 of the projects being supported involve languages.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency South West Norfolk answering member printed Elizabeth Truss question first answered 14/07/2014 16:49:50 answering member 4097 label Biography information for Elizabeth Truss
	tabling member	1597 label Biography information for David Simpson

76320

	registered interest
	date	08/07/2014
	answering body	Department for Education
	answering dept id	60
	answering dept short name	Education
	answering dept sort name	Education
	hansard heading	Teachers: Industrial Disputes
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Education, if he will take steps to ensure that pupils prevented from attending school as a result of strike action are given an opportunity to catch up on school work missed owing to the absence of teaching staff.
	tabling member constituency	Romford
	tabling member printed	Andrew Rosindell
	uin	204398
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 14/07/2014 answer text <p>It is disappointing that pupils will be prevented from attending school as a result of strike action by the National Union of Teachers (NUT). Industrial action damages education, causes unnecessary disruption and undermines the public respect which teachers deserve.</p><p> </p><p>If school work is missed owing to the absence of teaching staff, it will be the responsibility of the school to ensure that pupils are given an opportunity to catch up.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency South West Norfolk answering member printed Elizabeth Truss question first answered 14/07/2014 16:46:35 answering member 4097 label Biography information for Elizabeth Truss
	tabling member	1447 label Biography information for Andrew Rosindell

76313

	registered interest
	date	08/07/2014
	answering body	Department for Education
	answering dept id	60
	answering dept short name	Education
	answering dept sort name	Education
	hansard heading	Pupils: Bullying
	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 prevent bullying in infant and junior schools.
	tabling member constituency	Romford
	tabling member printed	Andrew Rosindell
	uin	204382
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 14/07/2014 answer text <p>The Government has made preventing and tackling bullying in primary and secondary schools one of its top priorities by striking a balance between schools' legal requirements, freedom and accountability.</p><p> </p><p>All schools must have a behaviour policy with measures to prevent all forms of bullying among pupils, including that which occurs online. Schools have the freedom to shape these measures in the context of their pupils' needs. They are held to account by Ofsted for their effectiveness in preventing bullying, harassment and discrimination.</p><p> </p><p>Through the Education Act 2011, we strengthened teachers' powers to discipline pupils for poor behaviour, including bullying. They can now issue same day detentions, confiscate banned items and search for, and if necessary delete, inappropriate images on mobile phones which might be linked to cyberbullying. This advice was updated in February 2014 to make clear that tough but proportionate sanctions can be deployed to deal with misbehaviour, which includes bullying. It is published online at:</p><p><a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/behaviour-and-discipline-in-schools" target="_blank">www.gov.uk/government/publications/behaviour-and-discipline-in-schools</a></p><p> </p><p>In 2011, the Government published streamlined advice for schools, reducing it from 481 pages to just 11 pages to make absolutely clear schools' legal obligations to prevent and tackle bullying, and clarify teachers' powers to discipline pupils for unacceptable behaviour. This advice is published online at:</p><p><a href="http://www.gov.uk/government/publications/preventing-and-tackling-bullying" target="_blank">www.gov.uk/government/publications/preventing-and-tackling-bullying</a></p><p> </p><p>In February 2014, we issued an online leaflet about schools' responsibilities to support children who are bullied. This contains advice that makes clear that schools should make appropriate provision for a bullied child's social, emotional and mental health needs. This advice is also published online at:</p><p><a href="http://www.gov.uk/government/publications/preventing-and-tackling-bullying" target="_blank">www.gov.uk/government/publications/preventing-and-tackling-bullying</a></p><p> </p><p>To further support schools, in February 2014, the Department produced case studies showing good practice in how schools manage behaviour and bullying. The case studies give real life examples of what schools do to identify and respond to bullying. This is published online at:</p><p><a href="http://www.gov.uk/government/collections/managing-behaviour-and-bullying-in-schools-case-studies" target="_blank">www.gov.uk/government/collections/managing-behaviour-and-bullying-in-schools-case-studies</a></p><p> </p><p>From September 2014, pupils in all four key stages will be taught about e-safety as part of the new curriculum. For the first time, schools will be legally required to teach <br> e-safety to pupils in infant and junior schools. This will empower all young people to tackle cyberbullying through responsible, respectful and secure use of technology.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>We are also providing £4 million of funding over two years from spring 2013 to four organisations: Beatbullying, the Diana Award, Kidscape and the National Children's Bureau, to develop effective initiatives to prevent and tackle bullying.</p> answering member constituency South West Norfolk answering member printed Elizabeth Truss question first answered 14/07/2014 16:53:53 answering member 4097 label Biography information for Elizabeth Truss
	tabling member	1447 label Biography information for Andrew Rosindell

66037

	registered interest
	date	07/07/2014
	answering body	Department for Education
	answering dept id	60
	answering dept short name	Education
	answering dept sort name	Education
	hansard heading	Training
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what professional development courses are made available to staff of his Department; and what the cost to the public purse is of each such course.
	tabling member constituency	Barrow and Furness
	tabling member printed	John Woodcock
	uin	204341
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 14/07/2014 answer text <p>The Department for Education's staff use the Civil Service Learning Portal to access development courses. The Portal currently offers 298 face-to-face courses, 217 <br>e-learning programmes and 6,000 learning resources.</p><p> </p><p>E-learning courses and learning resources are free to access. Costs for face-to-face courses are dependent on where the course takes place and the number of delegates.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency South West Norfolk answering member printed Elizabeth Truss question first answered 14/07/2014 16:53:57 answering member 4097 label Biography information for Elizabeth Truss
	tabling member	3917 label Biography information for Lord Walney

66038

	registered interest
	date	07/07/2014
	answering body	Department for Education
	answering dept id	60
	answering dept short name	Education
	answering dept sort name	Education
	hansard heading	Senior Civil Servants
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how many senior civil servants appointed to positions in his Department since 2010 were previously (a) political appointees within that Department and (b) employed by a political party.
	tabling member constituency	Barrow and Furness
	tabling member printed	John Woodcock
	uin	204322
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 14/07/2014 answer text <p>No senior civil servants appointed to positions in the Department for Education since 2010 were previously (a) political appointees within the Department and (b) employed by a political party.</p> answering member constituency South West Norfolk answering member printed Elizabeth Truss question first answered 14/07/2014 16:51:43 answering member 4097 label Biography information for Elizabeth Truss
	tabling member	3917 label Biography information for Lord Walney

66035

	registered interest
	date	07/07/2014
	answering body	Department for Education
	answering dept id	60
	answering dept short name	Education
	answering dept sort name	Education
	hansard heading	Air Travel
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Education, on what occasions each Minister within his Department has taken domestic flights on official business since May 2010.
	tabling member constituency	Barrow and Furness
	tabling member printed	John Woodcock
	uin	204292
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 14/07/2014 answer text <p>The Department for Education does not hold a list of domestic flights taken by each Minister on official business. A list could only be compiled at disproportionate cost.</p> answering member constituency South West Norfolk answering member printed Elizabeth Truss question first answered 14/07/2014 16:52:07 answering member 4097 label Biography information for Elizabeth Truss
	tabling member	3917 label Biography information for Lord Walney

66036

	registered interest
	date	07/07/2014
	answering body	Department for Education
	answering dept id	60
	answering dept short name	Education
	answering dept sort name	Education
	hansard heading	Freedom of Information
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how much his Department spent on legal fees in cases relating to the release of information requested under the Freedom of Information Act 2000 in each of the last five years.
	tabling member constituency	Barrow and Furness
	tabling member printed	John Woodcock
	uin	204274
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 14/07/2014 answer text <p>Legal fees on cases relating to the release of information under the Freedom of Information Act 2000 are not held centrally by the Department for Education and the cost of determining these over the past five years would exceed the disproportionate limit.</p> answering member constituency South West Norfolk answering member printed Elizabeth Truss question first answered 14/07/2014 16:40:18 answering member 4097 label Biography information for Elizabeth Truss
	tabling member	3917 label Biography information for Lord Walney