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1697889

	registered interest
	date	21/03/2024
	answering body	Department for Education
	answering dept id	60
	answering dept short name	Education
	answering dept sort name	Education
	hansard heading	Pre-school Education: Finance
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how much funding her Department plans to provide for the early years free hours entitlement to each local authority; and what guidance her Department has issued to providers on the costs that this funding should cover.
	tabling member constituency	Dulwich and West Norwood
	tabling member printed	Helen Hayes
	uin	19917
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 26/03/2024 answer text <p>The department is determined to support as many families as possible with access to high quality, affordable childcare, which is why the 2023 Spring Budget announced significant new investments to expand the free early education entitlements from April 2024. Further, at the 2024 Spring Budget the department committed to increasing the national average hourly funding rate to deliver the entitlements in line with the metric used at Spring Budget 2023, in the 2025/26 and 2026/27 financial years to reflect key cost providers face, at an estimated £500 million of additional investment over the two financial years, based on current forecast.</p><p>The department expects to provide over £4.1 billion by the 2027/28 financial year to facilitate the expansion and to be spending in excess of £8 billion every year overall on free hours and early education entitlements. This is the single biggest investment in childcare in England ever.</p><p>In 2024/25 alone, the department expects to provide over £1.7 billion to support local authorities and providers to deliver the expansion. On top of this, the department is increasing the 2024/25 hourly rates to local authorities for the existing and new entitlements by over £400 million.</p><p> </p><p>To ensure local authorities are fully supported in delivering the new entitlements, the department is funding local authorities an additional four weeks in the 2024/25 financial year, at an estimated cost of £120 million, for the under 2s working parent entitlement starting in September 2024.</p><p> </p><p>Indicative funding allocations for individual local authorities for 2024/25 were published in December 2023 and can be found at: <a href="https://skillsfunding.service.gov.uk/view-latest-funding/national-funding-allocations/DSG/2024-to-2025" target="_blank">https://skillsfunding.service.gov.uk/view-latest-funding/national-funding-allocations/DSG/2024-to-2025</a>. Funding allocations for local authorities for 2025/26 will be announced in the autumn.</p><p> </p><p>The department’s statutory guidance for local authorities sets out that government funding is intended to deliver 15 or 30 hours a week (for 38 weeks of the year) of free, high-quality, flexible childcare. The guidance can be found here: <a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/early-education-and-childcare--2" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/early-education-and-childcare--2</a>.</p><p>The funding should cover the cost, including core business costs, of delivering this provision. The funding is not intended to cover the costs of meals, other consumables, such as nappies and sun cream, additional hours or additional services, such as trips and specialist tuition. However, as set out in paragraph A1.33 of the guidance, such charges for consumables or additional services should not be made a condition of accessing a free place. The statutory guidance for local authorities also specifies that local authorities ensure that providers do not charge parents top-up fees or require parents to pay a registration fee as a condition of taking up their child’s place. Providers who choose to offer the free entitlements are responsible for setting their own policy on providing parents with options for alternatives to additional charges, including allowing parents to supply their own meals or nappies, or waiving or reducing the cost of meals and snacks.</p> answering member constituency Wantage answering member printed David Johnston question first answered 26/03/2024 15:56:24 answering member 4761 label Biography information for David Johnston
	tabling member	4510 label Biography information for Helen Hayes

1697404

	registered interest
	date	20/03/2024
	answering body	Department for Education
	answering dept id	60
	answering dept short name	Education
	answering dept sort name	Education
	hansard heading	Department for Education: Personnel Management
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what the job titles are of people working in her Department's Human Resources and Transformation Directorate.
	tabling member constituency	Harborough
	tabling member printed	Neil O'Brien
	uin	19713
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 26/03/2024 answer text <p>The job titles for everyone working in the Human Resources &amp; Transformation Directorate are as follows:</p><ul><li>Business Partnering and Organisation Development</li><li>HR</li><li>HR Services &amp; Specialist Advice</li><li>Payroll, Reward, Policies and ER</li><li>Transformation</li><li>Workforce, Skills and Strategy</li></ul> answering member constituency East Hampshire answering member printed Damian Hinds question first answered 26/03/2024 11:26:12 answering member 3969 label Biography information for Damian Hinds
	tabling member	4679 label Biography information for Neil O'Brien

1697446

	registered interest
	date	20/03/2024
	answering body	Department for Education
	answering dept id	60
	answering dept short name	Education
	answering dept sort name	Education
	hansard heading	Apprentices: South Holland and the Deepings
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how many (a) Level 4 and (b) Level 5 apprenticeships have been started in South Holland and the Deepings constituency since 2019 as of 20 March 2024.
	tabling member constituency	South Holland and The Deepings
	tabling member printed	Sir John Hayes
	uin	19527
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 26/03/2024 answer text <p>Level 4 and 5 apprenticeship starts in South Holland and The Deepings constituency can be found in the following table:</p><table><tbody><tr><td><p><strong>Academic year</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>Level 4</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>Level 5</strong></p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2018/19</p></td><td><p>70</p></td><td><p>50</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2019/20</p></td><td><p>40</p></td><td><p>60</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2020/21</p></td><td><p>50</p></td><td><p>60</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2021/22</p></td><td><p>60</p></td><td><p>70</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2022/23</p></td><td><p>80</p></td><td><p>60</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2023/24 reported to date</p></td><td><p>50</p></td><td><p>30</p></td></tr><tr><td><p><strong>Total</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>340</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>330</strong></p></td></tr></tbody></table><p> </p><p>Note:</p><p>(1) Figures for 2023/24 are provisional and cover the first two quarters (Aug 2023 to Jan 2024). All other years are final, full-year figures.</p><p>(2) Apprenticeship start volumes are rounded to the nearest 10.</p><p>(3) The data source is the Individualised Learner Record.</p><p> </p><p>Further information on apprenticeship starts can be found in the apprenticeships publication, available at: <a href="https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/find-statistics/apprenticeships" target="_blank">https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/find-statistics/apprenticeships</a>.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p> answering member constituency Harlow answering member printed Robert Halfon question first answered 26/03/2024 13:56:30 answering member 3985 label Biography information for Robert Halfon
	tabling member	350 label Biography information for Sir John Hayes

1697538

	registered interest
	date	20/03/2024
	answering body	Department for Education
	answering dept id	60
	answering dept short name	Education
	answering dept sort name	Education
	hansard heading	Literacy
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what data her Department holds on levels of adult literacy in the UK; and what steps she is taking to increase adult literacy levels.
	tabling member constituency	Slough
	tabling member printed	Mr Tanmanjeet Singh Dhesi
	uin	19687
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 26/03/2024 answer text <p>The department recognises the importance of good literacy skills, both in work and everyday life. Securing good levels of literacy has a positive impact on participation in society, improves earnings and employment opportunities and opens doors to further learning.</p><p>The department participates in the OECD’s International Survey of Adult Skills, which was last conducted in England and 24 other countries in 2011-12. The results show that 16% of 16-65-year-olds have the literacy skills of an 11 year old, or lower. The next survey is due to report in late 2024. A link to view the OECD adult skills surveys can be found here: <a href="https://www.oecd.org/skills/piaac/" target="_blank">https://www.oecd.org/skills/piaac/</a>.</p><p>The government has also conducted the Skills for Life survey in 2011 which provided a national profile of adult literacy, numeracy, and ICTskills, and assessed the impact that different levels of skills had on people’s lives. The survey findings were published in 2012 and reported that, in England, 15% of the working age population have the literacy skills of an 11 year old, or lower (an estimated 5 million people).</p><p>The department also gathers data annually from providers delivering government funded adult further education (FE) and skills provision in England. The latest statistics can be found here: <a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/further-education-and-skills-march-2024" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/further-education-and-skills-march-2024</a>.</p><p>To improve essential literacy and numeracy skills, a legal entitlement was introduced through the Apprenticeships, Skills, Children and Learning Act 2009 (Sections 87-89).This legal entitlement can be viewed here: <a href="https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2009/22/part/4/chapter/1/crossheading/education-and-training-for-persons-aged-19-or-over-etc" target="_blank">https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2009/22/part/4/chapter/1/crossheading/education-and-training-for-persons-aged-19-or-over-etc</a>.</p><p>Through its legal entitlement, the department provides fully-funded study for adults who do not have essential literacy skills up to the equivalent of a GCSE grade 4/C or higher. In the 2022/23 academic year, around 223,000 learners participated in a literacy course funded through the entitlement.</p><p>The department supports all adults for whom English is not their first language to secure the English language skills they need. Adults are fully-funded or co-funded to study English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) courses and qualifications up to and including GCSE 4/C equivalent. The number of learners participating in ESOL courses and qualifications continues to grow, with around 144,000 learners in the 2022/23 academic year. Already, round 120,000 learners have participated in ESOL courses in the first two quarters of this academic year.</p><p>The department recognises that community learning within its Adult Education Budget (AEB) can play a valuable role in helping individuals improve their literacy, particularly for learners where a qualification is not the most appropriate first step.</p><p>Currently 60% of the AEB has been devolved to 9 Mayoral Combined Authorities (MCAs) and delegated to the Mayor of London, working where appropriate through the Greater London Authority (GLA). These authorities are responsible for the provision of adult education and allocation of the AEB in their local areas, including funding of English and maths statutory entitlements. The Education and Skills Funding Agency (ESFA) is responsible for the remaining AEB in non-devolved areas where colleges and other training providers have the freedom and flexibility to determine how they use their AEB to best meet the needs of their communities.</p> answering member constituency Harlow answering member printed Robert Halfon question first answered 26/03/2024 15:57:11 answering member 3985 label Biography information for Robert Halfon
	tabling member	4638 label Biography information for Mr Tanmanjeet Singh Dhesi

1697075

	registered interest
	date	19/03/2024
	answering body	Department for Education
	answering dept id	60
	answering dept short name	Education
	answering dept sort name	Education
	hansard heading	Internet: Older People
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Education, pursuant to the Answer of 1 March 2024 to Question 15588 on Digital Technology: Disadvantaged, whether she has made an assessment of the adequacy of availability of free or low cost internet training for people aged 65 and over to tackle digital exclusion.
	tabling member constituency	Hornsey and Wood Green
	tabling member printed	Catherine West
	uin	19418
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 26/03/2024 answer text <p>The government recognises that digital skills are important for adults of all ages, and we are committed to improving their level of digital skills to support active participation in society.</p><p>From August 2020, the department introduced a digital entitlement for adults with no or low digital skills to undertake specified digital qualifications, up to level 1, free of charge. The new entitlement mirrors the existing legal entitlements for English and maths, and puts essential digital skills on an equal footing in the adult education system, as a third basic skill. The department introduced new Essential Digital Skills qualifications (EDSQs) at entry level and level 1 from August 2020, funded under the digital entitlement. EDSQs are based on the new national standards for essential digital skills and are designed to meet the diverse needs of adults with no or low digital skills, reflecting different learning needs, motivations and starting points.</p><p>To further enhance the essential digital skills offer for adults, from August 2023 the department introduced new digital Functional Skills qualifications (FSQs), which have replaced FSQs in Information and Communication Technology. Digital FSQs have standardised content and assessment, providing a benchmark of digital skills for employers. The department published the final subject content for digital FSQs in October 2021.</p><p>The government recognises that formal qualifications are not appropriate for everyone. That is why the department also funds community learning and other non-regulated learning, such as building confidence in essential digital skills, through the Adult Education Budget. Many local authorities and other further education providers are already delivering these courses that help equip adults with the essential digital skills they need for work, life and further learning.</p><p>More information about essential digital skills and other government funded training opportunities can be found here: <a href="https://www.skillsforcareers.education.gov.uk/pages/skills-for-life" target="_blank">https://www.skillsforcareers.education.gov.uk/pages/skills-for-life</a>.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency Harlow answering member printed Robert Halfon question first answered 26/03/2024 10:15:28 answering member 3985 label Biography information for Robert Halfon
	tabling member	4523 label Biography information for Catherine West

1696691

	registered interest
	date	18/03/2024
	answering body	Department for Education
	answering dept id	60
	answering dept short name	Education
	answering dept sort name	Education
	hansard heading	Further Education and Higher Education: Young People
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps her Department is taking to support young people in receipt of Carer's Allowance in (a) further and (b) higher education.
	tabling member constituency	Slough
	tabling member printed	Mr Tanmanjeet Singh Dhesi
	uin	19149
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 26/03/2024 answer text <p>The department is determined that all young carers and young adult carers get the support they need to succeed in all stages of education.</p><p> </p><p>The department provides a range of financial support for students who need it to enable them to participate in further education. This includes free meals, bursaries to help with the cost of education, such as travel, books, equipment, and trips, plus support for childcare and residential costs where required.</p><p> </p><p>Disadvantaged English domiciled 18-year-olds are now 74% more likely to enter higher education than they were in 2010.</p><p> </p><p>In the 2023/24 academic year, over £160 million of bursary funding has been allocated to institutions to help disadvantaged 16 to 19 year olds meet costs, which is nearly 12% higher than published allocations for last year. Institutions decide which young people receive bursaries and determine the level of financial support they receive. They can develop their own eligibility criteria for access to the discretionary bursary fund, including setting a household income threshold appropriate to their area and must publish information on this for students.</p><p> </p><p>In November 2021, the department asked the Office for Students (OfS) to refocus the access and participation regime in higher education to create a system that supports young people from disadvantaged backgrounds throughout their education. This regime should include support for disadvantaged students before entry to higher education (HE) and be set out in new access and participation plans. Providers should be working meaningfully with schools to ensure that pupils from disadvantaged backgrounds, including young carers, are encouraged and supported to achieve the highest possible grades and move up the ladder of opportunity whether that be an apprenticeship or higher technical qualification, or a course at university.</p><p> </p><p>Furthermore, in March 2023, the OfS launched an Equality of Opportunity Risk Register, which can be found here: <a href="https://www.officeforstudents.org.uk/advice-and-guidance/promoting-equal-opportunities/equality-of-opportunity-risk-register/" target="_blank">https://www.officeforstudents.org.uk/advice-and-guidance/promoting-equal-opportunities/equality-of-opportunity-risk-register/</a>. It focusses on students least likely to experience equal opportunity in HE with references to young carers in six of the key sector risks set out in the register.</p><p> </p><p>HE providers are expected to refer to the register when writing access and participation plans.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency Harlow answering member printed Robert Halfon question first answered 26/03/2024 12:52:20 answering member 3985 label Biography information for Robert Halfon
	tabling member	4638 label Biography information for Mr Tanmanjeet Singh Dhesi

1696787

	registered interest
	date	18/03/2024
	answering body	Department for Education
	answering dept id	60
	answering dept short name	Education
	answering dept sort name	Education
	hansard heading	Special Educational Needs: Care Homes
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps she is taking to help reduce the use of out of area residential accommodation for children with additional needs.
	tabling member constituency	York Central
	tabling member printed	Rachael Maskell
	uin	19100
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 26/03/2024 answer text <p>The needs of the child are paramount when deciding the right care placement. Though the department wants to reduce out of area placements, sometimes circumstances make it the right decision for a child to be placed elsewhere, for example when they are at risk from domestic abuse, sexual exploitation, trafficking or gang violence.</p><p> </p><p>Moving a child away is not a decision to be taken lightly, and there are legislative safeguards around this. Directors of Children’s Services are required to sign off each such decision, and Ofsted can challenge where they believe poor decisions are being made. This is to encourage local authorities to place children locally wherever possible.</p><p> </p><p>The department recognises, however, that there are issues in the placement market, which is why the department has announced over £400 million in capital funding to help local authorities create more beds in their local areas. This will help create 560 additional placements across England.</p><p> </p><p>The department is also investing £36 million this parliament to deliver a fostering recruitment and retention programme so that foster care is available for more children who need it. This will boost approvals of foster carers, as well as taking steps to retain the carers already in place.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency Wantage answering member printed David Johnston question first answered 26/03/2024 15:29:09 answering member 4761 label Biography information for David Johnston
	tabling member	4471 label Biography information for Rachael Maskell

1696789

	registered interest
	date	18/03/2024
	answering body	Department for Education
	answering dept id	60
	answering dept short name	Education
	answering dept sort name	Education
	hansard heading	Children in Care: Supported Housing
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what progress her Department has made on ending the use of unregulated accommodation for children.
	tabling member constituency	York Central
	tabling member printed	Rachael Maskell
	uin	19102
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 26/03/2024 answer text <p>Every child growing up in care should have a stable, secure environment where they feel supported. In October 2023, the department introduced The Supported Accommodation (England) Regulations 2023. These regulations set out national standards that are required to be met for semi-independent accommodation, now known as ‘supported accommodation’, regulated against by Ofsted. This means for the first time all provision offering care and support for under-18s is required to be registered and regulated with Ofsted.</p><p>The national standards will ensure that supported accommodation provision is more consistently of the high quality that the department expects, delivering lasting change for children in care and care leavers. The regulations also empower Ofsted to take action against poor quality and unregistered providers.</p><p>Introduction of the standards was part of a programme of reforms to drive up quality and improve consistency within previously unregulated accommodation provision. The reforms also included the prohibition of children aged under 16 being placed in independent or semi-independent accommodation from 9 September 2021.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency Wantage answering member printed David Johnston question first answered 26/03/2024 15:37:29 answering member 4761 label Biography information for David Johnston
	tabling member	4471 label Biography information for Rachael Maskell

1696790

	registered interest
	date	18/03/2024
	answering body	Department for Education
	answering dept id	60
	answering dept short name	Education
	answering dept sort name	Education
	hansard heading	Holidays: Children and Young People
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Education, if she will have discussions with Ofsted on steps it is taking to (a) take account of and (b) reward inclusion of children and young people when inspecting residential holiday schemes for disabled children.
	tabling member constituency	York Central
	tabling member printed	Rachael Maskell
	uin	19103
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 26/03/2024 answer text <p>Ofsted currently inspects residential holiday schemes for disabled children against the Social Care Common Inspection Framework (SCCIF). The department also publishes the Residential Holiday Schemes for Disabled Children National Minimum Standards. All settings should ensure they satisfy these standards. They include child focussed standards that promote inclusive behaviours. The department will have discussions with Ofsted to ensure the National Minimum Standards remain appropriate for these settings and allow inclusion to be considered appropriately in inspections of residential holiday schemes for disabled children.</p> answering member constituency Wantage answering member printed David Johnston question first answered 26/03/2024 15:33:28 answering member 4761 label Biography information for David Johnston
	tabling member	4471 label Biography information for Rachael Maskell

1696866

	registered interest
	date	18/03/2024
	answering body	Department for Education
	answering dept id	60
	answering dept short name	Education
	answering dept sort name	Education
	hansard heading	Hearing Impairment: Children
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what recent assessment her Department has made of the adequacy of access to auditory-visual therapy for deaf children; and what steps she is taking to ensure sufficient access to that therapy as part of SEND support in schools.
	tabling member constituency	Bury South
	tabling member printed	Christian Wakeford
	uin	19225
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 26/03/2024 answer text <p>The department’s ambition is that all children and young people, no matter their needs, receive the right support to succeed in their education and as they move into adult life.</p><p>The department is creating a new single national special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) and alternative provision system for how needs are identified and met across education, health and care. This new single national system will set standards on what support should be made available in mainstream settings, including for children with hearing impairments.</p><p>Early intervention of SEND can allow children to thrive and the early years sector plays an important role in ensuring that the right support is put in place for children as they prepare for school. That is why Level 2 and 3 early years educator qualifications include SEND content. Alongside this, the Early Years Education Recovery Programme includes training for up to 7,000 early years special educational needs coordinators (SENCOs) and a variety of training offers with SEND content, including Child Development Training and the national professional qualification in early years leadership.</p><p>The department is committed to ensuring a steady supply of teachers of children with hearing impairments in both specialist and mainstream settings. To teach a class of pupils with hearing impairments, a teacher is required to hold the relevant Mandatory Qualification for Sensory Impairment (MQSI). There are currently six providers of the MQSI, with a seventh from September 2024. In addition, the Institute for Apprenticeships and Technical Education (IfATE) is developing a new occupational standard for teachers of Sensory Impairment, expected to be available from September 2025. Finally, children and young people with special educational needs have more access to assistive technology (AT) following investment in remote education and accessibility features, which can reduce or remove barriers to learning.</p><p> </p><p> </p> answering member constituency Wantage answering member printed David Johnston question first answered 26/03/2024 15:41:56 answering member 4761 label Biography information for David Johnston
	tabling member	4871 label Biography information for Christian Wakeford