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1537354

	registered interest
	date	31/10/2022
	answering body	Department for Education
	answering dept id	60
	answering dept short name	Education
	answering dept sort name	Education
	hansard heading	Pupils: Travel
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Education, if his Department will provide additional support to students from low-income families to help pay for journeys to and from their (a) school and (b) other place of education in the 2022-23 academic year, in the context of the rise in inflation.
	tabling member constituency	Newcastle-under-Lyme
	tabling member printed	Aaron Bell
	uin	74978
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 08/11/2022 answer text <p>The Department’s home-to-school transport policy aims to ensure that no child is unable to access education because of a lack of transport. Local authorities must provide free home-to-school transport for children of compulsory school age who attend their nearest school and cannot walk there due to distance, route safety, or as a result of special educational needs, disability or mobility problems. There are additional rights to free transport for low-income families aimed at helping them exercise school choice. These are known as extended rights. Guidance for local authorities on home-to-school transport is available here: <a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/home-to-school-travel-and-transport-guidance" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/home-to-school-travel-and-transport-guidance</a>.</p><p> </p><p>Local authorities must also publish a transport policy statement each year that sets out the travel arrangements they consider it necessary to make to support young people of sixth form age to attend post-16 education or training. It is for local authorities to decide on the exact level of post-16 transport support in their area, based on local circumstances and priorities. Some young people may be eligible for support from the 16-19 Bursary Fund. Further information can be accessed here: <a href="https://www.gov.uk/1619-bursary-fund" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/1619-bursary-fund</a>.</p><p> </p><p>Most central government funding for home to school transport is provided through the Local Government Finance Settlement (LGFS) administered by the Department for Levelling up, Housing and Communities. The LGFS made £54.1 billion available to local authorities in the financial year 2022/23, an increase of up to £3.7 billion on 2021/22. This is the largest cash-terms increase in grant funding provided through the settlement in the past 10 years. The Department also provides grant funding to local authorities as a contribution towards the cost of extended rights transport. This amount is £43.3 million in the 2022/23 financial year.</p> answering member constituency Bognor Regis and Littlehampton answering member printed Nick Gibb question first answered 08/11/2022 14:28:26 answering member 111 label Biography information for Nick Gibb
	tabling member	4837 label Biography information for Aaron Bell

1537469

	registered interest
	date	31/10/2022
	answering body	Department for Education
	answering dept id	60
	answering dept short name	Education
	answering dept sort name	Education
	hansard heading	Commonwealth: 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 include the Commonwealth as part of the curriculum.
	tabling member constituency	Romford
	tabling member printed	Andrew Rosindell
	uin	74559
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 08/11/2022 answer text <p>The Commonwealth is covered within the citizenship curriculum, which all schools are encouraged to teach as part of a broad and balanced curriculum. Citizenship forms a core part of the statutory National Curriculum at Key Stages 3 and 4 and includes content on the UK’s relations with the rest of Europe, the Commonwealth and the wider world. Primary schools can choose to teach citizenship at Key Stages 1 and 2, following the non-statutory framework for citizenship, which includes opportunities for pupils to discuss topics of school, local, national, European, Commonwealth and global concern.</p><p>There is also scope within history programmes of study for pupils to be taught about the Commonwealth. In Key Stage 3, pupils are taught about British history from 1745 to 1901, and this can include teaching about the end of the British Empire and Britain’s place in the world since 1945.</p><p>As with other aspects of the curriculum, schools have flexibility over how they deliver these subjects, so they can develop an integrated approach that is sensitive to the needs and background of their pupils.</p> answering member constituency Bognor Regis and Littlehampton answering member printed Nick Gibb question first answered 08/11/2022 14:36:08 answering member 111 label Biography information for Nick Gibb
	tabling member	1447 label Biography information for Andrew Rosindell

1537706

	registered interest
	date	31/10/2022
	answering body	Department for Education
	answering dept id	60
	answering dept short name	Education
	answering dept sort name	Education
	hansard heading	Teachers: Ukraine
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps her Department will take to support people in the UK with teaching qualifications earned in Ukraine to teach in UK schools.
	tabling member constituency	Isle of Wight
	tabling member printed	Bob Seely
	uin	74899
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 08/11/2022 answer text <p>Education is a devolved matter, and the response outlines the information for England only.</p><p>Ukrainians can teach without Qualified Teacher Status (QTS) for an unlimited period in an academy or a free school, or for up to four years in a maintained school. They can then consider gaining QTS through the Assessment Only route whilst working in this way.</p><p>Ukrainians are also able to apply for Initial Teacher Training in England. If they have been granted leave under the Ukraine Family Scheme visa, the Ukraine Sponsorship Scheme, or the Ukraine Extension Scheme, and have been a resident in the UK, they will be treated the same as a UK resident for higher education funding, including for Initial Teacher Training. More guidance for Ukrainian nationals on becoming a teacher in England is available on the Get into Teaching website, which can be found here: <a href="https://getintoteaching.education.gov.uk/non-uk-teachers/ukraine.%20" target="_blank">https://getintoteaching.education.gov.uk/non-uk-teachers/ukraine.</a></p><p>In early 2023 the Department will open a new route for teachers who trained in a broader range of countries, including Ukraine, to apply to the Teaching Regulation Agency for QTS in England, providing they meet certain criteria. This will provide Ukrainians who meet the relevant criteria to gain QTS by recognition of their existing teaching qualification, making it more straightforward to teach in all types of school in England. More information on this can be found at: <a href="http://www.gov.uk/government/publications/awarding-qualified-teacher-status-to-overseas-teachers/a-fairer-approach-to-awarding-qts-to-overseas-teachers" target="_blank">http://www.gov.uk/government/publications/awarding-qualified-teacher-status-to-overseas-teachers/a-fairer-approach-to-awarding-qts-to-overseas-teachers</a>.</p> answering member constituency Bognor Regis and Littlehampton answering member printed Nick Gibb question first answered 08/11/2022 11:25:09 answering member 111 label Biography information for Nick Gibb
	tabling member	4681 label Biography information for Bob Seely

1537101

	registered interest
	date	28/10/2022
	answering body	Department for Education
	answering dept id	60
	answering dept short name	Education
	answering dept sort name	Education
	hansard heading	National Skills Fund: Leicestershire
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what recent assessment he has made of the potential impact of the Skills Fund on progress towards upskilling the adult workforce; and what steps his Department is taking to use the Skills Fund to help support more adults to achieve higher level qualifications in (a) Leicestershire and (b) Bosworth constituency.
	tabling member constituency	Bosworth
	tabling member printed	Dr Luke Evans
	uin	73906
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 08/11/2022 answer text <p>Skills Bootcamps are free, flexible courses of up to 16 weeks, giving people the opportunity to build up sector-specific skills, with an offer of a job interview with an employer on completion. Skills Bootcamps have the potential to transform the skills landscape for adults and employers.</p><p>In December 2021, the department published outcome data on the Skills Bootcamps trailblazers, training delivered across six areas of the country between September 2020 and 31 March 2021 (Wave 1). Over 2000 learners completed Skills Bootcamps training, with 54% of adults completing training going on to secure a new job or apprenticeship or for those that are self-employed, access to new opportunities. In addition to these recorded outcomes, published research for Wave 1 of Skills Bootcamps suggests that three quarters of learners felt the training met or was meeting their needs, and 79% were satisfied with their course overall.</p><p>The department is on track to deliver 16,000 Skills Bootcamps training places in the 2021/22 financial year as planned and will continue to significantly expand Skills Bootcamps over the next 3 years, following the announcement at the 2021 Autumn Budget Spending Review of up to £550 million of funding across the 2022 to 2025 financial years. The evaluation of 2021/22 delivery, which will provide detail on learner starts, completions and outcomes will be available next year, with the evaluation of 2022/23 delivery available at a later date.</p><p>Skills Bootcamps are currently available across the country, offering training in digital, technical, including engineering and manufacturing, construction, logistics (HGV driving), and green skills, including heat pump engineer and electric vehicle charging point installation.</p><p>In Leicester, D2N2 Local Enterprise Partnership are delivering some digital Skills Bootcamps through De Montfort University, working with Leicester employers who have vacancies in Leicester City Council, Test Q and NHS Leicester. More information about this can be accessed at: <a href="https://d2n2lep.org/people-skills/skills-bootcamps/" target="_blank">https://d2n2lep.org/people-skills/skills-bootcamps/</a>.</p><p>The Free Courses for Jobs offer, which was launched in England in April 2021, gives eligible adults the chance to access high-value level 3 qualification for free. Eligible learners in Leicestershire and Bosworth, aged 19 and over, can take advantage of the offer. Adults without a full level 3 qualification are eligible. From April 2022 the offer has also been available to unemployed adults or those earning under the National Living Wage annually, regardless of their prior qualification level. Over 400 qualifications are included, in areas such as engineering, social care and accounting, alongside many others that have been identified for their strong wage outcomes and ability to meet key skills needs.</p><p>A recent evaluation of Free Courses for Jobs shows that it has increased uptake of these key qualifications, meaning more adults are making the most of this opportunity to boost their skills free of charge. 9 in 10 people surveyed say they believe their Free Courses for Jobs-funded qualification will help them progress in their careers. The data points to over 20,000 people having enrolled on the courses between the offer’s launch in April 2021 and May 2022.</p><p>Adults can also be supported to access qualifications not included in the Free Courses for Jobs offer, for example through Advanced Learner Loans. Advanced Learner Loans are income-contingent loans that provide extensive coverage of regulated qualifications at level 3 to level 6, helping to meet the up-front tuition fees.</p> answering member constituency Harlow answering member printed Robert Halfon question first answered 08/11/2022 17:31:29 answering member 3985 label Biography information for Robert Halfon
	tabling member	4781 label Biography information for Dr Luke Evans

1537102

	registered interest
	date	28/10/2022
	answering body	Department for Education
	answering dept id	60
	answering dept short name	Education
	answering dept sort name	Education
	hansard heading	Education: Internet
	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 support online courses that can lead to recognised qualifications.
	tabling member constituency	Bosworth
	tabling member printed	Dr Luke Evans
	uin	73907
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 08/11/2022 answer text <p>A range of online provision leading to qualifications is available to learners.</p><p>The adult education budget (AEB) fully funds or co-funds skills provision for eligible adults aged 19 and above from pre-entry to level 3, to support them to gain the skills they need for work, an apprenticeship, or further learning. Providers decide upon the mode of delivery for AEB-funded courses to best meet learners’ needs. This can include online delivery.</p><p>The free courses for jobs offer gives eligible adults the chance to access high-value level 3 qualifications for free. This offer includes qualifications available to study online. Learners can contact their local college or provider for further information about online delivery.</p><p>Skills Bootcamps are free, flexible courses of up to 16 weeks, giving people the opportunity to build up sector-specific skills, with an offer of a job interview with an employer on completion. Many Skills Bootcamps are delivered online.</p><p>The department launched the Skills Toolkit in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. It is an online platform providing free digital and numeracy courses to help individuals build the skills that are most sought after by employers, and it can help individuals progress in work and boost their job prospects.</p> answering member constituency Harlow answering member printed Robert Halfon question first answered 08/11/2022 17:33:45 answering member 3985 label Biography information for Robert Halfon
	tabling member	4781 label Biography information for Dr Luke Evans

1523847

	registered interest
	date	18/10/2022
	answering body	Department for Education
	answering dept id	60
	answering dept short name	Education
	answering dept sort name	Education
	hansard heading	Children in Care: Death
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how many children in care aged 16 and 17 died while they were living in (a) semi-independent or (b) independent accommodation between April 2021 and March 2022.
	tabling member constituency	Dulwich and West Norwood
	tabling member printed	Helen Hayes
	uin	65894
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 08/11/2022 answer text <p>Information for the reporting year 2021/22 will not be available until later this month. This can be requested following the publication of the department’s statistical release, ‘Children looked after in England (including adoptions): 2022.’</p><p>The department firmly believes that every child in the care system deserves to live in a high-quality home that meets their needs and keeps them safe. Some children aged 16 and 17 live in independent and semi-independent settings, which are not currently subject to Ofsted registration and inspection.</p><p>The department is clear that semi-independent provision, or supported accommodation, can be the right option for some older children, where this accommodation is high-quality, meets these children’s needs, and keeps them safe. However, the department understands that this provision is not consistently good enough. That is why the government is investing over £142 million across the next three years to fund the introduction of new mandatory national standards, Ofsted registration, and inspection for providers of supported accommodation.</p><p>Following ongoing reforms, all placements accommodating looked-after children and care leavers up to age 18 will be regulated by Ofsted. Regulation will ensure that local authorities can be confident when making placements in this provision, enable Ofsted to take action against poor providers and ensure children live in safe and high-quality accommodation that meet their needs.</p><p>Further information on the government’s plans to reform this vital area is available at: <a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/news/transformational-investment-in-childrens-social-care-placements" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/government/news/transformational-investment-in-childrens-social-care-placements</a>.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency East Surrey answering member printed Claire Coutinho grouped question UIN 65895 question first answered 08/11/2022 11:40:26 answering member 4806 label Biography information for Claire Coutinho
	tabling member	4510 label Biography information for Helen Hayes

1523849

	registered interest
	date	18/10/2022
	answering body	Department for Education
	answering dept id	60
	answering dept short name	Education
	answering dept sort name	Education
	hansard heading	Children in Care: Missing Persons
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how many children in care aged 16 and 17 went missing while they were living in (a) semi-independent or (b) independent accommodation between April 2021 and March 2022.
	tabling member constituency	Dulwich and West Norwood
	tabling member printed	Helen Hayes
	uin	65895
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 08/11/2022 answer text <p>Information for the reporting year 2021/22 will not be available until later this month. This can be requested following the publication of the department’s statistical release, ‘Children looked after in England (including adoptions): 2022.’</p><p>The department firmly believes that every child in the care system deserves to live in a high-quality home that meets their needs and keeps them safe. Some children aged 16 and 17 live in independent and semi-independent settings, which are not currently subject to Ofsted registration and inspection.</p><p>The department is clear that semi-independent provision, or supported accommodation, can be the right option for some older children, where this accommodation is high-quality, meets these children’s needs, and keeps them safe. However, the department understands that this provision is not consistently good enough. That is why the government is investing over £142 million across the next three years to fund the introduction of new mandatory national standards, Ofsted registration, and inspection for providers of supported accommodation.</p><p>Following ongoing reforms, all placements accommodating looked-after children and care leavers up to age 18 will be regulated by Ofsted. Regulation will ensure that local authorities can be confident when making placements in this provision, enable Ofsted to take action against poor providers and ensure children live in safe and high-quality accommodation that meet their needs.</p><p>Further information on the government’s plans to reform this vital area is available at: <a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/news/transformational-investment-in-childrens-social-care-placements" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/government/news/transformational-investment-in-childrens-social-care-placements</a>.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency East Surrey answering member printed Claire Coutinho grouped question UIN 65894 question first answered 08/11/2022 11:40:26 answering member 4806 label Biography information for Claire Coutinho
	tabling member	4510 label Biography information for Helen Hayes

1536318

	registered interest
	date	26/10/2022
	answering body	Department for Education
	answering dept id	60
	answering dept short name	Education
	answering dept sort name	Education
	hansard heading	Children's Centres and Family Hubs: City of Chester
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how many Sure Start centres have closed in the City of Chester constituency since 2010; and how much Family Hub funding has been allocated to that constituency.
	tabling member constituency	Dulwich and West Norwood
	tabling member printed	Helen Hayes
	uin	72361
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 08/11/2022 answer text <p>Based on the information supplied by local authorities, as of 27 October 2022, one Sure Start children’s centre has closed in the City of Chester constituency since 2010. The number of children’s centre closures is based on information supplied by local authorities as of 27 October 2022. These figures may differ from the number of closures reported locally and may change again, as local authorities may update their data at any time.</p><p>In October 2021, as part of the Autumn Budget and Spending Review 2021, the government announced £301.75 million to transform Start for Life and Family Hub services in 75 upper-tier local authorities across England. The 75 eligible local authorities were announced on 2 April 2022. These were selected based on levels of disadvantage, targeting the areas with the highest levels of deprivation and disproportionately poor health and educational outcomes.</p><p>The City of Chester constituency is not eligible to receive funding through the Family Hubs and Start for Life programme.</p><p>The government would like to see Family Hubs across the country, but it is crucial that we now focus on delivering well in these 75 local authorities and building the evidence base.</p> answering member constituency East Surrey answering member printed Claire Coutinho question first answered 08/11/2022 17:19:32 answering member 4806 label Biography information for Claire Coutinho
	tabling member	4510 label Biography information for Helen Hayes

1537510

	registered interest
	date	31/10/2022
	answering body	Department for Education
	answering dept id	60
	answering dept short name	Education
	answering dept sort name	Education
	hansard heading	Childcare: Erewash
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what proportion of income parents of children (a) under five and (b) aged five to 11 are spending on average each year on childcare, including holiday clubs, in Erewash constituency.
	tabling member constituency	Dulwich and West Norwood
	tabling member printed	Helen Hayes
	uin	74802
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 08/11/2022 answer text <p>The department does not hold the requested data. However, the most recent Childcare and Early Years Survey of Parents provides some data on parental spend on childcare. The results of this survey can be found here: <a href="https://www.explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/find-statistics/childcare-and-early-years-survey-of-parents/2021" target="_blank">https://www.explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/find-statistics/childcare-and-early-years-survey-of-parents/2021</a>.</p><p>The survey shows the average cost of childcare per week for parents of 0 to 14-year-olds by region. It also shows the cost by day for school-aged children during holiday periods. This data is not available at local authority or constituency level.</p><p>The department recognises that childcare is a key concern for parents. We are committed to improving the cost, choice, and availability of childcare. We continue to look at ways to make childcare more affordable, and to encourage families to use the government-funded support they are entitled to.</p><p>The department has spent over £3.5 billion in each of the past three years on early education entitlements and continues to support families with the cost of childcare through Tax-Free Childcare and Universal Credit.</p><p>At the Autumn Budget and Spending Review 2021, the department also announced it is investing over £200 million a year in the Holiday Activities and Food programme, which provides enriching activities and healthy meals for disadvantaged children during school holidays.</p><p>In July 2022, the department announced further measures to increase take-up of childcare support and reduce the costs and bureaucracy facing providers. This included a new £1.2 million campaign via the Childcare Choices website to ensure every parent knows about the government-funded support they are eligible for. This can be accessed at: <a href="https://www.childcarechoices.gov.uk" target="_blank">https://www.childcarechoices.gov.uk</a>.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency East Surrey answering member printed Claire Coutinho grouped question UIN 74803 74804 74805 74806 question first answered 08/11/2022 17:49:09 answering member 4806 label Biography information for Claire Coutinho
	tabling member	4510 label Biography information for Helen Hayes

1537511

	registered interest
	date	31/10/2022
	answering body	Department for Education
	answering dept id	60
	answering dept short name	Education
	answering dept sort name	Education
	hansard heading	Childcare: Shipley
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what proportion of income parents of children (a) under five and (b) aged five to 11 are spending on average each year on childcare, including holiday clubs, in Shipley constituency.
	tabling member constituency	Dulwich and West Norwood
	tabling member printed	Helen Hayes
	uin	74803
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 08/11/2022 answer text <p>The department does not hold the requested data. However, the most recent Childcare and Early Years Survey of Parents provides some data on parental spend on childcare. The results of this survey can be found here: <a href="https://www.explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/find-statistics/childcare-and-early-years-survey-of-parents/2021" target="_blank">https://www.explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/find-statistics/childcare-and-early-years-survey-of-parents/2021</a>.</p><p>The survey shows the average cost of childcare per week for parents of 0 to 14-year-olds by region. It also shows the cost by day for school-aged children during holiday periods. This data is not available at local authority or constituency level.</p><p>The department recognises that childcare is a key concern for parents. We are committed to improving the cost, choice, and availability of childcare. We continue to look at ways to make childcare more affordable, and to encourage families to use the government-funded support they are entitled to.</p><p>The department has spent over £3.5 billion in each of the past three years on early education entitlements and continues to support families with the cost of childcare through Tax-Free Childcare and Universal Credit.</p><p>At the Autumn Budget and Spending Review 2021, the department also announced it is investing over £200 million a year in the Holiday Activities and Food programme, which provides enriching activities and healthy meals for disadvantaged children during school holidays.</p><p>In July 2022, the department announced further measures to increase take-up of childcare support and reduce the costs and bureaucracy facing providers. This included a new £1.2 million campaign via the Childcare Choices website to ensure every parent knows about the government-funded support they are eligible for. This can be accessed at: <a href="https://www.childcarechoices.gov.uk" target="_blank">https://www.childcarechoices.gov.uk</a>.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency East Surrey answering member printed Claire Coutinho grouped question UIN 74802 74804 74805 74806 question first answered 08/11/2022 17:49:09 answering member 4806 label Biography information for Claire Coutinho
	tabling member	4510 label Biography information for Helen Hayes