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1600771

	registered interest
	date	02/03/2023
	answering body	Department for Education
	answering dept id	60
	answering dept short name	Education
	answering dept sort name	Education
	hansard heading	Free School Meals: Disability
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether she has made an assessment of the potential merits of providing disabled children who are eligible for free school meals and (a) are unable to attend school due to a long-term medical condition and (b) cannot eat those meals as a result of (i) dietary requirements and (ii) sensory processing difficulties with a (A) direct payment or (B) voucher scheme instead.
	tabling member constituency	Birmingham, Selly Oak
	tabling member printed	Steve McCabe
	uin	156922
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 09/03/2023 answer text <p>​​The Education Act 1996 places a duty on maintained schools and academies to provide free school meals (FSM) to pupils of all ages that meet the criteria for eligibility and who are attending school during term time. The Act makes clear that a child must be registered at a publicly funded school as a condition of claiming FSM.​</p><p>​Local Authorities are funded to support children with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND), including those who are unable to attend school on a long term basis. Parents are advised to liaise with Local Authorities to consider suitable alternatives in line with the guidance on long term illnesses, which is available at: <a href="https://www.gov.uk/illness-child-education" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/illness-child-education</a>.​</p><p>​The Department is always considering how it can best support children with SEND and their parents. The Department will keep its guidance on FSM under review to ensure that it is meeting user needs.</p> answering member constituency Bognor Regis and Littlehampton answering member printed Nick Gibb question first answered 09/03/2023 13:24:58 answering member 111 label Biography information for Nick Gibb
	tabling member	298 label Biography information for Steve McCabe

1600772

	registered interest
	date	02/03/2023
	answering body	Department for Education
	answering dept id	60
	answering dept short name	Education
	answering dept sort name	Education
	hansard heading	Free School Meals: Disability
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Education, if she will include in her Department's guidance for schools and local authorities on free school meals how (a) local authorities and (b) schools should provide free school meals to disabled children who are unable to access them.
	tabling member constituency	Birmingham, Selly Oak
	tabling member printed	Steve McCabe
	uin	156923
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 10/03/2023 answer text <p>The Education Act 1996 places a duty on maintained schools and academies to provide free school meals (FSM) to pupils of all ages that meet the criteria for eligibility and who are attending school during term time. The Act makes clear that a child must be registered at a publicly funded school as a condition of claiming FSM.</p><p> </p><p>Local Authorities are funded to support children with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND), including those who are unable to attend school on a long term basis. Parents are advised to liaise with Local Authorities to consider suitable alternatives in line with the guidance on long term illnesses, which is available at: <a href="https://www.gov.uk/illness-child-education" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/illness-child-education</a>.</p><p> </p><p>The Department is always considering how it can best support children with SEND and their parents. The Department will keep its guidance on FSM under review to ensure that it is meeting user needs.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency Bognor Regis and Littlehampton answering member printed Nick Gibb question first answered 10/03/2023 12:22:27 answering member 111 label Biography information for Nick Gibb
	tabling member	298 label Biography information for Steve McCabe

1586298

	registered interest
	date	17/02/2023
	answering body	Department for Education
	answering dept id	60
	answering dept short name	Education
	answering dept sort name	Education
	hansard heading	Financial Services: Primary Education
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Education, if she will make an assessment of the implications for her policies of the Centre for Financial Capability’s finding that one-fifth of primary school children have access to financial education.
	tabling member constituency	Birmingham, Selly Oak
	tabling member printed	Steve McCabe
	uin	146774
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 27/02/2023 answer text <p>The Government wants all young people to manage their money well, make sound financial decisions and know where to seek further information when needed.</p><p>The Department works closely with the Money and Pensions Service (MaPS) and HM Treasury to consider the wide range of evidence for financial education, and to explore the opportunities to improve the availability to high quality financial education for all pupils. This evidence includes reports from the Centre for Financial Capability.</p><p>MaPS has a statutory duty to develop and coordinate a national strategy to improve people’s financial capabilities. Their ten year strategy, published in 2020, set out their national goal that two million more children and young people will receive a meaningful financial education by 2030. The strategy is supported by Delivery Plans for each nation of the UK. This can be found here: <a href="https://www.maps.org.uk/uk-strategy-for-financial-wellbeing/" target="_blank">https://www.maps.org.uk/uk-strategy-for-financial-wellbeing/</a>.</p><p>The Department has introduced a rigorous mathematics curriculum which provides young people with the knowledge and financial capabilities to make important financial decisions. In the primary mathematics curriculum, there is a strong emphasis on the essential arithmetic that pupils should be taught. This knowledge is vital, as a strong grasp of mathematics will underpin pupils’ ability to manage budgets and money, including, for example, using percentages. There is also some specific content regarding financial education, such as calculations with money. Primary schools can also choose to teach financial education content within their citizenship curriculum, using the non-statutory citizenship curriculum for Key Stages 1 and 2. This can be found here: <a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/citizenship-programmes-of-study-for-key-stages-1-and-2" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/citizenship-programmes-of-study-for-key-stages-1-and-2</a>.</p><p>MaPS published financial education guidance for primary and secondary schools in England, to support schools to enhance the financial education currently being taught. This guidance can be found here: <a href="https://maps.org.uk/2021/11/11/financial-education-guidance-for-primary-and-secondary-schools-in-england/" target="_blank">https://maps.org.uk/2021/11/11/financial-education-guidance-for-primary-and-secondary-schools-in-england/</a>.</p><p>The Department and MaPS will deliver a series of joint financial education webinars this academic year, aimed at promoting the importance of financial education for all pupils, improving teacher confidence and knowledge.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency Bognor Regis and Littlehampton answering member printed Nick Gibb question first answered 27/02/2023 17:11:21 answering member 111 label Biography information for Nick Gibb
	tabling member	298 label Biography information for Steve McCabe

1542910

	registered interest
	date	16/11/2022
	answering body	Department for Education
	answering dept id	60
	answering dept short name	Education
	answering dept sort name	Education
	hansard heading	Schools: Sports
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what recent steps her Department has taken to help increase the number of children playing sport at school.
	tabling member constituency	Birmingham, Selly Oak
	tabling member printed	Steve McCabe
	uin	88803
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 23/11/2022 answer text <p>Through the primary physical education (PE) and sport premium, the Department has devoted over £2 billion of ringfenced funding to primary schools to improve PE and sport since 2013.</p><p>The premium supports primary schools to make additional and sustainable improvements to the quality of PE and sport. The Government has announced that the £320 million primary PE and sport premium and funding for School Games Organisers will continue for the 2022/23 academic year.</p><p>The Government is supporting schools to open their sports facilities beyond the school day to offer more opportunities for pupils and communities to play sport and be physically active. Building on an initial £1.6 million in 2020, £10.1 million of extra funding has supported schools across England to open their sports facilities outside of the school day. In October 2021, the Government announced that it will spend nearly £30 million per year to fund phase three of the Opening School Facilities programme, as well as to improve the teaching of PE and sport at primary school.</p><p>The Government is updating the cross-Government School Sport and Activity Action Plan. This will be published in due course, to align with timing of the Government’s new sport strategy.</p> answering member constituency Bognor Regis and Littlehampton answering member printed Nick Gibb question first answered 23/11/2022 17:26:47 answering member 111 label Biography information for Nick Gibb
	tabling member	298 label Biography information for Steve McCabe

1278616

	registered interest
	date	20/01/2021
	answering body	Department for Education
	answering dept id	60
	answering dept short name	Education
	answering dept sort name	Education
	hansard heading	Pre-school Education: Coronavirus
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what progress his Department has made on introducing regular rapid covid-19 testing for (a) nursery workers, (b) childminders and (c) other early years professionals.
	tabling member constituency	Birmingham, Selly Oak
	tabling member printed	Steve McCabe
	uin	140743
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 25/01/2021 answer text <p>The Department is continuing to work closely with colleagues across government and local authorities to secure the most effective approach to asymptomatic testing for the whole of the early years sector.</p><p>We are rolling out our asymptomatic testing programme to primary schools with deliveries of test kits starting from week commencing 18 January 2021.</p><p>The asymptomatic testing programme will offer all primary school, schools based nursery and maintained nursery school staff home Lateral Flow Device test kits for twice weekly testing. This will help to break the chains of transmission of COVID-19 in schools and nurseries by identifying asymptomatic positive cases. Those who test positive will then self-isolate, helping to reduce transmission of the virus.</p><p>Community Testing programmes are currently being rolled out across the country. Local authorities will be encouraged to target testing to people who cannot work from home during lockdown. Further information can be found here: <a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/community-testing-explainer/community-testing-a-guide-for-local-delivery" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/community-testing-explainer/community-testing-a-guide-for-local-delivery</a>.</p><p>Early years staff, as critical workers, continue to have priority access to the Department of Health and Social Care led symptomatic PCR testing via the online portal: <a href="https://www.gov.uk/guidance/coronavirus-covid-19-getting-tested" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/guidance/coronavirus-covid-19-getting-tested</a>.</p> answering member constituency Bognor Regis and Littlehampton answering member printed Nick Gibb question first answered 25/01/2021 16:48:55 answering member 111 label Biography information for Nick Gibb
	tabling member	298 label Biography information for Steve McCabe

1275262

	registered interest
	date	11/01/2021
	answering body	Department for Education
	answering dept id	60
	answering dept short name	Education
	answering dept sort name	Education
	hansard heading	Pupils: Coronavirus
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether he plans to issue additional guidance for schools on what constitutes a key or critical worker entitling a child to a school place.
	tabling member constituency	Birmingham, Selly Oak
	tabling member printed	Steve McCabe
	uin	135796
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 14/01/2021 answer text <p>During the period of national lockdown, schools should allow only vulnerable children and young people and the children of critical workers to attend. All other pupils should not attend and should learn remotely until February half term.</p><p>On 7 January, the Department published guidance that sets out what all schools will need to do during the national lockdown: <a href="https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/950510/School_national_restrictions_guidance.pdf" target="_blank">https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/950510/School_national_restrictions_guidance.pdf</a>. Guidance is also available on the children of critical workers and vulnerable children who can access schools or educational settings: <a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/coronavirus-covid-19-maintaining-educational-provision/guidance-for-schools-colleges-and-local-authorities-on-maintaining-educational-provision" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/coronavirus-covid-19-maintaining-educational-provision/guidance-for-schools-colleges-and-local-authorities-on-maintaining-educational-provision</a>.</p><p>Children with at least one parent or carer who is a critical worker can go to school if required. Schools should speak to parents and carers to identify who needs to go to school. If parents and carers who are critical workers can work from home and look after their children at the same time then they should do so.</p><p>Every school will have a different number of children of critical workers who need to attend. It is important that on site provision is provided for these pupils, and there is no limit to numbers of these pupils who may attend, and schools should not limit attendance of these groups. This is because we are reducing overall social contact across areas and the country rather than individually by each institution.</p><p>The Department will continue to review the restrictions on schools and will ensure that children and young people return to face to face education as soon as possible.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency Bognor Regis and Littlehampton answering member printed Nick Gibb grouped question UIN 135874 135875 question first answered 14/01/2021 18:26:34 answering member 111 label Biography information for Nick Gibb
	tabling member	298 label Biography information for Steve McCabe

1275264

	registered interest
	date	11/01/2021
	answering body	Department for Education
	answering dept id	60
	answering dept short name	Education
	answering dept sort name	Education
	hansard heading	Schools: Coronavirus
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what discussions he has had with the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industry on ensuring employers do not put pressure on employees to send their children to school during the January 2021 covid-19 lockdown.
	tabling member constituency	Birmingham, Selly Oak
	tabling member printed	Steve McCabe
	uin	135797
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 19/01/2021 answer text <p>My right hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Education, regularly meets cabinet colleagues about a range of issues.</p><p>Under the current national restrictions, the Department has made it clear that vulnerable children and children of critical workers can attend school and college in person. However, parents and carers who are critical workers should keep their children at home if they can.</p><p>The Department published updated guidance for parents on 8 January 2021, which is available here: <a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/what-parents-and-carers-need-to-know-about-early-years-providers-schools-and-colleges-during-the-coronavirus-covid-19-outbreak?utm_source=back-school-campaign-aug-2020&amp;utm_medium=offline&amp;utm_campaign=backtoschool" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/what-parents-and-carers-need-to-know-about-early-years-providers-schools-and-colleges-during-the-coronavirus-covid-19-outbreak?utm_source=back-school-campaign-aug-2020&amp;utm_medium=offline&amp;utm_campaign=backtoschool</a>.</p><p>The Department has also published a media blog, which is available at: <a href="https://dfemedia.blog.gov.uk/2021/01/08/am-i-a-critical-worker-or-are-they-vulnerable-or-without-internet-access-or-broadband/" target="_blank">https://dfemedia.blog.gov.uk/2021/01/08/am-i-a-critical-worker-or-are-they-vulnerable-or-without-internet-access-or-broadband/</a>.</p><p>Where vulnerable children and children of critical workers do not attend school, we expect schools to provide them with remote education, as for the majority of their pupils. Pupils who are self-isolating should not attend school. Clinically extremely vulnerable pupils are also advised not to attend school. Where a parent wishes their child to be absent, we expect schools to authorise the absence during this national lockdown period. Absence will not be penalised.</p><p>Parents whose work is critical to the COVID-19 and EU transition response include those who work in health and social care and in other key sectors: <a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/coronavirus-covid-19-maintaining-educational-provision/guidance-for-schools-colleges-and-local-authorities-on-maintaining-educational-provision" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/coronavirus-covid-19-maintaining-educational-provision/guidance-for-schools-colleges-and-local-authorities-on-maintaining-educational-provision</a>. Children with at least one parent or carer who is a critical worker can go to school if required. This includes parents who may be working from home.</p><p>Early years provision should continue to remain open and should continue to allow all children to attend full time, or their usual timetable hours.</p> answering member constituency Bognor Regis and Littlehampton answering member printed Nick Gibb question first answered 19/01/2021 17:13:34 answering member 111 label Biography information for Nick Gibb
	tabling member	298 label Biography information for Steve McCabe

1275266

	registered interest
	date	11/01/2021
	answering body	Department for Education
	answering dept id	60
	answering dept short name	Education
	answering dept sort name	Education
	hansard heading	Secondary Education: Coronavirus
	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 encourage secondary school pupils to take up lateral flow testing in schools.
	tabling member constituency	Birmingham, Selly Oak
	tabling member printed	Steve McCabe
	uin	135798
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 19/01/2021 answer text <p>Antigen lateral flow tests are designed to detect the level of virus in individuals who do not experience or show any symptoms, but who could still be infectious and pass the virus to others.</p><p>As part of the delivery of this new testing capability for pupils in secondary schools and colleges, the Department has strongly encouraged both staff and pupils to take the test as it will help to stop the spread of COVID-19, protect other people, and save lives.</p><p>In addition, the Department, in partnership with the Department for Health and Social Care, have produced a range of training and guidance material including webinars to support pupils in feeling able to complete the lateral flow testing. We have also developed extensive guidance for schools and colleges to allow them to communicate to their pupils about how easy and quick it is to undertake the test in order to encourage them to take up the testing offer.</p><p>The testing will help to ensure that schools and colleges can avoid unnecessary staff shortages, and vulnerable pupils and students, and those whose parents or carers are key workers, can continue in face to face education.</p> answering member constituency Bognor Regis and Littlehampton answering member printed Nick Gibb question first answered 19/01/2021 17:37:47 answering member 111 label Biography information for Nick Gibb
	tabling member	298 label Biography information for Steve McCabe

1275267

	registered interest
	date	11/01/2021
	answering body	Department for Education
	answering dept id	60
	answering dept short name	Education
	answering dept sort name	Education
	hansard heading	Pupils: Coronavirus
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether it is his policy that schools remain open to vulnerable and key worker children in the February half-term and Easter holidays.
	tabling member constituency	Birmingham, Selly Oak
	tabling member printed	Steve McCabe
	uin	135799
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 19/01/2021 answer text <p>Ensuring sufficiency of childcare provision for critical worker parents and carers and vulnerable children remains a Government priority. The Department is considering plans for half term and will provide more information shortly.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency Bognor Regis and Littlehampton answering member printed Nick Gibb question first answered 19/01/2021 17:02:57 answering member 111 label Biography information for Nick Gibb
	tabling member	298 label Biography information for Steve McCabe

1275268

	registered interest
	date	11/01/2021
	answering body	Department for Education
	answering dept id	60
	answering dept short name	Education
	answering dept sort name	Education
	hansard heading	Primary Education: Coronavirus
	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 primary school staff are able to access lateral flow testing.
	tabling member constituency	Birmingham, Selly Oak
	tabling member printed	Steve McCabe
	uin	135800
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 19/01/2021 answer text <p>Rapid, regular testing for people without symptoms of COVID-19 will be made available to primary staff by the end of January with kits being delivered from 18 January. All primary school staff will be offered home test kits for routine testing. These kits contain Lateral Flow Device tests which enable self-swabbing. They are designed for use at home so staff can complete the test before coming in to work.</p> answering member constituency Bognor Regis and Littlehampton answering member printed Nick Gibb question first answered 19/01/2021 17:36:28 answering member 111 label Biography information for Nick Gibb
	tabling member	298 label Biography information for Steve McCabe