Show Search Form

Search Results

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

Search

1196063

registered interest
date	15/05/2020
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 steps his Department is taking to reduce the spread of covid-19 in school hubs for vulnerable children.
tabling member constituency	Portsmouth South
tabling member printed	Mr Stephen Morgan
uin	47429
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 20/05/2020 answer text <p>Whilst plans for wider opening of schools have been announced from 1 June at the earliest, in the meantime schools continue to be open to priority groups: vulnerable children and children of critical workers.</p><p>With significantly reduced pupil numbers, the Department understands that shared provision through multi-school cluster or hub arrangements may be considered. The Department has published guidance on cluster and hub provision which makes it clear that public health should be a priority and that provision through individual schools and settings, where possible, entails fewer people in a single setting and less social contact, and therefore a reduced risk of spreading the virus. The guidance is available here:<br> <a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/using-clusters-and-hubs-to-maintain-educational-provision/cluster-and-hub-provision-coronavirus-covid-19" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/using-clusters-and-hubs-to-maintain-educational-provision/cluster-and-hub-provision-coronavirus-covid-19</a>.</p><p>Where schools have no alternative but to close and cannot ‘pair up’ with a neighbouring school, larger hubs may be the only practical alternative. If this is the case, public health should remain a priority and any arrangement should follow the latest guidance on implementing protective measures in education settings, which is available here:<br> <a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/coronavirus-covid-19-implementing-protective-measures-in-education-and-childcare-settings/coronavirus-covid-19-implementing-protective-measures-in-education-and-childcare-settings" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/coronavirus-covid-19-implementing-protective-measures-in-education-and-childcare-settings/coronavirus-covid-19-implementing-protective-measures-in-education-and-childcare-settings</a>.</p> answering member constituency Bognor Regis and Littlehampton answering member printed Nick Gibb question first answered 20/05/2020 16:56:42 answering member 111 label Biography information for Nick Gibb
tabling member	4653 label Biography information for Stephen Morgan

1196097

registered interest
date	15/05/2020
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, if he will publish the medical and scientific advice on covid-19 transmission that indicates it will be safe to re-open schools.
tabling member constituency	Easington
tabling member printed	Grahame Morris
uin	47247
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 20/05/2020 answer text <p>The Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies (SAGE) established the Children’s Task and Finish Working Group to provide consolidated scientific health advice to the Government. This advice has been used, alongside other sources of information, to inform decision making on potential schools’ reopening options.</p><p>SAGE are publishing papers from SAGE meetings in tranches. The first batch was released on 20 March 2020 and a second on 5 May 2020. Further batches will be released regularly.</p><p>The list of papers to be released to date are available by following the link below, including several schools-related papers. This list will be updated to reflect papers considered at future meetings:<br><a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/groups/scientific-advisory-group-for-emergencies-sage-coronavirus-covid-19-response" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/government/groups/scientific-advisory-group-for-emergencies-sage-coronavirus-covid-19-response</a>.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency Bognor Regis and Littlehampton answering member printed Nick Gibb question first answered 20/05/2020 16:49:44 answering member 111 label Biography information for Nick Gibb
tabling member	3973 label Biography information for Grahame Morris

1196098

registered interest
date	15/05/2020
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, for what reasons different rules on social distancing are being applied in schools compared to other sectors.
tabling member constituency	Easington
tabling member printed	Grahame Morris
uin	47248
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 20/05/2020 answer text <p>Keeping people safe continues to be the Government’s main priority. We want all children and young people to be able to get back into school as soon as the scientific advice allows – it is the best place for them to be educated and we know how important it is for their mental wellbeing to have social interactions with their peers and teachers.</p><p>Our approach for education and childcare settings to prepare for a gradual returning of pupils from 1 June is underpinned by our latest understanding of the science, which indicates that we need to take a phased approach to limit the risk of increasing the rate of transmission. We have specifically factored in:</p><ul><li>severity of disease in children – there is high scientific confidence that children of all ages have less severe symptoms than adults if they contract coronavirus;</li><li>the age of children – there is moderately high scientific confidence that younger children are less likely to become unwell if infected with coronavirus;</li><li>numbers of children going back – which needs to be limited initially then increased gradually as the science permits; and</li><li>systems to reduce the size of the groups coming into contact with each other – such as smaller class sizes spread out across setting.</li></ul><p>Early years and primary age children cannot be expected, unlike older children and adults, to remain 2 metres apart from each other and staff. In deciding to bring more children back to early years and schools, we have also taken this into account. Protective measures are possible which, when implemented, substantially reduce the risk of transmission of infection.</p><p>It is still important to reduce contact between people as much as possible, and we can achieve that and reduce transmission risk by ensuring children, young people and staff where possible, only mix in a small, consistent group; and that small group stays away from other people and groups. Public Health England is clear that if early years settings, schools and colleges do this, and crucially if they are also applying regular hand cleaning, hygiene and cleaning measures and handling potential cases of the virus as per the advice, then the risk of transmission will be lowered. Where settings are able to keep children and young people in those small groups 2 metres away from each other, they should do so. We have published guidance on implementing protective measures in education and childcare settings to support settings to get this right, available here:<br> <a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/coronavirus-covid-19-implementing-protective-measures-in-education-and-childcare-settings/coronavirus-covid-19-implementing-protective-measures-in-education-and-childcare-settings" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/coronavirus-covid-19-implementing-protective-measures-in-education-and-childcare-settings/coronavirus-covid-19-implementing-protective-measures-in-education-and-childcare-settings</a>.</p> answering member constituency Bognor Regis and Littlehampton answering member printed Nick Gibb question first answered 20/05/2020 16:48:13 answering member 111 label Biography information for Nick Gibb
tabling member	3973 label Biography information for Grahame Morris

1196099

registered interest
date	15/05/2020
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 guidance he has issued to schools on maintaining social distancing within schools with (a) early years children and (b) limited classroom space.
tabling member constituency	Easington
tabling member printed	Grahame Morris
uin	47249
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 20/05/2020 answer text <p>The safety of pupils and staff returning to school is key. We know that, unlike older children and adults, early years and primary age children cannot be expected to remain 2 metres apart from each other and staff. In deciding to bring more children back to early years and schools, we are taking this into account. Protective measures are possible which, when implemented, substantially reduce the risk of transmission of infection. Schools should therefore work through the hierarchy of protective measures:</p><ul><li>avoiding contact with anyone with symptoms;</li><li>frequent hand cleaning and good respiratory hygiene practices;</li><li>regular cleaning of schools; and</li><li>minimising contact and mixing.</li></ul><p> </p><p>It is still important to reduce contact between people as much as possible, and we can achieve that and reduce transmission risk by ensuring children, young people and staff where possible, only mix in a small, consistent group and that small group stays away from other people and groups. Public Health England is clear that if early years settings, schools and colleges do this, and crucially if they are also applying regular hand cleaning, hygiene and cleaning measures and handling potential cases of the virus as per the advice, then the risk of transmission will be lowered. Where schools are able to keep children and young people in those small groups 2 metres away from each other, they should do so.</p><p>Each school's circumstances will be slightly different. Any school that cannot achieve these small groups at any point should discuss options with their local authority or trust. This might be because there are not enough classrooms or spaces available in the school. Solutions might involve children attending a nearby school, or schools prioritising the younger age groups of newly eligible children.</p><p>We have published guidance on implementing protective measures in education and childcare settings to support settings to get this right, available here: <a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/coronavirus-covid-19-implementing-protective-measures-in-education-and-childcare-settings/coronavirus-covid-19-implementing-protective-measures-in-education-and-childcare-settings" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/coronavirus-covid-19-implementing-protective-measures-in-education-and-childcare-settings/coronavirus-covid-19-implementing-protective-measures-in-education-and-childcare-settings</a>.</p> answering member constituency Bognor Regis and Littlehampton answering member printed Nick Gibb question first answered 20/05/2020 16:51:02 answering member 111 label Biography information for Nick Gibb
tabling member	3973 label Biography information for Grahame Morris

1196203

registered interest
date	15/05/2020
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 plans his Department has to issue pedagogical guidance on safe socially-distanced play-based learning for reception pupils.
tabling member constituency	Denton and Reddish
tabling member printed	Andrew Gwynne
uin	47220
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 20/05/2020 answer text <p>As both my right hon. Friends, the Prime Minister and Chancellor of the Exchequer, have made clear, the Government will do whatever it takes to support people affected by COVID-19.</p><p>The Department for Education has published guidance on implementing protective measures in education and childcare settings to prevent the spread of coronavirus, available here: <a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/coronavirus-covid-19-implementing-protective-measures-in-education-and-childcare-settings/coronavirus-covid-19-implementing-protective-measures-in-education-and-childcare-settings" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/coronavirus-covid-19-implementing-protective-measures-in-education-and-childcare-settings/coronavirus-covid-19-implementing-protective-measures-in-education-and-childcare-settings</a>.</p><p>The Department has also provided information on planning what to teach, and how, in the case of a phased return of some children into mainstream primary schools: <a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/preparing-for-the-wider-opening-of-schools-from-1-june/planning-guide-for-primary-schools#planning-what-to-teach-and-how" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/preparing-for-the-wider-opening-of-schools-from-1-june/planning-guide-for-primary-schools#planning-what-to-teach-and-how</a>.</p><p>It sets out that the priorities for young children at this time should be resocialisation into school routines; speaking and listening, and regaining momentum in particular with early reading.</p> answering member constituency Bognor Regis and Littlehampton answering member printed Nick Gibb question first answered 20/05/2020 16:51:30 answering member 111 label Biography information for Nick Gibb
tabling member	1506 label Biography information for Andrew Gwynne

1196210

registered interest
date	15/05/2020
answering body	Department for Education
answering dept id	60
answering dept short name	Education
answering dept sort name	Education
hansard heading	Remote Education: Computers
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Education, when Government funding will be made available to schools for laptops for remote learning for pupils during the covid-19 lockdown.
tabling member constituency	Sheffield, Hallam
tabling member printed	Olivia Blake
uin	47479
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 20/05/2020 answer text <p>The Government has committed over £100 million to support vulnerable and disadvantaged children in England to access remote education, including by providing laptops, tablets and 4G routers.</p><p>The Department is providing laptops and tablets to disadvantaged children who would otherwise not have access and are preparing for examinations in Year 10, receiving support from a social worker or are a care leaver. Where care leavers, children with a social worker at secondary school and disadvantaged children in Year 10 do not have internet connections, we are also providing 4G routers.</p><p>Local authorities and academy trusts are best place to identify and prioritise children and young people who need devices. The Department is agreeing the number of devices allocated to each local authority and academy trust based on its estimates of the number of eligible children that do not have access to a device.</p> answering member constituency Bognor Regis and Littlehampton answering member printed Nick Gibb grouped question UIN 47377 47378 question first answered 20/05/2020 16:56:49 answering member 111 label Biography information for Nick Gibb
tabling member	4864 label Biography information for Olivia Blake

1196221

registered interest
date	15/05/2020
answering body	Department for Education
answering dept id	60
answering dept short name	Education
answering dept sort name	Education
hansard heading	Children: Coronavirus
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 4 May 2020 to Question 41551, how many pupils who have been supplied with a computer or laptop for use at home during the covid-19 outbreak are (a) preparing for examinations in Year 10, (b) receiving support from a social worker, (c) a care leaver and (d) in pre-school.
tabling member constituency	Leeds East
tabling member printed	Richard Burgon
uin	47377
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 20/05/2020 answer text <p>The Government has committed over £100 million to support vulnerable and disadvantaged children in England to access remote education, including by providing laptops, tablets and 4G routers.</p><p>The Department is providing laptops and tablets to disadvantaged children who would otherwise not have access and are preparing for examinations in Year 10, receiving support from a social worker or are a care leaver. Where care leavers, children with a social worker at secondary school and disadvantaged children in Year 10 do not have internet connections, we are also providing 4G routers.</p><p>Local authorities and academy trusts are best place to identify and prioritise children and young people who need devices. The Department is agreeing the number of devices allocated to each local authority and academy trust based on its estimates of the number of eligible children that do not have access to a device.</p> answering member constituency Bognor Regis and Littlehampton answering member printed Nick Gibb grouped question UIN 47378 47479 question first answered 20/05/2020 16:56:49 answering member 111 label Biography information for Nick Gibb
tabling member	4493 label Biography information for Richard Burgon

1196222

registered interest
date	15/05/2020
answering body	Department for Education
answering dept id	60
answering dept short name	Education
answering dept sort name	Education
hansard heading	Children: Coronavirus
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 4 May 2020 to Question 41551, how many (a) laptops and (b) 4G internet hotspots his Department has provided to pupils in (a) Leeds, (b) Yorkshire and the Humber and (c) the UK since the schools closed due to the covid-19 outbreak.
tabling member constituency	Leeds East
tabling member printed	Richard Burgon
uin	47378
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 20/05/2020 answer text <p>The Government has committed over £100 million to support vulnerable and disadvantaged children in England to access remote education, including by providing laptops, tablets and 4G routers.</p><p>The Department is providing laptops and tablets to disadvantaged children who would otherwise not have access and are preparing for examinations in Year 10, receiving support from a social worker or are a care leaver. Where care leavers, children with a social worker at secondary school and disadvantaged children in Year 10 do not have internet connections, we are also providing 4G routers.</p><p>Local authorities and academy trusts are best place to identify and prioritise children and young people who need devices. The Department is agreeing the number of devices allocated to each local authority and academy trust based on its estimates of the number of eligible children that do not have access to a device.</p> answering member constituency Bognor Regis and Littlehampton answering member printed Nick Gibb grouped question UIN 47377 47479 question first answered 20/05/2020 16:56:49 answering member 111 label Biography information for Nick Gibb
tabling member	4493 label Biography information for Richard Burgon

1195471

registered interest
date	13/05/2020
answering body	Department for Education
answering dept id	60
answering dept short name	Education
answering dept sort name	Education
hansard heading	Schools: Trade Unions
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how many meetings he has had since 16 March 2020 with school (a) leadership unions, (b) teaching unions and (c) support staff unions.
tabling member constituency	Warrington North
tabling member printed	Charlotte Nichols
uin	46816
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 22/05/2020 answer text <p>The Department has been engaging widely with a wide range of stakeholders at both official and ministerial level, including headteacher, teacher and support staff unions, including through meetings listed below.</p><p>Details of weekly engagement are set out below:</p><ul><li>Weekly meetings with senior policy officials and key stakeholders along with other main teaching unions, governance, social care, school trusts and local government;</li><li>A weekly meeting with wider stakeholders including support staff, further education and school business organisations;</li><li>Weekly calls for evidence from key stakeholders on key policy questions to inform decision making on reopening;</li><li>Weekly meetings between my right hon. Friend, my right hon. Friend, Secretary of State for Education and the main teaching unions and stakeholder groups; and</li><li>Ad hoc additional stakeholder meetings to address key issues as and when they arise.</li></ul><p> </p> answering member constituency Bognor Regis and Littlehampton answering member printed Nick Gibb question first answered 22/05/2020 12:55:08 answering member 111 label Biography information for Nick Gibb
tabling member	4799 label Biography information for Charlotte Nichols

1195491

registered interest
date	13/05/2020
answering body	Department for Education
answering dept id	60
answering dept short name	Education
answering dept sort name	Education
hansard heading	Teachers: Coronavirus
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether teachers in schools are allowed to wear face masks when teaching children during the covid-19 outbreak.
tabling member constituency	Leeds Central
tabling member printed	Hilary Benn
uin	46554
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 18/05/2020 answer text <p>Wearing a face covering or face mask in schools is not recommended. Face coverings may be beneficial for short periods indoors where there is a risk of close social contact with people from other households and where social distancing and other measures cannot be maintained (for example, on public transport or in some shops). This does not apply to schools, which should therefore not require staff, children and learners to wear face coverings. Cleaning and maintaining hygiene are important measures in controlling the spread of the virus.</p><p>Guidance for schools on how to implement protective measures can be found here:</p><p><a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/coronavirus-covid-19-implementing-protective-measures-in-education-and-childcare-settings" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/coronavirus-covid-19-implementing-protective-measures-in-education-and-childcare-settings</a>.</p> answering member constituency Bognor Regis and Littlehampton answering member printed Nick Gibb question first answered 18/05/2020 16:18:49 answering member 111 label Biography information for Nick Gibb
tabling member	413 label Biography information for Hilary Benn