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1661175

registered interest
date	18/09/2023
answering body	Department for Education
answering dept id	60
answering dept short name	Education
answering dept sort name	Education
hansard heading	Schools: Redundancy Pay
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 13 September 2023 to Question 197731 on Schools: Redundancy Pay, if she will take steps to ensure that all severance payments over £50,000 for school staff are approved by her Department or the Treasury.
tabling member constituency	Shipley
tabling member printed	Philip Davies
uin	199888
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 16/10/2023 answer text <p>The responsibilities for academy trusts on severance pay and exit packages are set out in the Academy Trust Handbook (ATH), which is available at: <a href="https://www.gov.uk/guidance/academy-trust-handbook" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/guidance/academy-trust-handbook</a>. Where the academy trust is considering a staff severance payment, including a non-statutory/non-contractual element (also referred to as a special severance payment) of £50,000 or more, the Education and Skills Funding Agency’s (ESFA) prior approval must be obtained before making any offer to staff. The ESFA will refer such transactions to HM Treasury. Additionally, in accordance with HM Treasury’s Guidance on Public Sector Exit Payments, academy trusts must obtain prior ESFA approval before making a non-statutory/non-contractual staff severance payment where: an exit package, which includes a non-statutory/non-contractual severance payment, is at, or above, £100,000; and/or the employee earns over £150,000. The guidance is available at: <a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/public-sector-exit-payments-guidance-on-special-severance-payments" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/public-sector-exit-payments-guidance-on-special-severance-payments</a>.</p><p>The ATH is also clear that staff severance payments should not be made where they could be seen as a reward for failure, such as gross misconduct or poor performance.</p><p>The responsibility for maintained schools’ severance and exit payments sits with the school and the Local Authority.</p> answering member constituency Bognor Regis and Littlehampton answering member printed Nick Gibb question first answered 16/10/2023 12:21:21 answering member 111 label Biography information for Nick Gibb
tabling member	1565 label Biography information for Sir Philip Davies

1658163

registered interest
date	05/09/2023
answering body	Department for Education
answering dept id	60
answering dept short name	Education
answering dept sort name	Education
hansard heading	Schools: Redundancy Pay
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how many paid severances have been made by (a) all schools and (b) academy trusts in each of the last five years; and what the total cost to the public purse for those severances was in each of the last five years.
tabling member constituency	Shipley
tabling member printed	Philip Davies
uin	197731
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 13/09/2023 answer text <p>The Government requires a high level of accountability and transparency of academy trusts. Academy trusts’ status as companies, charities, and public sector bodies means they have a rigorous tri-partite framework and are held up to greater scrutiny.</p><p> </p><p>Academy trusts’ responsibilities on severance payments are set out in the Academy Trust Handbook available at: <a href="https://www.gov.uk/guidance/academy-trust-handbook" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/guidance/academy-trust-handbook</a>. Additional information is available here: <a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/academies-severance-payments-form" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/academies-severance-payments-form</a>. Data on severance payments is provided in academy trusts’ accounts and at sector level in the Academies Consolidated Annual Report and Accounts, available at: <a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/academies-sector-annual-reports-and-accounts" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/academies-sector-annual-reports-and-accounts</a>. In each report, severance payments are covered under the ‘Staff Costs’ section. Special severance payment (payments paid to employees outside statutory or contractual requirements) are listed under ‘Losses and Special Payments’. The latest sector data for the Consolidated Annual Report and Accounts year ending 31 August 2022 will be published in autumn 2023.</p><p> </p><p>As the responsibility for maintained schools’ severance payments sits with the school and the local authority, the department does not collect the number of severances or amounts paid by Local Authority maintained schools.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency Bognor Regis and Littlehampton answering member printed Nick Gibb question first answered 13/09/2023 16:52:00 answering member 111 label Biography information for Nick Gibb
tabling member	1565 label Biography information for Sir Philip Davies

1656123

registered interest
date	01/09/2023
answering body	Department for Education
answering dept id	60
answering dept short name	Education
answering dept sort name	Education
hansard heading	Ofsted: Staff
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how many and what proportion of (a) board members and (b) employees of Ofsted have previous experience in the sector that they regulate.
tabling member constituency	Shipley
tabling member printed	Philip Davies
uin	195829
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 11/09/2023 answer text <p>The role of Ofsted’s chair and non-executive board is to determine strategic priorities, objectives and targets for Ofsted, and to provide challenge and support in relation to the inspectorate’s overall work and performance.</p><p>Board members are appointed by the Secretary of State and recruitment processes follow the public appointment guidelines. All board members have the appropriate strategic and corporate expertise to perform their roles effectively. That includes board members with experience of working in the sectors in which Ofsted operates, as well as other relevant experience, including of other regulators, other services and third sector organisations that support children and young people. Ofsted’s board membership is set out here: <a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/ofsted/about/our-governance" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/ofsted/about/our-governance</a>.</p><p>Recruitment of Ofsted’s employees is a matter for Ofsted, as a separate government department. I have therefore asked His Majesty’s Chief Inspector, Amanda Spielman, to write to the hon. Member for Shipley directly on this matter. A copy of her reply will be placed in the Libraries of both Houses.</p> answering member constituency Bognor Regis and Littlehampton answering member printed Nick Gibb question first answered 11/09/2023 16:00:28 answering member 111 label Biography information for Nick Gibb
tabling member	1565 label Biography information for Sir Philip Davies

1541452

registered interest
date	11/11/2022
answering body	Department for Education
answering dept id	60
answering dept short name	Education
answering dept sort name	Education
hansard heading	Department for Education: Civil Servants
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what the civil service headcount for their Department was on (a) 15 November 2022 and (b) 1 February 2020.
tabling member constituency	Shipley
tabling member printed	Philip Davies
uin	84836
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 21/11/2022 answer text <p>As at 1 February 2020, the headcount of the Department was 7179.</p><p>As at 15 November 2022, the headcount of the Department was 8358.</p><p>This growth reflects a number of key areas, such as emergency response functions in response to COVID-19 and Ukraine, and policy and delivery teams supporting the Department’s skills, schools and families reform agenda. This includes ongoing growth of the academies sector. This also reflects specialist digital, data, and technology, and commercial roles, including replacing managed services where possible to deliver greater value for money.</p> answering member constituency Bognor Regis and Littlehampton answering member printed Nick Gibb question first answered 21/11/2022 17:46:38 answering member 111 label Biography information for Nick Gibb
tabling member	1565 label Biography information for Sir Philip Davies

1541292

registered interest
date	09/11/2022
answering body	Department for Education
answering dept id	60
answering dept short name	Education
answering dept sort name	Education
hansard heading	Department for Education: Coronavirus
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how many employees in her Department work on matters related to covid-19.
tabling member constituency	Shipley
tabling member printed	Philip Davies
uin	83578
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 18/11/2022 answer text <p>In March 2022, there were approximately 185 employees working in COVID-19 specific teams.</p><p> </p><p>From the end of March 2022, related COVID-19 work has been spread across several teams within the Department. The information on how many employees work on matters related to the COVID-19 pandemic is not held centrally and could only be obtained at disproportionate cost.</p> answering member constituency Bognor Regis and Littlehampton answering member printed Nick Gibb question first answered 18/11/2022 11:18:21 answering member 111 label Biography information for Nick Gibb
tabling member	1565 label Biography information for Sir Philip Davies

1350942

registered interest
date	18/08/2021
answering body	Department for Education
answering dept id	60
answering dept short name	Education
answering dept sort name	Education
hansard heading	Free Schools: Sports
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 23 July 2021 to Question 33181 on Free Schools: Sports, what assessment he has made of the adequacy of the sporting facilities at One in a Million Free School.
tabling member constituency	Shipley
tabling member printed	Philip Davies
uin	40787
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 07/09/2021 answer text <p>One in a Million Free School currently has access to both indoor and outdoor facilities for sport, either within the school grounds or through off site arrangements. The Department has identified a site to provide additional sporting facilities for the school.</p> answering member constituency Bognor Regis and Littlehampton answering member printed Nick Gibb question first answered 07/09/2021 15:53:47 answering member 111 label Biography information for Nick Gibb
tabling member	1565 label Biography information for Sir Philip Davies

1349588

registered interest
date	22/07/2021
answering body	Department for Education
answering dept id	60
answering dept short name	Education
answering dept sort name	Education
hansard heading	Department for Education: Protective Clothing
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what his current policy is on the wearing of face coverings in his (a) Department, (b) departmental agencies and (c) related bodies during the covid-19 outbreak.
tabling member constituency	Shipley
tabling member printed	Philip Davies
uin	38201
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 06/09/2021 answer text <p>Throughout the COVID-19 outbreak, the Department has followed, and continues to follow, the latest Government guidance in relation to managing the risk of COVID-19 in the workplace, including any variations between the four nations of the UK.</p><p>In England, the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy ‘Working Safely during coronavirus (COVID-19)’ guidance provides sensible precautions employers can take to manage risk and support their staff. The guidance is available via the following link: <a href="https://www.gov.uk/guidance/working-safely-during-covid-19/offices-factories-and-labs#offices-7-2" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/guidance/working-safely-during-covid-19/offices-factories-and-labs#offices-7-2</a>.</p><p>It is for individual employers to determine which mitigations are appropriate to adopt as they review their workplace risk assessments in light of the updated guidance. Face coverings, which are no longer required by law, are one possible mitigation employers could adopt if the situation warranted it.</p><p>The Department fully supports individuals who choose to wear a face covering in the workplace.</p><p>Other related bodies to the Department set their own policies on how their staff should work in offices and are not required to report this back centrally.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency Bognor Regis and Littlehampton answering member printed Nick Gibb question first answered 06/09/2021 17:44:53 answering member 111 label Biography information for Nick Gibb
tabling member	1565 label Biography information for Sir Philip Davies

1346954

registered interest
date	14/07/2021
answering body	Department for Education
answering dept id	60
answering dept short name	Education
answering dept sort name	Education
hansard heading	Free Schools: Sports
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what estimate he has made of the number of free schools which do not yet have adequate sporting facilities.
tabling member constituency	Shipley
tabling member printed	Philip Davies
uin	33181
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 23/07/2021 answer text <p>All free schools have indoor facilities for sport and are required to have suitable outdoor provision for physical education. This could be through sports facilities within the school grounds or through off-site arrangements.</p> answering member constituency Bognor Regis and Littlehampton answering member printed Nick Gibb question first answered 23/07/2021 11:25:30 answering member 111 label Biography information for Nick Gibb
tabling member	1565 label Biography information for Sir Philip Davies

1338484

registered interest
date	21/06/2021
answering body	Department for Education
answering dept id	60
answering dept short name	Education
answering dept sort name	Education
hansard heading	Department for Education: Training
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Education, with reference to the Written Statement of 15 December 2020, HCWS652, what steps he has taken to phase out unconscious bias training in his Department.
tabling member constituency	Shipley
tabling member printed	Philip Davies
uin	19542
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 29/06/2021 answer text <p>In October 2020, the Department began phasing out the unconscious bias training by removing the product from the mandatory training schedule.</p><p>Following the <a href="https://questions-statements.parliament.uk/written-statements/detail/2020-12-15/hcws652" target="_blank">Ministerial Statement</a> on 15 December 2020, in January 2021 the Department fully removed unconscious bias training.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency Bognor Regis and Littlehampton answering member printed Nick Gibb question first answered 29/06/2021 16:33:56 answering member 111 label Biography information for Nick Gibb
tabling member	1565 label Biography information for Sir Philip Davies

1314627

registered interest
date	13/05/2021
answering body	Department for Education
answering dept id	60
answering dept short name	Education
answering dept sort name	Education
hansard heading	Personal, Social, Health and Economic Education: Gambling
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 make teaching on the risks of gambling addiction compulsory in PSHE lessons in secondary schools.
tabling member constituency	Shipley
tabling member printed	Philip Davies
uin	1032
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 21/05/2021 answer text <p>The Department has made relationships education compulsory for all primary schools, relationships and sex education compulsory for all secondary school pupils and health education compulsory for pupils in all state-funded schools. Health education includes teaching pupils about the risks associated with gambling. The statutory guidance is available here: <a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/relationships-education-relationships-and-sex-education-rse-and-health-education" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/relationships-education-relationships-and-sex-education-rse-and-health-education</a>.</p><p>These subjects will make sure that children and young people are taught about the risks associated with gambling and are able to make informed decisions about their own actions. These subjects will also support pupils to understand the importance of their mental wellbeing and promote safe online behaviour. For example, under the topic of internet safety and harms, the guidance sets out that young people should be taught about the risks related to online gambling, including the accumulation of debt, how advertising and information is targeted at them and how to be a discerning consumer of information online.</p><p>To support schools to deliver this content, the Department has produced teacher training modules. This includes teaching pupils about the risks associated with gambling as part of health education. A link to the training modules is available on GOV.UK and can be found here: <a href="https://www.gov.uk/guidance/teaching-about-relationships-sex-and-health#primary-teacher-training-modules" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/guidance/teaching-about-relationships-sex-and-health#primary-teacher-training-modules</a>.</p> answering member constituency Bognor Regis and Littlehampton answering member printed Nick Gibb question first answered 21/05/2021 13:42:25 answering member 111 label Biography information for Nick Gibb
tabling member	1565 label Biography information for Sir Philip Davies