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

1399158

registered interest
date	04/01/2022
answering body	Department for Education
answering dept id	60
answering dept short name	Education
answering dept sort name	Education
hansard heading	Day Care and Educational Institutions: Air Conditioning
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what criteria were used in the selection of the Dyson Pure Cool Formaldehyde – TP09 and Camfil City M as air cleaning units for education and childcare settings.
tabling member constituency	Twickenham
tabling member printed	Munira Wilson
uin	97139
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 17/01/2022 answer text <p>All air cleaning units provided by the department have met an approved technical specification. The department’s technical specification used to assess the units was developed through a rigorous consultation with industry wide experts in both air cleaning and ventilation from academia, professional bodies, and industry, including chartered engineers, scientists, and several government departments. Through this consultation we have developed a specification specific to education focusing on key drivers including classroom size, acoustics, clean air delivery and filtration as well as requiring strong evidence to verify manufacturers' claims.</p><p>The specification included a wide range of factors appropriate to an education environment to determine overall suitability. This included clean air delivery rates, noise levels, filtration capability, technical certification, ease of use and maintenance, warranty, and strength of evidence for manufacturer claims. The primary considerations were around the standard of filtration which is high efficiency particulate air (HEPA) filtration technology; the minimum standard was specified to HEPA H13/ISO35H which is a medical grade of filter which helps to remove airborne contaminants including from the air including viruses such as SARS‑CoV‑2. HEPA technology is a mature technology and removes the risk of any less well tested technology being implemented into classrooms. Acoustic performance was also a major consideration due to the units needing to go into a classroom environment. All of these criteria formed part of our technical specification used to assess and select units that meet our high specification and are suitable for teaching environments.</p><p>Any procurement that we undertake must comply with the Public Contract Regulations (2015). The procurement of the air cleaning devices was undertaken using the Crown Commercial Service (CCS) Framework (RM6157) which can be accessed by central government departments including the Department for Education and the wider public sector. We have selected a range of products which meet this high specification criteria to provide education and childcare settings with high quality air cleaning units of a suitable specification.</p><p>For education providers which are not eligible for funded units, the department has launched an online marketplace which provides a route to purchasing air cleaning units directly from suppliers at a suitable specification and competitive price. Further information is available here: <a href="https://s107t01-webapp-v2-01.azurewebsites.net/list/air-cleaning" target="_blank">https://s107t01-webapp-v2-01.azurewebsites.net/list/air-cleaning</a>. In future, the department may review this list and as more products which meet our specification become available, these will be added.</p><p>The department will publish details of the contracts for air cleaning units which will include the technical specification criteria on contracts finder in line with the government’s transparency agenda.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency Worcester answering member printed Mr Robin Walker question first answered 17/01/2022 18:43:47 answering member 4091 label Biography information for Mr Robin Walker
tabling member	4776 label Biography information for Munira Wilson

1399182

registered interest
date	04/01/2022
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 recent assessment he has made of the potential merits of providing targeted financial assistance to schools in response to the omicron covid-19 variant to support the (a) implementation of additional covid-19 safety measures on their premises and (b) purchase of air filtration devices where natural ventilation is limited due to design and capacity of buildings.
tabling member constituency	Erith and Thamesmead
tabling member printed	Abena Oppong-Asare
uin	97172
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 10/01/2022 answer text <p>The measures in place day-to-day in schools, colleges and nurseries to tackle COVID-19 are based on the latest scientific advice and strike a balance between managing transmission risk and reducing disruption to children and young people’s education.</p><p>The priority is for schools, colleges and nurseries to deliver face-to-face, high-quality education to all children, pupils and students. The evidence is clear that being out of education causes significant harm to educational attainment, life chances, and mental and physical health. To manage COVID-19 transmission, education providers continue to ensure good hygiene for everyone, maintain appropriate cleaning regimes, keep occupied spaces well ventilated and follow public health advice on testing, self-isolation, face coverings and managing confirmed cases of COVID-19.</p><p>To support schools with these measures, the department provided carbon dioxide monitors to all state-funded education providers, including nurseries, schools and further education colleges, backed by £25 million in government funding. We have now delivered on our public commitment with over 353,000 monitors delivered in the autumn term. Feedback following this roll out shows that in most schools, colleges and nurseries existing ventilation measures are sufficient.</p><p>For the very few cases where maintaining good ventilation is not possible, the department is supplying up to 7,000 air purifiers cleaning units. This is on top of the 1,000 funded units for special educational needs and disabilities and alternative provision providers that we announced in November. We have also made over £100 million of funding available to secondary schools, colleges, and specialist providers to support them with the workforce costs associated with delivering on-site testing, and continue to do so, in line with departmental testing policy.</p><p>This should also be seen in the wider context of funding for schools. Overall, core schools funding will increase by £4 billion in financial year 2022/23 compared to 2021/22, a 5% real terms per pupil boost. This includes an additional £1.2 billion for schools in the new school supplementary grant for financial year 2022/23. This funding boost will rapidly give schools the resources they need to rise to the challenges of COVID-19 response and recovery, increase teacher pay, and meet the cost of the Health and Social Care Levy, while continuing their work to raise attainment and educational outcomes for all children and young people.</p><p>The vast majority of schools are operating with a cumulative surplus, with only a small percentage having a deficit. The latest published figures show that the percentage of both academy trusts and local authority maintained schools in surplus or breaking even increased compared to the previous reporting year. At the end of financial year 2020/21, 92% of local authority maintained schools were in cumulative surplus or breaking even, compared to 88% the previous year. At the end of the 2019/20 academic year, 96% of academy trusts were in surplus or breaking even, compared to 94% the previous year.</p> answering member constituency Worcester answering member printed Mr Robin Walker question first answered 10/01/2022 15:11:02 answering member 4091 label Biography information for Mr Robin Walker
tabling member	4820 label Biography information for Abena Oppong-Asare

1399271

registered interest
date	04/01/2022
answering body	Department for Education
answering dept id	60
answering dept short name	Education
answering dept sort name	Education
hansard heading	Teachers; Pay
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Education, if he will make it his policy to announce any pay rises for school teaching staff by April 2022 to allow schools to include those rises in their budgeting processes which take place before the summer holidays.
tabling member constituency	St Albans
tabling member printed	Daisy Cooper
uin	97131
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 12/01/2022 answer text <p>In the remit letter to the chair of the School Teachers’ Review Body (STRB), my right hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Education, has requested that the STRB provide their recommendations on the academic years 2022/23 and 2023/24 pay awards during May 2022.</p><p>Any pay award will be announced after the Secretary of State has reviewed the STRB’s report. As ever, we will work with colleagues across government to ensure we publish the STRB’s report and the government’s response as quickly as possible.</p> answering member constituency Worcester answering member printed Mr Robin Walker grouped question UIN 97132 question first answered 12/01/2022 16:26:59 answering member 4091 label Biography information for Mr Robin Walker
tabling member	4769 label Biography information for Daisy Cooper

1399272

registered interest
date	04/01/2022
answering body	Department for Education
answering dept id	60
answering dept short name	Education
answering dept sort name	Education
hansard heading	Teachers: Pay
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Education, when the School Teachers’ Review Body plans to provide its recommendations on teacher pay rises in 2022.
tabling member constituency	St Albans
tabling member printed	Daisy Cooper
uin	97132
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 12/01/2022 answer text <p>In the remit letter to the chair of the School Teachers’ Review Body (STRB), my right hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Education, has requested that the STRB provide their recommendations on the academic years 2022/23 and 2023/24 pay awards during May 2022.</p><p>Any pay award will be announced after the Secretary of State has reviewed the STRB’s report. As ever, we will work with colleagues across government to ensure we publish the STRB’s report and the government’s response as quickly as possible.</p> answering member constituency Worcester answering member printed Mr Robin Walker grouped question UIN 97131 question first answered 12/01/2022 16:26:59 answering member 4091 label Biography information for Mr Robin Walker
tabling member	4769 label Biography information for Daisy Cooper

1399359

registered interest
date	04/01/2022
answering body	Department for Education
answering dept id	60
answering dept short name	Education
answering dept sort name	Education
hansard heading	Schools: Governing Bodies
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether his Department records how many school governors are from a Black, Asian and Ethnic Minority background.
tabling member constituency	Bradford East
tabling member printed	Imran Hussain
uin	96897
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 12/01/2022 answer text <p>The department does not currently collect data on the ethnicity of volunteers in school and academy trust governance. We recognise the importance and positive impact of a diverse board. For this reason, guidance published by the department emphasises that boards should understand the diversity of their schools and the communities they serve and ensure their board is reflective of this. We are committed to working with the sector to increase the diversity of school and academy trust boards.</p> answering member constituency Worcester answering member printed Mr Robin Walker question first answered 12/01/2022 16:28:52 answering member 4091 label Biography information for Mr Robin Walker
tabling member	4394 label Biography information for Imran Hussain

1399384

registered interest
date	04/01/2022
answering body	Department for Education
answering dept id	60
answering dept short name	Education
answering dept sort name	Education
hansard heading	Israel: Education
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what recent discussions he has had with Cabinet colleagues on the teaching and learning about Israel in UK schools.
tabling member constituency	Chipping Barnet
tabling member printed	Theresa Villiers
uin	96809
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 10/01/2022 answer text <p>Schools can teach pupils about Israel as part of a broad and balanced curriculum, including in history and geography. For example, at key stage 3, history encompasses the study of Britain, Europe and the wider world from 1901 to the present day, and must include the Holocaust. At key stage 4, there are GCSE specifications that include Israel, in the context of the study of the Middle East. However, we do not specify how schools should teach the curriculum and we trust teachers to use their professional judgement and understanding of their pupils to develop the right teaching approach for them.</p><p>We are aware of unfortunate issues around bias and imbalance in teaching about Israel and the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. On 28 May 2021, my colleague and the former Secretary of State for Education, wrote to all schools to reiterate that they are subject to legal duties on political impartiality which are relevant to teaching about the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. This intervention was a clear message that this government is committed to upholding the principle of political impartiality in our schools and will act where necessary to do so. The department is also developing further guidance on political impartiality in schools, and we continue to work with the sector and others across government to ensure schools are adequately supported in this area. We hope this guidance will offer clarity to the sector and support teachers to cover sensitive political issues and topics in an appropriate manner.</p> answering member constituency Worcester answering member printed Mr Robin Walker question first answered 10/01/2022 14:41:56 answering member 4091 label Biography information for Mr Robin Walker
tabling member	1500 label Biography information for Theresa Villiers

1399392

registered interest
date	04/01/2022
answering body	Department for Education
answering dept id	60
answering dept short name	Education
answering dept sort name	Education
hansard heading	Out-of-school Education: Closures
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps the Government is taking to ensure that local authorities, Ofsted and safeguarding bodies have the necessary powers to investigate, seize evidence and shut down illegal schools.
tabling member constituency	St Albans
tabling member printed	Daisy Cooper
uin	97133
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 12/01/2022 answer text <p>It is a criminal offence under section 96 of the Education and Skills Act 2008 to conduct an unregistered independent school. The department and Ofsted continue to investigate any schools, colleges, and universities where intelligence or evidence suggest that this offence is being committed. Section 97 of the act permits no-notice inspections of education providers believed to be operating as an unregistered independent school.</p><p>Between 1 January 2016 and 31 August 2021, 850 education providers were investigated leading to 412 inspections. These inspections have led to 114 unregistered schools being identified, and joint work between the department and Ofsted has led to 101 of these schools changing their provision to cease operating unlawfully. In addition, since 2016, 6 successful prosecutions have been brought against groups responsible for operating illegal education providers</p><p>The department has previously committed to taking forward measures to make it easier for Ofsted to investigate and gather evidence of breaches of section 96 of the act, and prosecute those responsible for running unregistered schools, including in the 2019 Integrated Communities Action Plan. Such measures are planned to be taken forward when a suitable legislative opportunity arises.</p> answering member constituency Worcester answering member printed Mr Robin Walker question first answered 12/01/2022 16:25:14 answering member 4091 label Biography information for Mr Robin Walker
tabling member	4769 label Biography information for Daisy Cooper

1399409

registered interest
date	04/01/2022
answering body	Department for Education
answering dept id	60
answering dept short name	Education
answering dept sort name	Education
hansard heading	Supply Teachers
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how many people have signed up to a supply teaching agency in response to his appeal of 16 December 2021 to date.
tabling member constituency	Portsmouth South
tabling member printed	Stephen Morgan
uin	97031
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 10/01/2022 answer text <p>We are extremely grateful to all the teachers who are responding to our call to return temporarily to the classroom to support our schools whilst cases of the COVID-19 Omicron variant continue to rise.</p><p>We are in close contact with supply agencies to monitor the interest they receive to help schools during this time. However, supply agencies are private employment businesses operating independently of the department. Therefore, the department is not able to provide data on the numbers of supply teachers or which agencies they are working with. The department does not hold the information requested regarding pre-employment checks since the Disclosure and Barring Service is a non-departmental public body of the Home Office.</p> answering member constituency Worcester answering member printed Mr Robin Walker grouped question UIN 97032 97033 question first answered 10/01/2022 14:14:46 answering member 4091 label Biography information for Mr Robin Walker
tabling member	4653 label Biography information for Stephen Morgan

1399410

registered interest
date	04/01/2022
answering body	Department for Education
answering dept id	60
answering dept short name	Education
answering dept sort name	Education
hansard heading	Supply Teachers: Vetting
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how many applicants to supply teaching agencies have applied for a Disclosure and Barring Service check in each of the last six months.
tabling member constituency	Portsmouth South
tabling member printed	Stephen Morgan
uin	97032
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 10/01/2022 answer text <p>We are extremely grateful to all the teachers who are responding to our call to return temporarily to the classroom to support our schools whilst cases of the COVID-19 Omicron variant continue to rise.</p><p>We are in close contact with supply agencies to monitor the interest they receive to help schools during this time. However, supply agencies are private employment businesses operating independently of the department. Therefore, the department is not able to provide data on the numbers of supply teachers or which agencies they are working with. The department does not hold the information requested regarding pre-employment checks since the Disclosure and Barring Service is a non-departmental public body of the Home Office.</p> answering member constituency Worcester answering member printed Mr Robin Walker grouped question UIN 97031 97033 question first answered 10/01/2022 14:14:46 answering member 4091 label Biography information for Mr Robin Walker
tabling member	4653 label Biography information for Stephen Morgan

1399411

registered interest
date	04/01/2022
answering body	Department for Education
answering dept id	60
answering dept short name	Education
answering dept sort name	Education
hansard heading	Supply Teachers: Vetting
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how many applicants to supply teaching agencies have received a successful Disclosure and Barring Service check in each of the last six months.
tabling member constituency	Portsmouth South
tabling member printed	Stephen Morgan
uin	97033
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 10/01/2022 answer text <p>We are extremely grateful to all the teachers who are responding to our call to return temporarily to the classroom to support our schools whilst cases of the COVID-19 Omicron variant continue to rise.</p><p>We are in close contact with supply agencies to monitor the interest they receive to help schools during this time. However, supply agencies are private employment businesses operating independently of the department. Therefore, the department is not able to provide data on the numbers of supply teachers or which agencies they are working with. The department does not hold the information requested regarding pre-employment checks since the Disclosure and Barring Service is a non-departmental public body of the Home Office.</p> answering member constituency Worcester answering member printed Mr Robin Walker grouped question UIN 97031 97032 question first answered 10/01/2022 14:14:46 answering member 4091 label Biography information for Mr Robin Walker
tabling member	4653 label Biography information for Stephen Morgan