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1701732

registered interest
date	17/04/2024
answering body	Department for Education
answering dept id	60
answering dept short name	Education
answering dept sort name	Education
hansard heading	Childcare: Subsidies
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 impact of Government subsidies for childcare on the cost of childcare for people who are not eligible for subsidies.
tabling member constituency	North East Hampshire
tabling member printed	Mr Ranil Jayawardena
uin	22345
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 25/04/2024 answer text <p>For families with younger children, childcare costs are often a significant part of their household expenditure, which is why improving the cost, choice and availability of childcare for working parents is important to the government.</p><p> </p><p>From April 2024, working parents of 2 year olds will be able to access 15 hours of free childcare per week for 38 weeks of the year. This transformative roll out will benefit the parents of up to 246,000 children who have been issued 2 year old funding codes, of which 195,000 have been validated to date.</p><p> </p><p>From September 2024, this will be extended to working parents of children from nine months to 2 year olds. From September 2025, all working parents of children aged nine months up to 3 years will be able to access 30 hours of free childcare per week. The expansion of this entitlement will save eligible parents up to £6,900 per year per child helping even more working parents with the cost of childcare and making a real difference to the lives of those families.</p><p> </p><p>The income eligibility criteria are applied on a per parent basis. To be eligible, parents will need to earn the equivalent of 16 hours a week at National Minimum or Living Wage, which is £183 per week or £9,518 per year in 2024-2025, and less than £100,000 adjusted net income.</p><p> </p><p>For families with two parents, both must be working to meet the criteria, unless one is receiving certain benefits. In a single-parent household, the single parent must meet the threshold. The £100,000 level was chosen to correspond with income tax thresholds and to be easily understandable for parents. Only a very small proportion of parents, 3.1% in 2023, earn over the £100,000 adjusted net income maximum threshold.</p><p> </p><p>The eligibility criteria apply to the existing entitlements and were debated in, and agreed by, Parliament. The maximum income limit applies to both Tax-Free Childcare and 30 hours free childcare, which allows parents to apply for both schemes through the same online application (Childcare Service).</p><p> </p><p>However, the universal 15 hours of free childcare offer remains in place for all parents of 3 and 4 year olds, regardless of parental circumstances, including those who earn over £100,000.</p><p> </p><p>Working families can also access support with the childcare costs through Tax Free Childcare worth up to £2,000 per year for children aged up to 11, or £4,000 per year for children aged up to 17 with disabilities. For every £8 paid into a Tax-Free Childcare account, the government tops it up with another £2.</p><p> </p><p>There is a comprehensive evaluation programme underpinning the expansion of childcare entitlements. This includes a process evaluation which will explore how families not eligible for the new entitlements experience finding and accessing childcare, including the associated costs. Further, the impact evaluation will assess how the expansion has impacted upon the quality of childcare provision and children’s development, for all children, and wider family outcomes. As per Government Social Research guidelines, evaluation findings will be available within 12 weeks of the projects being finalised. The department expects the first to be available from spring 2026.</p> answering member constituency Wantage answering member printed David Johnston question first answered 25/04/2024 12:43:06 answering member 4761 label Biography information for David Johnston
tabling member	4498 label Biography information for Mr Ranil Jayawardena

1701774

registered interest
date	17/04/2024
answering body	Department for Education
answering dept id	60
answering dept short name	Education
answering dept sort name	Education
hansard heading	Schools: Suffolk Coastal
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Education, with reference to the transparency data entitled School rebuilding programme: schools in the programme, update on 8 February 2024, how much funding her Department has (a) allocated and (b) distributed to each school selected in Suffolk Coastal constituency in the latest period for which data is available.
tabling member constituency	Suffolk Coastal
tabling member printed	Dr Thérèse Coffey
uin	22301
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 25/04/2024 answer text <p>There is one school selected for the School Rebuilding Programme (SRP) in the Suffolk Coastal constituency. This is Farlingaye High School.</p><p> </p><p>The SRP is a centrally delivered programme. Therefore, no funding is allocated or distributed directly to schools. Once contracts are awarded for building works, they are published on the Contracts Finder within 30 calendar days. The Contracts Finder can be found here: <a href="https://www.gov.uk/contracts-finder" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/contracts-finder</a>.</p> answering member constituency East Hampshire answering member printed Damian Hinds question first answered 25/04/2024 16:45:58 answering member 3969 label Biography information for Damian Hinds
tabling member	4098 label Biography information for Dr Thérèse Coffey

1701775

registered interest
date	17/04/2024
answering body	Department for Education
answering dept id	60
answering dept short name	Education
answering dept sort name	Education
hansard heading	Department for Education and Student Loans Company: ICT
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Education, with reference to the policy paper entitled Transforming for a digital future: 2022 to 2025 roadmap for digital and data, updated on 29 February 2024, when her Department first assessed each of the red-rated legacy IT systems in her Department and in the Student Loans Company to be red-rated.
tabling member constituency	Leicester South
tabling member printed	Jonathan Ashworth
uin	22311
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 25/04/2024 answer text <p>The Central Digital and Data Office (CDDO), in the Cabinet Office, has established a programme to support departments managing legacy IT. CDDO has agreed a framework to identify ‘red-rated’ systems, indicating high levels of risk surrounding certain assets within the IT estate. Departments have committed to have remediation plans in place for these systems by next year (2025).</p><p>It is not appropriate to release sensitive information held about specific red-rated systems or more detailed plans for remediation within the department’s IT estate, as this information could indicate which systems are at risk, and may highlight potential security vulnerabilities.</p> answering member constituency East Hampshire answering member printed Damian Hinds question first answered 25/04/2024 16:23:51 answering member 3969 label Biography information for Damian Hinds
tabling member	4244 label Biography information for Jonathan Ashworth

1701782

registered interest
date	17/04/2024
answering body	Department for Education
answering dept id	60
answering dept short name	Education
answering dept sort name	Education
hansard heading	Office for Students: Finance
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how much additional Strategic Priorities Grant recurrent funding was allocated to the Office for Students between financial years (a) 2022-23 and (b) 2024-25.
tabling member constituency	Cambridge
tabling member printed	Daniel Zeichner
uin	22316
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 25/04/2024 answer text <p>The Strategic Priorities Grant (SPG) is funding supplied by the government on an annual basis to support teaching and students in higher education (HE), which includes funding for subjects that are expensive to deliver, such as science and engineering, students at risk of discontinuing their studies, and world-leading specialist providers. The department is investing hundreds of millions of pounds in additional funding over the three-year period from 2022/23 to 2024/25 to support high quality teaching and facilities, including in science and engineering, subjects that support the NHS, and degree apprenticeships. This includes the largest increase in government funding for the HE sector to support students and teaching in over a decade.</p><p> </p><p>In the 2022/23 financial year, the total recurrent SPG funding was £1,397 million. This was increased to £1,454 million for the 2023/24 financial year. The department has recently provided a budget of £1,456 million in recurrent SPG for the 2024/25 financial year.</p> answering member constituency Thornbury and Yate answering member printed Luke Hall question first answered 25/04/2024 16:01:03 answering member 4450 label Biography information for Luke Hall
tabling member	4382 label Biography information for Daniel Zeichner

1701787

registered interest
date	17/04/2024
answering body	Department for Education
answering dept id	60
answering dept short name	Education
answering dept sort name	Education
hansard heading	Employment: Further Education
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what recent steps she has taken to help increase engagement between employers and further education colleges.
tabling member constituency	Feltham and Heston
tabling member printed	Seema Malhotra
uin	22313
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 25/04/2024 answer text <p>The department wants providers to continue to offer high-quality, relevant provision and to build upon the already fantastic work they do in partnership with local employers. The coming decade will see substantial economic change and as the economy changes, so will the skills needs of learners and employers. The department recognises that this will play out in different ways across the country and that is why the department introduced Local Skills Improvement Plans (LSIPs) to support local innovation and growth so that every part of the country can succeed in its own unique way.</p><p> </p><p>The department is delighted that across all areas of England, employer-led LSIPs have already helped engage thousands of local businesses and have brought them together with local providers and stakeholders to collaboratively agree and deliver actions to address local skills needs. By building locally owned LSIPs from the ground up, the department is reshaping the skills system to better support people to train for, and succeed in, their local labour market.</p><p> </p><p>The department welcomes the excellent engagement currently taking place between the designated employer representative bodies (ERBs) leading the LSIPs and local providers of technical education and training. It has meant that in summer 2023, all 38 areas of England published a plan, which was approved by the Secretary of State for Education, setting out local skills priorities and actions across the next three years. Moving forward, the ERBs leading the implementation and review of the LSIPs are continuing to work closely with local providers and stakeholders to deliver the priority actions set out in the LSIPs. Indeed, each ERB will provide a public annual progress report in June 2024 and 2025 setting out progress made since publication of the LSIPs.</p><p> </p><p>LSIPs are working alongside the department’s wider reforms to further education (FE) funding and accountability, enabling a step change in how FE provision meets local skills needs. To help ensure the success of the programme, and as part of this government’s commitment to continue to invest significantly into FE, the department provided a dedicated £165 million Local Skills Improvement Fund (LSIF) to support providers to work collaboratively to respond to the needs identified in the LSIPs.</p><p> </p><p>Provider projects the department is funding through the LSIF include training to plug key skills gaps in digital, net zero and green, construction, artificial intelligence and health and social care, all of which were identified as priorities by employers through the LSIPs.</p><p> </p><p>Together, LSIPS and the LSIF are galvanising and bringing employers and providers closer together to spread opportunity for young people, skills for businesses and growth for all areas of this country.</p> answering member constituency Thornbury and Yate answering member printed Luke Hall question first answered 25/04/2024 16:04:24 answering member 4450 label Biography information for Luke Hall
tabling member	4253 label Biography information for Seema Malhotra

1701788

registered interest
date	17/04/2024
answering body	Department for Education
answering dept id	60
answering dept short name	Education
answering dept sort name	Education
hansard heading	Vocational Guidance
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what recent steps she has taken to ensure careers advisors have knowledge of level 4 and 5 qualifications.
tabling member constituency	Feltham and Heston
tabling member printed	Seema Malhotra
uin	22314
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 25/04/2024 answer text <p>The National Careers Service (NCS) provides free, up to date, impartial information, advice and guidance on careers, skills and the Labour Market in England. It helps customers make informed choices about their career and learning options, whatever their age, ethnic group and background.</p><p> </p><p>Over 760 careers advisers support customers to be:</p><ul><li>Informed and aware of the wide range of learning, training/retraining and work opportunities that are available to them.</li><li>Better able to independently manage their careers; identify opportunities and respond to challenges in the employment and training market.</li><li>Aware and able to access accurate and up to date information about careers and learning from the NCS whenever they need it.</li></ul><p> </p><p>The department has commissioned the Career Development Institute (CDI) to develop a bespoke Continuing Professional Development programme for careers advisers. In addition, the department regularly disseminates key information and updates via bulletins and newsletters to careers advisers in the community to ensure they have up to date information, including changes to the NCS website.</p><p> </p><p>The Careers and Enterprise Company has developed case studies which showcase the affordable and successful delivery of the personal guidance. Through investing in Careers Leaders, the department is supporting schools to become better commissioners of careers professionals. The CDI is doing excellent work to put in place programmes to train and upskill careers professionals, including a new focus on digital skills.</p><p> </p><p>The Gatsby Charitable Foundation has agreed funding for a new three-year programme to be delivered by the CDI to raise the profile of technical education among careers advisers working in schools and colleges across England. Careers advisers play a key role in helping young people define their career goals, understand their own strengths and development needs and decide on the right pathway to gain the skills needed to reach their goals. This new programme will raise careers advisers’ awareness and understanding of technical education pathways so they can confidently discuss them as options for the young people they work with.</p> answering member constituency Thornbury and Yate answering member printed Luke Hall question first answered 25/04/2024 16:07:19 answering member 4450 label Biography information for Luke Hall
tabling member	4253 label Biography information for Seema Malhotra

1701789

registered interest
date	17/04/2024
answering body	Department for Education
answering dept id	60
answering dept short name	Education
answering dept sort name	Education
hansard heading	Students: Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment her Department has made of the potential impact of the shortage of ADHD medication on students during the upcoming exam season; and whether her Department has had discussions with (a) examination boards and (b) schools on mitigation measures.
tabling member constituency	Twickenham
tabling member printed	Munira Wilson
uin	22405
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 25/04/2024 answer text <p>The department is aware of the current difficulties some students are facing in obtaining medication for attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). The department has not held discussions with examination boards specific to this.</p><p>There are established arrangements in place that schools and colleges will be familiar with, which should be used to arrange any reasonable adjustments or access arrangements for students with disabilities.</p><p>The Equality Act 2010 requires examination boards to make reasonable adjustments where a disabled person would be at a substantial disadvantage in undertaking an assessment. Reasonable adjustments are changes made to exams or assessments, or to the way they are conducted, to mitigate the risk that a disabled person would be at a substantial disadvantage in undertaking an assessment. They are needed because some disabilities can make it harder for students to show what they know, understand and can do in an assessment, than it would be had the student not been disabled. The exam or assessment must still test the same knowledge, skills and understanding for that qualification.</p><p>If a student’s need has changed or they need a reasonable adjustment that has not been applied for, the school or college should contact the relevant awarding organisation as soon as possible.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency East Hampshire answering member printed Damian Hinds question first answered 25/04/2024 12:33:02 answering member 3969 label Biography information for Damian Hinds
tabling member	4776 label Biography information for Munira Wilson

1701806

registered interest
date	17/04/2024
answering body	Department for Education
answering dept id	60
answering dept short name	Education
answering dept sort name	Education
hansard heading	Free School Meals
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what recent estimate her Department has made of the number of children who are (a) eligible and (b) not registered for free school meals.
tabling member constituency	Weaver Vale
tabling member printed	Mike Amesbury
uin	22377
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 25/04/2024 answer text <p>The department publishes statistics annually which detail the number of pupils registered to receive free meals. The latest data shows that over 2 million pupils are registered for benefits-based free school meals (FSM), which is 23.8% of all pupils. Close to 1.3 million additional pupils benefit from universal infant free school meals. Taken together, over one third of pupils receive free school meals.</p><p> </p><p>The department does not collect data on the proportion of pupils that may be entitled to FSM but do not make a claim. Therefore, the department has not made a recent estimate on the number of children not registered for free school meals.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency East Hampshire answering member printed Damian Hinds question first answered 25/04/2024 16:46:24 answering member 3969 label Biography information for Damian Hinds
tabling member	4667 label Biography information for Mike Amesbury

1701828

registered interest
date	17/04/2024
answering body	Department for Education
answering dept id	60
answering dept short name	Education
answering dept sort name	Education
hansard heading	GCE A-level: Assessments
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps her Department is taking to ensure equal treatment of (a) internal and (b) external A Level candidates sitting exams at further education colleges (i) in general and (ii) in the marking of coursework.
tabling member constituency	Christchurch
tabling member printed	Sir Christopher Chope
uin	22220
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 22/04/2024 answer text <p>All exam centres, including further education colleges, are required to treat all candidates equally, including private candidates, throughout the examination process. This includes offering all aspects of non-exam assessment (NEA) for that qualification, if required. The marking of NEA would also be the same for all students.</p> answering member constituency Thornbury and Yate answering member printed Luke Hall question first answered 22/04/2024 15:17:00 answering member 4450 label Biography information for Luke Hall
tabling member	242 label Biography information for Sir Christopher Chope

1701834

registered interest
date	17/04/2024
answering body	Department for Education
answering dept id	60
answering dept short name	Education
answering dept sort name	Education
hansard heading	Schools: Mental Health Services
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what progress her Department has made on delivering a mental health support lead within primary and secondary schools.
tabling member constituency	Watford
tabling member printed	Dean Russell
uin	22410
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 23/04/2024 answer text <p>The department has offered all state-funded schools and colleges in England a grant to train a senior mental health lead by 2025. The department continues to deliver on the commitments that it made in the government’s 2018 response to the consultation on 'Transforming children and young people's mental health provision: a green paper' and to deliver on next steps. The government’s response to the consultation can be found here: <a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/transforming-children-and-young-peoples-mental-health-provision-a-green-paper" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/transforming-children-and-young-peoples-mental-health-provision-a-green-paper</a>.</p><p> </p><p>As at 30 November 2023, 15,100 schools and colleges had taken up this offer and claimed a grant, which represents 63% of the total number of settings that are eligible to apply. Breakdowns of the data, including by setting type, can be found in the department’s transparency data release which has been updated annually since the programme started and is available at: <a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/transforming-children-and-young-peoples-mental-health-provision" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/transforming-children-and-young-peoples-mental-health-provision</a>.</p><p> </p><p>A list of schools and colleges receiving a senior mental health lead training grant is also published and updated throughout the year, which can be found here: <a href="https://view.officeapps.live.com/op/view.aspx?src=https%3A%2F%2Fassets.publishing.service.gov.uk%2Fmedia%2F65b0cb50160765001118f741%2FSenior_mental_health_lead_training_January_2024_Update.ods&amp;wdOrigin=BROWSELINK" target="_blank">https://view.officeapps.live.com/op/view.aspx?src=https%3A%2F%2Fassets.publishing.service.gov.uk%2Fmedia%2F65b0cb50160765001118f741%2FSenior_mental_health_lead_training_January_2024_Update.ods&amp;wdOrigin=BROWSELINK</a>.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency Wantage answering member printed David Johnston question first answered 23/04/2024 13:43:01 answering member 4761 label Biography information for David Johnston
tabling member	4812 label Biography information for Dean Russell