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1649505

registered interest
date	03/07/2023
answering body	Department for Education
answering dept id	60
answering dept short name	Education
answering dept sort name	Education
hansard heading	Teachers: Bureaucracy
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to reduce the burden on school staff caused by subject access requests.
tabling member printed	Lord Hampton
uin	HL8981
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 17/07/2023 answer text <p>In February 2023, the department updated the Data Protection in Schools guidance, which provides advice covering Subject Access Requests (SARs). The guidance is available at: <a href="https://www.gov.uk/guidance/data-protection-in-schools" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/guidance/data-protection-in-schools</a>.</p><p>The department is developing the Education Privacy Assurance Scheme, which will provide targeted training, guidance, and templates on a range of data protection subjects. The department is prioritising responding to SARs as the first release in the next 12 months. This will help provide a consistent approach that is adopted by schools across the sector.</p> answering member printed Baroness Barran question first answered 17/07/2023 16:11:00 answering member 4703 label Biography information for Baroness Barran
tabling member	4951 label Biography information for Lord Hampton

1649515

registered interest
date	03/07/2023
answering body	Department for Education
answering dept id	60
answering dept short name	Education
answering dept sort name	Education
hansard heading	Universities: China
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the funding being received by British universities from Chinese companies, including Huawei.
tabling member printed	Lord Leong
uin	HL8992
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 17/07/2023 answer text <p>The government is committed to supporting academia to engage with international partners in a way that reflects the UK’s values and takes account of national security concerns and wider risks.</p><p>We have strengthened sector support considerably in recent years, launching the National Protective Security Authority’s ‘Trusted Research’ campaign, and supporting Universities UK to develop guidelines on tackling security risks. The Department for Science, Innovation and Technology also provides the Research Collaboration Advice Team, which gives tailored advice to research institutions to help them manage the risks in international collaboration.</p><p>The Department continues to talk to universities to ensure advice and measures on tackling security risks when engaging internationally remain relevant and proportionate. This helps to promote safe, sustainable, and legally compliant international collaboration.</p><p>The Higher Education (Freedom of Speech) Act 2023 will give the Office for Students powers to monitor the overseas funding of registered higher education (HE) providers in England, their constituent institutions, members, and staff in order to assess the extent to which such funding arrangements present a risk to freedom of speech and academic freedom in HE.</p> answering member printed Baroness Barran question first answered 17/07/2023 16:21:34 answering member 4703 label Biography information for Baroness Barran
tabling member	4959 label Biography information for Lord Leong

1649516

registered interest
date	03/07/2023
answering body	Department for Education
answering dept id	60
answering dept short name	Education
answering dept sort name	Education
hansard heading	Universities: China
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the risk of the withdrawal of Chinese money from universities in England and the impact it would have on academia.
tabling member printed	Lord Leong
uin	HL8993
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 17/07/2023 answer text <p>We are recognised across the world for the quality and openness of our higher education (HE) system, and we encourage the sector to collaborate with international partners. To be open, we must also be secure. Universities must be security-minded in their approach and safeguard our values.</p><p>The government’s International Education Strategy and its recent update make clear that the internationalisation of the HE sector cannot come at any cost. Universities must ensure they have appropriate processes in place to manage risks associated with dependence on a single source of funding, whether that is from a single organisation, or a single nation.</p><p>That is why the department has introduced measures like the Higher Education (Freedom of Speech) Act 2023, which will address concerns about the possible influence of overseas funding in England, to monitor the overseas funding of registered HE providers and their constituent institutions. This is in order to assess the extent to which such funding arrangements present a risk to freedom of speech and academic freedom in HE.</p><p>The Office for Students (OfS), the independent regulator, monitors the risk of over-reliance on overseas income at a sector level. The role of the OfS is not to direct how HE providers manage themselves or to limit their recruitment from a particular country of origin, but to ensure they understand where there is greater reliance and how any risks are being managed, and to take action to protect students from the consequences of unmanaged financial risk, if necessary.</p> answering member printed Baroness Barran grouped question UIN HL8994 question first answered 17/07/2023 14:57:30 answering member 4703 label Biography information for Baroness Barran
tabling member	4959 label Biography information for Lord Leong

1649517

registered interest
date	03/07/2023
answering body	Department for Education
answering dept id	60
answering dept short name	Education
answering dept sort name	Education
hansard heading	Universities: China
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of Chinese funding to universities in England and its implications for academic freedoms.
tabling member printed	Lord Leong
uin	HL8994
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 17/07/2023 answer text <p>We are recognised across the world for the quality and openness of our higher education (HE) system, and we encourage the sector to collaborate with international partners. To be open, we must also be secure. Universities must be security-minded in their approach and safeguard our values.</p><p>The government’s International Education Strategy and its recent update make clear that the internationalisation of the HE sector cannot come at any cost. Universities must ensure they have appropriate processes in place to manage risks associated with dependence on a single source of funding, whether that is from a single organisation, or a single nation.</p><p>That is why the department has introduced measures like the Higher Education (Freedom of Speech) Act 2023, which will address concerns about the possible influence of overseas funding in England, to monitor the overseas funding of registered HE providers and their constituent institutions. This is in order to assess the extent to which such funding arrangements present a risk to freedom of speech and academic freedom in HE.</p><p>The Office for Students (OfS), the independent regulator, monitors the risk of over-reliance on overseas income at a sector level. The role of the OfS is not to direct how HE providers manage themselves or to limit their recruitment from a particular country of origin, but to ensure they understand where there is greater reliance and how any risks are being managed, and to take action to protect students from the consequences of unmanaged financial risk, if necessary.</p> answering member printed Baroness Barran grouped question UIN HL8993 question first answered 17/07/2023 14:57:30 answering member 4703 label Biography information for Baroness Barran
tabling member	4959 label Biography information for Lord Leong

1649559

registered interest
date	03/07/2023
answering body	Department for Education
answering dept id	60
answering dept short name	Education
answering dept sort name	Education
hansard heading	Textbooks: Procurement
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 estimate of the number and proportion of schools that purchased books through local bookshops in the last 12 months.
tabling member constituency	North Swindon
tabling member printed	Justin Tomlinson
uin	192079
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 11/07/2023 answer text <p>​​The National Curriculum requires teachers to encourage pupils to develop the habit of reading widely and often, for both pleasure and information. It also emphasises the importance of listening to, discussing, and reading for themselves a wide range of stories, poems, plays and non-fiction books.</p><p>​​The Department believes that all pupils deserve to be taught a knowledge rich curriculum that promotes the extensive reading of books and other texts, both in and out of school. School libraries complement public libraries in allowing pupils to do this.</p><p>Overall, core schools funding (including funding for both mainstream schools and high needs) is £3.5 billion higher in 2023/24, compared to 2022/23. That is, on top of the £4 billion, year-on-year increase provided in 2022/23 – an increase of £7.5 billion, or over 15%, in just two years. It is for headteachers to decide how best to manage their budgets, including investment in resources such as library provision. This funding is not ringfenced and can include funding book corners, school libraries and librarians.</p><p>​It is for individual schools to decide how best to provide and maintain a library service for their pupils, including whether to employ a qualified librarian. Many head teachers recognise the important role school libraries play in improving literacy and encouraging pupils to read for pleasure and ensure that suitable library facilities are provided. School libraries can take many forms, with some schools preferring to make books a focus in other ways, including housing them within classrooms.</p><p>Given the autonomy granted to schools, the Department does not collect information on the number and proportion of schools that purchased books through local bookshops in the last 12 months, or the average annual budget for primary school libraries.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency Bognor Regis and Littlehampton answering member printed Nick Gibb grouped question UIN 192080 192963 question first answered 11/07/2023 15:01:24 answering member 111 label Biography information for Nick Gibb
tabling member	4105 label Biography information for Justin Tomlinson

1649560

registered interest
date	03/07/2023
answering body	Department for Education
answering dept id	60
answering dept short name	Education
answering dept sort name	Education
hansard heading	School Libraries: Finance
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what the average annual budget was for primary school libraries in the latest period for which data is available.
tabling member constituency	North Swindon
tabling member printed	Justin Tomlinson
uin	192080
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 11/07/2023 answer text <p>​​The National Curriculum requires teachers to encourage pupils to develop the habit of reading widely and often, for both pleasure and information. It also emphasises the importance of listening to, discussing, and reading for themselves a wide range of stories, poems, plays and non-fiction books.</p><p>​​The Department believes that all pupils deserve to be taught a knowledge rich curriculum that promotes the extensive reading of books and other texts, both in and out of school. School libraries complement public libraries in allowing pupils to do this.</p><p>Overall, core schools funding (including funding for both mainstream schools and high needs) is £3.5 billion higher in 2023/24, compared to 2022/23. That is, on top of the £4 billion, year-on-year increase provided in 2022/23 – an increase of £7.5 billion, or over 15%, in just two years. It is for headteachers to decide how best to manage their budgets, including investment in resources such as library provision. This funding is not ringfenced and can include funding book corners, school libraries and librarians.</p><p>​It is for individual schools to decide how best to provide and maintain a library service for their pupils, including whether to employ a qualified librarian. Many head teachers recognise the important role school libraries play in improving literacy and encouraging pupils to read for pleasure and ensure that suitable library facilities are provided. School libraries can take many forms, with some schools preferring to make books a focus in other ways, including housing them within classrooms.</p><p>Given the autonomy granted to schools, the Department does not collect information on the number and proportion of schools that purchased books through local bookshops in the last 12 months, or the average annual budget for primary school libraries.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency Bognor Regis and Littlehampton answering member printed Nick Gibb grouped question UIN 192079 192963 question first answered 11/07/2023 15:01:24 answering member 111 label Biography information for Nick Gibb
tabling member	4105 label Biography information for Justin Tomlinson

1649564

registered interest
date	03/07/2023
answering body	Department for Education
answering dept id	60
answering dept short name	Education
answering dept sort name	Education
hansard heading	Schools: Finance
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 help schools plan their budgets for the 2023-2024 academic year.
tabling member constituency	Portsmouth South
tabling member printed	Stephen Morgan
uin	192172
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 07/07/2023 answer text <p>The Government is committed to providing a world class education system for all pupils and has provided significant funding in education to achieve that. The Autumn Statement 2022 announced additional funding of £2 billion in each of the 2023/24 and 2024/25 financial years, over and above totals announced at the Spending Review 2021.</p><p>This means funding for mainstream schools and high needs is £3.5 billion higher in the 2023/24 financial year, compared to 2022/23 financial year. That is on top of the £4 billion, year on year increase provided in the 2022/23 financial year. This is an increase of £7.5 billion, or over 15%, in just two years.</p><p>Funding for both mainstream schools and high needs will total £58.8 billion in 2024/25. This is the highest ever level per pupil, in real terms as measured by the Institute for Fiscal Studies. The Government provides these increases to school revenue budgets so that schools can cover cost increases in the year ahead.</p><p>Funding for mainstream schools and high needs for 2023/24 is allocated through the schools and high needs National Funding Formulae (NFFs), published in July 2022. This determines the amount of funding each Local Authority receives for the schools in their area, and final school allocations are then determined by each Local Authority’s own local funding formula.</p><p>All schools should have been notified of their funding allocations for 2023/24. Academies will receive their funding allocations on an academic year basis from the Education and Skills Funding Agency, and maintained schools receive their funding on a financial year basis from their Local Authorities.</p><p>In addition to funding through the NFF, in 2023/24 mainstream schools also receive funding through the Mainstream Schools Additional Grant (MSAG). The Department has now published school level allocations of the MSAG funding, so that all eligible schools can see their additional funding through this grant. Pupil Premium allocations for the 2023/24 financial year have also been published.</p><p>The Department understands that one of the key concerns of schools regarding budget planning in the 2023/24 academic year is teachers’ pay.</p><p>Following unions’ rejection of the Government’s 4.5% offer in March, the independent School Teachers’ Review Body has submitted its recommendations to the Government on teacher pay for the 2023/24 academic year, as part of the normal process. The Department will be considering the recommendations and continues to work across government to ensure that announcements can be made as early as possible. This year, for example, to allow trusts more time to prepare their budgets, the Department has extended the deadline for the Budget Forecast Return that academies are required to provide, setting out their budget plans, to 31 August 2023.</p><p>It is recommended that schools consider the range of possible scenarios on the different cost factors, including on support staff pay and energy, that might materialise, and what the implications would be for their individual school.</p><p>Guidance to help schools complete forecasts can be found here: <a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/academies-budget-forecast-return-guide-to-using-the-online-form/academies-budget-forecast-guidance-for-completing-the-online-form" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/academies-budget-forecast-return-guide-to-using-the-online-form/academies-budget-forecast-guidance-for-completing-the-online-form</a>. The Department’s School Resource Management offer also includes advice to help with forecasting, including estates management advice, buying guides and how to join or create your own school professionals network.</p> answering member constituency Bognor Regis and Littlehampton answering member printed Nick Gibb question first answered 07/07/2023 15:50:36 answering member 111 label Biography information for Nick Gibb
tabling member	4653 label Biography information for Stephen Morgan

1649565

registered interest
date	03/07/2023
answering body	Department for Education
answering dept id	60
answering dept short name	Education
answering dept sort name	Education
hansard heading	Schools: Buildings
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Education, when her Department plans to publish updated school Condition Data Collection.
tabling member constituency	Portsmouth South
tabling member printed	Stephen Morgan
uin	192173
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 07/07/2023 answer text <p>The key, high level findings of the Condition Data Collection (CDC) programme were published in May 2021 in the ‘Condition of School Buildings Survey: Key Findings’ report. This is available at: <a href="https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/989912/Condition_of_School_Buildings_Survey_CDC1_-_key_findings_report.pdf" target="_blank">https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/989912/Condition_of_School_Buildings_Survey_CDC1_-_key_findings_report.pdf</a>.</p><p>Individual CDC reports are shared with every school and the academy trust, Local Authority or voluntary aided body responsible for those schools, to help inform their investment plans, alongside their own more detailed condition surveys and safety checks. The Department has committed to publishing the school level CDC data before the summer recess.</p><p>Well maintained, safe school buildings are a priority for the Department. The Department allocates significant funding to those responsible for the school estate to improve their buildings. This is over £15 billion since 2015, including £1.8 billion committed for the 2023/24 financial year. The School Rebuilding Programme will also transform buildings at 500 schools over the next decade, prioritising schools in poor condition. The Department has announced 400 schools to date, including 239 in December 2022.</p><p> </p><p> </p> answering member constituency Bognor Regis and Littlehampton answering member printed Nick Gibb question first answered 07/07/2023 15:57:31 answering member 111 label Biography information for Nick Gibb
tabling member	4653 label Biography information for Stephen Morgan

1649566

registered interest
date	03/07/2023
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
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether her Department has made an estimate of the number of children attending unregistered schools.
tabling member constituency	Portsmouth South
tabling member printed	Stephen Morgan
uin	192174
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 07/07/2023 answer text <p>The Department has not made any estimate of the number of pupils in unregistered schools. Those responsible for conducting unregistered schools do not generally inform the Department about the school’s operation. It is therefore not possible to accurately estimate the number of children attending unregistered schools.</p><p>Unregistered schools are those that are operating as an independent school without having registered with the Department. It is a criminal offence under Section 96 of the Education and Skills 2008 Act for any person to operate an unregistered independent school. The Department and Ofsted continue to investigate any setting where intelligence or evidence suggests the operation of an unregistered school. Section 97 of the Education and Skills Act 2008 permits no notice inspections of settings believed to be operating in breach of the registration requirement.</p><p>Between 1 January 2016 and 31 March 2023, 726 inspections of suspected unregistered independent schools took place. Of those, 146 settings were issued with a warning notice and 129 settings closed or ceased operating illegally. Since 2016, six successful prosecutions have been brought against those responsible for conducting unregistered schools.</p> answering member constituency Bognor Regis and Littlehampton answering member printed Nick Gibb question first answered 07/07/2023 15:55:01 answering member 111 label Biography information for Nick Gibb
tabling member	4653 label Biography information for Stephen Morgan

1649567

registered interest
date	03/07/2023
answering body	Department for Education
answering dept id	60
answering dept short name	Education
answering dept sort name	Education
hansard heading	Teachers: Strikes
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what recent discussions she has had with education unions on industrial action by their members.
tabling member constituency	Portsmouth South
tabling member printed	Stephen Morgan
uin	192175
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 11/07/2023 answer text <p>The Government and the education trade unions, the ASCL, NAHT, NASUWT and NEU, took part in a period of intensive talks between 17 March and 23 March 2023, with over 200 hours of Ministers’ and officials’ time spent on these talks, after which an in principle offer was made by the Government. This offer comprised a package of pay and non-pay related measures. Unfortunately, the four trade unions rejected this fair and funded offer.</p><p>Following the unions’ rejection of the Government’s March pay offer, teacher pay for next year will go through an independent pay review process as usual. The School Teachers’ Review Body (STRB) makes recommendations on the pay of teachers in England and reports to the Secretary of State for Education and the Prime Minister.</p><p>As part of the normal process, the STRB has now submitted its recommendations to the Government on teacher pay for 2023/24. The Department will be considering the recommendations and will publish its response in the usual way.</p><p>The Department will continue to engage regularly with teaching and leadership unions on policy developments as usual.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency Bognor Regis and Littlehampton answering member printed Nick Gibb grouped question UIN 191997 question first answered 11/07/2023 15:07:39 answering member 111 label Biography information for Nick Gibb
tabling member	4653 label Biography information for Stephen Morgan