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1717487

registered interest
date	13/05/2024
answering body	Department for Education
answering dept id	60
answering dept short name	Education
answering dept sort name	Education
hansard heading	School Meals: Processed Food
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 reduce the proportion of ultra-processed foods in school meals.
tabling member constituency	Stockton North
tabling member printed	Alex Cunningham
uin	25843
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 16/05/2024 answer text <p>There is no universally agreed definition of ultra-processed foods. The term defines foods by how much processing they have been through rather than their nutritional composition.</p><p>The standards for school food are set out in The Requirements for School Food Regulations 2014. These regulations are designed to ensure that schools provide pupils with healthy food and drink options and to make sure that pupils have the energy and nutrition they need throughout the school day.</p><p>The ‘School Food Standards’ define the foods and drinks that must be provided, those which are restricted and those which must never be provided. The standards already restrict foods high in fat, salt and sugar, including crisps, confectionery and high-sugar drinks, as well as low quality reformed or reconstituted foods. They also ensure that the right foods are available for children every day. For example, one or more portions of fruit must be provided every day and at least three different fruits every week.</p><p>Compliance with the standards is mandatory for all maintained schools, academies and free schools. School governors and trustees have a responsibility to ensure compliance and should appropriately challenge the headteacher and the senior leadership team to ensure the school is meeting its obligations.</p><p>The department believes that the standards provide a robust yet flexible framework for school food provision. The government continues to keep the standards under review.</p> answering member constituency East Hampshire answering member printed Damian Hinds question first answered 16/05/2024 15:26:41 answering member 3969 label Biography information for Damian Hinds
tabling member	4122 label Biography information for Alex Cunningham

1717518

registered interest
date	13/05/2024
answering body	Department for Education
answering dept id	60
answering dept short name	Education
answering dept sort name	Education
hansard heading	Department for Education: VSC Plus
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Education, with reference to the Minister without Portfolio's article of 12 May 2024 in The Sunday Telegraph, when her Department intends to withdraw the requirement set out in Clause 4.6 of her Department's contract with VSC Plus Limited (The Staff College), procurement reference 352575/1322575; and whether the projected cost of the contract up to 29 December 2028 will be reduced through the withdrawal of that requirement.
tabling member constituency	Islington South and Finsbury
tabling member printed	Emily Thornberry
uin	25811
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 23/05/2024 answer text <p>There should be no external equality, diversity and inclusion (EDI) spend in the Civil Service unless cleared and authorised by Ministers. <br> <br> The contract with VSC Plus Limited (The Staff College) is due to expire on 31 December 2026. We do not intend to terminate it early.</p> answering member constituency Wantage answering member printed David Johnston question first answered 23/05/2024 14:33:19 answering member 4761 label Biography information for David Johnston
tabling member	1536 label Biography information for Emily Thornberry

1717755

registered interest
date	13/05/2024
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, if she will lower the threshold for free school meals qualification.
tabling member constituency	Nottingham East
tabling member printed	Nadia Whittome
uin	26015
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 16/05/2024 answer text <p>The department has extended free school meal (FSM) support several times and to more groups of children than any other government over the past half a century. As a result, the greatest ever proportion of children are now receiving free lunches. Over one third of children are now eligible for FSM, compared to one in six in 2010.</p><p>However, a threshold must be set somewhere. The department believes that the current eligibility threshold level, which enables children in low-income households to benefit from FSM, while remaining affordable and deliverable for schools, is the correct decision.</p><p>The department will continue to keep FSM eligibility under review to ensure that these meals are supporting those who most need them.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency East Hampshire answering member printed Damian Hinds question first answered 16/05/2024 15:24:45 answering member 3969 label Biography information for Damian Hinds
tabling member	4869 label Biography information for Nadia Whittome

1716870

registered interest
date	09/05/2024
answering body	Department for Education
answering dept id	60
answering dept short name	Education
answering dept sort name	Education
hansard heading	Faith Schools: Admissions
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 assessment of the potential merits of ending the cap on faith school admissions.
tabling member constituency	Leeds North East
tabling member printed	Fabian Hamilton
uin	25436
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 14/05/2024 answer text <p>My Rt. Hon. friend, the Secretary of State for Education, announced on 1 May 2024 that the department are consulting on faith designation reforms for new and existing free schools and special academies. This is available on Hansard at: <a href="https://questions-statements.parliament.uk/written-statements/detail/2024-05-01/hcws437" target="_blank">https://questions-statements.parliament.uk/written-statements/detail/2024-05-01/hcws437</a>.</p><p>​​The consultation will run for seven weeks, closing on 20 June 2024. The department will then carefully consider all responses to the consultation and use them to inform the department’s recommendations for better meeting the policy objectives of faith schools.</p><p>​The government’s response will be published on the GOV.UK website within twelve weeks following closure of the consultation.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency East Hampshire answering member printed Damian Hinds question first answered 14/05/2024 14:24:59 answering member 3969 label Biography information for Damian Hinds
tabling member	415 label Biography information for Fabian Hamilton

1716497

registered interest
date	08/05/2024
answering body	Department for Education
answering dept id	60
answering dept short name	Education
answering dept sort name	Education
hansard heading	Mental Health Services and Special Educational Needs: Morley and Outwood
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps she is taking to reduce the time taken for children to receive (a) SEN assessments and (b) mental health treatment in Morley and Outwood constituency.
tabling member constituency	Morley and Outwood
tabling member printed	Dame Andrea Jenkyns
uin	25278
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 16/05/2024 answer text <p>The department wants to ensure that Education, Health and Care (EHC) needs assessments, where required, are conducted as quickly as possible, so that children and young people can access the support they need. In March 2023, the government set out its plans to reform and improve the special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) system through its SEND and alternative provision (AP) Improvement Plan. The plan commits to establishing a single national system that delivers for every child and young person with SEND, so that they enjoy their childhood, achieve good outcomes and are well prepared for adulthood and employment. Wakefield, Leeds, Calderdale and Bradford are in the SEND Change Programme, representing the Yorkshire and Humber region, to test these reforms. Specifically, these reforms focus on early intervention, improving the quality of EHC plans, streamlining the EHC plan process, reducing conflicts within the EHC plan system through better co-production and ultimately enhancing outcomes for children and young people.</p><p>The mental health of children is a national priority for this government and the department recognises that some children will need specialist support for their mental health issues. The department is supporting children and young people nationally, including those in the Morley and Outwood area, in the expansion and transformation of mental health services through an increase in spending through the NHS overall, as well as improved access to early mental health support.</p><p>To expand access to early mental health support, the department is continuing to roll out Mental Health Support Teams (MHSTs) to schools and colleges. As of April 2024, MHSTs now covers 44% of pupils in schools and learners in further education in England. The department is extending coverage of MHSTs to at least 50% of pupils and learners by the end of March 2025.</p><p>The department has also committed to offering all state schools and colleges a grant to train a senior mental health lead by 2025, enabling them to introduce effective whole school approaches to mental health and wellbeing. So far 16,700 settings have claimed a grant so far, including more than 8 in 10 state-funded secondary schools.</p> answering member constituency Wantage answering member printed David Johnston question first answered 16/05/2024 10:04:01 answering member 4761 label Biography information for David Johnston
tabling member	4490 label Biography information for Dame Andrea Jenkyns

1716559

registered interest
date	08/05/2024
answering body	Department for Education
answering dept id	60
answering dept short name	Education
answering dept sort name	Education
hansard heading	Education: Travellers
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what recent steps her Department has taken to help improve the educational attainment rate of Romani Gypsy, Roma and Irish traveller children.
tabling member constituency	Nottingham East
tabling member printed	Nadia Whittome
uin	25396
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 14/05/2024 answer text <p>A world-class education system that works for everyone is the surest way to ensure that all children and young people can reach their potential. The department has high expectations for all pupils. The department does not design education policy to target certain groups of pupils based on ethnicity, but instead is focused on improving outcomes for all children. For all children to reach their potential they need an ambitious, knowledge-rich curriculum, taught by great teachers in schools with high expectations and good pupil behaviour.</p><p> </p><p>One of the most significant factors affecting pupil attainment, which cuts across all ethnicities, is economic disadvantage. That is why the department has continued to provide pupil premium funding which will rise to over £2.9 billion in 2024/25. Pupil premium per pupil rates will have increased by 10% over the three years from 2021/22 to 2024/25. ​This increase will ensure that this targeted funding continues to help schools to support the educational outcomes of disadvantaged pupils.</p><p> </p><p>In 2024/25, the national funding formula (NFF) will allocate £7.8 billion (17.8% of all funding allocated by the NFF) through additional needs factors based on deprivation, low prior attainment, English as an additional language and mobility.</p><p> </p><p>The department recognises the issues faced by Romani Gypsy, Roma and Irish Traveller children and young people and how schools and others can make a positive difference. While some pupils from Gypsy, Roma and Traveller backgrounds can, and do, perform well at school, as a group their attainment and attendance at school is particularly low at every key stage of education.</p><p> </p><p>The department will continue to work to deliver reforms, to ensure all children and young people are able to reach their potential and experience the transformative effect of a high-quality education and continue to support schools and leaders to respond to the needs of their schools and communities.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency East Hampshire answering member printed Damian Hinds question first answered 14/05/2024 13:55:23 answering member 3969 label Biography information for Damian Hinds
tabling member	4869 label Biography information for Nadia Whittome

1716561

registered interest
date	08/05/2024
answering body	Department for Education
answering dept id	60
answering dept short name	Education
answering dept sort name	Education
hansard heading	Schools: Bullying
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how many incidents of ethnicity-based bullying within schools were reported to her Department in the last 12 months; and what steps her Department is taking to help tackle such incidents.
tabling member constituency	Nottingham East
tabling member printed	Nadia Whittome
uin	25397
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 14/05/2024 answer text <p>There is no legal requirement on schools to record and report incidents of bullying and there never has been. Schools should develop their own approaches for monitoring bullying and exercise their own judgement as to what will work best for their pupils.</p><p> </p><p>All schools are legally required to have a behaviour policy with measures to prevent all forms of bullying. They have the freedom to develop their own anti-bullying strategies appropriate to their environment and are held to account by Ofsted.</p><p> </p><p>In July 2017, the department updated its advice for schools, which outlines schools’ responsibilities to support children who are bullied. The advice makes clear that schools should make appropriate provision for a bullied child's social, emotional and mental health needs. This advice is available here: <a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/preventing-and-tackling-bullying" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/preventing-and-tackling-bullying</a>.</p><p> </p><p>The department provided over £3 million of funding, between 10 August 2021 and 31 March 2024, to five anti-bullying organisations to support schools to tackle bullying. This included projects targeting bullying of particular groups, such as those who are victims of hate related bullying.</p> answering member constituency Wantage answering member printed David Johnston question first answered 14/05/2024 14:20:07 answering member 4761 label Biography information for David Johnston
tabling member	4869 label Biography information for Nadia Whittome

1716169

registered interest
date	07/05/2024
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 plans she has to uprate the income threshold for eligibility for free school meals.
tabling member constituency	East Ham
tabling member printed	Sir Stephen Timms
uin	24850
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 13/05/2024 answer text <p>The department has extended free school meal (FSM) support several times and to more groups of children than any other government over the past half a century. As a result, the greatest ever proportion of children are now receiving free lunches. Over one third of children are now eligible for FSM, compared to one in six in 2010.</p><p>However, a threshold must be set somewhere. The department believes that the current eligibility threshold level, which enables children in low-income households to benefit from FSM, while remaining affordable and deliverable for schools, is the correct decision.</p><p> </p><p>The department will continue to keep FSM eligibility under review to ensure that these meals are supporting those who most need them.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency East Hampshire answering member printed Damian Hinds question first answered 13/05/2024 14:59:16 answering member 3969 label Biography information for Damian Hinds
tabling member	163 label Biography information for Sir Stephen Timms

1716231

registered interest
date	07/05/2024
answering body	Department for Education
answering dept id	60
answering dept short name	Education
answering dept sort name	Education
hansard heading	Special Educational Needs
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 18 April to Question 20456 on Special Educational Needs: Stockport Metropolitan Borough Counci, what estimate her Department has made of the number of local authorities that are not delivering their education, health and care function as a result of constraints upon the general fund.
tabling member constituency	Stockport
tabling member printed	Navendu Mishra
uin	25087
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 13/05/2024 answer text <p>Responsibility for local authority funding lies with the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities (DLUHC).</p><p>Local authorities have a statutory responsibility to assess whether children and young people have special educational needs that require an Education, Health and Care (EHC) plan. EHC plans must be issued within twenty weeks of the needs assessment commencing so that children and young people can access the support they need.</p><p>In 2022, 49.2% of EHC plans were issued within the twenty week time limit. Where local authorities are failing to deliver, the department works with them using a range of improvement programmes and special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) specialist advisers to address weaknesses. The department is also putting in place measures such as developing new national standards and a standardised EHC plan process to improve the SEND system so that, where an EHC plan is needed, they can be issued as quickly as possible to ensure children and young people can access the support they need.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency Wantage answering member printed David Johnston question first answered 13/05/2024 16:33:30 answering member 4761 label Biography information for David Johnston
tabling member	4811 label Biography information for Navendu Mishra

1715855

registered interest
date	03/05/2024
answering body	Department for Education
answering dept id	60
answering dept short name	Education
answering dept sort name	Education
hansard heading	Confucius Institutes
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Education, with reference to the Answer of 27 April 2023 to Question 182232 on Confucius Institutes, if she will make an estimate of the cost to the Chinese authorities of maintaining the Confucius Institutes in the UK in 2023/24.
tabling member constituency	East Londonderry
tabling member printed	Mr Gregory Campbell
uin	24741
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 09/05/2024 answer text <p>The department does not hold this information.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency Wantage answering member printed David Johnston question first answered 09/05/2024 15:55:10 answering member 4761 label Biography information for David Johnston
tabling member	1409 label Biography information for Mr Gregory Campbell