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1203907

registered interest
date	15/06/2020
answering body	Department for Education
answering dept id	60
answering dept short name	Education
answering dept sort name	Education
hansard heading	School Fruit and Vegetable Scheme
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how many schools are able to offer free fruit and vegetables for children aged four to six, following the suspension of the School Fruit and Vegetable scheme in March and the reopening of schools on 1 June.
tabling member constituency	Bath
tabling member printed	Wera Hobhouse
uin	59547
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 21/07/2020 answer text <p>The School Fruit and Vegetable Scheme is operated by the NHS Supply Chain on behalf of the Department of Health and Social Care. A decision was taken in March that the scheme would not operate for the whole of the summer term of 2020, recognising the substantial operational difficulties which would need to be resolved in order to restart a large, national scheme like this part-way through a term. This ensured that as little fresh produce went to waste as possible.</p><p>The School Fruit and Vegetable Scheme will resume in September, helping infants to develop healthy eating habits by getting an extra portion of fruit or vegetables every day while at school.</p><p>The government does not collect or hold specific data in relation to schools’ provision of free fruit and vegetables during this period. However, infant pupils currently attending schools are entitled to a free lunch under universal infant free school meals. As stated within the School Food Standards, schools must offer one of more portions of fruit every day and one of more portions of vegetables or salad as an accompaniment to meals every day.</p> answering member constituency Chelmsford answering member printed Vicky Ford grouped question UIN 59548 question first answered 21/07/2020 15:32:38 answering member 4674 label Biography information for Vicky Ford
tabling member	4602 label Biography information for Wera Hobhouse

1194628

registered interest
date	11/05/2020
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 discussions he has had with school leaders on the timeline for reopening schools in England during the covid-19 outbreak.
tabling member constituency	Bath
tabling member printed	Wera Hobhouse
uin	45362
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 19/05/2020 answer text <p>The Department has worked closely with the sector throughout the period of school closures in preparation for reopening. There continues to be extensive engagement with teaching unions and other school stakeholder organisations both at a ministerial and official level.</p><p> </p><p> </p> answering member constituency Bognor Regis and Littlehampton answering member printed Nick Gibb question first answered 19/05/2020 16:08:19 answering member 111 label Biography information for Nick Gibb
tabling member	4602 label Biography information for Wera Hobhouse

1194641

registered interest
date	11/05/2020
answering body	Department for Education
answering dept id	60
answering dept short name	Education
answering dept sort name	Education
hansard heading	Children: Coronavirus
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Education, for what reason children in reception, Year 1 and Year 6 will be the first to return to school in response to the easing of the covid-19 lockdown measures.
tabling member constituency	Bath
tabling member printed	Wera Hobhouse
uin	45363
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 19/05/2020 answer text <p>From the week commencing 1 June at the earliest, we will be asking primary schools to welcome back children in nursery, reception, year 1 and year 6, alongside priority groups. The rationale for identifying these year groups is included in guidance for schools and childcare settings to prepare for wider opening from 1 June 2020:</p><p><a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/actions-for-educational-and-childcare-settings-to-prepare-for-wider-opening-from-1-june-2020/actions-for-education-and-childcare-settings-to-prepare-for-wider-opening-from-1-june-2020" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/actions-for-educational-and-childcare-settings-to-prepare-for-wider-opening-from-1-june-2020/actions-for-education-and-childcare-settings-to-prepare-for-wider-opening-from-1-june-2020</a>.</p><p> </p><p>The three year groups within mainstream primary have been prioritised because they are key transition years – children in reception and year 1 are at the very beginning of their school career and are mastering the essential basics, including counting and the fundamentals of reading and writing, and learning to socialise with their peers. Year 6 children are finishing Key Stage 2 and are preparing for the transition to secondary school, and will benefit immensely from time with their friends and teachers to ensure they are ready.</p><p>We will prioritise younger children in the first phases of wider opening, for several reasons. Firstly, because there is moderately high scientific confidence in evidence suggesting younger children are less likely to become unwell if infected with COVID-19; and secondly because evidence shows the particularly detrimental impact which time spent out of education can have upon them. In addition, older children are more likely to have higher numbers of contacts outside of school so pose a greater transmission risk, and they are typically better able to learn at home.</p><p>Our approach is in line with other countries across Europe, who have begun to bring pre-school and school-age children back in a phased way and are focusing on primary schools and younger children.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency Bognor Regis and Littlehampton answering member printed Nick Gibb question first answered 19/05/2020 16:12:28 answering member 111 label Biography information for Nick Gibb
tabling member	4602 label Biography information for Wera Hobhouse

1188704

registered interest
date	20/04/2020
answering body	Department for Education
answering dept id	60
answering dept short name	Education
answering dept sort name	Education
hansard heading	Offences against Children
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps his Department is taking to safeguard children from abuse while schools are closed due to covid-19.
tabling member constituency	Bath
tabling member printed	Wera Hobhouse
uin	37977
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 28/04/2020 answer text <p>Ensuring that vulnerable children remain protected is a top priority for government. We know that, for many vulnerable children, attending an education setting is a protective factor from harm. We have therefore asked schools to remain open for children who are vulnerable, as well as for those children of workers critical to the COVID-19 response. Where a child or young person who has a social worker does not attend school, providers should follow up with the parent or carer – and social worker/local authority, where appropriate – to explore reasons for absence.</p><p>Our latest guidance on supporting vulnerable children and young people during the coronavirus outbreak can be found at:</p><p><a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/coronavirus-covid-19-guidance-on-vulnerable-children-and-young-people" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/coronavirus-covid-19-guidance-on-vulnerable-children-and-young-people</a>.</p><p>Local authorities have the key day-to-day responsibility for delivery of children’s social care, and we are working closely with them to ensure stability of services for our most vulnerable children.</p><p>In addition, through the Coronavirus Act 2020 we have taken powers to bring previously registered social workers onto the register of social workers held by the regulator, Social Work England. Information about this is available at: <a href="http://www.socialworkengland.org.uk/news/social-work-together/" target="_blank">www.socialworkengland.org.uk/news/social-work-together/</a>.</p><p>£3.2 billion of additional funding is being provided to support local authorities to address any pressures they are facing in response to the COVID-19 outbreak, including for delivering children’s social care.</p><p>The government is also making £1.6 million of funding available immediately for the NSPCC to expand and promote its national helpline for adults. Expanding the helpline will mean that many more adults know how and where to raise concerns and seek advice or support about the safety and well-being of any children they are worried about.</p><p>We have also published safeguarding advice to support schools and colleges to work with local authorities to keep children safe, including online. This advice is available at: <a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/covid-19-safeguarding-in-schools-colleges-and-other-providers/coronavirus-covid-19-safeguarding-in-schools-colleges-and-other-providers" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/covid-19-safeguarding-in-schools-colleges-and-other-providers/coronavirus-covid-19-safeguarding-in-schools-colleges-and-other-providers</a>.</p> answering member constituency Chelmsford answering member printed Vicky Ford question first answered 28/04/2020 16:30:36 answering member 4674 label Biography information for Vicky Ford
tabling member	4602 label Biography information for Wera Hobhouse

1006883

registered interest
date	14/11/2018
answering body	Department for Education
answering dept id	60
answering dept short name	Education
answering dept sort name	Education
hansard heading	Further Education: Finance
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what recent assessment his Department has made of the adequacy of funding for further education institutions.
tabling member constituency	Bath
tabling member printed	Wera Hobhouse
uin	191438
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 22/11/2018 answer text <p>We have protected the base rate of funding for 16 to 19 year olds for all types of providers until the end of the current spending review period in 2020. We have been allocated £1.5 billion for the Adult Education Budget for each year of the 2015 Spending Review period to engage adults to participate and develop the skills and learning they need up to level 3 to equip them for work, an apprenticeship or further learning.</p><p>We are actively exploring the efficiency and resilience of further education and will be assessing how far existing and forecast funding and regulatory structures enable high quality provision. This work will align closely with the Post-18 Funding Review in particular, to ensure a coherent vision for further and higher education. As with other areas of departmental spending, further education funding from 2020 onwards will be considered as part of the next spending review.</p> answering member constituency Guildford answering member printed Anne Milton question first answered 22/11/2018 15:30:55 answering member 1523 label Biography information for Anne Milton
tabling member	4602 label Biography information for Wera Hobhouse