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1403466

registered interest
date	17/01/2022
answering body	Department for Education
answering dept id	60
answering dept short name	Education
answering dept sort name	Education
hansard heading	Pupils: Absenteeism
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what estimate his Department has made of the number of children who were absent for at least 50 per cent of possible lessons in summer term 2021.
tabling member constituency	Harlow
tabling member printed	Robert Halfon
uin	105476
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 20/01/2022 answer text <p>The data required to answer this question was collected in the Autumn school census. It is currently being collated for pre-announced publication in March 2022 in the following National Statistics release: <a href="https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/find-statistics/pupil-absence-in-schools-in-england" target="_blank">https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/find-statistics/pupil-absence-in-schools-in-england</a>.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency Worcester answering member printed Mr Robin Walker question first answered 20/01/2022 13:24:38 answering member 4091 label Biography information for Mr Robin Walker
tabling member	3985 label Biography information for Robert Halfon

1403467

registered interest
date	17/01/2022
answering body	Department for Education
answering dept id	60
answering dept short name	Education
answering dept sort name	Education
hansard heading	Pupils: Attendance
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how many government attendance advisors have been appointed as of 17 January 2022; and how many schools are each of those advisers supporting.
tabling member constituency	Harlow
tabling member printed	Robert Halfon
uin	105477
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 20/01/2022 answer text <p>To date, 5 attendance advisers have been appointed by the department. During their first wave of work, they will be collectively supporting 15 multi-academy trusts and 20 local authorities.</p> answering member constituency Worcester answering member printed Mr Robin Walker question first answered 20/01/2022 13:29:43 answering member 4091 label Biography information for Mr Robin Walker
tabling member	3985 label Biography information for Robert Halfon

1403468

registered interest
date	17/01/2022
answering body	Department for Education
answering dept id	60
answering dept short name	Education
answering dept sort name	Education
hansard heading	Pupils: Absenteeism
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps the Department is taking to ensure that the estimate 100,000 children who have become severely absent from school following covid-19 lockdowns are returned to the classroom.
tabling member constituency	Harlow
tabling member printed	Robert Halfon
uin	105478
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 24/01/2022 answer text <p>Regular attendance at school is vital for children’s education, wellbeing, and long-term development.</p><p>My right hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Education, recently established an Attendance Alliance of national leaders from education, children’s social care and allied services to work together to raise school attendance and reduce persistent absence.</p><p>The Alliance has pledged to take a range of action to remove barriers preventing children attending school. This includes work by Rob Tarn, CEO of the Northern Education Trust, a multi-academy trust serving areas with high levels of disadvantage, to work with other trust leaders to identify and disseminate best practice for reducing persistent absence across schools through a range of webinars, case studies and videos which we will be publishing over the coming weeks.</p><p>We also welcome the Children’s Commissioner’s focus and investigation on children regularly missing school. The Children’s Commissioner pledged to do this work at the inaugural meeting of the Alliance in December 2021. The Commissioner’s Office are updating us on their progress which will be reported back to the Alliance.</p><p>The department is also committed to a form of register for children not in school. This will help local authorities undertake their existing duties to ensure children receive a suitable education and help safeguard all children who are in scope. We will set out further details on this in the government response to the ‘children not in school’ consultation, which we will publish in the coming weeks.</p><p>We continue to make clear that schools and local authorities should identify children who are persistently absent or at risk of persistent absence and develop plans to support them to return to regular education.</p> answering member constituency Worcester answering member printed Mr Robin Walker question first answered 24/01/2022 11:31:59 answering member 4091 label Biography information for Mr Robin Walker
tabling member	3985 label Biography information for Robert Halfon

1403625

registered interest
date	17/01/2022
answering body	Department for Education
answering dept id	60
answering dept short name	Education
answering dept sort name	Education
hansard heading	Pupil Exclusions: Autism
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 tackle the practice of informal exclusions of autistic children in educational settings.
tabling member constituency	Harlow
tabling member printed	Robert Halfon
uin	105479
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 24/01/2022 answer text <p>By their very nature, informal exclusions of any child are unlawful. This is why we already make clear in the suspension and permanent exclusion guidance that ‘informal’ or ‘unofficial’ suspensions, such as sending pupils home ‘to cool off’, are unlawful, regardless of whether they occur with the agreement of parents or carers. Further information of this guidance can be found at: <a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/school-exclusion/changes-to-the-school-exclusion-process-during-the-coronavirus-outbreak" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/school-exclusion/changes-to-the-school-exclusion-process-during-the-coronavirus-outbreak</a>.</p><p>Any suspension of a pupil, even for short periods of time, must be in line with the relevant legislation and recorded as a suspension. The department is also clear that off rolling is unacceptable in any form and continues to work with Ofsted to identify and tackle it. The forthcoming special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) Review will also set out proposals for improving support for children with SEND in mainstream, which will look to ensure they get the right support in the right place at the right time.</p><p>All schools are required to have a behaviour policy which must be lawful, proportionate and reasonable. An initial intervention to address underlying causes of disruptive behaviour should include an assessment of whether appropriate provision is in place to support any special educational needs, including autism, or disability that a pupil may have. The department will be setting this out clearly in the consultation on the revised ‘behaviour in schools’ guidance and the ‘suspension and permanent exclusion’ guidance which will be published shortly. These will equip headteachers to create calm, orderly, safe, and supportive school environments where all pupils can thrive and reach their potential in safety and dignity and where exclusions are only ever used lawfully, and when absolutely necessary as a last resort.</p> answering member constituency Colchester answering member printed Will Quince grouped question UIN 105480 question first answered 24/01/2022 17:46:23 answering member 4423 label Biography information for Will Quince
tabling member	3985 label Biography information for Robert Halfon

1403626

registered interest
date	17/01/2022
answering body	Department for Education
answering dept id	60
answering dept short name	Education
answering dept sort name	Education
hansard heading	Autism and Special Educational Needs
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what plans he has to help ensure that the ongoing work in his Department on behaviour management reflects the needs of autistic children and children with special educational needs.
tabling member constituency	Harlow
tabling member printed	Robert Halfon
uin	105480
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 24/01/2022 answer text <p>By their very nature, informal exclusions of any child are unlawful. This is why we already make clear in the suspension and permanent exclusion guidance that ‘informal’ or ‘unofficial’ suspensions, such as sending pupils home ‘to cool off’, are unlawful, regardless of whether they occur with the agreement of parents or carers. Further information of this guidance can be found at: <a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/school-exclusion/changes-to-the-school-exclusion-process-during-the-coronavirus-outbreak" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/school-exclusion/changes-to-the-school-exclusion-process-during-the-coronavirus-outbreak</a>.</p><p>Any suspension of a pupil, even for short periods of time, must be in line with the relevant legislation and recorded as a suspension. The department is also clear that off rolling is unacceptable in any form and continues to work with Ofsted to identify and tackle it. The forthcoming special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) Review will also set out proposals for improving support for children with SEND in mainstream, which will look to ensure they get the right support in the right place at the right time.</p><p>All schools are required to have a behaviour policy which must be lawful, proportionate and reasonable. An initial intervention to address underlying causes of disruptive behaviour should include an assessment of whether appropriate provision is in place to support any special educational needs, including autism, or disability that a pupil may have. The department will be setting this out clearly in the consultation on the revised ‘behaviour in schools’ guidance and the ‘suspension and permanent exclusion’ guidance which will be published shortly. These will equip headteachers to create calm, orderly, safe, and supportive school environments where all pupils can thrive and reach their potential in safety and dignity and where exclusions are only ever used lawfully, and when absolutely necessary as a last resort.</p> answering member constituency Colchester answering member printed Will Quince grouped question UIN 105479 question first answered 24/01/2022 17:46:23 answering member 4423 label Biography information for Will Quince
tabling member	3985 label Biography information for Robert Halfon

1403627

registered interest
date	17/01/2022
answering body	Department for Education
answering dept id	60
answering dept short name	Education
answering dept sort name	Education
hansard heading	Education and Mental Health Services: Autism
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 support the (a) learning and (b) mental health of autistic children and young people.
tabling member constituency	Harlow
tabling member printed	Robert Halfon
uin	105481
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 24/01/2022 answer text <p>The department wants every autistic young person to reach their potential and feel heard at every stage of their life. That is why, in its first year alone, the department is investing £74 million into our cross-government National Autism Strategy to promote a straightforward route to diagnosis, the correct support, increasing understanding and improving access to a quality education and social care.</p><p>£600,000 of this funding has gone toward the department’s contract with the Autism Education Trust (AET) for the 2021/22 financial year. The department has funded the AET since 2011 to deliver autism awareness training to education staff in early years, schools and further education colleges. It has so far reached more than 305,000 people across the country. This includes not only teachers and teaching assistants, but also support staff such as receptionists, dining hall staff and caretakers, encouraging a 'whole school' approach to supporting autistic pupils.</p><p>The mental health of all students, including autistic children and young people, is a priority for this department. During Mental Health Awareness week in May 2021, we announced more than £17 million to improve mental health and wellbeing support in schools and colleges.</p><p>This is in addition to the £79 million to boost children and young people’s mental health support we announced in March 2021. This includes increasing the number of Mental Health Support Teams in schools and colleges to cover approximately 35% of pupils in England by 2023.</p><p>In addition to our existing commitments, the department is also determined to ensure that the special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) system works more effectively for those children who need extra support, including autistic children. That is why we are completing the SEND Review, to improve outcomes and build a sustainable SEND system where there is clear accountability.</p> answering member constituency Colchester answering member printed Will Quince question first answered 24/01/2022 17:52:20 answering member 4423 label Biography information for Will Quince
tabling member	3985 label Biography information for Robert Halfon

1403628

registered interest
date	17/01/2022
answering body	Department for Education
answering dept id	60
answering dept short name	Education
answering dept sort name	Education
hansard heading	Education: Autism
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what estimate his Department has made of the number of autistic children and young people that have yet to return to full-time education following the periods of school closures as a result of covid-19.
tabling member constituency	Harlow
tabling member printed	Robert Halfon
uin	105482
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 25/01/2022 answer text <p>We do not collect data on the attendance of children and young people broken down by specific conditions. Statistics on attendance can be found here: <a href="https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/find-statistics/attendance-in-education-and-early-years-settings-during-the-coronavirus-covid-19-outbreak" target="_blank">https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/find-statistics/attendance-in-education-and-early-years-settings-during-the-coronavirus-covid-19-outbreak</a>.</p><p>Throughout the COVID-19 outbreak, we have published and updated guidance for special schools, special post-16 providers and alternative provision to provide additional information and support for delivering education in these settings, available here: <a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/guidance-for-full-opening-special-schools-and-other-specialist-settings" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/guidance-for-full-opening-special-schools-and-other-specialist-settings</a>. This is clear that regular attendance at school, both special and mainstream, is vital for children’s education, wellbeing and long-term development and school attendance has been mandatory since the end of the last national lockdown.</p><p>To support this, we recommend that leaders in education work collaboratively with families to reassure them and to help their child engage with their everyday activities. Discussions should have a collaborative approach, focusing on the welfare of the child or young person and responding to the concerns of the parent, carer or young person.</p><p>Any families with concerns about their child’s health should speak with their child’s GP or health care team for advice and guidance.</p> answering member constituency Colchester answering member printed Will Quince question first answered 25/01/2022 11:03:54 answering member 4423 label Biography information for Will Quince
tabling member	3985 label Biography information for Robert Halfon

1388598

registered interest
date	16/12/2021
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, how many pupils were in receipt of free school meals in the 12 months from June (a) 2011 and (b) 2021.
tabling member constituency	Harlow
tabling member printed	Robert Halfon
uin	94335
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 05/01/2022 answer text <p>The department does not hold monthly pupil data of who is in receipt of free school meals. The answer provided is based off the annual School Census. In 2011, 1,246,435 children were eligible for free school meals, 16.8% of the school population. In 2021, 1,737,600 were eligible for free school meals, 20.8% of the school population.</p> answering member constituency Colchester answering member printed Will Quince question first answered 05/01/2022 18:00:19 answering member 4423 label Biography information for Will Quince
tabling member	3985 label Biography information for Robert Halfon

1388754

registered interest
date	16/12/2021
answering body	Department of Health and Social Care
answering dept id	17
answering dept short name	Health and Social Care
answering dept sort name	Health and Social Care
hansard heading	Coronavirus: Disease Control
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what recent discussions he has had with his Israeli counterpart on tackling the omicron variant of covid-19.
tabling member constituency	Harlow
tabling member printed	Robert Halfon
uin	94336
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 05/01/2022 answer text <p>There have been no recent discussions on Omicron between the Health Secretary Sajid Javid and the Israeli Health Minister Nitzan Horowitz.</p> answering member constituency Charnwood answering member printed Edward Argar question first answered 05/01/2022 13:44:43 answering member 4362 label Biography information for Edward Argar
tabling member	3985 label Biography information for Robert Halfon

1388018

registered interest
date	15/12/2021
answering body	Scotland Office
answering dept id	2
answering dept short name	Scotland
answering dept sort name	Scotland
hansard heading	Scotland Office: Apprentices
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, what steps he is taking to increase the number of apprentices in his Department.
tabling member constituency	Harlow
tabling member printed	Robert Halfon
uin	904696
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 15/12/2021 answer text <p>We have, and have had, a number of apprentices in the Department.</p><p>We remain committed to apprenticeships as part of a modern employment route into the Civil Service and across the wider economy.</p><p>This year we also had a number of diversity interns as part of a wider Civil Service scheme.</p> answering member constituency Milton Keynes South answering member printed Iain Stewart question first answered 15/12/2021 15:08:54 answering member 4015 label Biography information for Iain Stewart
tabling member	3985 label Biography information for Robert Halfon