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1355554

	registered interest
	date	14/09/2021
	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, what steps he is taking to ensure that schools receiving pupil premium are not adversely affected by the administrative change of calculations based on Free School Meals eligibility in October rather than January.
	tabling member constituency	Newcastle upon Tyne Central
	tabling member printed	Chi Onwurah
	uin	49130
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 22/09/2021 answer text <p>Schools receive additional funding through the pupil premium to help them support their disadvantaged pupils. For mainstream and special schools, the department has based pupil premium funding for the 2021/22 financial year on the October 2020 census data, instead of using the January census. Alongside the annual pupil premium publication, we have also published the financial impact of moving to using the October census: <a href="https://www.gov.uk/guidance/pupil-premium-effective-use-and-accountability" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/guidance/pupil-premium-effective-use-and-accountability</a>.</p><p>Overall, total pupil premium funding is increasing to more than £2.5 billion in the 2021/22 financial year, up by £60 million from 2020/21. This reflects an increase in funding in approximately two thirds of schools, as more children have become eligible for free school meals.</p><p>Head teachers have the flexibility to prioritise support for specific groups of pupils according to their needs. To ensure schools have the best tools to make a difference for all their pupils, the department founded the Education Endowment Foundation in 2011 to research and promote the most effective ways of accelerating pupil progress. This includes guidance for head teachers recommending how best to use the £2.5 billion pupil premium. All schools should have regard to this high-quality advice when deciding how to tackle the attainment gap.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency Worcester answering member printed Mr Robin Walker question first answered 22/09/2021 16:26:16 answering member 4091 label Biography information for Mr Robin Walker
	tabling member	4124 label Biography information for Chi Onwurah

1355557

	registered interest
	date	14/09/2021
	answering body	Department for Education
	answering dept id	60
	answering dept short name	Education
	answering dept sort name	Education
	hansard heading	Education: Digital Technology
	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 (a) promote digital education in secondary schools and (b) embed digital skills across all subject areas within formal education.
	tabling member constituency	Newcastle upon Tyne Central
	tabling member printed	Chi Onwurah
	uin	49132
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 22/09/2021 answer text <p>The department is committed to increasing the digital expertise of young people.</p><p>The computing curriculum provides important foundational knowledge such as algorithms, programming, e-safety, digital literacy and computational thinking that will enable them to pursue further study or a wide range of digital careers in cyber security, artificial intelligence (AI), data science, robotics and software engineering. The majority of this is taught from year 8 and 9 onwards and forms part of the GCSE subject content.</p><p>The department has invested £84 million to improve the quality of computing teaching, creating a National Centre for Computing Education (NCCE). The NCCE has created 500 hours of free, high quality teacher resources, which include cyber security, digital literacy, and data science at key stage 3. The resources include a unit of learning on AI which is taught to year 8 pupils. In addition, the Isaac Computer Science online platform has been set up to support teachers and pupils through AS and A level. As of the end of August 2021, more than 34,600 teachers have engaged with the NCCE programme.</p><p>The department also supports the government’s popular extra-curricular CyberFirst programme, aimed at 11–17 year olds, which stimulates interest in cybersecurity through hackathons, girls’ competitions and residential courses. We also continue to work closely with the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport on promoting digital careers in school.</p><p>We also recognise the importance of ensuring schools and teachers can make the best use of digital technology. The department has helped more than 6500 schools get set up on a digital platform, ensuring they have access to both training materials and Classroom Practitioner certification schemes available via Microsoft and Google as well as peer to peer support from the EdTech Demonstrators programme.</p><p>We are investing £500 million in the implementation of the new T Levels. There are three T Levels under the digital route. The first qualification is available now and the remaining two qualifications will be delivered from September 2021 onwards. All three contain core elements of computer science. Additionally, all T Level programmes will require students to develop core English, maths and digital competencies as part of the qualification thus giving employers the confidence graduates have the level of digital proficiency necessary for employment.</p><p>In September 2020, the Institute for Apprenticeships and Technical Education launched the new higher technical qualification approvals process, which will focus exclusively in its first year on supporting the delivery of newly approved, high-quality digital qualifications (to be introduced from September 2022).</p><p>We are also taking forward an ambitious programme of further education reform through the further education white paper. These reforms will raise the quality and capacity of training in further education and will be designed with employers to make sure that courses meet their skills needs. It is clear that digital skills will be a major area of focus.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency Worcester answering member printed Mr Robin Walker question first answered 22/09/2021 16:30:25 answering member 4091 label Biography information for Mr Robin Walker
	tabling member	4124 label Biography information for Chi Onwurah

1404600

	registered interest
	date	19/01/2022
	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 steps he is taking to help ensure comprehensive covid-19 mitigation practices in schools in Newcastle.
	tabling member constituency	Newcastle upon Tyne Central
	tabling member printed	Chi Onwurah
	uin	107575
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 24/01/2022 answer text <p>COVID-19 continues to be a virus that we learn to live with and the imperative to reduce the disruption to children and young people’s education remains, balanced with managing transmission risk.</p><p>My right hon. Friend, the Prime Minister, has announced that from 20 January, face coverings are no longer recommended in classrooms and teaching spaces for staff, and pupils and students in year 7 and above. They were introduced in classrooms at the start of the spring term as a temporary measure. From 27 January, face coverings are no longer recommended in communal areas for staff, and pupils and students in year 7 and above.</p><p>However, a range of a range of protective measures remain in place. Local directors of public health may temporarily advise the use of face coverings in communal areas or classrooms where this is proportionate due to specific local public health concerns.</p><p>Testing remains important in reducing the risk of transmission of COVID-19 within schools and colleges. Staff and secondary school pupils should continue to test twice weekly at home, with lateral flow device (LFD) test kits. Schools are encouraged to ask all visitors to take an LFD test before entering the school.</p><p>Young people aged 5 to 18 and fully vaccinated adults who are identified as a close contact of someone with COVID-19 can take an NHS rapid LFD test every day for 7 days and continue to attend their school or college as normal, unless they have a positive test result.</p><p>People with COVID-19 in England can now end their self-isolation after 5 full days, as long as they test negative on day 5 and day 6.</p><p>Every child aged 12 and over is eligible to receive the vaccine. Healthy 12 to 15-year-olds can have a second dose. All 16 to 17-year-olds will be offered the booster vaccination.</p><p>Children aged 5 to 11 years in a clinical risk group or who are a household contact of someone who is immunosuppressed are now able to get two doses of the vaccine.</p><p>We have provided carbon dioxide monitors backed by £25 million in government funding. Over 99% of eligible maintained schools, further education colleges, and the majority of early years education providers have received a carbon dioxide monitor, with over 350,000 delivered. The government is now making available at least 7,000 funded air cleaning units for poorly ventilated teaching spaces where quick fixes to improve ventilation are not possible.</p><p>Schools should regularly review their risk assessments and continue to comply with health and safety law implementing proportionate control measures in line with our guidance. All education and childcare providers should have contingency plans in place in cases of outbreaks within schools, as set out in the contingency framework, to help break chains of transmission. This framework is available here: <a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/coronavirus-covid-19-local-restrictions-in-education-and-childcare-settings" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/coronavirus-covid-19-local-restrictions-in-education-and-childcare-settings</a>.</p><p>Regarding Newcastle upon Tyne, the measures in place apply nationally as the department no longer applies different local measures. However, local directors of public health have the discretion to apply some local rules as outlined above.</p> answering member constituency Worcester answering member printed Mr Robin Walker question first answered 24/01/2022 16:24:50 answering member 4091 label Biography information for Mr Robin Walker
	tabling member	4124 label Biography information for Chi Onwurah

1404601

	registered interest
	date	19/01/2022
	answering body	Department for Education
	answering dept id	60
	answering dept short name	Education
	answering dept sort name	Education
	hansard heading	Schools: Air Conditioning
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps he is taking to ensure that an adequate number of HEPA filters are available in schools in Newcastle.
	tabling member constituency	Newcastle upon Tyne Central
	tabling member printed	Chi Onwurah
	uin	107576
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 27/01/2022 answer text <p>Air cleaning units were allocated to providers based on need, using the eligibility criteria we have set out in our guidance, which is available here: <a href="https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/12cU_I5q0v1_my97yPMpb87RsSL5d5lpj" target="_blank">https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/12cU_I5q0v1_my97yPMpb87RsSL5d5lpj</a>.</p><p>As of 24 January, 1,265 providers that applied for department-funded air cleaning units were eligible for air cleaning units, including 8 providers in Newcastle. We are currently finalising the total number of units allocated to providers, this will depend on the needs identified by eligible providers, including the number of people using the room(s).</p><p>The total number of eligible providers mirrors published summary findings from the department’s survey of the use of CO2 monitors, which show that only 3% of providers using carbon dioxide monitors reported sustained high carbon dioxide readings that couldn’t otherwise be addressed. This is available to view here: <a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/co2-monitor-survey-and-applications-for-air-cleaning-units" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/co2-monitor-survey-and-applications-for-air-cleaning-units</a>.</p><p>The total number of air cleaning units that providers have applied for was just over 8,000. Up to an additional 1,000 units have now been ordered, bringing the total number of units available up to 9,000, allowing all eligible applications to be fulfilled.</p> answering member constituency Worcester answering member printed Mr Robin Walker question first answered 27/01/2022 16:43:47 answering member 4091 label Biography information for Mr Robin Walker
	tabling member	4124 label Biography information for Chi Onwurah

1437588

	registered interest
	date	02/03/2022
	answering body	Department for Education
	answering dept id	60
	answering dept short name	Education
	answering dept sort name	Education
	hansard heading	Schools: Air Conditioning
	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 27 January 2022 to Question 107576 on Schools: Air Conditioning, how many filters has his Department provided per school in (a) Newcastle, (b) the North East and (c) London.
	tabling member constituency	Newcastle upon Tyne Central
	tabling member printed	Chi Onwurah
	uin	133180
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 08/03/2022 answer text <p>To fulfil all eligible applications for air cleaning units, up to 9,000 air cleaning units have been made available to state-funded education providers with poorly ventilated teaching spaces where quick fixes to improve ventilation are not possible. As of 24 January 2022, 1,265 education providers were eligible to receive air cleaning units. This figure includes schools, colleges, and early years providers. Air cleaning units were allocated to education providers based on need, using the eligibility criteria the department has set out in its guidance.</p><p>As of 25 February 2022, 7,647 air cleaning units have been delivered to state-funded education providers. Of these:</p><ul><li>41 units have been delivered to 6 education providers in Newcastle (of which 5 are schools)</li><li>376 units have been provided to 64 education providers in the north-east (of which 48 are schools)</li><li>1,016 units have been provided to 142 education providers in London (of which 99 are schools)</li></ul><p>Natural ventilation is best where that is achievable, and the department has robust evidence that, in the vast majority of cases, teaching spaces and classrooms benefit from sufficient natural ventilation. That evidence includes the responses to the department’s recent survey of education providers using the CO2 monitors that was published on 24 January 2022. This showed that only 3% of education providers reported sustained high CO2 readings (above 1500ppm) that could not be remedied through quick fixes or remedial building works. The survey is available here: <a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/co2-monitor-survey-and-applications-for-air-cleaning-units" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/co2-monitor-survey-and-applications-for-air-cleaning-units</a>.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency Worcester answering member printed Mr Robin Walker question first answered 08/03/2022 13:52:50 answering member 4091 label Biography information for Mr Robin Walker
	tabling member	4124 label Biography information for Chi Onwurah

1271623

	registered interest
	date	16/12/2020
	answering body	Department for Transport
	answering dept id	27
	answering dept short name	Transport
	answering dept sort name	Transport
	hansard heading	Travel: North East
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if he will provide Test to Release capacity in the North East of England.
	tabling member constituency	Newcastle upon Tyne Central
	tabling member printed	Chi Onwurah
	uin	130722
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 11/01/2021 answer text <p>There are a number of testing providers on the gov.uk providers’ list, based in different locations around England. Many offer a choice between testing at a site or an at-home test, meaning that anyone who is not easily able to access a testing site has the option of having a test sent to the location where they are self-isolating.</p><p> </p><p>We are continuing to work at pace to bring further providers on to the gov.uk providers’ list as and when they have self-declared that they meet the minimum standards.</p> answering member constituency Witney answering member printed Robert Courts question first answered 11/01/2021 12:41:42 answering member 4589 label Biography information for Robert Courts
	tabling member	4124 label Biography information for Chi Onwurah

1300196

	registered interest
	date	08/03/2021
	answering body	Department for Transport
	answering dept id	27
	answering dept short name	Transport
	answering dept sort name	Transport
	hansard heading	Travel: Coronavirus
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, with reference to the new form required to be completed by people travelling abroad from England, whether that form must be completed by non residents and/or foreign nationals; and whether migrating to another country is a permitted reason to travel abroad.
	tabling member constituency	Newcastle upon Tyne Central
	tabling member printed	Chi Onwurah
	uin	164471
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 11/03/2021 answer text <p>All people travelling from England outside the Common Travel Area, including foreign nationals, are required to complete a travel declaration form unless they are exempt. Details of exemptions can be found on gov.uk (https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/coronavirus-covid-19-travellers-exempt-from-uk-border-rules/coronavirus-covid-19-travellers-exempt-from-uk-border-rules). Those under 18 and those that lack capacity are not required to have a travel declaration form. If travelling with a responsible adult, however, that responsible adult must complete a form on their behalf.</p><p> </p><p>Under the current stay at home restrictions, people may only leave home or the place where they are living if they have a reasonable excuse. Moving house is a reasonable excuse for these purposes, so travelling abroad in order to move home is permitted and may be stated on the travel declaration form. Whether someone is in fact travelling for the purposes of moving home will be a matter of fact, which police may assess if questioning an individual.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p> answering member constituency Witney answering member printed Robert Courts question first answered 11/03/2021 15:44:31 answering member 4589 label Biography information for Robert Courts
	tabling member	4124 label Biography information for Chi Onwurah

1302014

	registered interest
	date	11/03/2021
	answering body	Department for Transport
	answering dept id	27
	answering dept short name	Transport
	answering dept sort name	Transport
	hansard heading	Travel: Coronavirus
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the Answer of 11 March 2021 to Question 164471 on Travel: Coronavirus, whether foreign nationals visiting the UK are permitted to return home during the covid-19 outbreak; and whether that is an acceptable reason for travel for the purposes of travel declarations under covid-19 restrictions.
	tabling member constituency	Newcastle upon Tyne Central
	tabling member printed	Chi Onwurah
	uin	167200
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 16/03/2021 answer text <p>Under the domestic stay at home regulations, everyone in England must have a legally permitted reason for being outside the place they are living or staying whilst in England. Travelling to a home abroad is not necessarily a legally permitted reason, but there are circumstances (where it might be, these are set out on gov.uk).</p><p> </p><p>Anyone departing from England to return to a home outside the Common Travel Area, must complete a travel declaration form, outlining the reason for being outside the place where they are living.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency Witney answering member printed Robert Courts question first answered 16/03/2021 11:05:38 answering member 4589 label Biography information for Robert Courts
	tabling member	4124 label Biography information for Chi Onwurah

1361998

	registered interest
	date	20/10/2021
	answering body	Department for Transport
	answering dept id	27
	answering dept short name	Transport
	answering dept sort name	Transport
	hansard heading	Aviation: Carbon Emissions
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps he is taking to help support the UK aviation industry in reaching their decarbonisation targets of net zero emissions by 2050.
	tabling member constituency	Newcastle upon Tyne Central
	tabling member printed	Chi Onwurah
	uin	59789
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 27/10/2021 answer text <p>We have set a clear policy framework through the recently published Net Zero Strategy, the Jet Zero Consultation and the SAF mandate consultation; have ensured government and industry collaboration through the Jet Zero Council and other forums; are providing £1.95 billion funding over 13 years (2013-2026) to support the development of zero emission technologies through the Aerospace Technology Institute; and recently made a commitment to provide £180 million to support the development of UK sustainable aviation fuel production in the UK, which builds on the progress made through previous advanced fuels competition including the £15 million Green Fuels, Green Skies competition and the £22 million Future Fuels for Flight and Freight Competition.</p><p> </p><p>The Jet Zero Consultation closed on 8 September, and we are working to analyse responses to help shape our final Jet Zero Strategy to be published early next year.</p> answering member constituency Witney answering member printed Robert Courts question first answered 27/10/2021 11:19:09 answering member 4589 label Biography information for Robert Courts
	tabling member	4124 label Biography information for Chi Onwurah

1363023

	registered interest
	date	25/10/2021
	answering body	Department for Transport
	answering dept id	27
	answering dept short name	Transport
	answering dept sort name	Transport
	hansard heading	Travel Restrictions: Dominican Republic
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, for what reason the Dominican Republic remains on the red travel list.
	tabling member constituency	Newcastle upon Tyne Central
	tabling member printed	Chi Onwurah
	uin	62720
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 02/11/2021 answer text <p>The Dominican Republic was removed from the red list on Monday 1 November. There are no countries or territories currently on the UK’s red list. However, the data for all countries and territories will be kept under regular review and the red list will continue to operate as the UK’s first defence to prevent incoming variants of concern from entering the UK from international travel.</p> answering member constituency Witney answering member printed Robert Courts question first answered 02/11/2021 12:09:07 answering member 4589 label Biography information for Robert Courts
	tabling member	4124 label Biography information for Chi Onwurah