The UK has a world-class reputation, with globally renowned teaching and cutting-edge research and innovation. We want to deliver better outcomes and value for students, employers and taxpayers who underwrite the system.<\/p>
The Office for Students (OfS) is now fully operational and puts students and student choices at the heart of the higher education (HE) sector and its regulation. By encouraging diversity and innovation in high quality provision, the government is supporting the sector to meet the needs of all students in HE, whatever their background or study choices, as well as opening up the sector to greater competition.<\/p>
The OfS has formally adopted the Teaching Excellence and Student Outcomes Framework (TEF) as its scheme for assessing the quality of HE provision in England. Participation in the TEF is a condition of registration for English HE providers with more than 500 undergraduates. Participation is voluntary for smaller HE providers and for those in Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland. The TEF encourages excellent teaching to flourish by re-balancing the priority given to teaching and learning compared to research.<\/p>
The TEF will provide strong incentives to HE providers to prioritise the student learning experience. In due course we will lay before Parliament the report of the independent review of the TEF, which has been conducted by Dame Shirley Pearce.<\/p>
In August 2019, my right hon. Friend, the Prime Minister, announced a new fast-track immigration route aimed at allowing a wider pool of scientific talent to come to the UK. This route will ensure that those with specialist skills in science, technology, engineering and mathematics subjects can come to the UK and make an important contribution to our leading science and research sectors, significantly enhancing the intellectual and knowledge base of the UK. The route will be uncapped, ensuring that those with the required skill set\u202fcan secure places.<\/p>
The UK is a great place for research, accounting for 4% of the world's researchers, 11% of all citations, 14% of the world\u2019s most highly cited articles and 4 of the world\u2019s top 10 universities. The government recognises the important contribution of our universities to research, innovation and working with business. This contribution is critical to achieving the ambitions of our modern Industrial Strategy, including delivering 2.4% spend of GDP on research and development by 2027. In the autumn, the government will set out plans to significantly boost public funding on research and development, provide greater long-term certainty to our scientific and research community and accelerate our ambition to reach 2.4% of GDP.<\/p>
Additionally, on 11 September, my right hon. Friend, the Prime Minister, announced a new graduate immigration route that provides an opportunity for international students who have been awarded their degree to stay and work in the UK at any skill level for 2 years. This represents a significant improvement in our offer to international students and will help ensure that our world-leading HE sector remains competitive internationally.<\/p>"} , "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4218", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Baroness Berridge"} } , "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Baroness Berridge"} , "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2019-10-08", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2019-10-08T16:13:41.433Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} ]} , "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "60"} , "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Education"} , "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Education"} , "date" : {"_value" : "2019-10-07", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Universities"} , "houseId" : {"_value" : "2"} , "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25277", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Lords"} } ], "questionText" : "To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to ensure that UK universities stay competitive with universities elsewhere in the world.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4282", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Lord Bourne of Aberystwyth"} } , "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Lord Bourne of Aberystwyth"} ], "uin" : "HL18042"} , {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1148333", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Department for Education"} ], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1148333/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : "
In August, the Department announced a school funding settlement, providing for an increase of over £14 billion for primary and secondary schools, in total, over the next three years. The £14 billion means the Department can \u2018level up\u2019 school funding by raising the minimum per pupil funding for secondary schools to £5,000 next year, and the minimum per pupil funding for primary schools to £3,750 in 2020-21 and £4,000 in 2021-22.<\/p>
<\/p>
Average school funding is increasing by 5% next year \u2013 a significant increase - and the Department is allocating the biggest increases for the lowest-funded schools. In addition, every school in England can see an increase in per pupil funding at least in line with inflation, with most schools attracting real terms increases.<\/p>
<\/p>
This settlement comprises cash increases of £2.6 billion for 2020-21, £4.8 billion for 2021-22 and £7.1 billion for 2022-23 compared with 2019-20. As part of this, the high needs budget will rise by over £700 million in 2020-21 compared to this year, which is equivalent to an increase of over 11%.<\/p>
In delivering this settlement, this Government is giving all young people the best opportunities to succeed - regardless of where they grow up or go to school.<\/p>"} , "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/111", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Nick Gibb"} } , "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Bognor Regis and Littlehampton"} , "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Nick Gibb"} , "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2019-10-08", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2019-10-08T14:33:47.627Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} ]} , "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "60"} , "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Education"} , "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Education"} , "date" : {"_value" : "2019-10-04", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Schools: Finance"} , "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"} , "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"} } ], "questionText" : "To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps he is taking to equalise the level of schools funding for local authorities.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4090", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Mr Jonathan Lord"} } , "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Woking"} , "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Mr Jonathan Lord"} ], "uin" : "294703"} , {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1148341", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Department for Education"} ], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1148341/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : "
The Department know that education is a strong protective factor against children\u2019s and young people\u2019s risk of involvement in serious violence. It is important that schools enable children to achieve, to belong and to be equipped with the skills they need to be safe and to succeed in life.<\/p>
<\/p>
The Department is making relationships and health education compulsory in all primary and secondary schools, and relationships and sex education compulsory in all secondary schools from September 2020. The aim is to put in place the building blocks needed for positive and safe relationships of all kinds, including how to properly handle conflict and to recognise coercive relationships.<\/p>
<\/p>
Key decisions on which subjects to include in the new curriculum were informed by a stakeholder engagement process, where the Department was contacted by over 63,000 individuals and organisations and a consultation which received over 11,000 responses. Pupils will be taught about building healthy relationships and about their mental health and wellbeing. This will enable them to make informed decisions and seek support if issues arise.<\/p>
<\/p>
Schools will have the freedom to ensure the curriculum meets the needs of their pupils. This flexibility will allow schools to respond to local public health and community issues such as serious violence. Schools can build on the core content and discuss topics, such as healthy and unhealthy relationships, in relation to gang and criminal activity.<\/p>
<\/p>
The Department also intends to publish the new school and college security guidance shortly. The guidance makes it clear that the curriculum offers opportunities to help schools and colleges inform young people about the dangers they may face, both in and around school and beyond, and provide pupils and students with the means to help keep themselves safe.<\/p>"} , "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/111", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Nick Gibb"} } , "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Bognor Regis and Littlehampton"} , "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Nick Gibb"} , "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2019-10-08", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2019-10-08T14:23:23.317Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} ]} , "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "60"} , "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Education"} , "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Education"} , "date" : {"_value" : "2019-10-04", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Crimes of Violence: Education"} , "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"} , "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"} } ], "questionText" : "To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment his Department has made of the potential merits of educating children about violent crime in order to reduce levels of violent crime among young people.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4490", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Dame Andrea Jenkyns"} } , "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Morley and Outwood"} , "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Andrea Jenkyns"} ], "uin" : "294733"} , {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1148352", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Department for Education"} ], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1148352/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : "
The department does not hold data on the ethnicity, class and gender of school governors and academy trustees.<\/p>
<\/p>"} , "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4530", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Michelle Donelan"} } , "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Chippenham"} , "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Michelle Donelan"} , "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2019-10-08", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2019-10-08T14:01:53.997Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} ]} , "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "60"} , "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Education"} , "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Education"} , "date" : {"_value" : "2019-10-04", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Schools: Governing Bodies"} , "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"} , "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"} } ], "questionText" : "To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what data his Department holds on the (a) ethnicity, (b) class and (c) gender of school governors.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4491", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Vicky Foxcroft"} } , "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Lewisham, Deptford"} , "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Vicky Foxcroft"} ], "uin" : "294734"} , {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1148355", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Department for Education"} ], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1148355/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : "
Inspiring Governance is a service run by the charity, Education and Employers, that supports recruitment in school governance by matching those who wish to be governors to school vacancies. The department requires Education and Employers to meet targets to increase diversity on school governing boards. They are on track to register over 16% of people from Black and Minority Ethnic (BAME) backgrounds this financial year. As at the 2011 census, 15% of the England population identified as being from a BAME background.<\/p>
\u2018Everyone on Board\u2019 is a campaign run jointly between Inspiring Governance and the National Governance Association and is not a government programme. The objective of this campaign is to increase the number of BAME and young people involved in governance.<\/p>
Inspiring Governance report that over 19% of people registering and being placed into governance roles are from a BAME background, and people aged under 35 make up over 37% of registrations and over 46% of appointments.<\/p>"} , "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4530", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Michelle Donelan"} } , "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Chippenham"} , "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Michelle Donelan"} , "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2019-10-08", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "groupedQuestionUIN" : {"_value" : "294736"} , "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2019-10-08T16:09:56.243Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} ]} , "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "60"} , "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Education"} , "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Education"} , "date" : {"_value" : "2019-10-04", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Schools: Governing Bodies"} , "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"} , "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"} } ], "questionText" : "To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment he has made of the effectiveness of the (a) Inspiring Governance and (b) Everyone on board programmes in increasing diversity on school governing boards.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4491", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Vicky Foxcroft"} } , "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Lewisham, Deptford"} , "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Vicky Foxcroft"} ], "uin" : "294735"} , {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1148356", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Department for Education"} ], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1148356/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : "
Inspiring Governance is a service run by the charity, Education and Employers, that supports recruitment in school governance by matching those who wish to be governors to school vacancies. The department requires Education and Employers to meet targets to increase diversity on school governing boards. They are on track to register over 16% of people from Black and Minority Ethnic (BAME) backgrounds this financial year. As at the 2011 census, 15% of the England population identified as being from a BAME background.<\/p>
\u2018Everyone on Board\u2019 is a campaign run jointly between Inspiring Governance and the National Governance Association and is not a government programme. The objective of this campaign is to increase the number of BAME and young people involved in governance.<\/p>
Inspiring Governance report that over 19% of people registering and being placed into governance roles are from a BAME background, and people aged under 35 make up over 37% of registrations and over 46% of appointments.<\/p>"} , "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4530", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Michelle Donelan"} } , "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Chippenham"} , "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Michelle Donelan"} , "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2019-10-08", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "groupedQuestionUIN" : {"_value" : "294735"} , "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2019-10-08T16:09:56.29Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} ]} , "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "60"} , "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Education"} , "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Education"} , "date" : {"_value" : "2019-10-04", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Schools: Governing Bodies"} , "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"} , "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"} } ], "questionText" : "To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps his Department is taking to encourage more young people to become school governors.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4491", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Vicky Foxcroft"} } , "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Lewisham, Deptford"} , "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Vicky Foxcroft"} ], "uin" : "294736"} , {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1148359", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Department for Education"} ], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1148359/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : "
In January the Department launched the Government\u2019s first ever integrated strategy to recruit and retain more teachers in schools, developed alongside teachers, education unions and leading professional bodies.<\/p>
This landmark strategy includes the biggest teaching reform in a generation, the Early Career Framework (ECF), providing the solid foundations for a successful career in teaching, backed by at least £130 million a year in extra funding when fully rolled out. As part of the ECF\u2019s package of support, the Department has committed to funding and guaranteeing 5% off-timetable in the second year of teaching for all early career teachers; early career teachers will continue to have a 10% timetable reduction in their first year of induction. The Department will also fully fund mentor training and fund time for mentors to support early career teachers.<\/p>
The Department recognises it needs to take significant action on starting salaries and early career pay over the medium-term to address our pressing recruitment and retention challenges. This is why the Department has set out plans to significantly raise starting pay to £30,000 by September 2022.<\/p>
The Department has also put in place a range of measures, including bursaries worth up to £26,000 for priority subjects, to encourage graduates to teach key subjects such as languages and physics.<\/p>
The Department is also offering retention incentives in priority subjects to ensure we are keeping those teachers in the classroom. These include early-career payments for new chemistry, languages, maths and physics teachers and a student loan reimbursement scheme for languages, science and computing teachers. It is important that young people are taught about climate change and the impact of human actions on the environment. Topics related to this are included in both the science and geography curricula and qualifications. These were developed with subject experts and reflect the latest scientific and academic understanding so that children fully appreciate the causes of climate change and what needs to be done to tackle it.<\/p> For example, in primary school science, pupils are taught about how weather changes across the four seasons and how human actions affect environments. In secondary school science, pupils are taught about the production of carbon dioxide by human activity and the effect this has on the climate. This is expanded on in GCSE science where pupils consider the evidence for additional anthropogenic causes of climate change. As part of GCSE geography, pupils look at the causes, consequences of, and responses to, extreme weather conditions and natural weather hazards. This includes understanding the interactions between people and environments.<\/p>"}
, "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/111", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Nick Gibb"}
}
, "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Bognor Regis and Littlehampton"}
, "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Nick Gibb"}
, "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2019-10-08", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2019-10-08T14:04:50.27Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
]}
, "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "60"}
, "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Education"}
, "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Education"}
, "date" : {"_value" : "2019-10-04", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Climate Change: Curriculum"}
, "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"}
, "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"}
}
], "questionText" : "To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps he has taken to ensure the national curriculum includes (a) up to date scientific understanding of climate change and (b) the role of human behaviour in affecting the global climate.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4083", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Alison McGovern"}
}
, "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Wirral South"}
, "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Alison McGovern"}
], "uin" : "294701"}
, {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1148385", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Department for Education"}
], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1148385/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : " The number and proportion of children in schools in Woking constituency and Surrey local authority who were eligible for and claiming free school meals (FSM) is given in the table below.<\/p> <\/p> <\/p> <\/p><\/td> Number of pupils eligible and claiming FSM<\/strong><\/p><\/td> Percentage of pupils eligible and claiming FSM<\/strong><\/p><\/td><\/tr> Surrey<\/p><\/td> 13,281<\/p><\/td> 8%<\/p><\/td><\/tr> Woking constituency<\/p><\/td> 1,285<\/p><\/td> 9%<\/p><\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table>
<\/strong><\/p>"}
, "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/111", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Nick Gibb"}
}
, "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Bognor Regis and Littlehampton"}
, "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Nick Gibb"}
, "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2019-10-08", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2019-10-08T14:25:05.077Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
]}
, "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "60"}
, "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Education"}
, "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Education"}
, "date" : {"_value" : "2019-10-04", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Teachers: Recruitment"}
, "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"}
, "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"}
}
], "questionText" : "To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps he is taking to improve rates of teacher (a) recruitment and (b) retention.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4090", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Mr Jonathan Lord"}
}
, "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Woking"}
, "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Mr Jonathan Lord"}
], "uin" : "294704"}
, {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1148377", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Department for Education"}
], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1148377/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : "