Show Search Form

Search Results

registered interest	true false
date	exactly: or between: and
answering body
answering dept id
answering dept short name
answering dept sort name
hansard heading
house id
legislature	pref label
question text
tabling member constituency
tabling member printed
uin
answer	is ministerial correction true false date of answer exactly: or between: and answer text answering member constituency answering member printed question first answered answering member label
tabling member	label

Search

1178909

registered interest
date	21/02/2020
answering body	Department for Education
answering dept id	60
answering dept short name	Education
answering dept sort name	Education
hansard heading	Apprentices
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps he plans to take to promote apprenticeships to young people in (a) Harlow and (b) the UK.
tabling member constituency	Harlow
tabling member printed	Robert Halfon
uin	18383
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 02/03/2020 answer text <p>We have introduced a wide range of reforms to improve the quality of apprenticeships and to encourage employers across England to create more high-quality apprenticeship opportunities.</p><p> </p><p>Since May 2010, there have been 4,392,000 apprenticeship starts in England. Of these, 7,200 apprenticeships starts have been in the Harlow parliamentary constituency.</p><p> </p><p>From August 2020, all starts will be on the new apprenticeship standards which are replacing existing frameworks. These are designed and driven by industry to create apprenticeships that are high-quality providing employers in Harlow, and across England, with the skills they need. Over 510 standards have already been approved for delivery to apprentices.</p><p> </p><p>We are working hard to encourage take up of our apprenticeship programme. The third phase of the Fire it Up campaign launched in January 2020 with a planned media investment for this phase of £2.9 million. It is targeting certain groups to widen participation in apprenticeships. Our 13<sup>th</sup> annual National Apprenticeship Week took place in February 2020. Nearly 900 events were held across the country, aiming to change perceptions of apprenticeships.</p><p>In January 2018, we introduced a legal requirement for schools to give training providers the chance to talk to pupils about technical qualifications and apprenticeships, so that young people hear about the alternatives to academic routes.</p><p> </p><p>We also offer a free service to schools through the Apprenticeship Support and Knowledge for Schools and Colleges (ASK) programme to ensure that teachers have the knowledge and support to enable them to promote apprenticeships to their students. In the last academic year, ASK reached over 300,000 students throughout England. In Harlow, ASK has worked with 8 schools and colleges and has engaged with 840 students in the last three academic years.</p><p> </p><p>In the 2019-20 financial year, funding available for investment in apprenticeships in England is over £2.5 billion – double what was spent in 2010. This is supporting employers of all sizes, across England, to provide high-quality apprenticeship opportunities for people of all ages and backgrounds. We are moving smaller employers onto our award-winning apprenticeship service to give them a greater choice of training providers. They can also benefit from transferred funds from levy payers. Levy transfers can help to support new starts in supply chains and address local skills needs.</p><p> </p><p>Essex County Council and the South East Local Enterprise Partnership are members of the East of England Apprenticeship Ambassador Network. They are working with local employers to take advantage of transfers to support more small- and medium-sized employers in the area to offer apprenticeships.</p> answering member constituency Chichester answering member printed Gillian Keegan question first answered 02/03/2020 16:53:52 answering member 4680 label Biography information for Gillian Keegan
tabling member	3985 label Biography information for Robert Halfon

1178912

registered interest
date	21/02/2020
answering body	Department for Education
answering dept id	60
answering dept short name	Education
answering dept sort name	Education
hansard heading	Postgraduate Education: Fees and Charges
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment he has made of the potential merits of abolishing application fees for postgraduate students; and if he will make a statement.
tabling member constituency	Ealing Central and Acton
tabling member printed	Dr Rupa Huq
uin	18386
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 28/02/2020 answer text <p>Higher education providers in England are autonomous bodies and therefore have discretion over the application fees they charge for postgraduate courses.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency Chippenham answering member printed Michelle Donelan question first answered 28/02/2020 15:21:04 answering member 4530 label Biography information for Michelle Donelan
tabling member	4511 label Biography information for Dr Rupa Huq

1178923

registered interest
date	21/02/2020
answering body	Department for Education
answering dept id	60
answering dept short name	Education
answering dept sort name	Education
hansard heading	Special Educational Needs: North East
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what recent assessment he has made of the adequacy of support offered to SEND facilities in the North East.
tabling member constituency	Newcastle upon Tyne Central
tabling member printed	Chi Onwurah
uin	18397
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 26/02/2020 answer text <p>We have launched a review of the special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) system to see what improvements are required to make sure every child gets the education that is right for them.</p><p>No child or young person should be held back from reaching their potential, including those with complex special needs. This is why we have announced £780 million of additional high needs funding for local authorities nationally in the 2020-21 financial year . This is an increase of 12% compared to this year, bringing the total amount for supporting those with the most complex needs to over £7 billion.</p><p>Every local authority will see an increase in high needs funding of at least 8% per head of population aged 2 to 18. Local authorities in the North East will receive a total of £338 million in high needs funding in 2020-21, an increase of £40 million compared to this year.</p><p>We have also invested a total of £365 million through the special provision capital fund from 2018-19 to 2020-21. This funding will help local authorities to create new places and improve facilities for pupils with SEND. The North East has been allocated a total of £12.5 million from 2018-19 to 2020-21.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency Chelmsford answering member printed Vicky Ford question first answered 26/02/2020 15:53:22 answering member 4674 label Biography information for Vicky Ford
tabling member	4124 label Biography information for Chi Onwurah

1178924

registered interest
date	21/02/2020
answering body	Department for Education
answering dept id	60
answering dept short name	Education
answering dept sort name	Education
hansard heading	Higher Education: Disadvantaged
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment he has made of the effect of the student finance system on the decisions of students from low income backgrounds on whether to undertake higher education.
tabling member constituency	Newcastle upon Tyne Central
tabling member printed	Chi Onwurah
uin	18398
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 28/02/2020 answer text <p>The student finance system provides support for fees and living costs to assist students from all backgrounds to take part in higher education.</p><p> </p><p>In 2019, record rates of disadvantaged 18-year-olds were accepted onto full time university courses. 18-year-olds from disadvantaged backgrounds were 62% more likely to go to university in 2019 than in 2009.</p><p> </p><p>The independent panel’s report on the Review of Post-18 Education and Funding was published in May 2019. The government is considering the recommendations made in the report, including those relating to the student finance system. The government will conclude the review alongside the next spending review.</p> answering member constituency Chippenham answering member printed Michelle Donelan question first answered 28/02/2020 13:46:30 answering member 4530 label Biography information for Michelle Donelan
tabling member	4124 label Biography information for Chi Onwurah

1178946

registered interest
date	21/02/2020
answering body	Department for Education
answering dept id	60
answering dept short name	Education
answering dept sort name	Education
hansard heading	Schools: North East Bedfordshire
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what proportion of schools in the North East Bedfordshire constituency were rated by Ofsted as (a) good and (b) outstanding in (i) 2010 and (ii) at their last inspection.
tabling member constituency	North East Bedfordshire
tabling member printed	Richard Fuller
uin	18514
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 28/02/2020 answer text <p>The information requested is published by Ofsted.</p><p>For the North East Bedfordshire constituency, Ofsted’s data shows that the percentage of schools rated as either good or outstanding has remained stable; 82% in 2010 and 83% in 2019.</p><p>As of 31 August 2010, 53% of schools in the constituency were rated as good and 29% of schools were rated as outstanding. The equivalent figures for England were 50% and 18% respectively.</p><p>The latest available data is for 31 August 2019, which shows 68% of schools in the constituency were rated as good and 15% of schools were rated as outstanding. The equivalent figures for England were 66% and 20% respectively.</p> answering member constituency Bognor Regis and Littlehampton answering member printed Nick Gibb question first answered 28/02/2020 15:52:07 answering member 111 label Biography information for Nick Gibb
tabling member	3912 label Biography information for Richard Fuller

1178950

registered interest
date	21/02/2020
answering body	Department for Education
answering dept id	60
answering dept short name	Education
answering dept sort name	Education
hansard heading	Soft Drinks: Taxation
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how his Department plans to allocate the £455m from the soft drinks industry levy to fund children’s (a) health and (b) access to healthy food.
tabling member constituency	Washington and Sunderland West
tabling member printed	Mrs Sharon Hodgson
uin	18515
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 02/03/2020 answer text <p>As indicted on page 175 in the Office for Budget Responsibility’s March 2019 Economic and Fiscal Outlook, the government is forecast to receive around £340 million from the soft drinks industry levy in 2020-21. The March 2019 report on Economic and Fiscal Outlook can be found here:</p><p><a href="https://obr.uk/efo/economic-fiscal-outlook-march-2019/" target="_blank">https://obr.uk/efo/economic-fiscal-outlook-march-2019/</a>.</p><p> </p><p>The department will provide details of how our share of funding will be allocated to specific programmes in due course. Previously we have used funding from the levy to fund programmes that improve children’s health such as the PE and Sport Premium for primary schools and the national breakfast clubs programme.</p> answering member constituency Chelmsford answering member printed Vicky Ford question first answered 02/03/2020 12:11:00 answering member 4674 label Biography information for Vicky Ford
tabling member	1521 label Biography information for Mrs Sharon Hodgson

1178957

registered interest
date	21/02/2020
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 impact assessments the Government has conducted on cessation of funding for post-16 qualifications.
tabling member constituency	Coventry South
tabling member printed	Zarah Sultana
uin	18869
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 02/03/2020 answer text <p>The government is taking forward a review of post-16 qualifications at level 3 and below. The first stage consultation on this review was published in March 2019, alongside a general impact assessment and an equalities impact assessment. Details of this review can be found here: <a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/review-of-post-16-qualifications-at-level-3-and-below-in-england" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/review-of-post-16-qualifications-at-level-3-and-below-in-england</a>.</p><p> </p><p>For the majority of our proposals, these were initial assessments as the first stage consultation set out high level principles for reform rather than firm proposals for change on which full detailed impact assessments could be based. The second stage consultation, which will follow later in 2020, will contain specific proposals for change. The government will publish a corresponding detailed impact assessment, including equalities impacts, alongside this consultation.</p><p> </p><p>For one area where we are making early progress on the review, we set out a full impact assessment alongside the March consultation. This is where we are removing funding approval for qualifications where we have a reformed version approved for performance tables running in parallel. Funding for these “pre-existing” qualifications will be removed in August 2020. The impact assessment can be found at: <a href="https://consult.education.gov.uk/post-16-qualifications-review-team/post-16-level-3-and-below-qualifications-review/supporting_documents/Post%2016%20level%203%20and%20below%20qualifications%20review%20%20Impact%20Assessments.pdf" target="_blank">https://consult.education.gov.uk/post-16-qualifications-review-team/post-16-level-3-and-below-qualifications-review/supporting_documents/Post%2016%20level%203%20and%20below%20qualifications%20review%20%20Impact%20Assessments.pdf</a>.</p><p> </p><p>Funding will be removed from these qualifications in August 2020. The impact assessments published in March last year addressed this.</p><p> </p><p>The first stage consultation also set out our intention to remove funding approval for qualifications with low and no publicly funded enrolments. On 13 February 2020 the Department for Education announced the process to identify which of these qualifications will have funding approval removed from August 2021. This included publication of an initial list of qualifications with low and no publicly funded enrolments in scope of the process. This process requires awarding organisations to notify the Department if they believe funding approval should be retained, subject to specific criteria including whether the removal of public funding approval for the qualification will have a significant adverse impact upon a particular group of students, a provider, or occupational or geographic area. The department intends to publish the final list in July 2020 of qualifications that will have approval for public funding withdrawn from August 2021. An impact assessment will be published at this point.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency Chichester answering member printed Gillian Keegan question first answered 02/03/2020 17:02:05 answering member 4680 label Biography information for Gillian Keegan
tabling member	4786 label Biography information for Zarah Sultana

1178986

registered interest
date	21/02/2020
answering body	Department for Education
answering dept id	60
answering dept short name	Education
answering dept sort name	Education
hansard heading	Universities: Disclosure of Information
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Education, if he has plans to tackle the use by universities of non-disclosure agreements for student grievances.
tabling member constituency	Morley and Outwood
tabling member printed	Mrs Andrea Jenkyns
uin	18638
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 02/03/2020 answer text <p>The government has a clear expectation that all employers, including universities, should only use non-disclosure agreements (NDAs) where appropriate and necessary. Any misuse of NDAs by universities to hide workplace discrimination or harassment or to withhold details of student complaints is completely unacceptable and not only can distress individuals but also risks bringing our world-leading higher education system into disrepute.</p><p> </p><p>Although there is a range of legitimate reasons why universities may use NDAs including, for example, the protection of commercially sensitive information related to university research, we recognise their misuse is an area of concern. The government consulted on the misuse of confidentiality clauses in employer/employee relationships in 2019, and in response announced that we will legislate to prevent the misuse of NDAs in the workplace – including those being used to cover up harassment and discrimination. This will strengthen protections for individuals and create a fairer workplace for all.</p><p>The Office of the Independent Adjudicator for Higher Education (OIA) is the independent body set up to review student complaints in England and Wales. They also provide good practice guidance on resolving student complaints more generally and have published a briefing note for providers on handling complaints involving sexual misconduct and harassment.</p><p> </p><p>The OIA view is that it is not normally appropriate or in the spirit of their scheme to expect a student to sign a complicated or legally binding settlement agreement, or to sign a confidentiality clause. To do so may mean that any lessons to be learned from the complaint are lost.</p><p> </p><p>Sexual misconduct, discrimination and harassment are unacceptable in higher education, as elsewhere, and government expects higher education providers to have robust and appropriate policies and procedures in place to handle effectively disclosures and reports of such behaviour by students or staff.</p><p> </p><p>The Office for Students (OfS) is currently consulting on its approach to regulation and its expectations for providers in addressing sexual misconduct and harassment in their institutions. This consultation closes on 27 March 2020. Government officials meet at least quarterly with both the OfS and Universities UK specifically to discuss making progress on tackling harassment in higher education.</p> answering member constituency Chippenham answering member printed Michelle Donelan question first answered 02/03/2020 15:50:37 answering member 4530 label Biography information for Michelle Donelan
tabling member	4490 label Biography information for Dame Andrea Jenkyns

1178999

registered interest
date	21/02/2020
answering body	Department for Education
answering dept id	60
answering dept short name	Education
answering dept sort name	Education
hansard heading	Sixth Form Education: VAT
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 7 Feb 2020 to Question 10455, whether his Department holds data on the cost to sixth form colleges of VAT in the last five financial years.
tabling member constituency	Kingston upon Hull West and Hessle
tabling member printed	Emma Hardy
uin	18893
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 02/03/2020 answer text <p>The department does not collate or produce a figure for the total VAT paid by sixth form colleges.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency Chichester answering member printed Gillian Keegan question first answered 02/03/2020 16:53:37 answering member 4680 label Biography information for Gillian Keegan
tabling member	4645 label Biography information for Emma Hardy

1179024

registered interest
date	21/02/2020
answering body	Department for Education
answering dept id	60
answering dept short name	Education
answering dept sort name	Education
hansard heading	National College for Advanced Transport and Infrastructure and National College for High Speed Rail
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Education, if he will place copies of the board minutes of the National College for Advanced Transport and Infrastructure and the National College for High Speed Rail in the Library.
tabling member constituency	Chesham and Amersham
tabling member printed	Dame Cheryl Gillan
uin	18415
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 26/02/2020 answer text <p>As the National College for Advanced Transport and Infrastructure is an independent organisation outside the control of the department and its agencies, publication of minutes is decided by its own board.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency Chichester answering member printed Gillian Keegan question first answered 26/02/2020 17:18:11 answering member 4680 label Biography information for Gillian Keegan
tabling member	18 label Biography information for Dame Cheryl Gillan