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44354

registered interest
date	20/03/2014
answering body	Department for Education
answering dept id	60
answering dept short name	Education
answering dept sort name	Education
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Education, if he will take steps to ensure that the contracts for the Building Schools for the Future programme include provisions to ensure prompt payment to small and medium-sized businesses.
tabling member constituency	North Durham
tabling member printed	Mr Kevan Jones
uin	193063
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 25/03/2014 answer text <p>The Building Schools for the Future (BSF) programme is coming to a close, with the final schemes moving in to construction. The Government's main programme to address the condition needs of the school estate is the Priority Schools Building Programme (PSBP) and the majority of work will be procured using the Education Funding Agency's (EFA) Contractors' Framework, which commenced in November 2013.</p><p>All PSBP procurements carried out by the EFA through this Framework will require the use of project bank accounts (PBAs)</p><p>PBAs differ from traditional construction industry payment arrangements whereby the procuring party under the building contract makes payment to the main contractor, who in turn makes payment down his supply chain. This can lead to delay and cashflow problems for small and medium sized businesses, who typically make up a significant proportion of the supply chain.</p><p>Instead, the procuring party will make payment into a trust account established specifically for the project. The majority of members of the supply chain are nominated as beneficiaries of that trust account, and the building contract requires that payment must be made from the PBA to the supply chain as soon as possible after the PBA is placed in funds, typically within three to four working days (although varying slightly depending on the specific banking arrangements).</p><p>There are a small number of PSBP projects being procured through a private finance route. For these projects, the project agreement does not deal with construction payments as no payment is made until the project is operational. Before that, payments for construction works are made by the single-purpose company (SPC) set up to carry out the project, to its subcontractors, and then down the contractual chain. The SPC's solvency is, in its contracts with first-tier subcontractors, protected by industry-standard provisions with which PBAs are not compatible. We are considering whether more can be done to encourage prompt payment further down the contractual chain.</p> answering member constituency Yeovil answering member printed Mr David Laws question first answered 25/03/2014 12:00:00 answering member 1473 label Biography information for Mr David Laws
tabling member	1438 label Biography information for Mr Kevan Jones

44356

registered interest
date	20/03/2014
answering body	Department for Education
answering dept id	60
answering dept short name	Education
answering dept sort name	Education
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 improve opportunities for children in primary school to learn computer programming.
tabling member constituency	Belfast East
tabling member printed	Naomi Long
uin	193003
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 27/03/2014 answer text <p>As part of the reforms to the national curriculum, the Department for Education is strengthening the teaching of programming in schools by replacing ICT with computing. The new computing programmes of study, which will be taught in maintained schools from September 2014, have a much greater emphasis on computer science and include a significant focus on programming. Primary school pupils at key stage 1 will be taught to understand what algorithms are, create and debug simple programs, and use logical reasoning to predict the behaviour of simple programs. Building on this, primary school pupils at key stage 2 will be taught to design, write and debug programs that accomplish specific goals, including controlling or simulating physical systems; use sequence, selection, and repetition in programs; and use logical reasoning to detect and correct errors in algorithms and programs.</p><p>The Department is funding several projects to help teachers acquire the necessary subject knowledge and skills to teach the new computing curriculum. We are funding the British Computer Society (BCS) to help primary school teachers improve their subject knowledge through online teach-yourself resources and 800 in-school workshops. We are also funding BCS to build a network of 400 ‘Master Teachers'. A further £500,000 competitive match-funded scheme was announced on 4 February to support excellent computing teaching and lever additional investment and engagement from business.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency South West Norfolk answering member printed Elizabeth Truss question first answered 27/03/2014 12:00:00 answering member 4097 label Biography information for Elizabeth Truss
tabling member	3920 label Biography information for Naomi Long

44359

registered interest
date	20/03/2014
answering body	Department for Education
answering dept id	60
answering dept short name	Education
answering dept sort name	Education
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Education, when he plans to introduce his new national school funding formula.
tabling member constituency	South Staffordshire
tabling member printed	Gavin Williamson
uin	193118
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 27/03/2014 answer text <p>On 13 March, I announced proposals to allocate £350 million to our least fairly funded local areas in 2015-16. This is the biggest step towards fairer schools funding in a decade. It puts us in a much better position to implement a national funding formula when the time is right – after the next spending review, when there are multi-year public spending plans, and we can give greater certainty to schools about how the formula will affect them.</p> answering member constituency Yeovil answering member printed Mr David Laws question first answered 27/03/2014 12:00:00 answering member 1473 label Biography information for Mr David Laws
tabling member	4108 label Biography information for Sir Gavin Williamson

44360

registered interest
date	20/03/2014
answering body	Department for Education
answering dept id	60
answering dept short name	Education
answering dept sort name	Education
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether he has any plans to increase the amount of funding allocated to schools in South Staffordshire constituency.
tabling member constituency	South Staffordshire
tabling member printed	Gavin Williamson
uin	193117
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 26/03/2014 answer text <p>Earlier this month I announced plans to boost funding for around 60 of the least fairly funded local authorities, which will mean that every local area will attract at least a minimum level of funding for each of its pupils and schools. As Staffordshire already attracts funding above these levels, it will not receive additional money as part of these proposals. Staffordshire receives funding on a per pupil basis, so the amount allocated to schools in Staffordshire will increase in line with demographic growth.</p><p>Schools in Staffordshire local authority received over £22 million of pupil premium funding in 2013-14. This is a significant Government investment in addition to mainstream school funding. We will increase pupil premium funding rates for 2014-15 to £1,300 for every eligible primary pupil and £935 for every eligible secondary pupil, as well as expanding the scope of the pupil premium to cover more disadvantaged pupils than ever before.</p> answering member constituency Yeovil answering member printed Mr David Laws question first answered 26/03/2014 12:00:00 answering member 1473 label Biography information for Mr David Laws
tabling member	4108 label Biography information for Sir Gavin Williamson

44361

registered interest
date	20/03/2014
answering body	Department for Education
answering dept id	60
answering dept short name	Education
answering dept sort name	Education
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what estimate he has made for the number of three and four year olds who will benefit from his new early years premium; what the eligibility criteria is for those children; how those three and four year olds will be identified; what amount will be attached to each child; how the premium will be administered; whether all early years settings will be eligible to receive the premium for children in their care; and how many years that funding is guaranteed for.
tabling member constituency	Manchester Central
tabling member printed	Lucy Powell
uin	192995
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 27/03/2014 answer text <p>The purpose of the £50 million funding through a Pupil Premium for early years, which the Government announced on 18 March, is to improve early years provision for disadvantaged three and four year-olds. We will consult on delivery of the Premium, including the eligibility criteria, prior to its introduction in April 2015. Funding decisions beyond 2015-16 will be determined in a future Parliament.</p> answering member constituency South West Norfolk answering member printed Elizabeth Truss question first answered 27/03/2014 12:00:00 answering member 4097 label Biography information for Elizabeth Truss
tabling member	4263 label Biography information for Lucy Powell

44021

registered interest
date	19/03/2014
answering body	Department for Education
answering dept id	60
answering dept short name	Education
answering dept sort name	Education
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps his Department takes to identify unutilised foster carers.
tabling member constituency	Birmingham, Selly Oak
tabling member printed	Steve McCabe
uin	192802
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 24/03/2014 answer text <p>The Department does not collect information of unutilised foster carers.</p><p>However, Ofsted collects annual statistics supplied by local authority fostering services and independent fostering services, which include occupancy rates of foster places. Details can be found at: <a href="http://www.ofsted.gov.uk/resources/fostering-quality-assurance-and-data-forms-2012-13-first-statistical-release" target="_blank">http://www.ofsted.gov.uk/resources/fostering-quality-assurance-and-data-forms-2012-13-first-statistical-release</a></p><p> </p> answering member constituency Crewe and Nantwich answering member printed Mr Edward Timpson question first answered 24/03/2014 12:00:00 answering member 1605 label Biography information for Edward Timpson
tabling member	298 label Biography information for Steve McCabe

44022

registered interest
date	19/03/2014
answering body	Department for Education
answering dept id	60
answering dept short name	Education
answering dept sort name	Education
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps his Department takes to assist local authorities which possess insufficient foster carers.
tabling member constituency	Birmingham, Selly Oak
tabling member printed	Steve McCabe
uin	192803
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 24/03/2014 answer text <p>I refer the hon. Member for Birmingham, Selly Oak to the replies I gave him on 10 December 2013, Official Report, column 213W; 6 January 2014, Official Report column 94W; and 11 February 2014, Official Report Column 542W, which set out a range of activities the Government is funding to support the recruitment and retention of foster carers by local authorities.</p> answering member constituency Crewe and Nantwich answering member printed Mr Edward Timpson question first answered 24/03/2014 12:00:00 answering member 1605 label Biography information for Edward Timpson
tabling member	298 label Biography information for Steve McCabe

44023

registered interest
date	19/03/2014
answering body	Department for Education
answering dept id	60
answering dept short name	Education
answering dept sort name	Education
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what his Department's planned capital departmental expenditure limit will be in (a) 2014-15 and (b) 2015-16.
tabling member constituency	Middlesbrough South and East Cleveland
tabling member printed	Tom Blenkinsop
uin	192822
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 25/03/2014 answer text <p>The Department for Education's latest published planned capital departmental expenditure limit is set out in the recently published 2013-14 ‘Supplementary Estimate Memorandum' (Annex D), which can be accessed via the following link.</p><p><a href="http://www.parliament.uk/documents/commons-committees/Education/DFE%20201314%20Supp%20Estimate%20Memorandum%20FINAL.pdf" target="_blank">http://www.parliament.uk/documents/commons-committees/Education/DFE%20201314%20Supp%20Estimate%20Memorandum%20FINAL.pdf</a></p><p>A copy has been placed in the House Library.</p><p>The information will be updated when the Main 2014-15 Estimate is published in due course.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency South West Norfolk answering member printed Elizabeth Truss question first answered 25/03/2014 12:00:00 answering member 4097 label Biography information for Elizabeth Truss
tabling member	4037 label Biography information for Tom Blenkinsop

44024

registered interest
date	19/03/2014
answering body	Department for Education
answering dept id	60
answering dept short name	Education
answering dept sort name	Education
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps he has taken to improve the education of children on the autism spectrum.
tabling member constituency	Huddersfield
tabling member printed	Mr Barry Sheerman
uin	192755
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 24/03/2014 answer text <p>The Department for Education continues to fund the Autism Education Trust to provide training to early years, school and further education staff on autism. From January 2012 to February 2014, 22,451 staff have received level 1 basic awareness training, 3,214 have received level 2 hands-on tools and techniques training and 775 have received level 3 training for those who want to develop their knowledge of autism further and those who will themselves take on a training role, such as school Special Educational Needs Co-ordinators.</p><p>The Department is also funding three autism organisations over 2013 to 2015, including Ambitious about Autism to work with four general further education colleges and schools to test innovative ways of supporting the transition of young people with autism from school to college and the National Autistic Society to help young people with autism take part in the development of ‘local offers', to provide advice to professionals and to fund an exclusion adviser for parents and professionals.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency Crewe and Nantwich answering member printed Mr Edward Timpson question first answered 24/03/2014 12:00:00 answering member 1605 label Biography information for Edward Timpson
tabling member	411 label Biography information for Mr Barry Sheerman

44025

registered interest
date	19/03/2014
answering body	Department for Education
answering dept id	60
answering dept short name	Education
answering dept sort name	Education
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what funding was allocated for disadvantaged two year olds in Rotherham in (a) 2013-14 and (b) 2014-15.
tabling member constituency	Rotherham
tabling member printed	Sarah Champion
uin	192809
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 24/03/2014 answer text <p>Figures for the amount of funding allocated to deliver the early education entitlement for two year olds in Rotherham are published online.</p><p>Figures for 2013-14 can be found at:</p><p><a href="http://webarchive.nationalarchives.gov.uk/20130903192841/http://www.education.gov.uk/childrenandyoungpeople/earlylearningandchildcare/delivery/free%20entitlement%20to%20early%20education/b0070114/eefortwoyearolds/la-funding-allocations" target="_blank">http://webarchive.nationalarchives.gov.uk/20130903192841/http://www.education.gov.uk/childrenandyoungpeople/earlylearningandchildcare/delivery/free%20entitlement%20to%20early%20education/b0070114/eefortwoyearolds/la-funding-allocations</a></p><p>Figures for 2014-15 can be found at:</p><p><a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/funding-for-learning-for-2-year-olds-letter-from-elizabeth-truss" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/funding-for-learning-for-2-year-olds-letter-from-elizabeth-truss</a></p> answering member constituency South West Norfolk answering member printed Elizabeth Truss question first answered 24/03/2014 12:00:00 answering member 4097 label Biography information for Elizabeth Truss
tabling member	4267 label Biography information for Sarah Champion