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1491387

registered interest
date	21/07/2022
answering body	Department for Education
answering dept id	60
answering dept short name	Education
answering dept sort name	Education
hansard heading	Department for Education: Consultants
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how much his Department has spent on external consultants in each of the last five years; and if he will publish a breakdown of (a) the amount paid to each consultancy contracted, (b) the name of each consultancy contracted, (c) the specific matters on which they were consulted and (d) whether each contract was subject to usual Government procurement rules.
tabling member constituency	Kirkcaldy and Cowdenbeath
tabling member printed	Neale Hanvey
uin	42240
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 05/09/2022 answer text <p>I refer the hon. Member for Kirkcaldy and Cowdenbeath to the answer the former Minister for Higher and Further Education gave on 1 July 2022 to Question <a href="https://questions-statements.parliament.uk/written-questions/detail/2022-06-21/22552" target="_blank">22552</a>, which provides a total of expenditure of consultants in the last five years.</p><p>The information supporting questions (a) and (c) is not readily available and could only be obtained at disproportionate cost.</p><p>The information supporting question (b) is only available in part. Within the time and value for money considerations applicable, it has been possible to provide an analysis of the 2021/22 financial year expenditure, by supplier. This analysis can be found in the attached table. Information relating to financial years prior to 2021/22 is not readily available and could only be obtained at disproportionate cost.</p><p>The department adheres to government/public procurement regulations, uses Crown Commercial frameworks where available and ensures best value for procurements. In addition, if the requirements exceed £20,000 or three-months duration, they are subject to Cabinet Office spend controls.</p> answering member constituency Colchester answering member printed Will Quince question first answered 05/09/2022 08:46:55 answering member 4423 label Biography information for Will Quince attachment 1 file name 42240_Department_For_Education_2021-22_Consultancy_Expenditure_By_Supplier.pdf title Consultancy Expenditure by Supplier
tabling member	4782 label Biography information for Neale Hanvey

1491449

registered interest
date	21/07/2022
answering body	Department for Education
answering dept id	60
answering dept short name	Education
answering dept sort name	Education
hansard heading	Department for Education: Agency Workers
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how much his Department has spent on (a) agency workers and (b) agency retainer fees in (i) 2020, (ii) 2021 and (iii) 2022.
tabling member constituency	Hemsworth
tabling member printed	Jon Trickett
uin	41937
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 05/09/2022 answer text <p>The department does not separate the costs of agency workers, contingent labour, or any associated agency retainer fees in our accounts. A breakdown could only be obtained at disproportionate cost.</p><p>The cost of contingent labour (including agency workers) is published in the Department’s Annual Report and Accounts (ARA), and is available at: <a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/dfe-annual-reports" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/dfe-annual-reports</a>. Figures for the 2021/22 financial year are included, although the audit is still ongoing and this value may be subject to change.</p><p>The figures below cover the entirety of the Departmental Group, including Executive Agencies and Non-Departmental Public Bodies, for the years specified:</p><table><tbody><tr><td><p><strong>Financial Year</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>Contingent Labour &amp; Agency Fees (£ million)</strong></p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2019/20</p></td><td><p>£30.8 million</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2020/21</p></td><td><p>£32.5 million</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2021/22 (subject to audit)</p></td><td><p>£39.2 million</p></td></tr></tbody></table><p> </p> answering member constituency Colchester answering member printed Will Quince question first answered 05/09/2022 08:36:43 answering member 4423 label Biography information for Will Quince
tabling member	410 label Biography information for Jon Trickett

1491505

registered interest
date	21/07/2022
answering body	Department for Education
answering dept id	60
answering dept short name	Education
answering dept sort name	Education
hansard heading	Educational Institutions: Ventilation
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 help improve ventilation in education settings in advance of the autumn term.
tabling member constituency	Portsmouth South
tabling member printed	Stephen Morgan
uin	42191
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 05/09/2022 answer text <p>The department has published guidance, Building Bulletin 101 (BB101), which provides guidelines on indoor and outdoor air quality in new and refurbished schools.</p><p>BB101 promotes best practice in controlling pollutants and setting maximum standards for levels of pollutants in indoors. More information on BB101 can be found at: <a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/building-bulletin-101-ventilation-for-school-buildings" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/building-bulletin-101-ventilation-for-school-buildings</a>.</p><p>As part of the department’s response to COVID-19, state-funded education and childcare providers in England were supplied with carbon dioxide monitors to help manage the need for ventilation and thermal comfort.</p><p>Schools have found the monitors helpful to manage ventilation and, in the majority of education providers, existing ventilation measures are sufficient.</p><p>Where an area of poor ventilation has been identified that cannot be resolved through simple measures such as opening doors and windows, schools are advised to explore what remedial works may be required to improve ventilation. Where it was not possible to maintain adequate ventilation, providers were advised to consider the use of an air cleaning unit to reduce the risk of aerosol pathogens, including COVID-19 transmission, while the underlying ventilation issue is addressed.</p><p>To support education providers, the department provided over 8,000 air cleaning units with HEPA filters as a temporary measure whilst the underlying ventilation issue was addressed. More information can be found at: <a href="https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/find-statistics/delivery-of-air-cleaning-units" target="_blank">https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/find-statistics/delivery-of-air-cleaning-units</a>.</p><p>The findings of a survey of education providers using carbon dioxide monitors found that 97% of providers could achieve good ventilation.</p><p>Indoor air pollutants can be managed using mechanical or natural ventilation systems. Air cleaning units do not reduce carbon dioxide levels. They are not a substitute for ventilation and should never be used as a reason to reduce ventilation. They are not necessary in spaces that are adequately ventilated.</p> answering member constituency Colchester answering member printed Will Quince grouped question UIN 42192 question first answered 05/09/2022 09:18:17 answering member 4423 label Biography information for Will Quince
tabling member	4653 label Biography information for Stephen Morgan

1491506

registered interest
date	21/07/2022
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, if he will provide HEPA air filtration devices to all schools ahead of the autumn term.
tabling member constituency	Portsmouth South
tabling member printed	Stephen Morgan
uin	42192
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 05/09/2022 answer text <p>The department has published guidance, Building Bulletin 101 (BB101), which provides guidelines on indoor and outdoor air quality in new and refurbished schools.</p><p>BB101 promotes best practice in controlling pollutants and setting maximum standards for levels of pollutants in indoors. More information on BB101 can be found at: <a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/building-bulletin-101-ventilation-for-school-buildings" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/building-bulletin-101-ventilation-for-school-buildings</a>.</p><p>As part of the department’s response to COVID-19, state-funded education and childcare providers in England were supplied with carbon dioxide monitors to help manage the need for ventilation and thermal comfort.</p><p>Schools have found the monitors helpful to manage ventilation and, in the majority of education providers, existing ventilation measures are sufficient.</p><p>Where an area of poor ventilation has been identified that cannot be resolved through simple measures such as opening doors and windows, schools are advised to explore what remedial works may be required to improve ventilation. Where it was not possible to maintain adequate ventilation, providers were advised to consider the use of an air cleaning unit to reduce the risk of aerosol pathogens, including COVID-19 transmission, while the underlying ventilation issue is addressed.</p><p>To support education providers, the department provided over 8,000 air cleaning units with HEPA filters as a temporary measure whilst the underlying ventilation issue was addressed. More information can be found at: <a href="https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/find-statistics/delivery-of-air-cleaning-units" target="_blank">https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/find-statistics/delivery-of-air-cleaning-units</a>.</p><p>The findings of a survey of education providers using carbon dioxide monitors found that 97% of providers could achieve good ventilation.</p><p>Indoor air pollutants can be managed using mechanical or natural ventilation systems. Air cleaning units do not reduce carbon dioxide levels. They are not a substitute for ventilation and should never be used as a reason to reduce ventilation. They are not necessary in spaces that are adequately ventilated.</p> answering member constituency Colchester answering member printed Will Quince grouped question UIN 42191 question first answered 05/09/2022 09:18:17 answering member 4423 label Biography information for Will Quince
tabling member	4653 label Biography information for Stephen Morgan

1491507

registered interest
date	21/07/2022
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, whether his Department is taking steps to provide additional funding to schools for supply teachers to cover staff absences due to covid-19 in the autumn term of 2022.
tabling member constituency	Portsmouth South
tabling member printed	Stephen Morgan
uin	42193
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 05/09/2022 answer text <p>The department continues to monitor the situation and is participating in cross-government contingency planning on the basis of Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies (SAGE) scenarios.</p><p>The department provided additional financial support to schools facing the most extreme challenges through the COVID-19 school workforce fund in the 2021 autumn term and again in the 2022 spring term. The department regularly assesses and monitors the workforce pressures on schools and our mitigations to support them and will continue to review workforce absence in the 2022 autumn term.</p><p>The department has frontloaded funding increases to rapidly get money to schools, so that in the 2022/23 financial year, the total core schools budget is increasing by £4 billion compared to the 2021/22 financial year. This is a 7% cash terms per pupil boost and will help schools meet the cost pressures they are facing.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency Colchester answering member printed Will Quince question first answered 05/09/2022 08:36:52 answering member 4423 label Biography information for Will Quince
tabling member	4653 label Biography information for Stephen Morgan

1491508

registered interest
date	21/07/2022
answering body	Department for Education
answering dept id	60
answering dept short name	Education
answering dept sort name	Education
hansard heading	Educational Institutions: Coronavirus
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether he plans to provide lateral flow test kits to (a) staff and (b) pupils in education settings in the autumn term.
tabling member constituency	Portsmouth South
tabling member printed	Stephen Morgan
uin	42194
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 05/09/2022 answer text <p>Public health advice is that testing is no longer advised for pupils, students, and staff in education and childcare settings. The success of the COVID-19 vaccination programme means that immunity levels are high. Therefore, testing takes a less important role in preventing serious illness. As such, the majority of free testing ended on 1 April.</p><p>The most effective protection against severe disease from COVID-19 for everyone, including those at higher risk from COVID-19, is to get vaccinated. The vaccine offer remains open to those who have yet to receive their primary course or where eligible, a booster. Additional protection is also available for some at-risk groups, through further boosters, antivirals, and therapeutics.</p><p>Most infectious diseases in education and childcare settings, including COVID-19, should now be managed by following the advice in UKHSA’s updated health protection in education and childcare settings guidance, available at: <a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/health-protection-in-schools-and-other-childcare-facilities" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/health-protection-in-schools-and-other-childcare-facilities</a>. Students and staff are encouraged to follow UKHSA’s advice for those who have symptoms of COVID-19, available at: <a href="https://www.gov.uk/guidance/people-with-symptoms-of-a-respiratory-infection-including-covid-19" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/guidance/people-with-symptoms-of-a-respiratory-infection-including-covid-19</a>.</p><p>The department has also updated its emergency planning and response guidance for educational settings. This sets out how education and childcare settings should plan for and deal with emergencies, including the possibility of future significant public health incidents. The guidance is accessible at: <a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/emergency-planning-and-response-for-education-childcare-and-childrens-social-care-settings" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/emergency-planning-and-response-for-education-childcare-and-childrens-social-care-settings</a>.</p><p>If pupils, students, and staff in education and childcare settings wish to continue testing, they will be able to access test kits through the private market. They can find a list of private providers for COVID-19 testing at: <a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/list-of-private-providers-of-coronavirus-testing" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/list-of-private-providers-of-coronavirus-testing</a>.</p><p>The government does not endorse or recommend any private providers. Lateral flow tests are also available to buy from pharmacies and supermarkets, including online.</p> answering member constituency Colchester answering member printed Will Quince question first answered 05/09/2022 08:41:05 answering member 4423 label Biography information for Will Quince
tabling member	4653 label Biography information for Stephen Morgan

1491510

registered interest
date	21/07/2022
answering body	Department for Education
answering dept id	60
answering dept short name	Education
answering dept sort name	Education
hansard heading	Educational Institutions: Coronavirus
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 help prepare education settings for further waves of covid-19 in winter 2022.
tabling member constituency	Portsmouth South
tabling member printed	Stephen Morgan
uin	42196
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 05/09/2022 answer text <p>As we all learn to live with COVID-19, public health experts will manage COVID-19 like other respiratory illnesses with a focus on protecting those at highest risk.</p><p>Individual education and childcare providers continue to have responsibility for putting in place proportionate control measures in compliance with health and safety law, to ensure they meet their health and safety duties. Most infectious diseases in education settings can be managed by following the advice in the UK Health Security Agency’s (UKHSA) health protection in schools and other childcare facilities guidance, and by encouraging students and staff to follow UKHSA’s advice for those who have symptoms or test positive. The guidance can be found here: <a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/health-protection-in-schools-and-other-childcare-facilities" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/health-protection-in-schools-and-other-childcare-facilities</a>.</p><p>The department has also updated the Emergency Planning and Response guidance for education and childcare providers to reflect what we have learned over the past two years. This guidance sets out how education and childcare providers should plan for and deal with emergencies, including the possibility of future significant public health incidents. This guidance can be found here: <a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/emergency-planning-and-response-for-education-childcare-and-childrens-social-care-settings" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/emergency-planning-and-response-for-education-childcare-and-childrens-social-care-settings</a>.</p> answering member constituency Colchester answering member printed Will Quince question first answered 05/09/2022 08:24:13 answering member 4423 label Biography information for Will Quince
tabling member	4653 label Biography information for Stephen Morgan

1491568

registered interest
date	21/07/2022
answering body	Department for Education
answering dept id	60
answering dept short name	Education
answering dept sort name	Education
hansard heading	Outdoor Education
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Education, if his Department will take steps to help tackle variations in offsite access to nature for school pupils.
tabling member constituency	Nottingham East
tabling member printed	Nadia Whittome
uin	42315
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 06/09/2022 answer text <p>The department recognises the significant and wide-ranging benefits that access to nature can bring.</p><p>As announced at COP26 in November 2022, as part of the sustainability and climate change strategy for the education and children’s services systems, the department is launching the National Education Nature Park in autumn 2022. This will provide teachers, children and young people with access to activities and learning resources to further their knowledge of climate change and develop their scientific and digital skills whilst working in the natural environment.</p><p>For those schools in more urban areas with limited access to the natural environment, the Park’s website will signpost opportunities in the local community to engage with nature, be that through local community groups, parks or allotments. There are many community groups that are keen to engage with schools and by mapping what is available in one portal, it will make it easier for teachers to source the venues and advice they need to ensure that all pupils have access to nature. As the Park matures, we also envisage that grants will be made available to enable those in more disadvantaged areas to participate in the Park’s activities.</p><p>The Park will be accessed through a website which will showcase engaging activities and resources related to sustainability and climate change that could be undertaken by all education settings. These activities will be applicable to even the most limited sites, such as building ‘bug hotels’ or installing raised planting beds to increase biodiversity. Changes in biodiversity will be captured via a geospatial mapping tool which will enable staff, children and young people to identify, measure, report and monitor the progress of their own education setting over time. The department has been working closely with the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs to learn lessons from their Access to Nature programme, which will also be fed into the design of the Park.</p><p>The department is in the process of appointing a world class provider with outstanding expertise on these issues to deliver the Park and linked Climate Leaders Award, which will launch in autumn 2022.</p><p> </p><p> </p> answering member constituency Colchester answering member printed Will Quince question first answered 06/09/2022 08:26:39 answering member 4423 label Biography information for Will Quince
tabling member	4869 label Biography information for Nadia Whittome

1491572

registered interest
date	21/07/2022
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, whether the Government has plans to introduce an automatic registration process for free school meals.
tabling member constituency	Liverpool, Walton
tabling member printed	Dan Carden
uin	42185
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 06/09/2022 answer text <p>The department provides an Eligibility Checking System (ECS) to make the checking process as quick and straightforward as possible. We continue to use and refine a model registration form to help schools encourage parents to sign up for free school meals (FSM).</p><p>The department also provides guidance to Jobcentre Plus advisers so that they can make Universal Credit recipients aware that they may also be entitled to wider benefits, including FSM.</p><p>The department continues to explore the delivery feasibility of introducing auto-enrolment functionality. There are, however, complex data, systems, and legal implications to such a change.</p><p>Under this government, eligibility for FSM has been extended several times and to more groups of children than any other government over the past half a century.</p><p>In setting eligibility for FSM, provision is targeted at supporting those who are out of work or on the lowest incomes. The department will continue to review FSM eligibility, to ensure that these meals are supporting those who most need them.</p> answering member constituency Colchester answering member printed Will Quince grouped question UIN 42186 question first answered 06/09/2022 08:29:47 answering member 4423 label Biography information for Will Quince
tabling member	4651 label Biography information for Dan Carden

1491574

registered interest
date	21/07/2022
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, whether the Government has plans to reform the eligibility criteria for free school meals to ensure that children living in poverty are eligible.
tabling member constituency	Liverpool, Walton
tabling member printed	Dan Carden
uin	42186
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 06/09/2022 answer text <p>The department provides an Eligibility Checking System (ECS) to make the checking process as quick and straightforward as possible. We continue to use and refine a model registration form to help schools encourage parents to sign up for free school meals (FSM).</p><p>The department also provides guidance to Jobcentre Plus advisers so that they can make Universal Credit recipients aware that they may also be entitled to wider benefits, including FSM.</p><p>The department continues to explore the delivery feasibility of introducing auto-enrolment functionality. There are, however, complex data, systems, and legal implications to such a change.</p><p>Under this government, eligibility for FSM has been extended several times and to more groups of children than any other government over the past half a century.</p><p>In setting eligibility for FSM, provision is targeted at supporting those who are out of work or on the lowest incomes. The department will continue to review FSM eligibility, to ensure that these meals are supporting those who most need them.</p> answering member constituency Colchester answering member printed Will Quince grouped question UIN 42185 question first answered 06/09/2022 08:29:47 answering member 4423 label Biography information for Will Quince
tabling member	4651 label Biography information for Dan Carden