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 grouped question UIN question first answered answering member label
tabling member	label

Search

1718299

registered interest
date	15/05/2024
answering body	Department for Education
answering dept id	60
answering dept short name	Education
answering dept sort name	Education
hansard heading	Department for Education: Disability
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps their Department is taking to support the Disability Confident scheme; how many officials in their Department work directly on supporting that scheme; what assessment they have made of the effectiveness of that work in supporting the (a) recruitment and (b) retention of disabled people in their Department; and what further steps they are taking to support their Department’s recruitment and retention of disabled people.
tabling member constituency	Romsey and Southampton North
tabling member printed	Caroline Nokes
uin	26430
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 23/05/2024 answer text <p>The department has been a Disability Confident Scheme (DCS) member since 2017 and has ‘DCS Leader’ status. In line with the requirements of DCS, the department has supported staff with career progression through, for example, ‘Beyond Boundaries’, which is a cross-government, development programme and has ensured that its approach to recruitment is inclusive.</p><p> </p><p>The department does not have officials directly supporting the DCS. The principle of the scheme is to be embedded within the department’s internal Human Resource polices and processes.</p><p> </p><p>The department’s Diversity &amp; Inclusion Strategy 2022/2026 is driven by evidence of where to support staff, including those with disabilities. The department evaluates the impact of this strategy annually to identify areas for improvement and celebrate success.</p><p> </p><p> </p> answering member constituency East Hampshire answering member printed Damian Hinds question first answered 23/05/2024 13:25:43 answering member 3969 label Biography information for Damian Hinds
tabling member	4048 label Biography information for Caroline Nokes

1645023

registered interest
date	15/06/2023
answering body	Department for Education
answering dept id	60
answering dept short name	Education
answering dept sort name	Education
hansard heading	Department for Education: Disability
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Education, with reference to the National Disability Strategy published on 28 July 2021, which of her Department’s commitments in that strategy that have not been paused as a result of legal action have (a) been fully, (b) been partially and (c) not been implemented.
tabling member constituency	Romsey and Southampton North
tabling member printed	Caroline Nokes
uin	189780
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 21/06/2023 answer text <p>In January 2022, the High Court declared the National Disability Strategy (NDS) was unlawful because the UK Disability Survey, which informed it, was held to be a voluntary consultation that failed to comply with the legal requirements on public consultations.</p><p>In the NDS, the department committed to providing an additional £730 million of ongoing revenue funding for children and young people with complex Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND), and this has now been fully implemented. In the 2022/23 financial year, there have been further increases to the department’s high needs funding, which has risen by 24% in two years to over £10 billion this financial year. This goes further than our NDS commitment of £8 billion per year and represents an increase of over 50% in the four-year period since the 2019/20 financial year. In the NDS, the department committed to opening 59 new special free schools for children with complex SEND. The department has gone further than this. As of 1 April 2023, there are 93 open special free schools and 51 open Alternative Provision (AP) free schools. There are a further 48 special schools in the pipeline.</p><p>The department also committed to increasing capital investment to support the provision of high needs places. On 2 March 2023, as part of the announcement of the SEND and AP Improvement Plan, the department announced 33 new special free schools in phase 1 of the latest special free school wave.</p><p>In November 2022, the department announced funding worth £21 million to go towards training 400 more educational psychologists. Being partially implemented, this new funding from 2024 builds on the £9.3 million stated in the NDS.</p><p>The department’s Participation Contract supports the continued improvement of co-production at a national, local, and international level. As part of this, we empower children and young people with SEND and their families to influence SEND Policy. This contract is a three-year contract running from April 2022, ending in March 2025. The total cost of the contract is £18 million which includes consortium, grant, and the strategic reform partnership contract. Being partially implemented, this goes further than the department’s commitment in the NDS, where we said we would provide £8.6 million in the 2021/22 financial year to support involvement of families.</p><p>As per our commitment in the NDS to improve supported internships in England, this is being partially implemented. The government is committed to supporting pathways to employment for disabled learners, including through strengthening the Supported Internship Programme. The department is investing £18 million until 2025 to build capacity in the Supported Internships Programme and support more young people with Education, Health and Care Plans into employment. Furthermore, in the NDS, the department committed creating an Access to Work Adjustments Passport, which will help to smooth the transition into employment and support people changing jobs, including people with SEND. This is now partially implemented, as the Department for Education works with the Department for Work and Pensions to pilot this scheme.</p><p>The department remains fully committed to supporting disabled people in the UK through creating more opportunities, protecting their rights and ensuring they fully benefit from, and can contribute to, every aspect of our society. To support this, the department will be providing further details of our recent achievements to improve disabled people’s lives in the forthcoming Disability Action Plan consultation, due for publication in the summer.</p><p>Ahead of this, my hon. Friend, the Minister for Disabled People, Health and Work, will write providing a list of these achievements and will place a copy in the House Library.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency East Surrey answering member printed Claire Coutinho question first answered 21/06/2023 15:59:01 answering member 4806 label Biography information for Claire Coutinho
tabling member	4048 label Biography information for Caroline Nokes

1327802

registered interest
date	25/05/2021
answering body	Department for Education
answering dept id	60
answering dept short name	Education
answering dept sort name	Education
hansard heading	PE and Sport Premium
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Education, by what date the PE and sport premiums for schools for 2021-22 academic year are planned to be announced.
tabling member constituency	Romsey and Southampton North
tabling member printed	Caroline Nokes
uin	7159
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 04/06/2021 answer text <p>The Department is aware of the importance of giving schools as much notice as possible of future funding. We will confirm arrangements for the Primary physical education and sport premium for the 2021/22 academic year as soon as possible.</p> answering member constituency Bognor Regis and Littlehampton answering member printed Nick Gibb grouped question UIN 7126 7151 question first answered 04/06/2021 15:36:20 answering member 111 label Biography information for Nick Gibb
tabling member	4048 label Biography information for Caroline Nokes

1327804

registered interest
date	25/05/2021
answering body	Department for Education
answering dept id	60
answering dept short name	Education
answering dept sort name	Education
hansard heading	Primary Education: Sports
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what metrics he has used to determine the effectiveness of school sports premiums.
tabling member constituency	Romsey and Southampton North
tabling member printed	Caroline Nokes
uin	7161
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 04/06/2021 answer text <p>The Primary PE and Sport Premium survey, published in July 2019, assessed the impact of the doubling of the PE and Sport Premium to £320 million from September 2017.</p><p>The findings indicated that a large majority of schools identified that, following the doubling of the premium, there had been increases in the profile of PE and sport in supporting whole school improvement, the confidence, knowledge and/or skills of all staff in teaching PE, the level of competitive sport being offered, and the range of PE and sport being offered.</p><p>The detailed findings can be found at: <a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/primary-pe-and-sport-premium-survey" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/primary-pe-and-sport-premium-survey</a>.</p><p>In addition, local Active Partnerships conduct an annual review of a large sample of schools’ uses of their PE and Sport Premium including impact, and report the results of this review to the Department.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency Bognor Regis and Littlehampton answering member printed Nick Gibb question first answered 04/06/2021 15:08:12 answering member 111 label Biography information for Nick Gibb
tabling member	4048 label Biography information for Caroline Nokes

1240857

registered interest
date	06/10/2020
answering body	Department for Education
answering dept id	60
answering dept short name	Education
answering dept sort name	Education
hansard heading	GCSE
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps his Department has taken to (a) plan and (b) prepare for arrangements for year-11 exams at the end of the 2020-21 academic year.
tabling member constituency	Romsey and Southampton North
tabling member printed	Caroline Nokes
uin	99602
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 14/10/2020 answer text <p>The Government has been clear on its top priority to keep schools open throughout the COVID-19 outbreak and ensure all pupils get a high quality education. On Monday 12 October, we announced that assessment by examination will be part of a normalised year for these cohorts because we believe examinations are the fairest form of assessment. The examinations will start on 7 June and end on 2 July for almost all AS/A levels and GCSEs. This is three weeks later than the usual start dates from previous years. The delay and the changes to the content of assessments for certain subjects, will give pupils extra time to study, without causing unnecessary disruption to the usual timetable of the academic year.</p><p>My right hon. Friend, The Secretary of State for Education has also asked Ofqual to work with the Department to develop and assess a range of contingency measures for potential disruption to 2021 examinations, engaging widely with schools and colleges, exams boards, unions and students as well as the further and higher education sectors. This is to ensure we plan for all foreseeable scenarios to safeguard students’ ability to sit exams and achieve qualifications which allow them to progress to the next stage of their education or employment. We expect to share details of these contingency plans later in the autumn.</p> answering member constituency Bognor Regis and Littlehampton answering member printed Nick Gibb question first answered 14/10/2020 12:10:53 answering member 111 label Biography information for Nick Gibb
tabling member	4048 label Biography information for Caroline Nokes

1224408

registered interest
date	14/07/2020
answering body	Department for Education
answering dept id	60
answering dept short name	Education
answering dept sort name	Education
hansard heading	Children: Coronavirus
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what research his Department has undertaken on the effect of social distancing on the emotional well-being of children.
tabling member constituency	Romsey and Southampton North
tabling member printed	Caroline Nokes
uin	73807
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 22/07/2020 answer text <p>The department is working closely with educational institutions, sector organisations, the Department for Health and Social Care, NHS England and Public Health England to understand the effects of the measures to prevent the spread of COVID-19 on mental health and wellbeing and identify the children and young people that need help and will continue to do so as pupils return to school.</p><p>The return to school is a key part of supporting the mental health and wellbeing of pupils, as in addition to providing more opportunities for physical activity, attendance at school allows social interaction with peers, carers and teachers, which benefits wellbeing. To support this, we have encouraged schools to focus on mental wellbeing as pupils return. The department has now published detailed plans for all children and young people to return to full-time education from September. The guidance for schools is available here:<br> <a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/actions-for-schools-during-the-coronavirus-outbreak/guidance-for-full-opening-schools" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/actions-for-schools-during-the-coronavirus-outbreak/guidance-for-full-opening-schools</a>.</p><p>We have been working closely with partners to provide resources and update guidance to support and promote children and young people’s mental health and wellbeing during the COVID-19 outbreak. This includes signposting to resources on supporting and promoting mental wellbeing among the list of resources to help children to learn at home, which are available here:<br> <a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/coronavirus-covid-19-online-education-resources" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/coronavirus-covid-19-online-education-resources</a>.</p><p>We are working with the Department of Health and Social Care to put in place further specific support for school staff to understand the issues that pupils will face with their mental wellbeing. This includes training for teachers, such as a new module developed with clinical experts on how to teach about mental health in health education. More information is available here:<br> <a href="https://www.gov.uk/guidance/teaching-about-mental-wellbeing" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/guidance/teaching-about-mental-wellbeing</a>.</p><p>Access to mental health support is more important than ever during the COVID-19 outbreak. NHS services remain open, and leading mental health charities are being supported to deliver additional services through the £5 million Coronavirus Mental Health Response Fund. During Mental Health Awareness Week the government also announced that a further £4.2 million will be awarded to mental health charities – including the Samaritans, Young Minds, and Bipolar UK.</p><p>All NHS mental health trusts have been asked to ensure that there are 24/7 open access telephone lines to support people of all ages. Public Health England and Health Education England have also developed advice and guidance for parents and professionals on supporting children and young people’s mental health and wellbeing, which are available here:<br> <a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/covid-19-guidance-on-supporting-children-and-young-peoples-mental-health-and-wellbeing" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/covid-19-guidance-on-supporting-children-and-young-peoples-mental-health-and-wellbeing</a>.</p><p>In addition, children and young people can access free confidential support anytime from government-backed voluntary and community sector organisations either by texting SHOUT to 85258, or by calling Childline on 0800 1111 or The Mix on 0808 808 4994. Children and young people can also find online information on COVID-19 and mental health on the Young Minds website, which is available here:<br> <a href="https://youngminds.org.uk/about-us/reports/coronavirus-impact-on-young-people-with-mental-health-needs/" target="_blank">https://youngminds.org.uk/about-us/reports/coronavirus-impact-on-young-people-with-mental-health-needs/</a>.</p> answering member constituency Chelmsford answering member printed Vicky Ford question first answered 22/07/2020 10:12:53 answering member 4674 label Biography information for Vicky Ford
tabling member	4048 label Biography information for Caroline Nokes

1224409

registered interest
date	14/07/2020
answering body	Department for Education
answering dept id	60
answering dept short name	Education
answering dept sort name	Education
hansard heading	Children: Coronavirus
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Education, for what reasons his Department's Guidance for full opening: schools, published on 2 July 2020, states that social distancing for the youngest children is not mandatory.
tabling member constituency	Romsey and Southampton North
tabling member printed	Caroline Nokes
uin	73808
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 22/07/2020 answer text <p>The Government has been clear that our intention is for all children to return to school from September. On 2 July we published guidance to help schools prepare for this.</p><p>As part of this guidance, we are asking all headteachers to put measures in place to minimise the risk of transmission of COVID-19 in their school. This includes implementing a Public Health England endorsed system of controls that includes: ensuring that people who have symptoms do not attend school, robust hand and respiratory hygiene, enhanced cleaning arrangements, active engagement with NHS Test and Trace, and minimising contact and maintaining distance between individuals wherever possible.</p><p>Minimising contacts and mixing between people reduces transmission of COVID-19. This is important in all contexts, and schools must consider how to implement this. The overarching principle that schools have been asked to apply is reducing the number of contacts between children and staff. This can be achieved through keeping groups separate (in ‘bubbles’) and through maintaining distance between individuals. These are not alternative options and both measures will help, but the balance between them will change depending on children’s ability to distance, the lay out of the school and the feasibility of keeping distinct groups separate while offering a broad curriculum (especially at secondary).</p><p>At primary school, and in the younger years at secondary (key stage 3), schools may be able to implement smaller groups the size of a full class. If that can be achieved, it is recommended, as this will help to reduce the number of people who could be asked to isolate should someone in a group become ill with COVID-19. We recognise that younger children will not be able to maintain social distancing, and it is acceptable for them not to distance within their group but primary schools are expected to keep groups separate.</p><p>The Department's guidance on fully opening schools can be viewed at: <a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/actions-for-schools-during-the-coronavirus-outbreak/guidance-for-full-opening-schools#section-1-public-health-advice-to-minimise-coronavirus-covid-19-risks" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/actions-for-schools-during-the-coronavirus-outbreak/guidance-for-full-opening-schools#section-1-public-health-advice-to-minimise-coronavirus-covid-19-risks</a>.</p> answering member constituency Bognor Regis and Littlehampton answering member printed Nick Gibb grouped question UIN 73809 question first answered 22/07/2020 13:52:46 answering member 111 label Biography information for Nick Gibb
tabling member	4048 label Biography information for Caroline Nokes

1224410

registered interest
date	14/07/2020
answering body	Department for Education
answering dept id	60
answering dept short name	Education
answering dept sort name	Education
hansard heading	Children: Coronavirus
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Education, with reference to the advice that social distancing for the youngest children is not mandatory in his Department's Guidance for full opening: schools, published on 2 July 2020, whether any primary schools require young children to socially distance.
tabling member constituency	Romsey and Southampton North
tabling member printed	Caroline Nokes
uin	73809
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 22/07/2020 answer text <p>The Government has been clear that our intention is for all children to return to school from September. On 2 July we published guidance to help schools prepare for this.</p><p>As part of this guidance, we are asking all headteachers to put measures in place to minimise the risk of transmission of COVID-19 in their school. This includes implementing a Public Health England endorsed system of controls that includes: ensuring that people who have symptoms do not attend school, robust hand and respiratory hygiene, enhanced cleaning arrangements, active engagement with NHS Test and Trace, and minimising contact and maintaining distance between individuals wherever possible.</p><p>Minimising contacts and mixing between people reduces transmission of COVID-19. This is important in all contexts, and schools must consider how to implement this. The overarching principle that schools have been asked to apply is reducing the number of contacts between children and staff. This can be achieved through keeping groups separate (in ‘bubbles’) and through maintaining distance between individuals. These are not alternative options and both measures will help, but the balance between them will change depending on children’s ability to distance, the lay out of the school and the feasibility of keeping distinct groups separate while offering a broad curriculum (especially at secondary).</p><p>At primary school, and in the younger years at secondary (key stage 3), schools may be able to implement smaller groups the size of a full class. If that can be achieved, it is recommended, as this will help to reduce the number of people who could be asked to isolate should someone in a group become ill with COVID-19. We recognise that younger children will not be able to maintain social distancing, and it is acceptable for them not to distance within their group but primary schools are expected to keep groups separate.</p><p>The Department's guidance on fully opening schools can be viewed at: <a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/actions-for-schools-during-the-coronavirus-outbreak/guidance-for-full-opening-schools#section-1-public-health-advice-to-minimise-coronavirus-covid-19-risks" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/actions-for-schools-during-the-coronavirus-outbreak/guidance-for-full-opening-schools#section-1-public-health-advice-to-minimise-coronavirus-covid-19-risks</a>.</p> answering member constituency Bognor Regis and Littlehampton answering member printed Nick Gibb grouped question UIN 73808 question first answered 22/07/2020 13:52:46 answering member 111 label Biography information for Nick Gibb
tabling member	4048 label Biography information for Caroline Nokes

1224411

registered interest
date	14/07/2020
answering body	Department for Education
answering dept id	60
answering dept short name	Education
answering dept sort name	Education
hansard heading	Extended Services: Coronavirus
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 non-resumption of breakfast and after-school provision on working (a) parents and (b) mothers.
tabling member constituency	Romsey and Southampton North
tabling member printed	Caroline Nokes
uin	73810
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 22/07/2020 answer text <p>As of 4 July, all providers offering wraparound care, holiday clubs and out-of-school activities for children have been able to open for both indoor and outdoor provision with safety measures in place. We have published guidance for providers of these activities on the measures they should put in place to ensure they are operating as safely as possible, which is available here:<br> <a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/coronavirus-covid-19-implementing-protective-measures-in-education-and-childcare-settings/coronavirus-covid-19-implementing-protective-measures-in-education-and-childcare-settings" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/coronavirus-covid-19-implementing-protective-measures-in-education-and-childcare-settings/coronavirus-covid-19-implementing-protective-measures-in-education-and-childcare-settings</a>.</p><p>We recognise that breakfast and after-school provision are important sources of additional childcare for parents and carers, particularly those who may need to return to, or continue to, work in the autumn term.</p><p>Therefore, as outlined in the guidance for full opening of schools published by the department, schools should consider resuming any breakfast and after-school provision, where possible, from the start of the autumn term to support working parents and to help children and young people re-engage with their peers and with the school. We recognise that schools may need to respond flexibly and build this up over time. The guidance is available here:<br> <a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/actions-for-schools-during-the-coronavirus-outbreak/guidance-for-full-opening-schools" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/actions-for-schools-during-the-coronavirus-outbreak/guidance-for-full-opening-schools</a>.</p> answering member constituency Chelmsford answering member printed Vicky Ford question first answered 22/07/2020 13:13:00 answering member 4674 label Biography information for Vicky Ford
tabling member	4048 label Biography information for Caroline Nokes

1217023

registered interest
date	23/06/2020
answering body	Department for Education
answering dept id	60
answering dept short name	Education
answering dept sort name	Education
hansard heading	Free School Meals: Ethnic Groups
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Education, if he will publish the data that his Department holds on eligibility for free school meals by ethnicity.
tabling member constituency	Romsey and Southampton North
tabling member printed	Caroline Nokes
uin	63320
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 01/07/2020 answer text <p>The department publishes the number of pupils who are eligible for free school meals in the ‘Schools, pupils and their characteristics' publications, which are available at:<br><a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/statistics-school-and-pupil-numbers" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/statistics-school-and-pupil-numbers</a>.</p><p>The breakdown of eligibility for free school meals by ethnicity is not available in the publication, however this is available on request. There were 346,055 (18.0%) BAME pupils eligible for free school meals in January 2019.</p> answering member constituency Chelmsford answering member printed Vicky Ford question first answered 01/07/2020 15:22:12 answering member 4674 label Biography information for Vicky Ford
tabling member	4048 label Biography information for Caroline Nokes