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1697446

registered interest
date	20/03/2024
answering body	Department for Education
answering dept id	60
answering dept short name	Education
answering dept sort name	Education
hansard heading	Apprentices: South Holland and the Deepings
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how many (a) Level 4 and (b) Level 5 apprenticeships have been started in South Holland and the Deepings constituency since 2019 as of 20 March 2024.
tabling member constituency	South Holland and The Deepings
tabling member printed	Sir John Hayes
uin	19527
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 26/03/2024 answer text <p>Level 4 and 5 apprenticeship starts in South Holland and The Deepings constituency can be found in the following table:</p><table><tbody><tr><td><p><strong>Academic year</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>Level 4</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>Level 5</strong></p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2018/19</p></td><td><p>70</p></td><td><p>50</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2019/20</p></td><td><p>40</p></td><td><p>60</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2020/21</p></td><td><p>50</p></td><td><p>60</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2021/22</p></td><td><p>60</p></td><td><p>70</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2022/23</p></td><td><p>80</p></td><td><p>60</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2023/24 reported to date</p></td><td><p>50</p></td><td><p>30</p></td></tr><tr><td><p><strong>Total</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>340</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>330</strong></p></td></tr></tbody></table><p> </p><p>Note:</p><p>(1) Figures for 2023/24 are provisional and cover the first two quarters (Aug 2023 to Jan 2024). All other years are final, full-year figures.</p><p>(2) Apprenticeship start volumes are rounded to the nearest 10.</p><p>(3) The data source is the Individualised Learner Record.</p><p> </p><p>Further information on apprenticeship starts can be found in the apprenticeships publication, available at: <a href="https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/find-statistics/apprenticeships" target="_blank">https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/find-statistics/apprenticeships</a>.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p> answering member constituency Harlow answering member printed Robert Halfon question first answered 26/03/2024 13:56:30 answering member 3985 label Biography information for Robert Halfon
tabling member	350 label Biography information for Sir John Hayes

1697263

registered interest
date	19/03/2024
answering body	Department for Education
answering dept id	60
answering dept short name	Education
answering dept sort name	Education
hansard heading	School Milk
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the potential (1) social, and (2) economic, benefits of expanding the School Milk Subsidy Scheme to provide a free one third of a pint portion of milk to all primary school age children each day attending school.
tabling member printed	Lord Hampton
uin	HL3385
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 26/03/2024 answer text <p>Milk is an excellent food for children’s growth and development. This is why, as part of the School Food Standards, schools are already required to ensure milk is available to all pupils who want it during school hours. The National School Milk Subsidy Scheme can be used by primary schools to reduce the cost of milk for all their pupils.</p><p> </p><p>Thanks to Universal Infant Free School Meals, pupils under seven years old are already eligible for free milk when it is offered as part of their school lunch. Older pupils entitled to benefits related free school meals are also eligible for free milk when made available during the school day. This is in addition to the free milk provided for children under five-years-old thanks to the Nursery Milk Scheme.</p><p> </p><p>As with free school meals, the department believes it is important to support those most in need and to ensure policy remains affordable and deliverable for schools. The department does not have plans to change the current eligibility conditions for the scheme.</p> answering member printed Baroness Barran question first answered 26/03/2024 13:45:47 answering member 4703 label Biography information for Baroness Barran
tabling member	4951 label Biography information for Lord Hampton

1697271

registered interest
date	19/03/2024
answering body	Department for Education
answering dept id	60
answering dept short name	Education
answering dept sort name	Education
hansard heading	Sign Language: GCSE
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask His Majesty's Government what progress they have made in developing approved exam board syllabuses for a GCSE in British Sign Language.
tabling member printed	Lord Hunt of Kings Heath
uin	HL3400
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 26/03/2024 answer text <p>The department published British Sign Language (BSL) GCSE subject content in December 2023, following a public consultation last summer. Exam boards are now able to develop detailed specifications, which must be reviewed and accredited by the Office of Qualifications and Examinations Regulation (Ofqual) before schools and colleges are able to teach them. The department does not play a role in developing or approving exam board specifications for GCSEs.</p><p> </p><p>Only ancient or modern foreign language (MFL) GCSEs count towards the languages pillar of the English Baccalaureate (EBacc). The BSL GCSE does not sit in the MFL suite as it is not a foreign language but an indigenous one and does not contain the speaking and listening elements common to all MFL GCSEs. While the BSL GCSE will therefore not count towards the EBacc, it will be a rigorous qualification that is internationally recognised and accepted in school and college performance tables.</p><p> </p><p>The department is considering the steps that can be taken to support the delivery of the BSL GCSE when it is introduced, such as engaging with initial teacher training providers. The department also expects stakeholder organisations and exam boards to play an important role in supporting the teaching workforce to deliver the BSL GCSE.</p><p> </p><p> </p> answering member printed Baroness Barran grouped question UIN HL3401 HL3402 HL3403 question first answered 26/03/2024 12:36:09 answering member 4703 label Biography information for Baroness Barran
tabling member	2024 label Biography information for Lord Hunt of Kings Heath

1697272

registered interest
date	19/03/2024
answering body	Department for Education
answering dept id	60
answering dept short name	Education
answering dept sort name	Education
hansard heading	Sign Language: GCSE
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to ensure that there are sufficient tutors available to teach the GCSE in British Sign Language when it is introduced.
tabling member printed	Lord Hunt of Kings Heath
uin	HL3401
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 26/03/2024 answer text <p>The department published British Sign Language (BSL) GCSE subject content in December 2023, following a public consultation last summer. Exam boards are now able to develop detailed specifications, which must be reviewed and accredited by the Office of Qualifications and Examinations Regulation (Ofqual) before schools and colleges are able to teach them. The department does not play a role in developing or approving exam board specifications for GCSEs.</p><p> </p><p>Only ancient or modern foreign language (MFL) GCSEs count towards the languages pillar of the English Baccalaureate (EBacc). The BSL GCSE does not sit in the MFL suite as it is not a foreign language but an indigenous one and does not contain the speaking and listening elements common to all MFL GCSEs. While the BSL GCSE will therefore not count towards the EBacc, it will be a rigorous qualification that is internationally recognised and accepted in school and college performance tables.</p><p> </p><p>The department is considering the steps that can be taken to support the delivery of the BSL GCSE when it is introduced, such as engaging with initial teacher training providers. The department also expects stakeholder organisations and exam boards to play an important role in supporting the teaching workforce to deliver the BSL GCSE.</p><p> </p><p> </p> answering member printed Baroness Barran grouped question UIN HL3400 HL3402 HL3403 question first answered 26/03/2024 12:36:09 answering member 4703 label Biography information for Baroness Barran
tabling member	2024 label Biography information for Lord Hunt of Kings Heath

1697273

registered interest
date	19/03/2024
answering body	Department for Education
answering dept id	60
answering dept short name	Education
answering dept sort name	Education
hansard heading	Sign Language: GCSE
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask His Majesty's Government what plans they have to ensure that members of the British Deaf Community are offered opportunities to become tutors to teach the GCSE in British Sign Language in schools when it is introduced.
tabling member printed	Lord Hunt of Kings Heath
uin	HL3402
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 26/03/2024 answer text <p>The department published British Sign Language (BSL) GCSE subject content in December 2023, following a public consultation last summer. Exam boards are now able to develop detailed specifications, which must be reviewed and accredited by the Office of Qualifications and Examinations Regulation (Ofqual) before schools and colleges are able to teach them. The department does not play a role in developing or approving exam board specifications for GCSEs.</p><p> </p><p>Only ancient or modern foreign language (MFL) GCSEs count towards the languages pillar of the English Baccalaureate (EBacc). The BSL GCSE does not sit in the MFL suite as it is not a foreign language but an indigenous one and does not contain the speaking and listening elements common to all MFL GCSEs. While the BSL GCSE will therefore not count towards the EBacc, it will be a rigorous qualification that is internationally recognised and accepted in school and college performance tables.</p><p> </p><p>The department is considering the steps that can be taken to support the delivery of the BSL GCSE when it is introduced, such as engaging with initial teacher training providers. The department also expects stakeholder organisations and exam boards to play an important role in supporting the teaching workforce to deliver the BSL GCSE.</p><p> </p><p> </p> answering member printed Baroness Barran grouped question UIN HL3400 HL3401 HL3403 question first answered 26/03/2024 12:36:09 answering member 4703 label Biography information for Baroness Barran
tabling member	2024 label Biography information for Lord Hunt of Kings Heath

1697332

registered interest
date	19/03/2024
answering body	Department for Education
answering dept id	60
answering dept short name	Education
answering dept sort name	Education
hansard heading	Apprentices: Finance
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask His Majesty's Government how much money has been transferred to small and medium-sized enterprises by levy-paying businesses using their apprenticeship service account to transfer unused levy funds in (1) 2020–21, (2) 2021–22, and (3) 2022–23.
tabling member printed	Baroness Wolf of Dulwich
uin	HL3435
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 26/03/2024 answer text <p>Transfers are a great way for large employers to use their levy funds to support apprenticeships in other businesses, including small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs), flexi-job apprenticeship agencies and charities, to help meet local or sector specific needs.</p><p>As announced this week, from April the department are increasing the proportion of their funds that levy-paying employers can transfer to support more apprenticeships in other businesses, including those in their local area or supply chain, from 25% to 50%. This will help SMEs hire more apprentices by reducing their costs and enabling them to benefit from the support and experience that larger employers can provide.</p><p>Hundreds of large levy-paying employers have already taken advantage of the opportunity to transfer their unused levy funds to other businesses. Since September 2021, over 550 employers including ASDA, HomeServe, and BT Group, have pledged to transfer over £37 million to support apprenticeships in businesses of all sizes.</p><p>​The below table shows the number of non-levy paying employers that have received levy transfer funding and the value of that funding. It is extremely encouraging that use of transfers continues to increase year-on-year. The department does not hold transfer data specific to SMEs (currently defined as businesses with fewer than 250 employees) but can confirm that most non-levy paying employers are SMEs.</p><table><tbody><tr><td><p><strong>F</strong><strong>inancial Year</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>2</strong><strong>020-21</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>2</strong><strong>021-22</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>2</strong><strong>022-23</strong></p></td></tr><tr><td><p><strong>N</strong><strong>umber of non-levy employers receiving transfer funding</strong></p></td><td><p>2,370</p></td><td><p>3,700</p></td><td><p>5,080</p></td></tr><tr><td><p><strong>Value of funding transferred (£ million)</strong></p></td><td><p>£13</p></td><td><p>£19</p></td><td><p>£26</p></td></tr></tbody></table><p>To note: <em>Values include new apprenticeship starts and those who started in previous years but are still being funded. If an employer receives a transfer for an apprenticeship which continues across more than one financial year, they will appear in each year’s employer count. Values are actual payments made to date - they do not represent the total committed cost of transfers into future months and years.</em></p> answering member printed Baroness Barran grouped question UIN HL3436 question first answered 26/03/2024 13:42:56 answering member 4703 label Biography information for Baroness Barran
tabling member	4347 label Biography information for Baroness Wolf of Dulwich

1697333

registered interest
date	19/03/2024
answering body	Department for Education
answering dept id	60
answering dept short name	Education
answering dept sort name	Education
hansard heading	Apprentices: Finance
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask His Majesty's Government how many small and medium-sized enterprises have received funds for apprenticeship training as a result of levy-paying businesses using their apprenticeship service account to transfer unused levy funds in (1) 2020–21, (2) 2021–22, and (3) 2022–23.
tabling member printed	Baroness Wolf of Dulwich
uin	HL3436
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 26/03/2024 answer text <p>Transfers are a great way for large employers to use their levy funds to support apprenticeships in other businesses, including small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs), flexi-job apprenticeship agencies and charities, to help meet local or sector specific needs.</p><p>As announced this week, from April the department are increasing the proportion of their funds that levy-paying employers can transfer to support more apprenticeships in other businesses, including those in their local area or supply chain, from 25% to 50%. This will help SMEs hire more apprentices by reducing their costs and enabling them to benefit from the support and experience that larger employers can provide.</p><p>Hundreds of large levy-paying employers have already taken advantage of the opportunity to transfer their unused levy funds to other businesses. Since September 2021, over 550 employers including ASDA, HomeServe, and BT Group, have pledged to transfer over £37 million to support apprenticeships in businesses of all sizes.</p><p>​The below table shows the number of non-levy paying employers that have received levy transfer funding and the value of that funding. It is extremely encouraging that use of transfers continues to increase year-on-year. The department does not hold transfer data specific to SMEs (currently defined as businesses with fewer than 250 employees) but can confirm that most non-levy paying employers are SMEs.</p><table><tbody><tr><td><p><strong>F</strong><strong>inancial Year</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>2</strong><strong>020-21</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>2</strong><strong>021-22</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>2</strong><strong>022-23</strong></p></td></tr><tr><td><p><strong>N</strong><strong>umber of non-levy employers receiving transfer funding</strong></p></td><td><p>2,370</p></td><td><p>3,700</p></td><td><p>5,080</p></td></tr><tr><td><p><strong>Value of funding transferred (£ million)</strong></p></td><td><p>£13</p></td><td><p>£19</p></td><td><p>£26</p></td></tr></tbody></table><p>To note: <em>Values include new apprenticeship starts and those who started in previous years but are still being funded. If an employer receives a transfer for an apprenticeship which continues across more than one financial year, they will appear in each year’s employer count. Values are actual payments made to date - they do not represent the total committed cost of transfers into future months and years.</em></p> answering member printed Baroness Barran grouped question UIN HL3435 question first answered 26/03/2024 13:42:56 answering member 4703 label Biography information for Baroness Barran
tabling member	4347 label Biography information for Baroness Wolf of Dulwich

1696691

registered interest
date	18/03/2024
answering body	Department for Education
answering dept id	60
answering dept short name	Education
answering dept sort name	Education
hansard heading	Further Education and Higher Education: Young People
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps her Department is taking to support young people in receipt of Carer's Allowance in (a) further and (b) higher education.
tabling member constituency	Slough
tabling member printed	Mr Tanmanjeet Singh Dhesi
uin	19149
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 26/03/2024 answer text <p>The department is determined that all young carers and young adult carers get the support they need to succeed in all stages of education.</p><p> </p><p>The department provides a range of financial support for students who need it to enable them to participate in further education. This includes free meals, bursaries to help with the cost of education, such as travel, books, equipment, and trips, plus support for childcare and residential costs where required.</p><p> </p><p>Disadvantaged English domiciled 18-year-olds are now 74% more likely to enter higher education than they were in 2010.</p><p> </p><p>In the 2023/24 academic year, over £160 million of bursary funding has been allocated to institutions to help disadvantaged 16 to 19 year olds meet costs, which is nearly 12% higher than published allocations for last year. Institutions decide which young people receive bursaries and determine the level of financial support they receive. They can develop their own eligibility criteria for access to the discretionary bursary fund, including setting a household income threshold appropriate to their area and must publish information on this for students.</p><p> </p><p>In November 2021, the department asked the Office for Students (OfS) to refocus the access and participation regime in higher education to create a system that supports young people from disadvantaged backgrounds throughout their education. This regime should include support for disadvantaged students before entry to higher education (HE) and be set out in new access and participation plans. Providers should be working meaningfully with schools to ensure that pupils from disadvantaged backgrounds, including young carers, are encouraged and supported to achieve the highest possible grades and move up the ladder of opportunity whether that be an apprenticeship or higher technical qualification, or a course at university.</p><p> </p><p>Furthermore, in March 2023, the OfS launched an Equality of Opportunity Risk Register, which can be found here: <a href="https://www.officeforstudents.org.uk/advice-and-guidance/promoting-equal-opportunities/equality-of-opportunity-risk-register/" target="_blank">https://www.officeforstudents.org.uk/advice-and-guidance/promoting-equal-opportunities/equality-of-opportunity-risk-register/</a>. It focusses on students least likely to experience equal opportunity in HE with references to young carers in six of the key sector risks set out in the register.</p><p> </p><p>HE providers are expected to refer to the register when writing access and participation plans.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency Harlow answering member printed Robert Halfon question first answered 26/03/2024 12:52:20 answering member 3985 label Biography information for Robert Halfon
tabling member	4638 label Biography information for Mr Tanmanjeet Singh Dhesi

1672378

registered interest
date	22/11/2023
answering body	Department for Education
answering dept id	60
answering dept short name	Education
answering dept sort name	Education
hansard heading	Special Educational Needs: Standards
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps her Department is taking to ensure equitable standards of SEND provision in (a) urban and (b) rural communities.
tabling member constituency	West Lancashire
tabling member printed	Ashley Dalton
uin	3387
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 27/11/2023 answer text <p>In the Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) and Alternative Provision (AP) Improvement Plan, published in March 2023, the department set out plans to build a consistent national SEND and AP system which parents and carers can trust, easily navigate, and have confidence in, whether they live in an urban or rural area.</p><p>The foundation for the new nationally consistent SEND and AP system will be new evidenced-based National Standards for early and accurate identification of need, and timely access to support to meet those needs. The standards will include clarifying the types of support that should be ordinarily available in mainstream settings and who is responsible for securing the support.</p><p>This will help families, practitioners and providers understand what support every child or young person should be receiving from early years through to further education, no matter where they live or what their needs are. By the end of 2025 the department will publish a significant proportion of the National Standards.</p><p>New local SEND and AP partnerships will support this work by bringing together Education, Health and Care partners with local government to produce evidence-based Local Area Inclusion Plans setting out how to meet the needs of children and young people with SEND and in AP in the local area, in line with National Standards.</p><p>The department is testing and refining reforms through the £70 million Change Programme to collect evidence about what works for children and young people with SEND and their families at a local level. The department is working with 32 local authorities and their local areas in each of the nine regions. To form a <ins class="ministerial">Change Programme Partnership</ins><del class="ministerial">Child Protection Plan</del>, in the majority of cases, a lead local authority will work in partnership with up to three neighbouring local authorities which will ensure impact is spread across a range of local areas, with differing levels of performance and demographics.</p> answering member constituency Wantage answering member printed David Johnston question first answered 27/11/2023 17:55:06 question first ministerially corrected 26/03/2024 16:40:15 answering member 4761 label Biography information for David Johnston previous answer version 3062 answering member constituency Wantage answering member printed David Johnston answering member 4761 label Biography information for David Johnston
tabling member	4981 label Biography information for Ashley Dalton