{ "format" : "linked-data-api", "version" : "0.2", "result" : {"_about" : "https://eldaddp.azurewebsites.net/answeredquestions.text?answeringDeptShortName=Education&sessionNumber=4&min-ddpCreated=2014-10-21T20%3A53%3A39.490Z&creator.label=Biography+information+for+Mark+Menzies", "definition" : "https://eldaddp.azurewebsites.net/meta/answeredquestions.text?answeringDeptShortName=Education&sessionNumber=4&min-ddpCreated=2014-10-21T20%3A53%3A39.490Z&creator.label=Biography+information+for+Mark+Menzies", "extendedMetadataVersion" : "https://eldaddp.azurewebsites.net/answeredquestions.text?answeringDeptShortName=Education&sessionNumber=4&min-ddpCreated=2014-10-21T20%3A53%3A39.490Z&_metadata=all&creator.label=Biography+information+for+Mark+Menzies", "first" : "https://eldaddp.azurewebsites.net/answeredquestions.text?answeringDeptShortName=Education&_page=0&sessionNumber=4&min-ddpCreated=2014-10-21T20%3A53%3A39.490Z&creator.label=Biography+information+for+Mark+Menzies", "hasPart" : "https://eldaddp.azurewebsites.net/answeredquestions.text?answeringDeptShortName=Education&sessionNumber=4&min-ddpCreated=2014-10-21T20%3A53%3A39.490Z&creator.label=Biography+information+for+Mark+Menzies", "isPartOf" : "https://eldaddp.azurewebsites.net/answeredquestions.text?answeringDeptShortName=Education&sessionNumber=4&min-ddpCreated=2014-10-21T20%3A53%3A39.490Z&creator.label=Biography+information+for+Mark+Menzies", "items" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1715599", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Department for Education"} ], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1715599/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : "

The government recognises that digital skills are important for adults of all ages, and the department is committed to improving their level of digital skills to support active participation in society.<\/p>

<\/p>

From August 2020, the department introduced a digital entitlement for adults with no or low digital skills to undertake specified digital qualifications free of charge. The new entitlement mirrors the existing legal entitlements for English and mathematics. This puts essential digital skills on an equal footing in the adult education system, as the third essential skill adults need for work, life and further learning.<\/p>


The department introduced new Essential Digital Skills qualifications (EDSQs) at entry level and level 1 from August 2020, funded under the digital entitlement. EDSQs are based on the national standards for essential digital skills and are designed to meet the diverse needs of adults with no or low digital skills, reflecting different learning needs, motivations and starting points.<\/p>

<\/p>

To further enhance the essential digital skills offer for adults, from August 2023, the department introduced new digital Functional Skills qualifications (FSQs), which have replaced FSQs in Information and Communication Technology. Digital FSQs have standardised content and assessment, providing a benchmark of digital skills for employers. These are based on subject content for digital FSQs the department published in October 2021.<\/p>

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The government recognises that formal qualifications are not necessary for everyone. That is why the department also fund community learning and other non-regulated learning, such as building confidence in essential digital skills, through the Adult Education Budget. Many local authorities and other further education providers are already delivering these courses that help equip adults with the essential digital skills they need for work, life and further learning.<\/p>

<\/p>

Of course, older people may also be looking to progress beyond essential digital skills, potentially through a desire to retrain or upskill. Through the department\u2019s wider skills reforms, the department is continuing to ensure learners, whatever their age, can train, retrain and upskill towards better jobs, better wellbeing and better options for the future.<\/p>

<\/p>

More information about essential digital skills and other government funded training opportunities can be found here: https://www.skillsforcareers.education.gov.uk/pages/skills-for-life<\/a>.<\/p>

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<\/p>"} , "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4450", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Luke Hall"} } , "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Thornbury and Yate"} , "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Luke Hall"} , "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2024-05-13", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2024-05-13T11:45:24.777Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} ]} , "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "60"} , "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Education"} , "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Education"} , "date" : {"_value" : "2024-05-02", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Digital Technology: Older People"} , "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"} , "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"} } ], "questionText" : "To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps her Department is taking to help improve the digital skills of older people.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/3998", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Mark Menzies"} } , "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Fylde"} , "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Mark Menzies"} ], "uin" : "24639"} , {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1715614", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Department for Education"} ], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1715614/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : "

High quality academy trusts have been a key vehicle in improving educational standards. They have facilitated better collaboration, directed resources to where they are needed most, and enabled the best leaders to support a greater number of schools. As of 1 April, over 50% of all state-funded schools are academies.<\/p>

<\/p>

As of December 2023, 90% of schools were rated \u2018good\u2019 or \u2018outstanding\u2019, compared to 68% in 2010. There is also evidence that high quality trusts have improved underperforming schools via the sponsored academies programme. Departmental analysis has demonstrated that, on average, sponsored schools improve more quickly than equivalent local authority maintained schools. More than seven out of ten sponsored academies which were found to be underperforming as a local authority maintained school in their previous inspection now have a \u2018good\u2019 or \u2018outstanding\u2019 rating.<\/p>

<\/p>

Academy trusts work with their school\u2019s day to day to meet their responsibilities to keep buildings safe, well maintained and compliant with relevant regulations. The department supports them by providing significant capital funding, rebuilding programmes and support and guidance.<\/p>

<\/p>

The department has allocated £17 billion to improve the condition of the school estate since 2015, including £1.8 billion for the 2024/25 financial year. This is informed by consistent data on the condition of the school estate. In addition, the School Rebuilding Programme is transforming buildings at over 500 schools across England.<\/p>

<\/p>

The department also provides extensive guidance to help academy trusts and other responsible bodies to maintain their estates safely and effectively, such as through Good Estate Management for Schools. The department has also published a new estate management competency framework, which sets out the skills and knowledge needed in different roles to manage school estates.<\/p>

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Where there are serious issues with buildings that cannot be managed independently by responsible bodies, the department provides additional advice and support on a case by case basis.<\/p>

<\/p>"} , "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/3969", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Damian Hinds"} } , "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "East Hampshire"} , "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Damian Hinds"} , "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2024-05-13", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2024-05-13T16:42:23.353Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} ]} , "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "60"} , "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Education"} , "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Education"} , "date" : {"_value" : "2024-05-02", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Academies"} , "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"} , "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"} } ], "questionText" : "To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment she has made of the role that academy trusts in improving (a) educational standards and (b) school facilities.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/3998", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Mark Menzies"} } , "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Fylde"} , "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Mark Menzies"} ], "uin" : "24650"} , {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1715615", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Department for Education"} ], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1715615/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : "

It is the decision of children\u2019s homes providers to decide on the location and type of building that they wish to use to accommodate children in care. As part of Ofsted\u2019s registration process, children\u2019s homes providers are required to undertake a location assessment, which must show the steps that have been taken to ensure the location is safe and promotes positive opportunities for children. The department recognises the need to ensure there are the right children\u2019s homes in the right places.<\/p>

<\/p>

As announced in the Spring Budget 2023, the department is continuing to invest in the children\u2019s homes market to provide high quality, safe homes for some of the most vulnerable children and young people in all nine regions of England.<\/p>

<\/p>

In addition to taking forward the recommendations made by the Care Review and the Competition and Markets Authority, the department is also developing proposals on what more can be done to combat profiteering, bring down costs and create a more sustainable market for residential placements.<\/p>

<\/p>

The department is developing options regarding the planning of children\u2019s homes and thanks Fylde Council colleagues for their continued engagement in this process.<\/p>

<\/p>

<\/p>

<\/p>"} , "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4761", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for David Johnston"} } , "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Wantage"} , "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "David Johnston"} , "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2024-05-09", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2024-05-09T16:44:20.467Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} ]} , "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "60"} , "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Education"} , "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Education"} , "date" : {"_value" : "2024-05-02", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Care Homes: Lancashire"} , "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"} , "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"} } ], "questionText" : "To ask the Secretary of State for Education, if she will make an assessment of the reasons for trends in the number of new children\u2019s residential homes that have been established in Lancashire.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/3998", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Mark Menzies"} } , "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Fylde"} , "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Mark Menzies"} ], "uin" : "24651"} ], "itemsPerPage" : 10, "page" : 0, "startIndex" : 1, "totalResults" : 3, "type" : ["http://purl.org/linked-data/api/vocab#ListEndpoint", "http://purl.org/linked-data/api/vocab#Page"]} }