To support the return to college of all students from 8 March, the department has worked closely with Public Health England to develop and refresh the system of controls for education settings to reduce and mitigate the risk of transmission of COVID-19. New measures include asymptomatic testing and recommending the increased use of face coverings.<\/p>
In addition, to prepare for return, colleges should update their risk assessments and ensure they are implementing the system of controls, this includes assessing the risks particular to their setting and provision.<\/p>
For those students whose courses are more vocational in nature (for example, for courses that require close contact, require access to specialist equipment or are taught in non-traditional classroom environments such as workshops), the further education COVID-19 guidance sets out additional steps and considerations colleges can take, details of which can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/coronavirus-covid-19-maintaining-further-education-provision<\/a>. Colleges are advised to put greater emphasis on the other measures outlined in the systems of controls, such as increased use of face coverings, increased ventilation, in addition to the use of screens or barriers and follow the relevant working safely during COVID-19 guidance to reduce the risk of transmission, details of the guidance can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/working-safely-during-coronavirus-covid-19<\/a>.<\/p>"}
, "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4680", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Gillian Keegan"}
}
, "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Chichester"}
, "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Gillian Keegan"}
, "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2021-03-03", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2021-03-03T11:55:02.623Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
]}
, "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "60"}
, "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Education"}
, "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Education"}
, "date" : {"_value" : "2021-02-23", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Vocational Education: Coronavirus"}
, "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 progress he is making on plans for the safe return of students on heavily vocational BTEC courses to colleges.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4843", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for James Grundy"}
}
, "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Leigh"}
, "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "James Grundy"}
], "uin" : "157331"}
, {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1288957", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport"}
], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1288957/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : " The Government recognises the significant challenge the current pandemic poses to many individuals and freelancers working in the music industry.<\/p> <\/strong><\/p> The Government has carried out an assessment of access to the Self-Employment Income Support Scheme (SEISS) for individuals\u2019 working in the Arts, Entertainment and Recreation Sector:<\/p> <\/strong><\/p> For SEISS round 1: 76,000 individuals given an average of £2,700<\/p><\/li> For SEISS round 2: 72,000 individuals given an average of £2,400<\/p><\/li> For SEISS round 3: 66,000 individuals given £2,700<\/p><\/li><\/ul> <\/p> <\/p> We are working very hard to help freelancers in those sectors access support, including through the Self Employment Income Support Scheme and funding from Arts Council England.<\/p> <\/p> The Government has and will continue to look for ways to improve the Self Employment Income Support Scheme grant and existing support.<\/p> <\/p>"}
, "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4008", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Dame Caroline Dinenage"}
}
, "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Gosport"}
, "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Caroline Dinenage"}
, "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2021-03-02", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2021-03-02T09:35:20.16Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
]}
, "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "10"}
, "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Digital, Culture, Media and Sport"}
, "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Digital, Culture, Media and Sport"}
, "date" : {"_value" : "2021-02-23", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Musicians: Coronavirus"}
, "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"}
, "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"}
}
], "questionText" : "To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what assessment he has made of the financial effect of covid-19 on self-employed musicians.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4843", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for James Grundy"}
}
, "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Leigh"}
, "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "James Grundy"}
], "uin" : "157332"}
, {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1288960", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Department of Health and Social Care"}
], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1288960/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : " The Government considers the impact restrictions may have on public health.<\/p> Whilst we recognise that exercise is important for people\u2019s mental and physical health, gyms are high risk settings for spreading COVID-19.<\/p>"}
, "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/1481", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Ms Nadine Dorries"}
}
, "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Mid Bedfordshire"}
, "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Ms Nadine Dorries"}
, "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2021-03-03", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2021-03-03T09:20:28.187Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
]}
, "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "17"}
, "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Health and Social Care"}
, "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Health and Social Care"}
, "date" : {"_value" : "2021-02-23", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Coronavirus: Gyms"}
, "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"}
, "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"}
}
], "questionText" : "To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment he has made of the effect on public health of the closure of gyms as a result of covid-19 restrictions.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4843", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for James Grundy"}
}
, "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Leigh"}
, "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "James Grundy"}
], "uin" : "157333"}
, {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1288094", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport"}
], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1288094/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : " To date, the government has provided an unprecedented £300 million Sport Winter Survival Package to give a lifeline to organisations that would otherwise not survive the winter as a result of the restriction on spectators announced from 1 October. This included a provisional allocation of £12 million to support rugby league which is in addition to the £16 million cash injection government announced in May 2020 to safeguard the immediate future of the sport for the communities it serves.<\/p>