Asked by: Andrew Bridgen (Independent - North West Leicestershire)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what the cost to her Department was of providing information to the EU's Education and Training Monitor in each of the last three years.
Answered by Nick Gibb
The Department for Education provides information to the EU’s Education and Training Monitor through the provision of data submitted as part of the UK’s joint UNESCO, OECD, and EUROSTAT (UOE) annual data return. This work is managed by the Department’s International Statistics Team and is a small part of wider work on the collection and use of international statistics. We estimate the annual staff cost to the Department of providing the UOE data at 0.5 of one full time equivalent post. We do not disaggregate the EU-specific element of this work as the data provided is common to all three international organisations.
Asked by: Andrew Bridgen (Independent - North West Leicestershire)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, if she will make an assessment of the effects on the UK of the EU's Education and Training 2020 programme.
Answered by Nick Gibb
The Government agrees that policy exchange between EU Member States can make a useful contribution to international comparisons on education and training.
Asked by: Andrew Bridgen (Independent - North West Leicestershire)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what information she holds on the number of schools that have received teaching materials on the EU provided by the EU Commission and the Information Office in the UK.
Answered by Nick Gibb
The Department does not hold the information on the number of schools that have received materials from the European Commission.
Schools are aware of their duties regarding impartiality and treatment of political issues. Sections 406 and 407 of the Education Act 1996 require maintained schools to secure the balanced treatment of political issues. This duty is reflected in the model funding agreement for academies and free schools. Schools are best-placed to understand their pupils’ needs and to tailor their curricula accordingly. They are aware of their duties regarding impartiality and treatment of political issues, and are required to prevent political indoctrination and secure the balanced treatment of political issues. Teaching should equip pupils to explore political and social issues critically, to weigh evidence, to debate, and to make reasoned arguments. It should also prepare them to take their place in society as responsible citizens. At key stage 4, the national curriculum includes teaching about local, regional and international governance and the United Kingdom’s relations with the rest of Europe, the Commonwealth, the United Nations and the wider world.