Asked by: Baroness Chapman of Darlington (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government when they will update the National Risk Register 2020; and whether it will include the risk of school buildings collapsing.
Answered by Baroness Neville-Rolfe - Minister of State (Cabinet Office)
The National Risk Register (NRR) will be updated in the coming months.
The Cabinet Office works with all departments on the assessment of their risks, such as the safety of public buildings.
Asked by: Baroness Chapman of Darlington (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the number of English universities facing financial difficulties; and what assessment they have made of the impact closure could have on local communities.
Answered by Baroness Barran - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)
The Office for Students (OfS) is the independent regulator of higher education (HE) in England. The OfS monitors the financial viability and sustainability of providers registered with them to ensure they have an up to date understanding of the sustainability of the sector.
The OfS latest published report can be accessed here: https://www.officeforstudents.org.uk/media/445d176e-e61c-4e95-a76a-7acb7e5bb654/financial-sustainability-2022_corrected-sept-2022.pdf. It stated that despite the many operational and financial challenges arising from the COVID-19 pandemic, the overall aggregate financial position of universities, colleges and other registered HE providers remains sound. However, there continues to be variation in the financial performance and strength of individual HE providers. The department recognises that the situation remains challenging, and that providers will need to adapt to uncertainties and financial risks to protect their longer-term sustainability.
Officials meet regularly with the OfS to oversee the overall climate for HE provider financial sustainability and to identify emerging key risks and issues for the English HE sector as a whole.
The financial sustainability of the HE sector is essential to the future success of the economy and society, including local communities. Universities are autonomous and independent, meaning they are responsible for the decisions that they make in regard to their operating model, day-to-day management and sustainability.
The department supplies annual funding via the Strategic Priorities Grant (SPG) to support teaching and students in HE, including expensive to deliver subjects, such as science and engineering, students at risk of discontinuing their studies, and world-leading specialist providers.
The recurrent SPGS budget is £1,397 million for financial year 2022/23, which is 5% higher than last year. This includes an additional £56 million in recurrent SPG, an additional £10 million to support the expansion of medical student places agreed by government in 2016/17, and an additional £1 million in HE Innovation funding. We are investing an additional £750 million over the next three years to support high quality teaching and facilities including in science and engineering, subjects that support the NHS, and degree apprenticeships.
As part of the £750 million, we have provided the OfS with £450 milloon of capital funding for financial years 2022/23 to 2024/25. Almost £400 million of this funding has been made available through a bidding exercise to target funds at key strategic priorities, including high-cost subjects and level 4, 5 and degree apprenticeships.
One hundred providers were successful in securing funding for capital projects that will directly help us achieve our skills reform ambitions to strengthen HE and better align skills training to the needs of employers to enable communities to thrive.
If a provider was at risk of an unplanned closure, the department’s priority would be to work with the OfS, the institution and other government departments to ensure students' best interests are protected.
Asked by: Baroness Chapman of Darlington (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by the Minister of State for Education on 13 January (114721), when they will publish the "detailed, school level" findings of the Condition Data Collection Programme.
Answered by Baroness Barran - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)
The Condition Data Collection (CDC) programme was one of the largest and most comprehensive data collection programmes in the UK public sector, which has helped the department to understand the condition of the school estate in England and how it is changing over time. The key, high-level findings of the CDC programme were published in May 2021 in the ‘Condition of School Buildings Survey: Key Findings’ report. This is available in the attached document.
The department is still planning to publish more detailed school level CDC data. The data is still being prepared, but due to the size of the dataset, there has been a delay in publication. We plan to publish the CDC data as soon as possible.
Asked by: Baroness Chapman of Darlington (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the impact of maintenance loans rising by 2.3 per cent on (1) ethnic minority, and (2) disadvantaged, students.
Answered by Baroness Barran - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)
Decisions on student support are taken on an annual basis. The department has continued to increase student living costs support each year with a 2.3% increase to maximum loans and grants for living and other costs for the 2022/23 academic year. Students who have been awarded a loan for living costs for the 2022/23 academic year that is lower than the maximum, and whose household income for the tax year 2022/23 has dropped by at least 15% compared to the income provided for their original assessment, can apply for their entitlement to be reassessed.
An Equality Impact Assessment was undertaken prior to a decision being taken on increases to maintenance loans and grants by 2.3%. The overall assessment was that the changes would have a marginally positive impact for those with and without protected characteristics. This can be accessed here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/higher-education-student-finance-2022-to-2023-equality-analysis.
The UCAS end of cycle report shows that in 2022 there were record numbers of 18-year-olds getting into university, including those from disadvantaged backgrounds. An English 18-year-old from a disadvantaged background today is 86% more likely to go to university than in 2010.
The department’s widening participation publication from 2022 shows that progression to higher education has increased across all students, including those from ethnic minority backgrounds. Black pupils have seen the greatest increase in the proportion entering HE by age 19, increasing from 44.1% in 2009/10 to 62.1% in 2020/21.
The department recognises the additional cost of living pressures that have arisen this year which have affected students. Decisions on student finance will have to be taken alongside other spending priorities to ensure the system remains financially sustainable and the costs of higher education (HE) are shared fairly between students and taxpayers, not all of whom have benefited from going to university.
Many HE providers have hardship funds that students can apply to for assistance. There is £261 million of student premium funding available this academic year to support disadvantaged students who need additional help. The department works alongside the Office for Students to ensure that universities support students in hardship, using both hardship funds and drawing on the student premium.
In addition, all households will save on their energy bills through the Energy Price Guarantee and the £400 Energy Bills Support Scheme discount. Students who buy their energy from a domestic supplier are eligible for the energy bills discount. The Energy Prices Act, passed on 25 October 2022, includes the provision to require landlords to pass benefits they receive from energy price support, as appropriate, onto end users. Further details of the requirements under this Act are set out in the legislation.
Asked by: Baroness Chapman of Darlington (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the effects of increases in the cost of living on access to higher education for students from (1) ethnic minority, and (2) disadvantaged, backgrounds.
Answered by Baroness Barran - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)
The department recognises the additional cost of living pressures that have arisen this year and that have impacted students. Many higher education (HE) providers have hardship funds that students can apply to for assistance. There is £261 million of student premium funding available this academic year to support disadvantaged students who need additional help. The department is working with with the Office for Students (OfS) to ensure universities support students in hardship using both hardship funds and drawing on the student premium.
All households will save on their energy bills through the Energy Price Guarantee and the £400 Energy Bills Support Scheme discount. Students who buy their energy from a domestic supplier are eligible for the energy bills discount. The Energy Prices Act passed on 25th October includes the provision to require landlords to pass benefits they receive from energy price support, as appropriate, onto end users. Further details of the requirements under this act are set out in the legislation.
A HM Treasury-led review is being undertaken to consider how to support households and businesses with energy bills after April 2023.
Decisions on student support for HE courses are taken on an annual basis and changes for the current 2022/23 academic year were made through Regulations laid in December 2021.
The government is currently considering options for changes to loans and grants for living and other costs for the 2023/24 academic year starting in August 2023 and an announcement will follow in due course.
The UCAS end of cycle report shows that in 2022 there were record numbers of 18-year-olds getting into university, including those from disadvantaged backgrounds. An English 18-year-old from a disadvantaged background today is 86% more likely to go to university than in 2010.
The department’s widening participation publication from 2022 shows that progression to higher education has increased across all students, including those from ethnic minority backgrounds. Black pupils have seen the greatest increase in the proportion entering HE by age 19, increasing from 44.1% in 2009/10 to 62.1% in 2020/21.
Asked by: Baroness Chapman of Darlington (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to support students with the cost of living.
Answered by Baroness Barran - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)
The department recognises the additional cost of living pressures that have arisen this year and that have impacted students. Many higher education (HE) providers have hardship funds that students can apply to for assistance. There is £261 million of student premium funding available this academic year to support disadvantaged students who need additional help. The department is working with with the Office for Students (OfS) to ensure universities support students in hardship using both hardship funds and drawing on the student premium.
All households will save on their energy bills through the Energy Price Guarantee and the £400 Energy Bills Support Scheme discount. Students who buy their energy from a domestic supplier are eligible for the energy bills discount. The Energy Prices Act passed on 25th October includes the provision to require landlords to pass benefits they receive from energy price support, as appropriate, onto end users. Further details of the requirements under this act are set out in the legislation.
A HM Treasury-led review is being undertaken to consider how to support households and businesses with energy bills after April 2023.
Decisions on student support for HE courses are taken on an annual basis and changes for the current 2022/23 academic year were made through Regulations laid in December 2021.
The government is currently considering options for changes to loans and grants for living and other costs for the 2023/24 academic year starting in August 2023 and an announcement will follow in due course.
The UCAS end of cycle report shows that in 2022 there were record numbers of 18-year-olds getting into university, including those from disadvantaged backgrounds. An English 18-year-old from a disadvantaged background today is 86% more likely to go to university than in 2010.
The department’s widening participation publication from 2022 shows that progression to higher education has increased across all students, including those from ethnic minority backgrounds. Black pupils have seen the greatest increase in the proportion entering HE by age 19, increasing from 44.1% in 2009/10 to 62.1% in 2020/21.
Asked by: Baroness Chapman of Darlington (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to increase (1) awareness, and (2) the take-up, of their childcare schemes.
Answered by Baroness Barran - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)
Improving parents’ awareness and take-up of childcare schemes is a government priority.
Delivered in partnership with the Department for Work and Pensions and HM Revenue and Customs, the Childcare Choices campaign aims to increase awareness of government childcare support to ease the pressures for working parents, and signposts to the Childcare Choices website to make it easy for people to claim: https://www.childcarechoices.gov.uk/.
The campaign has been delivered in two bursts through radio, search, digital outdoor (e.g. bus stop advertising) and social media advertising, with the first burst running over the summer period from 30 June to 31 August. We also delivered a press partnership with the Metro (online and print), the Sun Online and the Independent Online in August. The second campaign burst went live on 31 October, with a short pause over Christmas, before it resumes again in the new year.
The campaign has driven extensive reach, with ads being viewed through digital and search over 59 million times. There has also been strong engagement in the campaign, with over 559,000 Childcare Choices website sessions. The first burst of the campaign has also demonstrated a solid conversion rate, with 77,995 referrals to GOV.UK pages from Childcare Choices for each element of childcare support:
We will be able to report on final GOV.UK referral numbers when the second burst of the campaign is complete. We continue to work across government to increase awareness and encourage families to use the government-funded support they are entitled to.
Asked by: Baroness Chapman of Darlington (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the impact of nursery closures this year on childcare (1) fees, (2) quality, and (3) availability.
Answered by Baroness Barran - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)
The childcare and early years provider survey contains information on average fees charged by childcare providers. This showed that between 2021/2022, average fees for children under 2 years of age increased by 2.7%; average fees for children aged 2 increased by 3.4%; and average fees for pre-school children aged 3 and 4 increased by 3.8%. All of these increases were below the rate of inflation, which in May 2022 was 9.1%. Fees charged by providers will reflect a variety of factors.
The quality of childcare remains high which is testament to the great work of childcare providers. As of 31 August 2022, 96% of childcare providers have been judged good or outstanding at their most recent inspection. More detail is available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/childcare-providers-and-inspections-as-at-31-august-2022/main-findings-childcare-providers-and-inspections-as-at-31-august-2022.
The key measure of sufficiency is whether the supply of available places is sufficient to meet the requirements of parents and children. Ofsted data shows that the number of places offered by providers on the Early Years Register has remained broadly stable at 1.3 million places since August 2015.
Under Section 6 of the Childcare Act 2006, local authorities are responsible for ensuring that the provision of childcare is sufficient to meet the requirements of parents in their area. The Department has regular contact with each local authority in England, and if a local authority raises concerns about sufficiency issues we will support it with any specific requirements.
Asked by: Baroness Chapman of Darlington (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to ensure childcare is (1) accessible, and (2) affordable.
Answered by Baroness Barran - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)
The department is committed to improving the availability and affordability of childcare which is why we have spent over £3.5 billion in each of the past three years on our early education entitlements to support families with the cost of childcare. This means that thousands of parents are benefitting from government childcare support.
In the 2021 Spending Review, we announced additional funding of £160 million in 2022/23, £180 million in 2023/24 and £170 million in 2024/25, compared to the 2021/22 financial year. This is for local authorities to increase hourly rates paid to childcare providers, reflecting cost pressures and changes in the number of eligible children anticipated at the time of the Spending Review.
For 2023/24, we will invest an additional £20 million into early years funding, on top of the additional £180 million for 2023/24. Taken together, this will help support providers at a national level with the additional National Living Wage costs associated with delivering the free childcare entitlements next year.
In July, we announced measures to reduce the costs and bureaucracy facing providers and ensure families can access government support to save them money on their childcare bills. This included the launch of a new £1.2 million communications campaign via the childcare choices website to ensure every parent knows about the government funded support they are eligible for: https://www.childcarechoices.gov.uk/.
The department continues to work across government, looking at ways to make childcare more affordable and accessible to ensure that families benefit from the government-funded support they are entitled to.
Asked by: Baroness Chapman of Darlington (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the effect of rising energy costs on college budgets.
Answered by Baroness Barran - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)
The department knows that alongside pay and inflationary pressures, one of the biggest challenges facing some colleges is the rising cost of energy. We are keeping under review the potential impacts of the rising cost of energy on providers across the department’s remit.
Colleges are autonomous institutions responsible for their own financial sustainability and are taking actions to respond to inflationary pressures, for example through reducing energy consumption.
The Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy has outlined the range of support on energy cost increases that will be available for businesses, the public sector and households. As part of that, the Energy Bill Relief Scheme will provide a price reduction to ensure that all businesses and other non-domestic customers, including colleges, are protected from excessively high energy bills over this winter. Discounts will be applied to energy usage initially between 1 October 2022 and 31 March 2023.
Schools and colleges in England will also be allocated a share of £500 million in capital funding in the 2022/23 financial year (this comprises £447 million for schools and sixth form colleges and £53 million for further education colleges) to spend on energy efficiency upgrades.
This will not only help schools and colleges save money, but it will also make them more energy efficient during the cold period and increase winter resilience for future years. A further education college group will receive £290,000 on average from that additional funding. Allocations were published on 6 December 2022 to help colleges plan and payments are expected to be made in January 2023.
The department is investing £3.8 billion more in further education and skills over the Parliament as a whole to ensure people can access high-quality training and education that leads to good jobs, addresses skills gaps, boosts productivity and supports levelling up. This will support the sector to reform and deliver the technical, skilled education that employers want and our economy needs.
As set out in the department publication, ‘College oversight: support and intervention’, we assess and review colleges’ financial health on a regular basis and use this information to determine where support and intervention from the department, Education and Skills Funding Agency and Further Education Commissioner can help colleges to improve their position. The publication is available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/college-oversight-support-and-intervention.