Asked by: Lord Spellar (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how many undergraduates are currently studying courses for (a) veterinary surgery, (b) architecture and (c) web design.
Answered by Chris Skidmore
The Higher Education Statistics Agency (HESA) collects and publishes data on students enrolled in higher education (HE). HESA published data for undergraduates currently studying courses for veterinary surgery, architecture and web design at the following link: https://www.hesa.ac.uk/data-and-analysis/students/table-22.
Information on undergraduate students enrolled in each principal subject area at HE institutions in 2017/18 has been provided in Table 1 which has been attached. This includes the principal subjects that encompass veterinary surgery and architecture. There is no direct classification for web design.
Asked by: Lord Spellar (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what discussions his Department has had with Lancashire County Council on the Council's ban on halal and kosher meat in school meals.
Answered by Nadhim Zahawi
The department has had no discussions with Lancashire County Council with regards to their ban on halal and kosher meat in school meals. The government sets out required minimum standards for school food in the School Food Standards to ensure that children are served healthy, nutritious meals at school. The standards do not specify food requirements in terms of cultural and religious needs.
Headteachers, governors and their caterers are best placed to make decisions about their school food policies, which includes acting reasonably to provide choices that take account of cultural, religious and special dietary needs. Schools that choose to arrange their school meals through a local authority or another catering organisation may wish to take this into consideration. Schools may consider providing both halal and non-halal or kosher food each day, or ensuring that dishes are clearly labelled to allow pupils to select the appropriate choice.
Asked by: Lord Spellar (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, when (a) he and (b) officials in his Department were made aware of the financial concerns relating to Bright Tribe academy trust; and what steps his Department has taken to address those concerns.
Answered by Nadhim Zahawi
The Education and Skills Funding Agency (ESFA) have a robust intervention strategy, built on a clear framework and communicated and regulated through trusts’ funding agreements and the Academies Financial Handbook.
The former Secretary of State (Nicky Morgan), my right hon. Friend for Loughborough, was initially made aware of the financial concerns relating to Bright Tribe Trust in July 2015.
The ESFA has worked closely with Bright Tribe Trust since 2015. An initial Financial Management and Governance Review was completed in November 2015, with follow up visits in September 2016 and August 2017. In June 2018, we made a further visit to Bright Tribe Trust in relation to the outstanding capital issues at The Whitehaven Academy.
The ESFA reviews all allegations received about Bright Tribe Trust and individual schools within the trust. Following most recent allegations, a warning letter was issued by the EFSA on 7 August 2018.
Asked by: Lord Spellar (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how many school leavers in (a) Warley constituency and (b) Sandwell who went to university in the last five years for which figures are available were (i) entitled and (ii) not entitled to free school meals.
Answered by Lord Johnson of Marylebone
Information is given on the number and percentage of students completing key stage 5 study (A level and other level 3 qualifications) in mainstream state-funded schools and colleges, before progressing to study at a UK higher education institution for at least two terms the following year, in each of the last five years for which information is available. Free school meal eligibility is as recorded when students were in Year 11.
The table below show figures for the Warley constituency for the years 2010/11 to 2014/15. Numbers of pupils are shown rounded to the nearest ten, in line with how published information was shown in these years. Percentages are calculated using unrounded figures.
In each of the last five years, 20 to 60 students in the Warley constituency (rounded to the nearest ten), who had been eligible for free school meals in Year 11 and completed key stage 5 study, progressed to higher education. This compares to between 140 and 190 students who had not been eligible for free school meals. Due to the small numbers of students involved, these proportions have varied year on year.
Comparable information on pupil destinations for Sandwell is published annually at: https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/statistics-destinations
| Number of students completing KS5 | Number at UK Higher Education Institution | % at UK Higher Education Institution (calculated on unrounded figures) | |||
(rounded to nearest 10) | (rounded to nearest 10) | |||||
FSM | Non-FSM | FSM | Non-FSM | FSM | Non-FSM | |
2014/15 (2013/14 KS5 cohort) | 90 | 300 | 60 | 190 | 65% | 65% |
2013/14 (2012/13 KS5 cohort) | 70 | 340 | 40 | 190 | 57% | 56% |
2012/13 (2011/12 KS5 cohort) | 60 | 250 | 30 | 140 | 56% | 56% |
2011/12 (2010/11 KS5 cohort) | 90 | 280 | 60 | 180 | 65% | 63% |
2010/11 (2009/10 KS5 cohort) | 40 | 210 | 20 | 150 | 47% | 70% |
Asked by: Lord Spellar (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, if she will take steps to ensure that her Department's purchasing policies support British (a) industry and (b) agriculture.
Answered by Nick Gibb
The Department's purchasing policies support the Government’s commitment to do all it can to ensure UK suppliers can compete effectively for public sector contracts, in line with our current international obligations and guidance issued by the Crown Commercial Service.
Asked by: Lord Spellar (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what her policy is on the use of private companies to arrange foster care placements.
Answered by Edward Timpson
The arrangement of foster care placements is the duty of local authorities. All placements must be made with consideration to the child's assessed needs through a robust care planning process.
The Fostering Services (England) Regulations 2011 set the statutory framework for all fostering services, including Independent Fostering Providers. The regulatory framework for the provision of foster care placements is clear that local authorities must have access to sufficient placements to meet the needs of the children they look after. As long as placements meet the needs of the child, it is for local authorities to determine whether placements are provided in-house or by independent providers.