Asked by: Daniel Zeichner (Labour - Cambridge)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what financial assistance is being provided to nurseries advised to close due to the covid-19 outbreak; and what assurances he has received from insurers on providing cover to nurseries despite that infection not being a named disease at the time of cover.
Answered by Vicky Ford
We are working hard to mitigate the impacts of COVID-19 on all parts of our society, including individuals and businesses.
Whilst individual insurance arrangements are a matter for providers to discuss with their insurers and we are unable to give legal advice on insurance cover, we understand that in many cases, the insurance that early years providers have will not cover them for income lost during COVID-19 related closures. That is one of the reasons why we announced on 17 March that we will continue to pay funding to local authorities for the early years entitlements for 2, 3 and 4-year-olds and that funding would not be clawed back from local authorities when children are unable to attend due to COVID-19.
We expect local authorities to follow the Department for Education’s position and to continue paying all childminders, schools and nurseries, for the early years entitlements – even if providers have suspended delivery of those entitlements due to COVID-19. This protects a significant proportion of early years providers’ income. The government also announced a 12 month business rates holiday for private nurseries and set out a range of wider support for businesses and workers to reduce the impact of COVID-19, which many early years providers will benefit from.
We will be keeping under close review what further support businesses and workers may require.
Guidance on closures of early years settings, including support for workers and businesses, is available here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/coronavirus-covid-19-early-years-and-childcare-closures/coronavirus-covid-19-early-years-and-childcare-closures#funding.
Asked by: Daniel Zeichner (Labour - Cambridge)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what plans he has to ensure that students who were entered into exams that have been cancelled as external candidates can get qualifications.
Answered by Nick Gibb
As my right hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Education, announced to the House on 18 March, the Government has taken the difficult decision to cancel all examinations due to take place in schools and colleges in England this summer, as part of the fight to prevent the spread of coronavirus.
The Department’s priority is to ensure that students can move on as planned to the next stage of their lives, including starting university, college or sixth form courses or apprenticeships, in the autumn. For GCSE, AS and A-level students, we will make sure they are awarded a grade which reflects their work. Our intention is that a grade will be awarded this summer based on the best available evidence, including any non-examination assessment that students have already completed. Students will also have the option to sit an examination, as soon as is reasonably possible after the beginning of the academic year, if they wish to do so.
The independent regulator of qualifications, Ofqual, is working urgently with examination boards to set out proposals for how this process will work and to look at the options available in relation to external candidates, including home educated students.
Further information will be published as soon as possible.
Asked by: Daniel Zeichner (Labour - Cambridge)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment he has made of the effect of the policy on stopping child benefit for families whose children start apprenticeships on social mobility.
Answered by Anne Milton
The underlying principle of an apprenticeship is that it is a paid job, and the benefits system treats an apprenticeship in the same way as any other job. Apprentices are employed and do not have to contribute to the costs of their learning, and acquire skills much valued in the labour market. Apprentices on low incomes may be able to claim Universal Credit or tax credits to help with living costs.
As paid employment and a foundation for a successful career, an apprenticeship sets young people up on the path to financial independence. On average, a level 2 apprenticeship boosts your earnings by 11% and a level 3 apprenticeship by 16%.
Asked by: Daniel Zeichner (Labour - Cambridge)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment he has made of the effect of the policy on stopping child benefit for families whose children start apprenticeships on access to and take up of apprenticeships.
Answered by Anne Milton
The underlying principle of an apprenticeship is that it is a paid job, and the benefits system treats an apprenticeship in the same way as any other job. Apprentices are employed and do not have to contribute to the costs of their learning, and acquire skills much valued in the labour market. Apprentices on low incomes may be able to claim Universal Credit or tax credits to help with living costs.
As paid employment and a foundation for a successful career, an apprenticeship sets young people up on the path to financial independence. On average, a level 2 apprenticeship boosts your earnings by 11% and a level 3 apprenticeship by 16%.
Asked by: Daniel Zeichner (Labour - Cambridge)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps his Department plans to take to assess the social and economic value of different university courses to (a) students and (b) taxpayers.
Answered by Chris Skidmore
We are clear that outcomes are not just about economic returns. Our higher education system transforms lives and is a great contributor to both our industrial success and the cultural life of the nation. High quality provision in a range of subjects is critical for our public services and culturally enriching for our society.
The Teaching Excellence Framework puts clear information in the hands of students about the teaching quality and outcomes they might expect to receive.
In addition, the government regularly publishes information on the benefits of higher education ranging from; research publications on student aspirations and the wider non-market benefits, to statistical publications on graduate employment and earning trends including ‘Graduate Labour Market Statistics’ and ‘Longitudinal Education Outcomes’ publications, which can be found on the gov.uk website:
https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/graduate-labour-market-statistics-2018.
The government is due to publish an updated study in the coming months on the earnings premium graduates can expect from holding a degree. The latest research, however, can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/229498/bis-13-899-the-impact-of-university-degrees-on-the-lifecycle-of-earnings-further-analysis.pdf.
The research suggests that over a working life, graduate returns average £170,000 for males and £250,000 for females, which takes into account the impact of loan repayments, national insurance and income tax payments.
Asked by: Daniel Zeichner (Labour - Cambridge)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether EU students enrolling on UK higher education courses in the academic year 2020-21 will be eligible for (a) home fee status and (b) financial support.
Answered by Chris Skidmore
We recognise how important it is that students and institutions have information on eligibility for student support before applications for courses open.
Applications for courses starting in academic year 2020/21 do not open until September 2019. We will ensure students and institutions have the information they need well in advance of that date.
Asked by: Daniel Zeichner (Labour - Cambridge)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, when he plans to publish the (a) fee status and (b) loan eligibility of EU undergraduate students commencing courses at English higher education providers in the 2020-21 academic year.
Answered by Chris Skidmore
We recognise how important it is that students and institutions have information on eligibility for student support before applications for courses open.
Applications for courses starting in academic year 2020/21 do not open until September 2019. We will ensure students and institutions have the information they need well in advance of that date.
Asked by: Daniel Zeichner (Labour - Cambridge)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what proportion of (a) all children and (b) children eligible for free school meals reached a Good Level of Development at age five in Cambridge in each of the last three years.
Answered by Nadhim Zahawi
The requested data is shown in the attached table.
Asked by: Daniel Zeichner (Labour - Cambridge)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, with reference to Transforming children and young people’s mental health provision: a green paper, published by his Department on 4 March 2016, whether he plans to make the position of Designated Senior Lead for Mental Health compulsory to ensure that every child can access appropriate mental health support in school.
Answered by Nick Gibb
The Government believes that schools shall have the flexibility to decide how to deploy their staff in support of their pupils' mental health and wellbeing. It is for schools and colleges to decide whether to put a Designated Senior Lead in place; nearly half of schools already have a mental health lead. As set out in the green paper, the Government will incentivise schools and colleges to appoint a Designated Senior Lead, and will support the development of relevant training courses through the Teaching and Leadership Innovation Fund.
Asked by: Daniel Zeichner (Labour - Cambridge)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether EU students starting courses in English higher education institutions in 2019-20 and 2020-21 will be eligible for (a) home fee status and (b) student loans and grants under the current eligibility criteria.
Answered by Sam Gyimah
The government has taken action to provide greater certainty about student funding for EU students. We have confirmed that current EU students and those starting courses at an English university or further education institution in the 2017/18 and 2018/19 academic years will continue to be eligible for student loans and home fee status for the duration of their course.
Future arrangements for EU students starting courses after 2018/19, and who are not settled in the UK or on a pathway to settled status by the specified date, will need to be considered as part of wider discussions about the UK’s relationship with the EU.
Applications for courses starting in 2019/20 do not open until September 2018, and we are working to ensure students applying have information well in advance of this date.