Asked by: Alex Norris (Labour (Co-op) - Nottingham North)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps he is taking to help ensure that all SMEs are able to offer t-Level placements across the UK.
Answered by Alex Burghart - Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)
Small to medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) are key to ensuring that industry placements are a successful component of T Levels, as they make up a large proportion of the employer landscape. We are engaging directly with employers of all sizes, including SMEs, through the department’s employer engagement teams to explain the benefits of T Levels and of industry hosting placements, and to help provide a strong pipeline of employers, across all sectors, ready to offer placements.
We are providing an extensive programme of support to help ensure employers of all sizes, including SMEs, are able to deliver placements. This includes a comprehensive employer support package, which offers guidance, workshops, and webinars, as well as tailored advice and direct hands-on support, to help build employer confidence and capability to deliver high-quality industry placements. We have also implemented several different delivery models to ensure placements can be delivered by employers of different sizes, across all industries and locations, and our T Level ambassador network is enabling employers, including SMEs, to engage with others in their industries on T Levels and placements. Finally, we have put in place a short-term incentive fund, offering employers £1,000 per industry placement, to encourage employers to offer placements during the COVID-19 outbreak, which has been warmly welcomed by SMEs.
We will continue to monitor the delivery of placements and work closely with employers, including SMEs, to identify what support they will need going forward to enable them to deliver high quality placements.
Asked by: Alex Norris (Labour (Co-op) - Nottingham North)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps his Department is taking to close full-time unregistered schools; and if he will give Ofsted greater powers to seize evidence, search premises, and close illegal operations in relation to unregistered schools.
Answered by Robin Walker
It is a criminal offence under Section 96 of the Education and Skills Act 2008 to conduct an unregistered independent school. The department and Ofsted will investigate any institution where intelligence or evidence suggest that this offence is being committed. Section 97 of the act permits no-notice inspections of education providers believed to be operating as an unregistered independent school.
Between 1 January 2016 and 31 August 2021, Ofsted have investigated 850 education providers. These investigations have led to 412 inspections which have resulted in the identification of 114 unregistered schools. Joint work between the department and Ofsted has led to 101 of these providers changing their provision to cease operating unlawfully. In addition, since 2016, 6 successful prosecutions have been brought against groups responsible for operating illegal education providers.
The department has made public commitments to take forward measures to make it easier for Ofsted to investigate and gather evidence of breaches of section 96 of the Act and prosecute those responsible for running unregistered schools. These changes are intended to lead to the identification of greater numbers of unregistered schools. Such measures will be taken forward when a suitable legislative opportunity arises.
Asked by: Alex Norris (Labour (Co-op) - Nottingham North)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, when his Department plans to provide Arts Council England with the final funding information relating to Music Education Hubs in England; and if he will ensure that Music Hubs urgently receive confirmation of funding levels in order to avert the termination of agreements.
Answered by Nick Gibb
Music Education Hubs have a vital role to play not only in core school music but also in ensuring children have access to all the benefits of a wider musical education through instrumental lessons and ensembles. They have acted swiftly and innovatively to support schools through the COVID-19 outbreak, including the continuation of continuing professional development to classroom teachers.
Following the one-year Spending Review settlement, the Department will continue to fund Music Education Hubs for the financial year 2021-22. Funding has been confirmed with Arts Council England and all Music Education Hubs organisations were updated on this matter. Further details on specific funding allocations for each hub will follow shortly, alongside an announcement on Department funding for music education nationally.
Asked by: Alex Norris (Labour (Co-op) - Nottingham North)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps his Department is taking to support the school catering industry during the covid-19 outbreak.
Answered by Vicky Ford
Until the end of the summer term, schools could continue to make payments to suppliers under the provisions of the Cabinet Office guidance for public bodies in ‘Procurement Policy Note 02/20’ and ‘Procurement Policy Note 04/20’ if they considered it appropriate in order to maintain delivery of critical services. These are available here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/procurement-policy-note-0220-supplier-relief-due-to-covid-19 and: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/procurement-policy-note-0420-recovery-and-transition-from-covid-19. Payments covered the cost of free school meals and universal infant free school meals, but not the costs of meals usually purchased by parents for pupils who are not eligible for free school meals.
More recently, the government has updated its wide package of measures to help support businesses. Further details are available here: https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/financial-support-for-businesses-during-coronavirus-covid-19.
Companies within the catering industry may also be able to claim support under the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme, which has been extended to 30 April 2021. Further details are available here: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/claim-for-wages-through-the-coronavirus-job-retention-scheme.
Asked by: Alex Norris (Labour (Co-op) - Nottingham North)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment the Department has made of the effect of the UK failing to agree a deal on the future relationship with the EU on food pricing on the provision of school meals.
Answered by Vicky Ford
The UK has agreed a deal with the EU which is based on friendly cooperation between sovereign equals, centred on free trade and inspired by our shared history and values.
The UK has a high level of food security built upon a diverse range of sources, including strong domestic production and imports from other countries. This continues to be the case.
The government is working in partnership with food suppliers to ensure that there continues to be a flow of food into the country. Schools are responsible for the provision of school meals and may enter individual contracts with suppliers and caterers to meet this duty. We are confident that schools will continue to be able to provide pupils with nutritious school meals from the 1 January onward.
The government has published advice for the food and drink sector on working with the EU following the agreement of a free trade deal, available here: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/the-food-and-drink-sector-and-preparing-for-eu-exit.
A range of guidance for schools, including advice on food supplies, is available here: https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/guidance-for-schools-during-the-transition-period-and-after-1-january-2021.
Asked by: Alex Norris (Labour (Co-op) - Nottingham North)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment his Department has made of the effect of the UK leaving the EU on the school catering workforce.
Answered by Vicky Ford
The UK has agreed a deal with the EU which is based on friendly cooperation between sovereign equals, centred on free trade and inspired by our shared history and values.
The UK has a high level of food security built upon a diverse range of sources, including strong domestic production and imports from other countries. This continues to be the case.
The government is working in partnership with food suppliers to ensure that there continues to be a flow of food into the country. Schools are responsible for the provision of school meals and may enter individual contracts with suppliers and caterers to meet this duty. We are confident that schools will continue to be able to provide pupils with nutritious school meals from the 1 January onward.
The government has published advice for the food and drink sector on working with the EU following the agreement of a free trade deal, available here: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/the-food-and-drink-sector-and-preparing-for-eu-exit.
A range of guidance for schools, including advice on food supplies, is available here: https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/guidance-for-schools-during-the-transition-period-and-after-1-january-2021.
Asked by: Alex Norris (Labour (Co-op) - Nottingham North)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what progress his Department has made on the teaching of menstrual wellbeing in schools.
Answered by Nick Gibb
The Department wants to support all young people to be happy, healthy and safe, and to equip them for adult life and to make a positive contribution to society. That is why we have made Relationships Education compulsory for all primary school age pupils, Relationships and Sex Education compulsory for all secondary school age pupils, and Health Education compulsory for pupils in all state funded schools.
Schools are expected to start teaching the new subjects by at least the start of the summer term in 2021. Considering the circumstances faced by our schools, the Department is reassuring schools that they have flexibility over when they discharge their duty within the first year of compulsory teaching.
The statutory guidance sets out that as part of Health Education, primary and secondary school pupils should be taught about menstrual wellbeing, including key facts about the menstrual cycle. The statutory guidance can be accessed at:
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/relationships-education-relationships-and-sex-education-rse-and-health-education.
Schools also have the flexibility to design the content of their curriculum in an age appropriate and developmentally sensitive way, to support their cohort of pupils. To help schools design their curriculum, the Department has signposted them to expert advice from Public Health England on reproductive health.
The Department’s guidance for teaching about relationships, sex and health covers all of the teaching requirements in the statutory guidance and includes online modules on teaching about menstrual wellbeing. The Department’s full guidance is available at:
https://www.gov.uk/guidance/teaching-about-relationships-sex-and-health.
Asked by: Alex Norris (Labour (Co-op) - Nottingham North)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what additional support will be offered to pupils in year 13 during the 2020-21 academic year.
Answered by Nick Gibb
Children and young people across the country have experienced unprecedented disruption to their education as a result of COVID-19. Those from the most vulnerable and disadvantaged backgrounds will be amongst those hardest hit. We know that we have the professional knowledge and expertise in the education system to ensure that children and young people recover and get back on track.
Additional funding of up to £96 million to support 16-19 year olds for the 2020-21 academic year is available through the National Tutoring Programme, enabling schools and colleges to provide small group tuition for disadvantaged students whose education has been disrupted as a result of COVID-19.
Asked by: Alex Norris (Labour (Co-op) - Nottingham North)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether he has made an assessment of the potential merits of ending the Construction Industry Training Board levy.
Answered by Gillian Keegan - Secretary of State for Education
There is no assessment planned with regards to the merits of ending the Construction Industry Training Board (CITB) levy. The most recent assessment completed as a tailored review, was undertaken, and published in November 2017. As well as providing several recommendations to CITB, it concluded that the current levy process was the most appropriate way to specifically support and incentivise the sector.
Asked by: Alex Norris (Labour (Co-op) - Nottingham North)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, if he will introduce a deadline for the use of free school meal vouchers during the covid-19 outbreak.
Answered by Vicky Ford
I refer the hon. Members to the answer I gave on 23 June 2020 to Question 54195.