Asked by: Bridget Phillipson (Labour - Houghton and Sunderland South)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether the website for her Department's consultation entitled Experience-Based Route for Early Years Practitioners, launched on 22 April 2024, was (a) designed, (b) supplied and (c) assured by the Government Digital Service.
Answered by David Johnston - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)
The consultation entitled ‘Experience-Based Route for Early Years Practitioners’ is being held on Citizen Space. The website was not designed, supplied or assured by the Government Digital Service. The site complies with Web Content Accessibility Guidelines V2.2 AA standard.
If, for exceptional reasons, a person is unable to use the online system, they may request and complete a word document version of the form by email or by post.
Asked by: Bridget Phillipson (Labour - Houghton and Sunderland South)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, with reference to the Answer of 22 April 2022 to Question 151074 on Department for Education: Parking, if she will take steps to update and publish the data relating to her Department and arm's length bodies in that table.
Answered by Damian Hinds - Minister of State (Education)
The attached table includes data to support the response relating to the department and arm’s length bodies.
Asked by: Bridget Phillipson (Labour - Houghton and Sunderland South)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how many apprenticeship starts there have been among young people aged (a) under 19 and (b) 19 to 24, by level, for each academic year since 2018-19.
Answered by Luke Hall - Minister of State (Education)
The following link sets out the apprenticeship starts by under 19s, including those aged between 19 to 24: https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/data-tables/permalink/04dbd954-342d-4fa1-2d37-08dc5ed9bc49
Further information on apprenticeship starts can be found in the apprenticeships publication, available at: https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/find-statistics/apprenticeships.
Asked by: Bridget Phillipson (Labour - Houghton and Sunderland South)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, if she will publish her Department's results in the civil service people survey questions on leadership and managing change for each of the last 14 years.
Answered by Damian Hinds - Minister of State (Education)
The department’s results for each of the questions in the Civil Service People Survey relating to leadership and managing change are published online:
Asked by: Bridget Phillipson (Labour - Houghton and Sunderland South)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, with reference to the oral statement of the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Education of 23 April 2023 on Childcare Entitlements, Official Report, for what reason the statement was made (a) before the publication of a National Audit Office (NAO) on that matter and (b) while the NAO report was under embargo.
Answered by David Johnston - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)
This government’s plan to support hard working families is working. The department are making the largest ever investment in childcare in England’s history. By September 2025, when the new entitlements are fully rolled out, working families will on average save £6,900 with 30 hours free childcare from when their child is 9 months old until they start school.
The roll out has already been successful, with the government exceeding its targets for the April roll out of the first 15 hours for two year olds. As the Minister for Children, Families and Wellbeing set out in a statement to the house yesterday, and as acknowledged by the National Audit Office report, parents of over 195,000 two year olds are now benefitting from this government’s new and historic childcare offer.
Asked by: Bridget Phillipson (Labour - Houghton and Sunderland South)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what her Department's (a) mean result and (b) standard deviation in the civil service people survey results for questions (i) W01, (ii) W02, (iii) W03 and (iv) W04 on personal wellbeing has been in each of the last 15 years.
Answered by Damian Hinds - Minister of State (Education)
The questions on personal wellbeing were introduced to the Civil Service People Survey in 2012 and therefore have only been in the survey for each of the last 12 years.
The attached table provides the mean average and standard deviation of the department’s results for the four questions on personal wellbeing W01 to W04.
The department does not hold the individual-level survey data, which is required in order to calculate the mean and standard deviation for 2017 or 2019.
Asked by: Bridget Phillipson (Labour - Houghton and Sunderland South)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what estimate her Department has made of the number of parents (a) with two year olds who are eligible for 15 hours of childcare support and (b) who have had codes validated by providers and are receiving their entitlement in each local authority area.
Answered by David Johnston - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)
This government’s plan to support hard working families is working. The department are making the largest ever investment in childcare in England’s history. By September 2025, when the new entitlements are fully rolled out, working families will on average save £6,900 per year if they use the full 30 hours free childcare from when their child is 9 months old until they start school.
Our roll-out has already been successful, with the government exceeding its target for the April roll out of the first 15 hours for two year olds.
The department’s estimates focus on numbers of children, rather than parents. The department estimates that there are around 285,000 two year olds eligible for 15 hours of childcare support.
As per my statement on 23 April, more than 200,000 are already benefitting from the first stage of the expansion. The department will be publishing data by local authorities in due course.
Asked by: Bridget Phillipson (Labour - Houghton and Sunderland South)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what estimate she has made of the number of childminders on the (a) Early Years Register and (b) Childcare Register in (i) each region and (ii) each local authority in each year since 2018.
Answered by David Johnston - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)
This is a matter for His Majesty’s Chief Inspector, Sir Martyn Oliver. I have asked him to write to the hon. Member and a copy of his reply will be placed in the Libraries of both Houses.
Asked by: Bridget Phillipson (Labour - Houghton and Sunderland South)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, in reference to the Office for Students consultation on proposed regulatory advice and other matters relating to freedom of speech, announced on 26 March 2024, what discussions (a) she and (b) the Office for Students have had on this with (i) the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, (ii) other Ministers in the Department for Business and Trade, (iii) Officials in that Department, (iv) the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth, and Development Affairs, (v) other Ministers in the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office and (vi) officials in that Department.
Answered by David Johnston - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)
Officials regularly speak on matters of mutual importance across government, particularly on cross-cutting policy and new legislation. The department’s officials continue to engage with both the Office for Students (OfS) and other governmental departments (OGDs) surrounding the Higher Education (Freedom of Speech) Act 2023 (the Act).
Officials will continue to engage with the OfS and OGDs ahead of the Act coming into force, currently planned for 1 August 2024 for the main provisions, including the complaints scheme. The content of the consultation published on 26 March 2026 is a matter for the OfS.
Asked by: Bridget Phillipson (Labour - Houghton and Sunderland South)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, with reference to paragraphs 7.16 and 7.17 of the Ministerial Code, on how many occasions Ministers in her Department have informed the Law Officers that they are the defendants in a libel action in (a) their personal capacity, (b) their official position and (c) both since 19 December 2019.
Answered by Damian Hinds - Minister of State (Education)
I am unable to confirm the details asked for, as this would contravene paragraph 2.13 of the Ministerial Code, which prevents disclosure of the fact that the Law Officers have advised or have not advised and the content of their advice without their authority.