Asked by: Debbie Abrahams (Labour - Oldham East and Saddleworth)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps she is taking to help ensure that schools have an active travel plan to increase the number of children who walk or cycle to school (including those who walk the last half-mile).
Answered by Georgia Gould - Minister of State (Education)
The Education Act 1996 places a duty on local authorities to promote sustainable travel on journeys to and from places of education in their area. Sustainable travel in this context is that which improves the physical wellbeing of users, the environmental wellbeing of the area, or both.
On 12 December, Active Travel England announced £626 million of funding for local authorities from 2026/27 to 2029/30 to deliver walking, wheeling and cycling schemes. This will enable more children to walk and cycle to school. It is in addition to almost £300 million funding for active travel in 2024/25 and 2025/26 announced in February. This includes £30 million to provide Bikeability cycle training to children and £8.5 million for Cycling UK, Living Streets and Modeshift to deliver walking, wheeling and cycling initiatives in schools and communities. The Modeshift STARS Education scheme supports schools and local authorities to develop and monitor school travel plans.
Asked by: Debbie Abrahams (Labour - Oldham East and Saddleworth)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps she plans to take to ensure that the requirements of children with special educational needs and disabilities are included in the child poverty strategy.
Answered by Bridget Phillipson - Minister for Women and Equalities
Tackling child poverty is at the heart of breaking down barriers to opportunity and improving the life chances for every child. For too many children, living in poverty robs them of the opportunity to achieve and thrive.
On 23 October 2024 the government published ‘Tackling Child Poverty: Developing Our Strategy’. This report sets out how the government will develop the strategy, including an engagement plan, which will harness all available levers to deliver a reduction in child poverty this Parliament as part of an ambitious ten-year Strategy. The report is available here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/tackling-child-poverty-developing-our-strategy.
As part of the Taskforce’s engagement plan, a new forum of parents and carers living across the UK will be set up to ensure the experiences of children in poverty, including disabled children and those with special educational needs, are included. They will feed directly into the Strategy.
Asked by: Debbie Abrahams (Labour - Oldham East and Saddleworth)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what information he holds on the use of Project Bank Accounts by (a) his Department, (b) Government agencies his Department has responsibility for and (c) non-departmental bodies his Department has responsibility for.
Answered by Nick Gibb
As set out in the Construction Playbook, the Department for Education (DfE) has committed to use Project Bank Accounts (PBAs) on its school construction projects unless there are compelling reasons not to. PBAs are just one way that government departments support fair payment as part of the Government’s Prompt Payment Code.
DfE has considered the use of PBAs for school construction projects delivered through the DfE Construction Frameworks. However due to the specific nature, size and volume of DfE’s school construction projects, the DfE has assessed that it is not practical, efficient and cost effective to use them on our construction projects. Therefore, there are compelling reasons not to deploy PBAs on DfE projects. Accordingly, the DfE does not hold any information on the use of PBAs for its school construction projects as the DfE does not currently use PBAs.
Asked by: Debbie Abrahams (Labour - Oldham East and Saddleworth)
Question to the Department for Education:
What assessment he has made of the adequacy of educational support for disabled children during the covid-19 outbreak.
Answered by Vicky Ford
Every family has had challenges during this period but those families with disabled children face the greatest.
We have surveyed families, schools and local authorities to monitor the situation.
90% of special schools were open last week, and we have invested £10 million in the Family Fund and provided specialist online resources.
Asked by: Debbie Abrahams (Labour - Oldham East and Saddleworth)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, if he will hold discussions with Oldham Council on the effect on food supplies in schools in that Council of the UK leaving the EU without a withdrawal agreement.
Answered by Kemi Badenoch - Leader of HM Official Opposition
The department has issued formal guidance for schools and local authorities on preparations for a no-deal EU exit.
The guidance for schools is published here:
The guidance for local authorities is published here:
https://www.gov.uk/guidance/eu-exit-no-deal-preparations-for-local-authority-childrens-services-in-england.
I have asked officials to contact Oldham Council to offer a conversation on this matter. In addition, Oldham Council, and any other local authority, are welcome to contact the department to discuss any issues relating to school food provision.