Asked by: Gregory Campbell (Democratic Unionist Party - East Londonderry)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what recent discussions she has had with the National Centre for Computing Education on its progress in ensuring greater female participation in STEM subjects in (a) further and (b) higher education.
Answered by Robert Halfon
The department is committed to ensuring that anyone, regardless of their gender or background, can pursue an education in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) subjects.
The department’s contract with the National Centre for Computing Education (NCCE) is managed by departmental officials who meet regularly with STEM Learning, the NCCE supplier, to discuss progress. The NCCE aims to improve the quality of computing education and drive up participation in computing at GCSE and A Level, particularly amongst girls. The NCCE is primarily focused on supporting schools and colleges across England, with the expectation that an increase in participation and interest from girls with computing would coincide with an increase in female participation at further education (FE) and higher education (HE).
As part of the procurement for the second NCCE contract, the department asked bidders to design a gender insights programme, aimed at improving schools’ awareness of the barriers to girls’ engagement with computing and to engage schools in a sustained course of action designed to improve the take up of computer science qualifications, where girls are underrepresented. In Autumn 2023, the NCCE launched the ‘I Belong’ programme to schools and colleges, and early completers include a number of FE providers. The NCCE actively engages with industry, the public sector, and FE and HE institutions, to ensure that they have diverse role models, especially women, supporting the delivery of their work, including working with universities to run student outreach events and recruiting female volunteer Computing Ambassadors.
Last year, the Digital and Computing Skills Education Taskforce was established to deliver on the department’s science and technology ambitions by bringing together experienced and well-respected leaders from priority digital sectors, FE and HE. The NCCE is one of the core members of the Taskforce, who are empowered to guide the group’s work as well as working with other government departments and external partners to deliver on the key actions most likely to impact on the digital skills gap. One of the three priority workstreams identified by the taskforce was “increasing the gender diversity of those taking computing and digital qualifications”. The NCCE has played an active role in the sponsorship of this workstream and the development.
The department funds the Isaac Physics programme to increase the numbers of students, particularly from typically underrepresented backgrounds, studying physics in higher education. The department also currently funds inclusion activities as part of the Science CPD contract, to increase the uptake of A Level physics from underrepresented students, including girls. Including the Stimulating Physics Network, a network of 50 schools offering specialist support to around 350 partner schools, which includes advice and guidance on how to improve progression from physics GCSE to A level, where girls are typically underrepresented.
For mathematics, the department funds the Advanced Mathematics Support Programme (AMSP) which provides support for teachers and students in state-funded schools and colleges in England. Additional support is offered in areas of low social mobility so that, whatever their location, background or gender, students can choose their best post-16 maths pathway and access high-quality teaching. The AMSP has a particular focus on supporting girls into mathematics and runs a variety of enrichment and engagement sessions specifically for girls, including Steps to University for Mathematical Students events, targeted at year 12 girls.
Asked by: Gregory Campbell (Democratic Unionist Party - East Londonderry)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what comparative estimate she has made of levels of (a) literacy and (b) numeracy with European countries in the last five years.
Answered by Damian Hinds - Minister of State (Education)
England participates in several studies that compare reading and mathematics for school-aged pupils internationally. These studies are the Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA), the Progress in International Reading Literacy Study (PIRLS), and the Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS). The department took part in the most recent iterations of all three studies: PISA 2022, PIRLS 2021, and TIMSS 2019.
The latest results from PISA show that, while the pandemic affected the study, England was among the highest performing European countries participating in the study and performed significantly above the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development average in both reading and mathematics.
The latest results from PIRLS showed that England achieved an average score of 558. This is statistically significantly higher than both the International Median score of 520, as well as the European Median score of 524, though not significantly different to England’s scores in most previous PIRLS cycles. It is not possible to compare results to Northern Ireland because of differences in the assessment period, whilst Scotland and Wales did not participate in the study. England’s PIRLS 2021 national report can be found: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/pirls-2021-reading-literacy-performance-in-england.
The latest results from TIMSS showed that between 1995 and 2019, the mathematics performance of Year 5 and Year 9 pupils in England has improved, with England achieving its highest ever score in mathematics at Year 5.
Further information on the studies can be found at the following links: https://www.oecd.org/pisa/, https://timssandpirls.bc.edu/.
Asked by: Gregory Campbell (Democratic Unionist Party - East Londonderry)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, if she will hold discussions with the Committee for Academic Freedom on its news story entitled Nine UK universities label gender-critical academics transphobes, investigation reveals, published on 15 January 2024.
Answered by Robert Halfon
Securing academic freedom is a high priority for this government. That is why the government introduced the Higher Education (Freedom of Speech) Act 2023.
The Act will ensure that universities in England are a place where academics, students and visiting speakers can express a diverse range of views without fear of repercussion. The main provisions of the Act will come into force on 1 August 2024.
This Act will require reasonably practicable steps to be taken to secure freedom of speech within the law. It will not change the current legal position on what speech is lawful and unlawful. The department wants academics to feel confident to express their lawful views and challenge received wisdom, even if their views are unpopular.
There are currently no plans to hold discussions with the Committee for Academic Freedom.
Asked by: Gregory Campbell (Democratic Unionist Party - East Londonderry)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether her Department has made a recent estimate of the total amount of funding that will be required to support schools affected by reinforced autoclaved aerated concrete.
Answered by Damian Hinds - Minister of State (Education)
The department will always put the safety and wellbeing of children and staff in education settings at the heart of its policy decisions.
The department will spend what it takes to keep pupils safe and is funding the emergency work needed to mitigate the presence of RAAC in school and college buildings in England, including installing alternative classroom space where necessary. Where schools and colleges in England need additional help with revenue costs, all reasonable requests are being approved.
The department will also fund the removal of RAAC from the school and college estate in England. Schools and colleges in England will either be offered capital grants to fund refurbishment work to permanently remove RAAC, or rebuilding projects where these are needed, including through the school rebuilding programme. The department will set out further details for affected schools and colleges in due course.
The department’s immediate support will be managed from unallocated departmental budgets. This will not have an impact on existing programmes. The department will provide further information about funding at relevant points in due course.
This government has taken more proactive action to identify and mitigate RAAC in education settings than the devolved administrations in the UK, or indeed, governments overseas.
Asked by: Gregory Campbell (Democratic Unionist Party - East Londonderry)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, if she will make an assessment of the effectiveness of the provisions in the Higher Education (Freedom of Speech) Act 2023 in the context of the response to recent remarks made by the Rector of St Andrews University on the Israel - Gaza war.
Answered by David Johnston - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)
Although the Higher Education (Freedom of Speech) Bill received royal assent in May 2023, the main provisions of the Act will not come into force until 1 August 2024. This is because the Office for Students (OfS) will need to create the new free to use complaints scheme introduced by the Act and develop guidance on how providers and students’ unions can comply with their new duties, in consultation with the sector.
When in force, however, this Act will only apply to higher education providers in England registered with the OfS. The University of St Andrews will not, therefore, be in scope.
The new duties under the Act will give specific protections to academic staff and introduce routes of redress where an individual may not have clear contractual protections in place in respect of freedom of speech and academic freedom. The Act is clear that the job security of staff should not be undermined by the expression of lawful speech, including where they may question and test received wisdom, and put forward new ideas and controversial or unpopular opinions.
Asked by: Gregory Campbell (Democratic Unionist Party - East Londonderry)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, when she plans to publish to publish for consultation an amended draft of the statutory guidance on the risks associated with e-cigarettes in the Relationships, Sex and Health Education curriculum.
Answered by Nick Gibb
On 1 June 2023, my right hon. Friend, the Prime Minister, announced steps to prevent pupils getting access to e-cigarettes illegally. As part of this, the Department is planning to include a specific reference to the harms of e-cigarettes in the amended Relationships, Sex and Health Education (RSHE) curriculum.
The Department expects to publish an amended draft of the statutory guidance for consultation later this autumn, with a view to a final version being published in 2024.
The RSHE statutory guidance, which sets out the curriculum topics, already states that in primary and secondary school, pupils should be taught the facts about legal and illegal harmful substances and associated risks, including smoking, alcohol use, and drug taking. To support schools to deliver this content effectively, the Department published a suite of teacher training modules, including drugs, alcohol and tobacco, which makes specific reference to e-cigarettes.
In addition, the dangers of drugs, alcohol and tobacco are taught in compulsory health education. This supplements drug education which is part of the National Curriculum for Science in Key Stages 2 and 3.
Schools are required by law to have a behaviour policy that sets out what is expected of all pupils, including what items are banned from school premises. This should be communicated to all pupils, parents and school staff.
Schools have the autonomy to decide which items should be banned from their premises, and these can include e-cigarettes. Items banned by the school can be searched for as outlined in the Department’s Searching, Screening and Confiscation guidance: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/searching-screening-and-confiscation.
The Department believes that this will help head teachers to manage e-cigarettes on school premises and to inform pupils about the risks, with a view to reducing the numbers of pupils who are currently using e-cigarettes, or who might be tempted to try them in the future.
Asked by: Gregory Campbell (Democratic Unionist Party - East Londonderry)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment she has made of trends in the number of individuals applying for apprenticeships in each of the last five years.
Answered by Robert Halfon
Apprenticeships offer a high-quality and popular route into over 680 occupations, from entry level to expert roles.
The below table shows the number of apprenticeship vacancies advertised on the Find An Apprenticeship (FAA) service in each of the last five academic years.
Academic year | Vacancies posted | | |
2018/19 | 151,720 | | |
2019/20 | 98,530 | | |
2020/21 | 134,460 | | |
2021/22 | 189,430 | | |
2022/23 | 165,760 | | |
669,450 applications were submitted through FAA in the 2022/23 academic year, and 681,090 applications were submitted in 2021/22. Due to the data protection policy in place prior to 2021/22, the department does not hold an accurate record of the number of applications submitted between 2018/19 and 2020/21.
Employers can choose to advertise apprenticeship vacancies through their own websites, recruitment agencies, or local job centre, instead of, or in addition to FAA. As a result the actual number of apprenticeship vacancies and applications will be higher.
The department is encouraged to see consistent and strong demand for apprenticeships, and are committed to supporting more employers and individuals to benefit from the high-quality training that apprenticeships offer.
Flexible training models have been created, like flexi-job and accelerated apprenticeships, to make apprenticeships accessible for all sectors, and have developed career starter standards to attract more young people to apprenticeships.
The department is also providing an additional £40 million over the next two years to support degree apprenticeship providers to expand and help more people access this provision, on top of our £8 million investment in 2022/23.
Asked by: Gregory Campbell (Democratic Unionist Party - East Londonderry)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, when she plans to respond to Question 195762 on Confucius Institutes tabled by the hon. Member for East Londonderry on 1 September 2023.
Answered by Robert Halfon
I can confirm that a response to Question 195762 has been provided to the hon. Member for East Londonderry.
Asked by: Gregory Campbell (Democratic Unionist Party - East Londonderry)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what recent estimate she has made of the number of Chinese nationals that are working in Confucius Institutes in the UK; and how many and what proportion of these people have diplomatic immunity.
Answered by Robert Halfon
The employment of staff within Confucius Institutes is a matter for the UK university at which the Confucius Institute is based and their partner Chinese organisations. We do not hold data on the number of visa holders who work in Confucius Institutes.
Like other international bodies that operate in the UK, Confucius Institutes are required to operate transparently and within the law, and with a full commitment to our values of openness and freedom of expression. The government is taking action to remove any direct or indirect government funding from these institutions in the UK.
Working at a Confucius Institute does not in itself confer any privileges and immunities under the Vienna Conventions. However, it is possible that a spouse of a serving diplomat at the Chinese mission to the UK, who therefore enjoys privileges and immunities on that basis, is employed at a Confucius Institute. The government would not hold such information.
Asked by: Gregory Campbell (Democratic Unionist Party - East Londonderry)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether she plans to set a target for the Childminder grants scheme.
Answered by David Johnston - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)
Education is a devolved matter, and the response outlines the information for England only.
The government recognises that registering as a childminder can be costly, and that the cost of registration can be a barrier for some prospective childminders. We are therefore introducing financial help in the form of grants.
The overall budget available for Childminder Start-up Grant Scheme is £7.2 million. This budget would be able to provide approximately 8,500 grants, based on the assumption that 75% of applicants will register with Ofsted and 25% will register with a Childminder Agency (CMA).
The scheme will provide grant funding of either £600 or £1,200 to new childminders upon the completion of registration activities. Childminders can register with either Ofsted or a CMA.
There is no target for this scheme. However, the department’s aim is to increase the number of childminders in the system. As such, our objective for this scheme is to maximise take-up, and thus increase the number of new childminders.