Asked by: John Glen (Conservative - Salisbury)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what total amount her Department spent on ministerial travel by (a) the Government Car and Despatch Agency and (b) other car hire in (i) 2007-08, (ii) 2008-09 and (iii) 2009-10.
Answered by Nick Gibb
The total amount spent on Ministerial travel by the Government Car and Despatch Agency has already been published and can be found at:
(i) http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm200708/cmhansrd/cm080722/wmstext/80722m0008.htm
(ii) http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm200809/cmhansrd/cm090716/wmstext/90716m0009.htm
Information regarding expenditure on other car hire, such as impromptu taxi hire, was not held by the Department centrally and can be provided only at disproportionate cost.
Asked by: John Glen (Conservative - Salisbury)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether IGCSE qualifications will be included in 14 to 16 school performance tables after 2016.
Answered by David Laws
We expect to make an announcement in the near future on how achievements in IGCSEs and other level 1/level 2 certificates will be reflected in key stage 4 performance tables from 2017 onwards, following the first awarding of new GCSEs.
Asked by: John Glen (Conservative - Salisbury)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, if he will allow universities offering Initial Teacher Training programmes to apply for additional places when they fill their annual allocation.
Answered by David Laws
On 5 June 2014 the National College for Teaching and Leadership announced that a limited number of additional postgraduate places in certain subjects have been made available to higher education institutions (HEIs). Places will only be allocated to the HEIs that have already filled their courses or are close to doing so and have extra candidates looking to train with them.
Asked by: John Glen (Conservative - Salisbury)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps his Department is taking to ensure that all schools can provide free school meals for infant children by September 2014.
Answered by David Laws
The Government is providing substantial funding to enable schools to offer free meals to all infant pupils from September 2014, including over £1 billion additional revenue funding over the two years 2014 to 2016 and £150 million capital funding in 2014-15. The revenue funding includes transitional funding to small schools, worth a minimum of £3,000, which qualifying schools will be able to use to help them overcome delivery challenges.
We are also funding a national support service, run by school food experts, which is providing advice and guidance to schools that need assistance in implementing universal infant free school meals. The support includes a telephone helpline, the sharing of good practice, and an intensive face-to-face support service for schools facing significant challenges.