Asked by: Neil Coyle (Labour - Bermondsey and Old Southwark)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps his Department is taking to work with schools in London to ensure that children can travel to school while public transport limitations are in place as a result of the covid-19 outbreak.
Answered by Nick Gibb
Local authorities have a statutory duty to provide free home to school transport for eligible pupils. The aim of the duty is to ensure that no child is prevented from attending school because they cannot walk there, whether that is because of distance, the safety of the route, or their special educational needs or disability. In London, local authorities do not need to provide free home to school transport for children who are able to travel for free on Transport for London (TfL) services.
On 15 May, the Government announced that, as part of a £1.6 billion funding package to protect TfL services, free travel for under 18s will be temporarily suspended. This will help reduce the risk of crowding on transport at busy times by encouraging those who can to walk or cycle instead. As part of the deal, arrangements will be put in place to ensure that children eligible for free home to school transport can still travel to school for free. The cost of this will not fall on London boroughs.
The Department for Transport has published guidance for the public on safer travel during the COVID-19 outbreak. Parents and children may wish to refer to this when planning their journeys to school. The guidance is available here: www.gov.uk/guidance/coronavirus-covid-19-safer-travel-guidance-for-passengers.
Asked by: Neil Coyle (Labour - Bermondsey and Old Southwark)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what recent discussions his Department has had with the Chancellor of the Exchequer on business rate exemptions for nurseries during the covid-19 outbreak.
Answered by Vicky Ford
My right hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Education, and other ministers at the department, meet regularly with colleagues to discuss the department’s agenda.
Guidance on the support available to businesses during the COVID-19 outbreak can be found at:
https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/financial-support-for-businesses-during-coronavirus-covid-19.
Further information on business rates relief for nurseries and eligibility can be found at:
https://www.gov.uk/guidance/check-if-your-nursery-is-eligible-for-business-rates-relief-due-to-coronavirus-covid-19 and;
Asked by: Neil Coyle (Labour - Bermondsey and Old Southwark)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps his Department is taking to work with the higher education sector to attract international students to (a) creative and (b) specialist universities in the UK in the next academic year.
Answered by Michelle Donelan
The government continues to recognise the huge value, both culturally and socially as well as economically, that international students bring to higher education in the UK. We recognise that the COVID-19 outbreak will have an unparalleled impact on all elements of the global and UK economy. The higher education sector, including student recruitment, is no exception.
We have been working closely with the whole sector, including representatives of smaller and specialist higher education providers, to monitor the likely impacts of COVID-19 on international student recruitment. We understand that the COVID-19 outbreak and a possible reduction in the number of international students poses significant challenges. We stand ready to help the sector, including creative and specialist institutions, with various mitigations.
The government is working to ensure that existing rules and regulations, including visa regulations, are as flexible as possible for international students under these unprecedented circumstances. The latest visa guidance for students includes English language workarounds that will also benefit smaller and specialist higher education providers and providers of pre-sessional courses. Higher education providers are encouraged to be flexible in accommodating applicants’ circumstances where possible, including if applicants are unable to travel to the UK in time for the start of the academic year.
The government has also committed to publish a review of the International Education Strategy this autumn, which will respond to the new context and the challenges that are?posed by COVID-19 across all education settings. We look forward to continuing to welcome international students in the future - they are one of the reasons why our higher education sector remains world-class.
Asked by: Neil Coyle (Labour - Bermondsey and Old Southwark)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what discussions his Department has had with internet providers about ensuring online access is free to education services during the covid-19 lockdown.
Answered by Nick Gibb
4G wireless routers will be provided to help disadvantaged children with a social worker in secondary school, and care leavers and Year 10s to access the internet.
The Government has also announced that the UK's major telecoms companies have committed to supporting vulnerable consumers by removing data caps for broadband services and treating fairly those who find it difficult to pay their bill.
We are currently in discussions with the major telecommunication providers to explore how they can further help us to support families without internet access.
Asked by: Neil Coyle (Labour - Bermondsey and Old Southwark)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what discussions he has had with the Chancellor of the Exchequer on working with external partners to deliver the planned digital integration of the Tax-Free Childcare scheme once covid-19 social distancing measures are lifted.
Answered by Vicky Ford
My right hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Education and ministers at the department, meet regularly with colleagues to discuss the Department for Education's agenda.
Asked by: Neil Coyle (Labour - Bermondsey and Old Southwark)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether his Department plans to extend the temporary free school meals eligibility criteria once covid-19 social distancing measures are lifted.
Answered by Vicky Ford
Earnings thresholds are used widely across the government for determining eligibility for passported benefits. The threshold of £7,400 per annum is in line with the threshold for families applying for free school meals under the standard means-tested eligibility criteria.
We do not intend to revise the eligibility criteria to include children from undocumented families who are not receiving section 4 or section 17 support. We think that it is right that we have extended eligibility to those families with no recourse to public funds who have been identified as needing extra support.
This is a temporary extension that will last for the duration of the COVID-19 outbreak, until schools have reopened to all children. Plans to permanently extend eligibility to children with Zambrano carers, families receiving Section 4 support, and families with leave to remain under Article 8 of the European Convention on Human Rights have been consulted on.
Asked by: Neil Coyle (Labour - Bermondsey and Old Southwark)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether his Department plans to revise the temporary free school meals eligibility criteria to (a) increase the household income threshold for families with no recourse to public funds and (b) allow children from undocumented families who are not receiving s4 or s17 support to claim for free school meals during the covid-19 outbreak.
Answered by Vicky Ford
Earnings thresholds are used widely across the government for determining eligibility for passported benefits. The threshold of £7,400 per annum is in line with the threshold for families applying for free school meals under the standard means-tested eligibility criteria.
We do not intend to revise the eligibility criteria to include children from undocumented families who are not receiving section 4 or section 17 support. We think that it is right that we have extended eligibility to those families with no recourse to public funds who have been identified as needing extra support.
This is a temporary extension that will last for the duration of the COVID-19 outbreak, until schools have reopened to all children. Plans to permanently extend eligibility to children with Zambrano carers, families receiving Section 4 support, and families with leave to remain under Article 8 of the European Convention on Human Rights have been consulted on.
Asked by: Neil Coyle (Labour - Bermondsey and Old Southwark)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps his Department is taking to ensure childcare options are accessible and flexible once the covid-19 social distancing measures are lifted.
Answered by Vicky Ford
The government is committed to ensuring that vulnerable children and critical workers are able to access childcare places at this time, and that the sector is ready and able to support the country’s recovery as social distancing measures are altered.
To help achieve this, the government has announced unprecedented support for businesses, including the early years sector, to protect against the impact of COVID-19. For childcare providers, this includes business rates relief for nurseries, a range of loans and grants, access to the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme for the proportion of their pay bill which could be considered to have been paid for from private income, access to the Self-Employment Income Support Scheme, and continued early years entitlement funding for local authorities. The government is monitoring the impact these measures are having and keeps all policies under review.
The Department for Education has published guidance for the early years sector on the eligibility criteria for this support, including the interaction between early years entitlements funding and the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme, at:
The department is having regular conversations with local government about the availability of childcare locally and will continue this as we move through the COVID-19 outbreak to recovery.
Asked by: Neil Coyle (Labour - Bermondsey and Old Southwark)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what estimate his Department has made of the number of students who (a) are eligible for and (b) have signed up to National Voucher Scheme in the UK.
Answered by Vicky Ford
Around 1.3 million children are eligible for and claiming benefits-related free school meals. During this period, we are asking schools to support these children by providing meals or food parcels through their existing food providers wherever possible. We know that many schools are successfully delivering food parcels or arranging food collections for eligible children, and we encourage this approach where it is possible.
However, we recognise that providing meals and food parcels is not a practicable option for all schools. That is why on 31 March we launched a national voucher scheme as an alternative option, with costs covered by the Department for Education.
We are monitoring the use of the scheme on a daily basis. Voucher codes are being processed and many thousands of families are already redeeming them. As of 28 April our supplier, Edenred, reported that over 16,500 schools had placed orders for the scheme and as of Monday 4 May, Edenred has reported that over £47 million worth of voucher codes has been redeemed into supermarket eGift cards by schools and families through the scheme.
We continue to work closely with our supplier and with schools to increase the speed at which orders can be processed. We thank schools using the system for their patience while it is upgraded to meet increased demand.
These are rapidly developing circumstances; we continue to keep the situation under review and will keep Parliament updated accordingly.
Asked by: Neil Coyle (Labour - Bermondsey and Old Southwark)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps his Department is taking to speed up the processing of applications for the National Voucher Scheme.
Answered by Vicky Ford
Around 1.3 million children are eligible for and claiming benefits-related free school meals. During this period, we are asking schools to support these children by providing meals or food parcels through their existing food providers wherever possible. We know that many schools are successfully delivering food parcels or arranging food collections for eligible children, and we encourage this approach where it is possible.
However, we recognise that providing meals and food parcels is not a practicable option for all schools. That is why on 31 March we launched a national voucher scheme as an alternative option, with costs covered by the Department for Education.
We are monitoring the use of the scheme on a daily basis. Voucher codes are being processed and many thousands of families are already redeeming them. As of 28 April our supplier, Edenred, reported that over 16,500 schools had placed orders for the scheme and as of Monday 4 May, Edenred has reported that over £47 million worth of voucher codes has been redeemed into supermarket eGift cards by schools and families through the scheme.
We continue to work closely with our supplier and with schools to increase the speed at which orders can be processed. We thank schools using the system for their patience while it is upgraded to meet increased demand.
These are rapidly developing circumstances; we continue to keep the situation under review and will keep Parliament updated accordingly.