Asked by: Philip Davies (Conservative - Shipley)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment he has made of the (a) benefits and (b) harms of children wearing face masks in school; and if he will publish the scientific evidence upon which that assessment is based.
Answered by Nick Gibb
The Department continues to work closely with other government departments throughout its response to the COVID-19 outbreak, including Public Health England (PHE) and the Department of Health and Social Care, as well as stakeholders across the sector. We continue to work to ensure that our policy is based on the latest scientific and medical advice, to continue to develop comprehensive guidance based on the PHE-endorsed ‘system of controls’ and to understand the impact and effectiveness of these measures on staff, pupils and parents.
The Department has recently published updated guidance to support the full opening to education from 8 March, which includes updated advice on face coverings. The guidance can be found here: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/964351/Schools_coronavirus_operational_guidance.pdf
The Department has also published its evidence summary on COVID-19 – children, young people and education settings, which can be found here: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/963639/DfE_Evidence_summary_COVID-19_-_children__young_people_and_education_settings.pdf
As the guidance outlines, where pupils and students in Year 7 and above are educated, we recommend that face coverings should be worn by adults, pupils and students when moving around the premises, outside of classrooms, such as in corridors and communal areas where social distancing cannot easily be maintained.
In addition, from 8 March, the Department now also recommends that in those schools and colleges where pupils and students in Year 7 and above are educated, face coverings should be worn in classrooms unless social distancing can be maintained.
In primary schools, we recommend that face coverings should be worn by staff and adult visitors in situations where social distancing between adults is not possible (for example, when moving around in corridors and communal areas). Children in primary school do not need to wear a face covering.
The best available scientific evidence is that, when used correctly, wearing a face covering may reduce the spread of COVID-19 droplets in certain circumstances, helping to protect others.
The Department recognises that the wearing of face coverings may impact communication. However, on balance, increased use of face coverings will strengthen the current safety measures in place in schools and colleges and support the return to face-to-face education.
The Department is recommending these precautionary measures for a limited time during this period of high COVID-19 prevalence in the community. These measures will be in place until Easter, and as with all measures, we will keep this under review and update guidance at that point.
Asked by: Philip Davies (Conservative - Shipley)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how many meetings (a) he, (b) his Ministers and (c) his officials have had with Professor Ellen Townsend in each of the last 12 months.
Answered by Vicky Ford
The department does not have a record of any meetings between our ministers or officials with Professor Ellen Townsend in the last 12 months.
Asked by: Philip Davies (Conservative - Shipley)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment he has made of the value for money of sole-supply arrangements for school uniforms.
Answered by Nick Gibb
The Department has not carried out an assessment of the value for money of sole supply arrangements. The Department publishes guidance for schools on school uniform. Our guidance is clear that when deciding how to source school uniform, the governing body should give highest priority to the consideration of cost and value for money for parents. The governing body should be able to demonstrate how best value has been achieved. The guidance also recommends that schools avoid exclusive single-supply contracts unless a regular competitive tendering process is run to secure best value for parents. The Department believes that this approach provides the right balance to secure open and transparent arrangements and good value for money.
The Government is supporting the Education (Guidance about Costs of School Uniforms) Private Members' Bill to enable us to issue statutory guidance on the cost of school uniform. The Department’s existing guidance on cost considerations will form the basis for the new statutory guidance.
Asked by: Philip Davies (Conservative - Shipley)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps his Department took to mark International Men's Day on 19 November 2020.
Answered by Nick Gibb
International Men’s Day offers an opportunity to highlight where we need to do more to improve outcomes for men and boys, as well as an opportunity to talk about some of the work being done across Government to tackle those issues.
Work includes preparation for an Employment Bill which, subject to further consultation, will make flexible working the default unless employers have good reason not to; and delivering the Suicide Prevention Workplan, which sets out action that is being taken across Government departments and the NHS to reduce suicides, including amongst men.
The Government is committed to levelling up opportunity and ensuring fairness for all - regardless of gender or background.
Civil Service Local events to mark the day were promoted by our staff networks. A virtual panel event was organised by the Black Asian Minority Ethnic Network in Coventry, to commemorate International Men's Day on the importance of role models and men’s mental health issues.
Asked by: Philip Davies (Conservative - Shipley)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what the biggest pay rise given to someone in his Department was in (a) percentage and (b) cash terms in the last 12 months.
Answered by Nick Gibb
The highest individual pay award in the last 12 months for an employee of the Department, including its Executive Agencies, in a) percentage and b) cash terms is:
a) 9.94% and
b) £6,250.
These figures relate to two different individuals and do not include staff who have received an increased salary following a promotion or change of role.
Asked by: Philip Davies (Conservative - Shipley)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how many times the (a) Union Jack, (b) St George's flag, (c) Scottish Saltire and (d) Welsh flag has been flown from the headquarters of his Department in London in each year since 2015.
Answered by Nick Gibb
?The table below shows the number of times per year that each flag has been flown from the Department for Education’s London headquarters, since 2015.
Flag type | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 |
Union | 365 | 366 | 365 | 365 | 365 |
St. George’s | 0 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 3 |
Scottish Saltire | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 |
Welsh | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Asked by: Philip Davies (Conservative - Shipley)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how many (a) Union Jack, (b) St George, (c) Scottish Saltire and (d) Flag of Wales flags his Department owns.
Answered by Nick Gibb
The Department owns one of each of the flags.
Asked by: Philip Davies (Conservative - Shipley)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what plans his Department has to mark International Men's Day on 19 November 2019.
Answered by Chris Skidmore
No one should suffer unfair treatment because of their gender. Every year International Men’s Day offers an opportunity to highlight how outcomes for men and boys can be improved and to talk about some of the important work going on every day across the government to do this.
The work ranges from the introduction of shared parental leave, which allows men to take time away from the workplace and bond with their new children, benefitting that crucial long-term relationship for both parent and child, to our programme tackling lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender bullying in schools which seeks to protect those who may be victimised.
As part of the Department’s Diversity and Inclusion calendar, one of our monthly awareness months focused on Men’s Health and Wellbeing. Colleagues were encouraged to talk about issues and to challenge some of the cultural norms around what it means to be vulnerable.
The government is also working with local authorities to ensure their suicide prevention plans support more men and in the Domestic Abuse Bill we propose to create a statutory definition of domestic abuse that makes clear men also can be victims of this abhorrent crime.
Asked by: Philip Davies (Conservative - Shipley)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Minister for Women and Equalities, what plans her Department has to mark International Men's Day on 19 November 2019.
Answered by Victoria Atkins - Shadow Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
No one should suffer unfair treatment because of their gender. Every year International Men’s Day offers an opportunity to highlight how outcomes for men and boys can be improved and to talk about some of the important work going on every day across Government to do this.
The work ranges from the introduction of shared parental leave, which allows men to take time away from the workplace and bond with their new children, benefitting that crucial long-term relationship for both parent and child, to our programme tackling LGBT bullying in schools which seeks to protect those who may be victimised by outdated and stereotypical ideas of what it means to be a ‘real man’.
Government is also working with local authorities to ensure their suicide prevention plans support more men and, in the Domestic Abuse Bill, we propose to create a statutory definition of domestic abuse that makes clear men also can be victims of this abhorrent crime.
As with International Women’s Day in March every year, the Government Equalities Office does not coordinate or facilitate activities to be undertaken by other Government Departments.