Asked by: Stephen Kinnock (Labour - Aberavon)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, with reference to the joint communiqué following the Franco-British summit, published on 10 March 2023, what progress the Government has made on facilitating school visits from France.
Answered by Nick Gibb
The Department is working closely with France to implement the range of important outcomes agreed at the Summit, including those on school group travel. As part of this, UK officials are working on implementing changes to the documentation requirements for school trips from France to the UK, including necessary legislative and operational changes. Further updates will be provided in due course.
Asked by: Stephen Kinnock (Labour - Aberavon)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what discussions her Department has had with charities on support for unaccompanied asylum-seeking children.
Answered by Claire Coutinho - Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero
Department for Education and Home Office officials regularly meet with charities on matters relevant to unaccompanied asylum-seeking children. The most recent meeting between department officials and a group of charities was on 6 February.
Asked by: Stephen Kinnock (Labour - Aberavon)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment she has made of the adequacy of local authorities' capacity to place unaccompanied asylum-seeking children with foster carers.
Answered by Claire Coutinho - Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero
The department takes the welfare of unaccompanied asylum-seeking children (UASC) seriously and is clear that they should be in the care of a local authority, including foster care where appropriate.
With the aim of identifying and overcoming barriers to moving UASC swiftly out of hotels to local authority care placements through the National Transfer Scheme, a UASC Taskforce was established in November - jointly chaired by the Department for Education and Home Office Permanent Secretaries and involving the Association of Directors Of Children's Services (ADCS), Local Government Authorities (LGA), Ofsted and representatives from the devolved nations.
The department monitors closely data and research in trends relating to the recruitment of foster carers. Recognising the urgency of action in placement sufficiency, we will prioritise working with local authorities to recruit more foster carers. Depending on local need, this may include for example sibling groups, teenagers, mother and baby placements, UASC and children who have suffered complex trauma. This will involve pathfinder local recruitment campaigns that build towards a national programme, to help ensure children have access to the right placements at the right time. As the Care Review recommends, we will focus on providing more support throughout the application process to improve the conversion rate from expressions of interest to approved foster carers. More information on foster care placements can be found here: https://childrenssocialcare.independent-review.uk/final-report/.
The department works collaboratively with local government - including the LGA and ADCS - to understand questions of capacity around placing UASC in local authority care. This involves working closely with those local authorities where there may be barriers or challenges to taking UASC and with local government to understand and disseminate good practice when it comes to placing and caring for UASC.
Asked by: Stephen Kinnock (Labour - Aberavon)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what estimate she has made of the number of British National (Overseas) visa holders currently in UK higher education.
Answered by Robert Halfon
Information on British National (overseas) visa holders in UK higher education is not held by the Department.
The Higher Education Statistics Agency collects and publishes statistics on enrolments and qualifications obtained at UK Higher Education Providers on behalf of the UK government. However, visa status is not recorded.
Asked by: Stephen Kinnock (Labour - Aberavon)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what critical infrastructure his Department is responsible for that is reliant on private wire networks for power supply.
Answered by Michelle Donelan - Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology
The department’s estate does not have any reliance on a private wire network.
The department is not accountable for any school’s reliance. The responsible bodies for the school estate are legally local authorities and/or academy trusts.
Asked by: Stephen Kinnock (Labour - Aberavon)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether the Government plans to seek formal third country participation in the Education, Audiovisual and Culture Executive Agency after the UK leaves the EU.
Answered by Robert Goodwill
No decisions have yet been made on our future relationship with the European Union (EU) agencies and bodies after leaving the EU. We are seeking a deep and special partnership with the EU. Our relationship with the EU agencies and bodies, including the Education, Audiovisual and Culture Executive Agency, upon exit will be evaluated on this basis.
Asked by: Stephen Kinnock (Labour - Aberavon)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether the UK plans to seek formal participation in or membership of the European Training Foundation after the UK has left the EU.
Answered by Anne Milton
No decisions have yet been made on our future relationship with the EU's agencies and bodies after exit.
We are seeking a constructive partnership with the EU. Our relationship with the EU’s agencies and bodies, including the European Training Foundation, upon exit will be evaluated on this basis.
Asked by: Stephen Kinnock (Labour - Aberavon)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what recent estimate she has made of the level of procurement of British steel by her Department in the last 12 months.
Answered by Caroline Dinenage
The information is not centrally held in the form requested. Over the last year Government has acted to level the playing field for UK steel producers in light of the complex global challenges faced by the UK steel sector. Last December Government issued guidance to central government departments on how to ensure that they take full account of the value provided by UK steel producers when conducting their procurement activities. This guidance is also being extended to the wider public sector.