To match an exact phrase, use quotation marks around the search term. eg. "Parliamentary Estate". Use "OR" or "AND" as link words to form more complex queries.

Keep yourself up-to-date with the latest developments by exploring our subscription options to receive notifications direct to your inbox

Written Question
Department for Education: Families
Friday 24th January 2020

Asked by: Steve Double (Conservative - St Austell and Newquay)

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether his Department has a single individual who is responsible for leading on his Department's application to the Family Test.

Answered by Michelle Donelan

Each department has a Family Test lead who is part of our Family Test Network. This network is the central forum through which we have sought input and comments on the support that departments need to help with Family Test implementation. This includes network members feeding into improvements to the existing guidance for officials in all departments on Family Test implementation.

Speech in Commons Chamber - Tue 03 Sep 2019
Education Funding

"As a member of the f40 campaign, may I warmly welcome the Secretary of State’s announcement today, and particularly the extra funding for further education? In St Austell, we face particular challenges in maintaining A-level provision, so will the Secretary of State or the appropriate Minister meet me to see …..."
Steve Double - View Speech

View all Steve Double (Con - St Austell and Newquay) contributions to the debate on: Education Funding
Speech in Commons Chamber - Tue 16 Jul 2019
Early Years Family Support

"It is a great pleasure to contribute to this important debate. I, too, want to pay tribute to my right hon. Friend the Member for South Northamptonshire (Andrea Leadsom) for her role in bringing this important issue and report before us.

I have the huge pleasure and joy of being …..."
Steve Double - View Speech

View all Steve Double (Con - St Austell and Newquay) contributions to the debate on: Early Years Family Support
Speech in Westminster Hall - Wed 05 Jun 2019
Authorised Absence from School

"I beg to move,

That this House has considered authorised absence from school.

It is a pleasure to serve under your chairmanship, Mr Gray.

I have raised this issue with the Minister many times, both in debates and directly. I have campaigned for the Government to review and change their …..."
Steve Double - View Speech

View all Steve Double (Con - St Austell and Newquay) contributions to the debate on: Authorised Absence from School
Speech in Westminster Hall - Wed 05 Jun 2019
Authorised Absence from School

"I am grateful for that intervention. I will probably elaborate further on the hon. Lady’s point, but she is absolutely right that the drive to attain an attendance level above everything else, with no recognition of the welfare of the children involved, seems to be overriding common sense. One headteacher …..."
Steve Double - View Speech

View all Steve Double (Con - St Austell and Newquay) contributions to the debate on: Authorised Absence from School
Speech in Westminster Hall - Wed 05 Jun 2019
Authorised Absence from School

"I think the hon. Lady has read my notes; I am slightly worried. The next point I wanted to raise was that one of the unintended consequences—I do not believe anyone in the ministerial team or the Department for Education intends it—is the impact the policy is having on some …..."
Steve Double - View Speech

View all Steve Double (Con - St Austell and Newquay) contributions to the debate on: Authorised Absence from School
Speech in Commons Chamber - Mon 29 Apr 2019
Oral Answers to Questions

"I thank the Secretary of State for the support that he and his Department have given to Fowey River Academy, which is re-brokering out of the discredited Adventure Learning Academy Trust into the Leading Edge Academies Partnership this Wednesday. The re-brokering process has been complex, so will the Secretary of …..."
Steve Double - View Speech

View all Steve Double (Con - St Austell and Newquay) contributions to the debate on: Oral Answers to Questions
Written Question
Pupils: Absenteeism
Monday 11th March 2019

Asked by: Steve Double (Conservative - St Austell and Newquay)

Question to the Department for Education:

What recent assessment he has made of the effect of fines for unauthorised school absence on school attendance levels.

Answered by Nick Gibb

Parents have a duty to ensure their child of compulsory school age, who is registered at school, attends regularly.

We have not formally assessed the impact of penalty notices but comparable data shows overall absence rates have remained fairly stable across recent years, following a downward trend since 2006/07 (4.7% in 2016/17, compared to 6.5% in 2006/07).

Speech in Commons Chamber - Mon 11 Mar 2019
Oral Answers to Questions

"A recent report commissioned by the Welsh Government has shown that fining parents for unauthorised school absence has had no impact on raising attendance levels in Wales. Is it not time to have a review of that policy in England and, if the evidence shows that it does not work, …..."
Steve Double - View Speech

View all Steve Double (Con - St Austell and Newquay) contributions to the debate on: Oral Answers to Questions
Speech in Westminster Hall - Mon 04 Mar 2019
School Funding

"Will the hon. Lady give way?..."
Steve Double - View Speech

View all Steve Double (Con - St Austell and Newquay) contributions to the debate on: School Funding