Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps he is taking to support youth educational organisations resume courses that include overnight stays during the covid-19 outbreak.

As of 4 July, providers offering out of school activities to children, such as youth educational organisations, have been able to open for both indoor and outdoor provision with safety measures in place. Providers are also able to resume non-overnight domestic educational visits, and the Department has updated our protective measures guidance for these providers to support them to do so as safely as possible. The guidance is available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/protective-measures-for-holiday-or-after-school-clubs-and-other-out-of-school-settings-for-children-during-the-coronavirus-covid-19-outbreak.

The Department continues to advise against domestic overnight or overseas educational visits, and residential provision, for the time-being. This is consistent with the latest government guidance for accommodation providers, which advises that you should not stay overnight away from your home with members of more than one other household. The guidance is available at: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/covid-19-advice-for-accommodation-providers. We continue to keep this position under review; and will continue to be guided by the best scientific and medical advice, to ensure that the right decisions are taken at the right time.

The Government has also made financial support available to employers and the self-employed, including sole traders and limited company directors. Youth educational organisations that have been adversely affected by COVID-19 can find out what financial support is available for their business at: https://www.gov.uk/business-coronavirus-support-finder. They may be eligible for tax relief, loans or cash grants depending on their circumstances.