Questioner: Lord Taylor of Warwick (Non-affiliated - Life peer)
Question
To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the report by the Education Policy Institute Analysis paper: preliminary research findings on education recovery, published on 20 April; and what steps they are taking to ensure that educational recovery funding includes early years settings.
Answered by Baroness Berridge
Due to shortage of time, it has not been possible to answer this question before the end of the Session. The Minister will write to the Member in due course.
Questioner: Olivia Blake (LAB - Sheffield, Hallam)
Question
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what discussions he has had with Public Health England on determining the appropriate size of a bubble in schools during the covid-19 outbreak; and if he will publish the scientific guidance he received ahead of making that decision.
Answered by Nick Gibb
It has not proved possible to respond to the hon. Member in the time available before Prorogation.
Questioner: Baroness Hayman of Ullock (LAB - Life peer)
Question
To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the UK’s departure from the EU, what assessment have they made of regulatory guidelines for the use of a second animal species in regulatory toxicology studies.
Answered by Lord Bethell
It has not proved possible to respond to this question in the time available before prorogation. Ministers will correspond directly with the Member.
Questioner: Lord Roberts of Llandudno (LDEM - Life peer)
Question
To ask Her Majesty's Government how often countries on the travel 'red list' are being reviewed; and how far in advance any changes to the red list will be announced.
Answered by Lord Bethell
It has not proved possible to respond to this question in the time available before prorogation. Ministers will correspond directly with the Member.
Questioner: Andrew Lewer (CON - Northampton South)
Question
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what plans he has to update guidance on wearing masks in secondary school classrooms as covid-19 restrictions are eased.
Answered by Nick Gibb
It has not proved possible to respond to the hon. Member in the time available before Prorogation.
Questioner: Baroness Jones of Whitchurch (LAB - Life peer)
Question
To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to reverse the decline in cheese exports to the EU.
Answered by Lord Goldsmith of Richmond Park
The deal that we achieved with the EU based on zero tariffs and zero quotas, provides cheese and other dairy producers with the certainty that they require to continue trading with the EU.
The lower level of cheese exports to the EU for the start of 2021 compared with the same period in 2020, needs to take account of a unique combination of factors. These include the impact of reduced demand in the EU due to Covid-19 lockdowns and businesses adjusting to a new trading relationship. The decline has also been partly balanced by a significant increase of cheese exports to the EU towards the end of 2020 compared with previous years. Provisional HMRC 2021 data on cheese exports volumes in February also indicates a notable improvement on January. This is in line with the larger recovery from the initial disruptions to overall agri-food exports between January and February.
We are providing a range of support to help businesses adjust to our new trading arrangements with the EU and to seize the fantastic opportunities to trade around the world. The majority of businesses are adapting well to the new requirements. Our focus is now on making sure that any business that is still facing challenges gets the support they need.
The Government is also stepping up delivery of its manifesto commitment to build demand and promote British food both home and abroad. We are working with the sector to raise domestic and international awareness of the UK’s reputation for high-quality food and drink produced to high standards of food safety, animal welfare and sustainability. This will provide a catalyst for growth for all regions of the UK and increase global recognition of the UK as an innovative food nation.
Questioner: Imran Hussain (LAB - Bradford East)
Question
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will publish the advice from the Joint Biosecurity Centre on expanding the countries on the red list travel ban to include (a) Pakistan and (b) Bangladesh.
Answered by Jo Churchill
Decisions to add countries, including Pakistan and Bangladesh, to the ‘red list’ are taken by Ministers informed by evidence including the Joint Biosecurity Centre’s analysis as well as other relevant information about the risk of the spread of variant. The advice, evidence and methodology which informs these decisions relates to on-going development of Government policy and therefore cannot be published at this time.
Questioner: Mark Hendrick (LAB - Preston)
Question
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment his Department has made of the potential effect of home schooling and social distancing during the covid-19 outbreak on children's language skills.
Answered by Nick Gibb
It has not proved possible to respond to the hon. Member in the time available before Prorogation.
Questioner: Lord Taylor of Warwick (Non-affiliated - Life peer)
Question
To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to increase the (1) quality, and (2) quantity, of continuing professional development training for teachers.
Answered by Baroness Berridge
Due to shortage of time, it has not been possible to answer this question before the end of the Session. The Minister will write to the Member in due course.
Questioner: Munira Wilson (LDEM - Twickenham)
Question
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, when he plans to announce arrangements for (a) SATS, (b) GCSE, (c) A-level and (d) BTEC examinations in the 2021-22 academic year.
Answered by Nick Gibb
It has not proved possible to respond to the hon. Member in the time available before Prorogation.
Questioner: Robert Halfon (CON - Harlow)
Question
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how many pupils were removed from school admissions registers in the most recent academic year for the reason that they were continually absent from school for a period of more than 20 days, under section 8(1)(h) of the amended Education (Pupil Registration) (England) Regulations 2006.
Answered by Nick Gibb
It has not proved possible to respond to the right hon. Member in the time available before Prorogation.
Questioner: Henry Smith (CON - Crawley)
Question
To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster and Minister for the Cabinet Office, whether the Government is taking steps ahead of the UK’s Presidency of the G7 in summer 2021 to ensure that (a) the safe reopening of borders and (b) restart of international aviation is a priority of the G7.
Answered by Penny Mordaunt
It has not proved possible to respond to the hon. Member in the time available before Prorogation.
Questioner: Robert Halfon (CON - Harlow)
Question
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how many and what proportion of primary and secondary school pupils anticipated to re-enrol on the school register in September 2020 re-enrolled on the school register in September 2020.
Answered by Nick Gibb
It has not proved possible to respond to the right hon. Member in the time available before Prorogation.
Questioner: Robert Largan (CON - High Peak)
Question
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, when he plans to respond to the enquiry from the hon. Member for High Peak of 2 June 2020, reference RL6297.
Answered by Nick Gibb
It has not proved possible to respond to the hon. Member in the time available before Prorogation.
Questioner: Deidre Brock (SNP - Edinburgh North and Leith)
Question
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment he has made of the onshore economic impacts of the fishing industry outwith the landing and processing of the catch.
Answered by Victoria Prentis
The fishing industry will generate economic benefits through a variety of means including: income from UK resident crew; the sale and transportation of catch; the construction, sale, maintenance and repair of vessels; and the development of harbour and port infrastructure. The economic link licence condition ensures that those people who fish the UK’s quota contribute to the UK economy. This is a devolved issue and we have not made an assessment of the impacts.