Asked by: Cat Smith (Labour - Lancaster and Wyre)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps the Government is taking to improve young people's political literacy in secondary and post-16 education.
Answered by Nick Gibb
The Government recognises the importance of improving political literacy and has ensured it is embedded within the National Curriculum as part of the citizenship programmes of study for Key Stages 3 and 4. One of the aims of citizenship education is to enable all pupils to develop a sound knowledge and understanding of how the United Kingdom is governed, its political system, and how citizens participate in its democratic systems of Government. We trust schools to use teaching materials that suit their pupils’ needs.
For 16 to 19 year olds who remain in education, they are offered study programmes which bring together qualifications with other activities to prepare them for adult life. Post-16 providers have the flexibility to tailor the content of study programmes to meet the needs of the student.
Where teachers bring political views to the attention of pupils, they are legally required to do so in an impartial manner, and offer a balanced presentation of opposing views. At the same time, we expect that the teaching of any issue in schools should be consistent with the principles of balance and objectivity.
Asked by: Cat Smith (Labour - Lancaster and Wyre)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what discussions he has had with Cabinet colleagues on improving young people's political literacy in secondary and post-16 education.
Answered by Chris Skidmore
I meet regularly with ministerial colleagues to discuss a range of issues. Recently I have met with colleagues in the Departments for Education and Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy to discuss barriers to registration amongst attainers and students.
Asked by: Lord Lexden (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of the recommendations in the WebRoots Democracy report, <i>Democracy 2:0: Hitting refresh on the Digital Democracy Commission</i>; and what assessment they have made of its call to make political education compulsory in schools.
Answered by Lord Young of Cookham
The Government notes the recommendations in The Institute for Digital Democracy’s report ‘Democracy 2:0: Hitting refresh on the Digital Democracy Commission’ and thanks them for their work in this very important area. The subject of citizenship has been part of the national curriculum for secondary maintained schools since 2002. One of the aims of citizenship education is to ensure that young people acquire a sound knowledge and understanding of how the United Kingdom is governed, its political system and how citizens participate actively in its democratic systems of government. New statutory programmes giving schools greater freedom over how to teach their Citizenship curriculum, including the aspects of political literacy, have already been established, taking effect in September 2014. In addition, The Government also has a range of free learning resources, such as Rock Enrol!, that aim to engage young people in the democratic system and can be used in an educational setting.
Asked by: Lord Bird (Crossbench - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what plans they have to ensure that National Citizen Service participants experience citizenship education and political literacy as part of any programmes they undertake.
Answered by Lord Ashton of Hyde
The NCS Trust is being incorporated as a Royal Charter body. The Charter specifies that the Trust must have regard to 'encouraging participants to take an interest in debate on matters of local or national political interest, and promoting their understanding of how to participate in national and local elections.'
NCS is not primarily a citizenship education programme; it is about broader personal development and social mixing. Nonetheless government wants NCS to provide young people with the opportunity to develop a range of skills, including political literacy.
Later this year, Government plans to publish guidance on NCS for schools and colleges, which will include a link to citizenship education.
Asked by: Viscount Waverley (Crossbench - Excepted Hereditary)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of whether the budget apportioned to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office is sufficient for the development of the knowledge, understanding and policy sophistication required in respect of the Islamic world.
Answered by Baroness Anelay of St Johns
The Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) is devoting considerable resource to strengthening the organisation’s expertise and skills, including geographical, language and other relevant expertise, such as understanding the Islamic world. The opening of the FCO’s Diplomatic Academy last year has given new impetus and structure to this work. There is a growing range of formal and informal learning in London and throughout the FCO network, including better sharing of knowledge internally and increased access to external expertise. We put time and effort into understanding political trends globally including the “Islamic” element of political Islam. Our online Foundation Level course includes a basic religious literacy module. Our diplomatic missions report regularly on trends in political Islam and our research analyst cadre provide in-depth expertise, analysis and links to academics and think tanks. The FCO's Human Rights and Democracy Department run training courses on religion and foreign policy which serve as a practitioner level religion/foreign policy module for the Diplomatic Academy. We also offer training on contemporary Islam and its role within politics and society in various regional contexts.
Asked by: Lord Dodds of Duncairn (Democratic Unionist Party - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, if he will make an assessment of the implications for his policy of the needs identified by Open Doors in its report on freedom of religion and the persecution of Christians published in March 2014.
Answered by David Lidington
The Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) works closely with Open Doors. My Noble Friend, the Rt Hon. Baroness Anelay met with Open Doors in October. We value the regular updates they give us on the situation facing persecuted Christians across the world, in particular through their annual report, published in March 2014. We share the view expressed in the Open Doors report that the persecution of Christians and other minorities worldwide is increasing.
Freedom of religion or belief is a human rights priority for the Government. We take action to defend it in individual country situations and through multilateral bodies such as the UN and the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe. We fund project work and have been providing religious literacy training to our staff. We regularly urge governments to ensure the protection of all religious minorities. We encourage them to develop inclusive political systems that are for the good of all citizens.