The below Parliamentary question was asked by Richard Graham on 2016-09-13.
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, when the next application round for university technical colleges will open.
Robert Halfon
Each University Technical College (UTC) application round opens with the publication of the ‘University Technical Colleges How to Apply Guide’, which sets out the application window for each round. The next How to Apply Guide will be published in due course.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Alison Thewliss on 2016-09-13.
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps her Department is taking to promote breastfeeding in the curriculum.
Edward Timpson
Where there is a demand from parents and pupils, schools can choose to teach about any topic of interest, including breastfeeding. For example, it can be covered in schools’ personal, social, heath and economic (PSHE) lessons. The suggested programme of study for teachers by the PSHE Association does not specifically cover breastfeeding, but it includes teaching about parenthood and the development of parental skills. Schools can expand on these topics if they wish, and include breastfeeding if there is a demand to cover it.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Mark Pritchard on 2016-09-13.
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what steps she is taking to expand education in prisons to reduce reoffending rates and improve life chances for offenders returning to their communities.
Mr Sam Gyimah
Prisons should be places of safety and reform. I am determined to make sure that we achieve better outcomes for prisoners in employment, education and health. Fewer than half the people entering prisons have basic standards of English and Maths and around a third have identified learning difficulties or disabilities. This is a huge problem because we know that low levels of education can prevent people from securing jobs on release and leading law abiding lives.
On 15 September the Prime Minister announced the transfer of adult prison education in England to the Ministry of Justice from the Department for Education from 1 October. I would like to see governors having more responsibility for delivering education and being held to account for the outcomes prisoners achieve.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Stephen Timms on 2016-09-13.
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what proportion of children aged 11 to 16 are educated at (a) selective state-maintained schools, (b) non-selective state-maintained comprehensive and academy schools, (c) independent fee-paying schools and (d) other educational settings in (i) the UK, (ii) England, (iii) Scotland, (iv) Wales and (v) Northern Ireland.
Nick Gibb
The number and proportion of pupils aged 11-16 in selective state-funded schools, non-selective state-funded secondary schools, independent schools and other settings in England are given in the table below. The Department does not hold this information for Wales, Scotland or Northern Ireland, and therefore cannot provide these figures or a UK figure.
|
Type of Establishment |
Number of pupils aged 11-16 (1) |
Proportion of Total |
|
State-funded selective schools |
117,310 |
3.9% |
|
State-funded non-selective secondary schools |
2,569,444 |
86.2% |
|
Independent Schools (2) |
226,878 |
7.6% |
|
All other educational settings (3) |
66,498 |
2.2% |
(1) Includes sole and dual main registered pupils, as at January 2016.
(2) Not all independent schools charge all pupils fees, but it is not possible to group only the fee-paying independent schools together here.
(3) Includes state-funded primary schools, state-funded special schools, non-maintained special schools, general hospital schools, pupil referral units and alternative provision academies and free schools.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Anna Turley on 2016-09-13.
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 15 July 2016 to Question 42347, what assessment she has made of the public health implications of slag and metal contaminants in surface and ground waters at the former SSI site; and if she will make an assessment of the (a) likely cost and (b) timetable for remediation of those contaminants.
Dr Thérèse Coffey
Government Officials continue to work with the Official Receiver to maintain a ‘safe state’ position for the SSI site, including managing risks to human health and the water environment.
Government has committed to fund site assessments to understand the scale and complexity of the SSI site, which will help inform future decisions about the site.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Steve McCabe on 2016-09-13.
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 5 September 2016 to Question 43316, which elements of the EU Nature Directive transposed into UK law her Department is considering for repeal.
Dr Thérèse Coffey
The Government is considering the impacts of the decision to leave the EU including for existing legislation.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Steve McCabe on 2016-09-13.
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what progress has been made on producing a 25-Year Plan for the environment.
Dr Thérèse Coffey
The 25 Year Plan for the environment is a Conservative manifesto commitment and a priority for this government – ensuring a healthy environment and strong economy. Ours will be the first generation to leave the natural environment of England in a better state than when we found it.
The decision to leave the EU has meant the scope for the plan needed to be widened. We will now consider a long-term vision for our environment that is tailored to the needs of this country.
We will shortly be publishing an engagement framework which will provide everyone with the opportunity to contribute toward shaping our environment over the next few years. We look forward to continuing to work with a wide range of interests to determine our approach and work together to deliver it.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Helen Goodman on 2016-09-13.
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what recent steps she has taken to protect native tree species.
Dr Thérèse Coffey
Defra is acting to protect native tree species from a range of threats. Current examples include:
it is an offence to fell trees without a licence if an exemption does not apply;
the particular value and irreplaceable nature of ancient woodlands and veteran trees is recognised in the National Planning Policy Framework;
we use the UK Plant Health Risk Register to identify, assess and tackle tree pests and diseases at source (pre-border), at the border and inland, including several that threaten native trees;
support for some landowners on specific tree diseases and measures to support squirrel control through the Countryside Stewardship Scheme;
working with the Squirrel Accord to deliver the December 2014 grey squirrel action plan for England;
Forestry Commission advice on how native woodlands can be adapted to be more resilient to the effects of climate change.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Helen Goodman on 2016-09-13.
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether the Natura 2000 scheme will be continued.
Dr Thérèse Coffey
Whilst we are still a member of the EU we will continue to implement the Habitats and Birds Directives, including management of the Natura 2000 network of European sites.
We are committed to protecting vulnerable species and habitats and to being the first generation to leave the natural environment of England in a better state than that in which we found it.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Steve McCabe on 2016-09-13.
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what the outcome has been of his Department’s efforts to secure a lawyer for Andargachew Tsege; and what other steps his Department plans to take to ensure the release of Mr Tsege.
Mr Tobias Ellwood
On 1 June 2016, Ethiopian Prime Minister Hailemariam assured the then Foreign Secretary, my Rt Hon. Friend the Member for Runnymede and Weybridge (Mr Hammond), that Mr Tsege would be allowed access to independent legal advice to allow him to discuss options under the Ethiopian legal system. Since then, the Foreign Secretary, my Rt Hon. Friend the Member for Uxbridge and South Ruislip (Mr Johnson) has raised Mr Tsege’s case with his Ethiopian counterpart, Foreign Minister Tedros, on 3 occasions, most recently during the UN General Assembly in New York. Each time he has insisted that the Ethiopians follow through with their commitment to allow legal access. The British Government will continue to raise this issue until Mr Tsege is given access to independent legal advice. We do not interfere in the legal systems of other countries by challenging convictions, any more than we would accept interference in our judicial system. We will continue to keep our approach to this case under review.