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  • Rupa Huq – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    Rupa Huq – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Rupa Huq on 2016-10-13.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether prospective EU national students will not be subject to tuition fee increases for the academic years 2018-19 and 2019-20.

    Joseph Johnson

    EU students wishing to start a higher education course in England in the 2017/18 academic year will be subject to the same maximum fees that apply to English domiciled students. This will apply in each year of their course and for the duration of the course.

    The Government makes its decisions on higher education student support, including the maximum tuition fees, on an annual basis.

  • Nic Dakin – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    Nic Dakin – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Nic Dakin on 2016-10-13.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment her Department has made of any correlation between the size of a school sixth form and the grade awarded by Ofsted for its sixth form provision.

    Robert Halfon

    The Department for Education has not made any assessment of the correlation between the size of a school’s sixth form and the grade awarded by Ofsted to that school with respect to its sixth-form provision. We continue to monitor school and sixth form performance on an ongoing basis using a range of metrics, including Ofsted inspection outcomes, minimum standards and performance table data.

  • Peter Dowd – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    Peter Dowd – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Peter Dowd on 2016-10-13.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Education, if she will make it the Government’s policy to ensure that schools are open to pupils from a range of different religious and non-religious backgrounds.

    Caroline Dinenage

    We want all parents to have a real choice about which school their children attend irrespective of their background. It is also important that all schools: promote inclusivity; enhance understanding of other faiths and those with no faith; promote community cohesion; and prepare children and young people for life in modern Britain. Regardless of whether or not they have a religious character, schools should enable pupils of all faith and of no-faith to play a full part in the life of the school.

    We are currently consulting on proposals to enable more high quality providers of schools, including faith schools, to establish new schools which, alongside our investment in the free schools programme, will improve choice for all.

    The consultation document is available at: https://consult.education.gov.uk/school-frameworks/schools-that-work-for-everyone

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  • Rupa Huq – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy

    Rupa Huq – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Rupa Huq on 2016-10-13.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, whether his Department plans to retain access to the Erasmus Plus programme after the UK leaves the EU.

    Joseph Johnson

    The referendum result has no immediate effect on students abroad under the Erasmus scheme or applying for 2016/17. Payments will be made in the usual way. Access to the programme after we leave the EU is a matter for the forthcoming negotiations. Consideration of other options will depend on the outcome of these negotiations.

  • Dawn Butler – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    Dawn Butler – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Dawn Butler on 2016-10-13.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what provision her Department has put in place for SEND pupils who will not be able to pass selective school admission policies.

    Nick Gibb

    This Government is committed to ensuring all children, including those with Special Educational Needs and disabilities (SEND), have the opportunity to achieve their potential and make a successful transition to adult life.

    In the Children and Families Act 2014, we legislated to make fundamental changes to improve the SEND support system for the benefit of the 14.4% of children with SEND. These are the biggest reforms to the SEND system in a generation. To support local authorities and others to make these changes successfully, we have invested heavily in practical and financial support, including an extra £90 million of support for 2016/17.

    Following Sir Andrew Carter’s report on Initial Teacher Training (ITT), the Government published a new framework of core content in July 2016. This includes specific content on SEND, so that teachers have a clear understanding and early awareness of pupils with SEND. This will help to ensure that pupils with SEND have the opportunity to fully realise their potential.

  • Stephen Timms – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    Stephen Timms – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Stephen Timms on 2016-10-13.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what role Ofqual has in the setting of the requirements for special needs access to examinations specified by the Joint Council for Qualifications.

    Nick Gibb

    This is a matter for Ofqual, the Office of Qualifications and Examinations Regulation. I have therefore asked its Chief Regulator, Sally Collier, to write directly to the Honourable Member. A copy of her reply will be placed in the House of Commons Library.

  • Alasdair McDonnell – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    Alasdair McDonnell – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Alasdair McDonnell on 2016-10-13.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether her Department plans to respond formally to the Soil Association’s Save Our Anti-Biotic campaign.

    George Eustice

    No formal response will be made. On 16 September 2016 the Government published its response to the final report and recommendations of the Independent Review on Antimicrobial Resistance. The response outlines future plans and ambitions to reduce the need for antibiotics and tackle antibiotic resistance.

    We continue to work with a wide-range of stakeholders and use emerging, scientifically sound evidence to develop policy.

  • Paul Flynn – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    Paul Flynn – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Paul Flynn on 2016-10-13.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how much her Department has spent to date of the £1.25 million committed to the Badger Edge Vaccination Scheme.

    George Eustice

    Defra Badger Edge Vaccination Scheme projects in England were funded on the basis of actual work done by the grant beneficiaries with no specific total amount committed to the Scheme. Defra spent just over £92,000 on these projects in the 2015/16 financial year, with additional in-kind support in the form of free loans of equipment, supply of the Badger BGC vaccine and advice from field experts.

    Although no vaccination of badgers under the Scheme is possible in 2016, we have awarded grant funding to three of the former beneficiaries for other vaccination-related work. The amounts payable to each will depend on the work that they do in the current financial year

  • Paul Flynn – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    Paul Flynn – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Paul Flynn on 2016-10-13.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what plans she has to extend badger vaccination schemes in 2017.

    George Eustice

    There have been a number of private badger vaccination initiatives in England over the last three years, some of which have received Defra grant funding. Resumption in Defra-supported vaccination in 2017 will depend on the availability of the vaccine, current supplies of which are being prioritised by the Government for public health use.

  • Chris White – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    Chris White – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Chris White on 2016-10-13.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps the Government is taking to prevent the small hive beetle from affecting the UK’s bee population.

    George Eustice

    A Contingency Plan for England and Wales and a Pest Risk Assessment (PRA) have been published for the small hive beetle. Elements of the Contingency Plan were tested during 2016 with the completion of two field exercises in England. Such exercises have been carried out annually since 2005 on a four year rolling regional cycle ensuring that all National Bee Unit field inspectors and support staff are trained in Contingency Planning and Operational Preparedness.

    Since the first detection in Italy in September 2014 UK bee inspectors have enhanced our inspection services and surveillance by:

    • tracing and checking past imports of bees from Italy;
    • increasing inspections of high-risk apiaries near ports and airports;
    • doubling the number of targeted exotic pest inspections carried out per year;
    • providing training and guidance materials on pest recognition to inspectors responsible for checking UK imports of plants and plant products (e.g. Plant Health and Seeds Inspectors and Horticulture Marketing Inspectors – as these products could provide a route by which the beetle is introduced); and
    • working with beekeeper associations, government agencies and importer trade associations (e.g. Fresh Produce Consortium) to raise awareness amongst beekeepers, plant produce importers and growers who use managed bees for pollination services.