The below Parliamentary question was asked by Andrew Rosindell on 2014-03-25.
To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, What recent discussions he has had with ministerial colleagues about the Government’s policy on devolution and decentralisation.
Mr Nick Clegg
I meet regularly with Ministerial colleagues to discuss this Government’s policy of decentralising responsibility to the most appropriate levels.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Mr Adrian Sanders on 2014-03-25.
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what discussions he held with schools and local authorities for the purposes of drafting departmental advice on universal infant free school meals.
Mr David Laws
Since the announcement of universal infant free school meals (UIFSM), Departmental officials have engaged in a number of discussions with primary school head teachers and their representatives, local authorities and other interested parties, to explore how this policy can be implemented so that the benefits of universal free school meal provision for children and families are maximised.
The content of the departmental advice document on universal infant free school meals, which was published on 6 March, was based on feedback gathered through these discussions. Before it was published, the document was commented on by the Department’s UIFSM external reference group, which includes representatives from schools and local authorities.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Steve McCabe on 2014-03-25.
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, who is responsible for monitoring and approving the use of Government-funded credit cards by employees of Ofsted.
Mr David Laws
This question is a matter for Ofsted. Her Majesty’s Chief Inspector, Sir Michael Wilshaw, has written to the hon. Member, and a copy of his response has been placed in the House Library.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jake Berry on 2014-03-25.
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps his Department is taking to reduce absences from school due to bullying.
Elizabeth Truss
The Government has made tackling all forms of bullying a top priority. It is never acceptable for a child to be bullied, victimised or harmed in any way and the Government does not want any young person to be absent from school due to the effects of bullying.
All schools are required, by law, to have a behaviour policy with measures to prevent all forms of bullying among pupils. Ofsted now holds schools clearly to account for their effectiveness. Under the current Ofsted framework, school inspectors consider pupil behaviour and safety, which includes how well schools prevent bullying, harassment and discrimination.
In the Education Act 2011, we strengthened teachers’ powers to discipline pupils for poor behaviour, including bullying. They can now issue same day detentions, confiscate banned items and search for, and if necessary delete, inappropriate images on mobile phones which might be linked to cyberbullying.
We are also providing £4 million of funding over two years from spring 2013 to four organisations: Beatbullying, the DianaAward, Kidscape and the National Children’s Bureau, to develop effective measures in school to prevent and tackle bullying.
Good schools create a positive ethos with clear expectations about pupil behaviour that prevent bullying from happening in the first place and deal with it quickly if it does occur.
We recognise the effect that bullying can have, that is why on 17 March 2014 we published a factsheet to help schools identify and support pupils which is available here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/preventing-and-tackling-bullying.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Steve McCabe on 2014-03-25.
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what records his Department keeps of use of Government-funded credit cards by employees of Ofsted.
Mr David Laws
This question is a matter for Ofsted. I have asked Her Majesty’s Chief Inspector, Sir Michael Wilshaw, to write to the hon. Member. A copy of his response has been placed in the House Library.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Mr Adrian Sanders on 2014-03-25.
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, if he will make an estimate of the capital costs incurred by schools as a result of the implementation of universal infant free school meals; and whether the capital funding provided by his Department to schools to date covers such costs.
Mr David Laws
The Department for Education consulted with a number of local authorities and schools in the autumn, in order to assess the potential capital needs to meet the new universal infant free school meal (UIFSM) entitlement. Circumstances differ between schools, and between authorities, but those discussions gave us an assessment of the range of likely costs.
Based on those discussions, we believe the £150 million of capital funding announced last December is an appropriate figure to support schools and authorities in meeting the new UIFSM entitlement. We know that many schools and authorities are still in the process of considering the best way of delivering this. That is why we are supplementing this capital support with the package of implementation support measures announced on 6 March, in order to offer advice and guidance to schools and local authorities that need assistance in implementing the policy.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Steve McCabe on 2014-03-25.
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether his Department issues guidance to local authorities on how best to make use of unutilized foster carers.
Mr Edward Timpson
The Department for Education has not issued guidance to local authorities on how best to make use of unutilised foster carers. Local authorities are required, under Section 22G of the Children Act 1989, to take steps that secure, so far as reasonably practicable, sufficient accommodation within the authority’s area that meets the needs of children that the local authority is looking after, and whose circumstances are such that it would be consistent with their welfare for them to be provided with accommodation that is in the local authority’s area (‘the sufficiency duty’).
Since April 2013 the Department has been working with consortia of local authorities and sector partners to:
We will be sharing the lessons learned and disseminating any tools that have been developed during the project more widely following testing.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Andrew Rosindell on 2014-03-25.
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps he is taking to increase links between education and employment.
Matthew Hancock
The government’s aim is to ensure that young people are equipped with the skills, experience and qualifications that employers want. The introduction of 16-19 study programmes will expand the provision of genuine work experience and work-related learning for all post-16 students. We have invested in new apprenticeships that are more employer-led than ever before, and introduced traineeships to give young people the skills and experience they need to compete successfully for a job. From September 2014, the Tech Level qualifications will provide a high-quality vocational alternative to A levels, leading to a recognised occupation.
These and other reforms arising from Professor Alison Wolf’s 2011 review of vocational education have led to far-reaching improvements in vocational education. These include employer recognition of qualifications and simplified and better-funded arrangements for work experience.
Our reforms to GCSEs and A levels will secure rigorous, challenging qualifications which are responsive to the needs of students and employers. New GCSEs in English and mathematics, which will provide greater assurance of literacy and numeracy, will be taught from September 2015, with the first examinations in summer 2017.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Andrew Percy on 2014-03-25.
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment he has made of the current level of teachers teaching ability whilst using tablet computers in primary schools.
Elizabeth Truss
The available evidence suggests that teachers adapt quickly to using tablets as a tool for learning.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Dr Julian Huppert on 2014-03-25.
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, if he will issue to schools specific guidance on removing asbestos from premises.
Mr David Laws
The guidance from the Health and Safety Executive is that, if asbestos is undamaged and unlikely to be disturbed, then it is usually safer to leave it in place and to manage it as required by the Control of Asbestos Regulations 2012. If asbestos is found to be in an unsealed, damaged or poor condition, then it should be repaired, sealed, enclosed or removed using trained personnel. The Department for Education has no plans to issue school-specific guidance.