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  • Barry Sheerman – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    Barry Sheerman – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Barry Sheerman on 2014-06-18.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what recent estimate he has made of the number of school-age children living in areas where the only state schools within reasonable travelling distance are faith schools.

    Mr David Laws

    We have made no such estimate. Local authorities have responsibility for securing sufficient school places to meet the needs of their local communities and have the statutory duties and powers to support that. They must also ensure that the balance of different types of provision meets local demand and that they make suitable transport arrangements for eligible pupils.

    The Government does recognise the need to ensure that new provision meets the needs of the whole community. New academies and free schools with a religious designation may only prioritise up to 50% of pupils on the basis of faith-related admissions criteria.

  • Lisa Nandy – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    Lisa Nandy – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lisa Nandy on 2014-06-18.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what requirements have been placed on Dominic Cummings, as part of his contractual terms, to obtain clearance for public statements or writings on matters of Government policy or the internal workings of Government.

    Matthew Hancock

    These requirements are outlined in the relevant sections of the Civil Service Code and can be found at https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/civil-service-code/the-civil-service-code.

  • Gavin Williamson – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    Gavin Williamson – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Gavin Williamson on 2014-06-18.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what provision is in place for a member of school staff to contest an unjust or open-ended suspension.

    Mr David Laws

    School staff who believe that they have been unfairly suspended or subjected to an unreasonable period of suspension can choose to submit a formal grievance to their employer.

  • Gavin Williamson – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    Gavin Williamson – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Gavin Williamson on 2014-06-18.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps his Department is taking to ensure that local education authorities have procedures in place to protect whistleblowers.

    Mr Edward Timpson

    I refer my hon. Friend to the answer I gave him on 16 June 2014, Official Report, col 411W, on local education authorities: disclosure of information.

  • Lisa Nandy – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    Lisa Nandy – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lisa Nandy on 2014-06-18.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether Dominic Cummings has contacted officials, Ministers and special advisers in his Department through their (a) official or (b) personal email accounts on official business since Mr Cummings left the Department.

    Matthew Hancock

    Mr Cummings is an ex-employee of the Department for Education. It is not uncommon for ex-employees to be in contact with Ministers and the Department. As the Secretary of State for Education explained to the House on Monday 16 June, many people seek to visit and contact the Department for Education to exchange ideas with old friends and colleagues.

  • Lisa Nandy – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    Lisa Nandy – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lisa Nandy on 2014-06-18.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Education, if he will release all email correspondence between officials, Ministers and special advisers in his Department and Dominic Cummings since Mr Cummings left the Department.

    Matthew Hancock

    Mr Cummings is an ex-employee of the Department for Education. It is not uncommon for ex-employees to be in contact with Ministers and the Department. As the Secretary of State for Education explained to the House on Monday 16 June, many people seek to visit and contact the Department for Education to exchange ideas with old friends and colleagues.

  • Lisa Nandy – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    Lisa Nandy – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lisa Nandy on 2014-06-18.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Education, when Dominic Cummings last had email contact with officials, Ministers and special advisers in his Department.

    Matthew Hancock

    Mr Cummings is an ex-employee of the Department for Education. It is not uncommon for ex-employees to be in contact with Ministers and the Department. As the Secretary of State for Education explained to the House on Monday 16 June, many people seek to visit and contact the Department for Education to exchange ideas with old friends and colleagues.

  • Lisa Nandy – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    Lisa Nandy – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lisa Nandy on 2014-06-18.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Education, when Dominic Cummings’ security pass to the Department of Education was deactivated and withdrawn.

    Matthew Hancock

    In line with the practice of successive Administrations, Government does not comment on security matters.

  • Alex Cunningham – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    Alex Cunningham – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Alex Cunningham on 2014-06-18.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how many members of the armed forces have been recruited into teacher roles under the Troops to Teachers initiative to date.

    Mr David Laws

    The Troops to Teachers undergraduate programme is a new programme, which started in January 2014. 41 service leavers joined the Troops to Teachers programme in January 2014. Recruitment is almost complete for the second cohort of the programme and more service leavers will start their training in September 2014. The first successful graduates of the programme will be employed as teachers, subject to achieving Qualified Teacher Status and a degree, in 2016.

  • Steve McCabe – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    Steve McCabe – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Steve McCabe on 2014-06-18.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether special educational needs coordinators are able to request funds from his Department for extra assistance with SEN students in maintained schools.

    Mr Edward Timpson

    The Department for Education does not give funds directly to local authority maintained schools. Funds for extra assistance with students with special educational needs (SEN) come from schools’ budgets and, if the extra cost is more than £6,000 per year for an individual student, from local authorities in the form of top-up funding for the school. Local authorities can also give extra funding to schools with a disproportionate number of pupils with SEN. Special educational needs coordinators should therefore seek any additional funds required from the relevant local authority.