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  • Bridget Phillipson – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    Bridget Phillipson – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Bridget Phillipson on 2014-03-18.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Education, pursuant to the Answer of 12 March 2014, Official Report, column 250W, on schools: construction, what the (a) final bid date in April 2014 and (b) expected decision date is.

    David Laws

    Final bids in the procurement are due to be received from the three shortlisted bidders on 17 April 2014, and the Education Funding Agency is scheduled to appoint a selected bidder by the end of May 2014.

  • Justin Tomlinson – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    Justin Tomlinson – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Justin Tomlinson on 2014-03-18.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what his policy is on opening up school facilities to the local community for use outside of the school day.

    Elizabeth Truss

    The out-of-hours term time and holiday childcare that schools provide are vital to working parents. Many parents still find that the high cost and inflexibility of childcare is a barrier to working, or increasing their working hours. The Government wants more schools to make their facilities available to the local community. The Department for Education believes that if schools open up their facilities, it can make them a valuable resource and can strengthen links with the wider community that they serve. The Department wants to encourage more schools to offer childcare between 8am to 6pm during term time and during school holidays by removing all unnecessary red tape and increasing freedoms. For example, we are removing the need for schools to have to consult when introducing community facilities and to have regard to guidance from my Rt. hon Friend the Secretary of State for Education or local authorities and we are clarifying the rules on charging for community facilities.

  • Charlotte Leslie – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    Charlotte Leslie – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Charlotte Leslie on 2014-03-18.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what the average cost per pupil of running a pupil referral unit was in the last year for which figures are available.

    Elizabeth Truss

    The Department for Education does not routinely collect data on the average per pupil cost of running a pupil referral unit. Pupil referral units cater for a diverse range of needs and so the actual cost per pupil will vary significantly between institutions.

    The Department introduced new funding arrangements in April 2013 that take account of this variation. The new system offers stability for pupil referral units by providing £8,000 for each identified alternative provision place. This funding is supplemented by local authorities or schools when they place pupils into a pupil referral unit. The amount of top-up funding provided is determined locally to reflect the actual costs of educating pupils at that pupil referral unit.

  • 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 2014-03-18.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether the National College for Teaching and Leadership (NCTL) has received any allegations of child abuse in independent schools that occurred before the establishment of the NCTL; and what powers the NCTL has to follow up any such allegations.

    Edward Timpson

    I refer the hon. Gentleman to the answer I gave on 3 March 2014 to the hon. Member for West Bromwich East, Official Report cols 676-7W. 16 of the cases referred to relate to incidents that are alleged to have occurred prior to the establishment of National College for Teaching and Leadership (NCTL).

    The Teachers’ Disciplinary (England) Regulations 2012 provide NCTL with the power to regulate teachers including those in independent schools. These regulations provide for any referral to be investigated regardless of the date of the alleged incident.

  • Chris Evans – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    Chris Evans – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Chris Evans on 2014-03-18.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what recent research has been commissioned into truancy in schools; and if he will make a statement.

    Elizabeth Truss

    From the 2011/12 absence data, we know that pupils who have regular attendance at school are four times more likely to achieve five or more A*-C grades at GCSE, including English and maths, than those pupils who are persistently absent. Persistent absence has fallen by 15 per cent under this Government, from 392,305 pupils missing 15 per cent of school time in 2010/11 to 333,850 in 2011/12. The former Government Adviser on behaviour, Charlie Taylor, published his report on improving school attendance in April 2012. It can be found at http://tinyurl.com/crt8nok

    “

  • Vernon Coaker – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    Vernon Coaker – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Vernon Coaker on 2014-03-18.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what funds his Department has returned to the Exchequer as a result of underspend in each year since 2010.

    Philip Hammond

    In 2010-11, the Ministry of Defence returned no funds to the Exchequer; in 2011-12, the MOD returned £300 million; and in 2012-13, the MOD returned no funds. Final accounts for 2013-14 are not yet available but the MOD has an agreement with the Treasury for carry-forward of underspend at Supplementary Estimates.

  • Lucy Powell – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    Lucy Powell – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lucy Powell on 2014-03-18.

    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what estimate he has made of the average benefit which will be received by each family eligible to receive tax-free childcare.

    Nicky Morgan

    Information on the estimated number of families eligible for Tax-Free Childcare scheme and the exchequer impact of Tax-Free Childcare can be found in the Budget 2014

    policy costings document: https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/293740/PU1638_policy_costings_budget_2014.pdf

    “

  • Lucy Powell – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    Lucy Powell – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lucy Powell on 2014-03-18.

    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what estimate he has made of the number of families who will benefit from (a) £2,000, (b) £1,800, (c) £1,600, (d) £1,400, (e) £1,200, (f) £1,000, (g) £800, (h) £600, (i) £400 and (j) £200 per year of tax-free childcare support.

    Nicky Morgan

    Information on the number of families eligible for Tax-Free Childcare and the number of families who will benefit from the increase of the £6,000 cap on costs per child to £10,000 can be found in Annex B of Delivering Tax-Free Childcare: the Government’s response to the consultation on design and operation:

    https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/293084/PU1607_Tax_free_Childcare_response.pdf

    Further breakdowns of the number of families benefitting from the levels of support requested are not available.

    “

  • Lucy Powell – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    Lucy Powell – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lucy Powell on 2014-03-18.

    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what estimate he has made of the number of parents of children whose nursery costs are (a) £2,000, (b) £1,800, (c) £1,600, (d) £1,400, (e) £1,200, (f) £1,000, (g) £800, (h) £600, (i) £400 and (j) £200 per year who will benefit from tax-free childcare.

    Nicky Morgan

    The information requested is not available.

  • Alok Sharma – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    Alok Sharma – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Alok Sharma on 2014-03-18.

    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what estimate he has made of the number of families eligible for tax-free childcare in Reading West constituency.

    Nicky Morgan

    The information requested is not available.