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  • John Mann – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    John Mann – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by John Mann on 2016-03-07.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how many pupils are home schooled; and how many were so schooled in (a) 2005 and (b) 2010.

    Edward Timpson

    Data for the numbers of children educated at home in England are not collected by the Department for Education. Some local authorities maintain voluntary registers of children educated at home but as they have no statutory basis, they cannot be regarded as an authoritative source of data.

  • Daniel Zeichner – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    Daniel Zeichner – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Daniel Zeichner on 2016-03-07.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps she is taking to identify children who are eligible for free school meals under Pupil Premium funding who are unaware of their eligibility for that funding.

    Mr Sam Gyimah

    The provision of a free, nutritious meal and the additional funding that free school meal (FSM) pupils attract through the pupil premium means there is a very strong incentive for parents to register for FSM; and the vast majority do so.

    We know that schools and local authorities have worked hard to encourage all families to register for FSM and the Department has highlighted and disseminated best practice for other schools to use, including a model a registration form. This is available on GOV.UK at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/free-school-meals-and-pupil-premium-registration-form

    The Department is continuing to explore ways of increasing registration rates further.

    “

  • Jim McMahon – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    Jim McMahon – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jim McMahon on 2016-03-07.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how many children’s social worker vacancies remained unfilled in (a) 2014 and (b) 2015.

    Edward Timpson

    Information on the number of children’s social work vacancies in English local authorities is collected annually.

    The most recent data, from 30 September 2015, was published by the Department for Education on 25 February 2016 and can be found on GOV.UK: https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/childrens-social-work-workforce-2015

    More data is also found on GOV.UK:

    https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/childrens-social-work-workforce-2013-to-2014

    “

  • Stuart C. McDonald – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    Stuart C. McDonald – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Stuart C. McDonald on 2016-03-07.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how many care leavers who were aged 19, 20 or 21 in the years ending 31 March (a) 2013, (b) 2014 and (c) 2015 were former unaccompanied asylum-seeking children.

    Edward Timpson

    Data on the number of care leavers aged 19 to 21 years is published in table F1 of the statistical first release ‘Children looked after, including care leavers and adoption’[1].

    Data is not published on the number of care leavers who were formerly unaccompanied asylum seeking children.

    [1] https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/children-looked-after-in-england-including-adoption-2014-to-2015

    “

  • Catherine McKinnell – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    Catherine McKinnell – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Catherine McKinnell on 2016-03-07.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Education, with reference to the penultimate paragraph of her letter to the Education Committee of 10 February 2016 , on personal, social, health and economic education (PHSE) and sex and relationships education, which (a) headteachers, (b) PSHE practitioners and (c) other experts her Department is working with to identify further action.

    Edward Timpson

    The group of headteachers and practitioners that we are currently working with includes Carl Ward of Haywood Academy in Stoke on Trent; Cathie Paine of the Reach2 Academy Trust; Jerry Rayner of Rugby Independent School in Warwickshire; Michelle Colledge-Smith of the Outwood Grange Academy Trust; and Vanessa Ogden of Mulberry School in Bethnal Green.

    We want to draw on expertise from a range of headteachers and practitioners and will invite others to join the group as appropriate. The Department regularly speaks to a wide range of stakeholders and will continue to do so regarding PSHE.

  • Catherine McKinnell – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    Catherine McKinnell – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Catherine McKinnell on 2016-03-07.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether she plans to update existing sex and relationships education guidance.

    Edward Timpson

    This Government wants to provide all young people with a curriculum for life, which prepares them to succeed in modern Britain. High quality teaching of PSHE is central to this.

    The Secretary of State wrote to the ESC in February 2016 stating that the Department will continue to keep the status of PSHE in the curriculum under review.

    We have asked leading head teachers and practitioners to produce an action plan for improving PSHE. We will work with these experts to identify further action we can take to ensure that all pupils receive high quality, age appropriate PSHE and SRE.

    We welcome the supplementary advice for schools, ‘Sex and relationships education (SRE) for the 21st century’, published by the PSHE Association, the Sex Education Forum, and Brook. This addresses changes in technology and legislation since 2000, in particular equipping teachers to help protect children and young people from inappropriate online content, and from online bullying, harassment and exploitation.

  • Gareth Thomas – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    Gareth Thomas – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Gareth Thomas on 2016-03-07.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Education, if she will require the Oxford, Cambridge and RSA, AQA and Edexcel examinations boards to offer GCSE and A-level Bengali examinations beyond September 2018; and if she will make a statement.

    Nick Gibb

    Exam boards are independent organisations and the department continues to work closely with them to secure the future of all the existing GCSEs and A levels in less-taught languages, including Bengali.

  • David Davis – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    David Davis – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by David Davis on 2016-03-07.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, in how many operations the UK Reaper force has transferred operational control of UK Reapers to (a) the US Air Force and (b) embedded RAF personnel in the US Air Force in Syria and Iraq since 2 December 2015.

    Penny Mordaunt

    I refer the right hon. Member to the answer I gave on 23 November 2015 to Question 16741. It remains the case that provisions set out in the UK-US Memorandum of Understanding have not yet been enacted by either party.

  • David Davis – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    David Davis – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by David Davis on 2016-03-07.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to the Prime Minister’s statement of 7 September 2015, Official Report, column 23, what rank of officer within the RAF chain of command had access to the Attorney General’s advice on the legal basis for the Reyaad Khan drone strike.

    Michael Fallon

    The Attorney General’s advice informed my decision to target Reyaad Khan. The strike was conducted by the RAF using rules of engagement informed by the Attorney General’s advice.

  • John Mann – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    John Mann – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by John Mann on 2016-03-07.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many service personnel in each location are accommodated in twin rooms.

    Mark Lancaster

    This information is not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.