Tag: Jess Phillips

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jess Phillips on 2016-02-19.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how many cases the Schools Adjudicator has investigated in connection with the provisions of the Armed Forces Covenant since 2011.

Nick Gibb

In response to the Armed Forces Covenant, the School Admissions Code (the code) contains various provisions to ensure that children of UK service personnel are not disadvantaged when applying for a school place. Admission authorities are required to comply with the code. Objections citing provisions relating to the Armed Forces Covenant would not be within the Office of the School Adjudicator’s jurisdiction (excluding those relating to service premium admission).

The Office of the School’s Adjudicator has not received any objections relating to this issue.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jess Phillips on 2016-04-13.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, pursuant to the Answer of 22 March 2016 to Question 30916, for what reason the 26 related party transactions by academy trusts classified as irregular or improper by the Education Funding Agency were not repaid by the trusts.

Edward Timpson

Repayment is considered on a case by case basis and may be sought where there has been a serious breach of requirements or standards of conduct. Some transactions may be classified as irregular or improper because of less serious procedural and compliance issues, or because of insufficient evidence to form an opinion. Repayment may not be pursued in these cases. The 26 related party transactions classified as irregular were assessed on this basis.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jess Phillips on 2016-04-26.

To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what support will be provided to parents should they have difficulties accessing support through the tax-free childcare scheme; and if he will make a statement.

Damian Hinds

Tax-Free Childcare is being designed to be as straightforward as possible for parents. It will be quick and easy to apply online for the vast majority who are able to do so. However, Her Majesty’s Revenue and Customs will ensure that assistance is provided to families who cannot access the internet so that they do not miss out on the support available via Tax-Free Childcare.

Once the scheme is fully open, we estimate that up to 1 million families may take up the scheme in ‘steady state’.

The Tax-Free Childcare system will be extensively tested before the scheme is launched.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jess Phillips on 2016-05-09.

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, how many 16 and 17 year olds from (a) West Midlands and (b) Birmingham Yardley have participated in the National Citizen Service in each year since it was piloted in 2011.

Mr Rob Wilson

It has not proved possible to respond to the hon. Member in the time available before Prorogation.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jess Phillips on 2016-05-25.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, pursuant to the answer of 23 May 2016 to Question 37442, what the (a) budget and (b) spend was for the three Northern Fund competitions for academy sponsors.

Edward Timpson

The Chancellor announced the £10m Northern Fund budget, for 2015-16, in his 2014 Autumn Statement. A total of £9,457,033.00 was spent on the three Northern Fund competitions. These are broken down as follows:

• Competition 1: £4,717,464.00

• Competition 2: £2,189,229.00

• Competition 3: £2,550,340.00

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jess Phillips on 2016-06-24.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how many of the academy trusts approved to receive the Northern Fund for academy sponsors in the first competition which concluded in July 2015 operated schools which had not been inspected by Ofsted since becoming an academy.

Edward Timpson

Nine academy trusts were approved to receive the Northern Fund from the two competitions. All nine trusts (five in the first competition, and four in the second) were operating one or more schools that had not been inspected by Ofsted since becoming an academy at the time decisions were taken to award funding. Equally, all nine trusts had one of more schools that had been inspected at the time decisions were taken to award funding.

Academy trusts will, at any point in time, be likely to have a mixture of academies, some of which will have been inspected as academies and some not. That is the nature of the inspection arrangements, and is why we considered a broad set of factors, including the overall performance of the trusts, to assess whether the Northern Fund would enhance their capacity and capability to improve underperforming schools.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jess Phillips on 2016-07-21.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, with reference to the Answer of 15 October 2015 to Question 10706, and to the letter sent by Network Rail to the hon. Member for Birmingham, Yardley on 14 July 2016, what the expected timescale is for accessibility alterations for Stechford railway station.

Paul Maynard

Network Rail have completed the option selection process for the Access for All scheme at Stechford and are working on a detailed design for the project. The Network Rail sponsor for the project would be happy to meet the hon Member to discuss plans for improving access at the station.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jess Phillips on 2016-10-11.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what support is on offer to apprentices who need help covering childcare costs and if she will take steps to extend such support to match that available to other workers.

Robert Halfon

Apprentices are employed from day one. They acquire skills much valued in the labour market without having to contribute to the costs of their learning. The benefits system treats an apprentice in the same way as any other employee.

As an employee aged 18 or over, an apprentice may be entitled to the usual in-work benefits, such as Child Tax Credit and Working Tax Credits.

If an apprentice has children, or is aged 16 or over and does paid work of at least 16 hours a week, they could qualify for tax credits, unless they are already earning £25,000 or more per year. Further information can be found on the tax credit section of the HMRC website. Universal Credit will make it easier and less worrying for claimants to try out a job or work more hours because their benefits will not automatically stop if they do so.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jess Phillips on 2015-11-09.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how many academy brokers there are; and how much her Department spent on academy brokers in each financial year since 2010.

Edward Timpson

The Department no longer has dedicated academy brokers. We have procured a pool of educational experts, through open competition. Notionally, each Regional Schools Commissioner (RSC) will have a pool of experts to support them in their work, to call upon as required.

The Department has spent the following on Education Advisers, doing brokerage work, in each financial year since 2010:

2010/11 £1,497,856 [1]

2011/12 £2,829,582.59[2]

2012/13 £4,438,358.13 [3]

2013/14 £3,031,794.39 [4]

2014/15 £2,192,228

[1] https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/request-for-numbers-costs-contracts-and-pay-of-academy-brokers/request-for-numbers-costs-contracts-and-pay-of-academy-brokers

[2] http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/ld201213/ldhansrd/text/130225w0003.htm

[3] http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm201314/cmhansrd/cm130610/text/130610w0004.htm

[4] http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm201415/cmhansrd/cm140721/text/140721w0003.htm

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jess Phillips on 2016-01-29.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what estimate her Department has made of the effect on the number of teachers of the Government’s policy to consider for deportation after five years non-EU migrants earning less than £35,000 per annum.

Nick Gibb

The Department does not collect data on the nationality or immigration status of the school workforce.

This is a local matter for schools and all schools must employ members of the school workforce in accordance with employment law.