Tag: Lord Watson of Invergowrie

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Watson of Invergowrie on 2016-02-04.

To ask Her Majesty’s Government how many academies and free schools have a clause in their funding agreement requiring the teaching of sex and relationship education.

Lord Nash

All academies and free schools are required through their funding agreement to teach a broad and balanced curriculum and to have regard to the statutory guidance issued under the Education Act 1996, as if the academy were a maintained school. The Secretary of State’s statutory guidance (2000) makes clear that sex and relationship education is essential for children’s development and preparation for responsible adult life – and that it should be taught appropriately to children’s age and maturity.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Watson of Invergowrie on 2016-04-12.

To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of the BBC’s proposal to provide every child in Year 7 with the micro:bit codeable computer.

Lord Nash

The Government welcomes this initiative from the BBC that will provide every child in year 7 with a free micro:bit codeable computer.

The national curriculum in computing, which was introduced in 2014, includes coding at all key stages. At primary school pupils are taught about algorithms and how to design and write codes to accomplish specific goals, using sequencing, selection and repetition. This is extended at secondary school where pupils are taught to use at least two coding languages to solve a variety of computational problems.

We want every student to have the opportunity actively to create new technology products. Our reformed programme of study for computing in the national curriculum emphasises the academic discipline of computer science. Through studying topics such as computational logic, algorithms and data representation, pupils are obtaining insight into how the digital technologies that they use every day work and understand how these technology products result from rational design processes.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Watson of Invergowrie on 2016-04-12.

To ask Her Majesty’s Government how many Studio Schools currently exist in the UK; how many of those schools are standalone; and how many of those schools have closed.

Lord Nash

40 studio schools are currently open. Of these nine are standalone academies.

Seven studio schools have closed since 2013, of which three were standalone and the remainder were in multi-academy trusts.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Watson of Invergowrie on 2015-12-03.

To ask Her Majesty’s Government what is the estimated cost per pupil of auditing the accounts of a 1,000-pupil secondary school, in (1) the maintained sector, and (2) the academy sector.

Lord Nash

Schools in the maintained sector do not require an external audit as this is undertaken at local authority level.

Each academy trust’s audit fees vary reflecting a number of different factors such as the auditing firm used and the complexity of the business. We are, therefore, unable to provide an estimation of audit fees on a cost per pupil basis for a 1,000-pupil secondary school.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Watson of Invergowrie on 2016-04-12.

To ask Her Majesty’s Government what modelling they have done to establish the scale of gains and losses that are likely to result from the introduction of the National Funding Formula for schools.

Lord Nash

On 7 March, we published our first consultation on a national funding formula for schools and high needs. It outlined the principles of the funding system and the funding factors that we believe should define the formula.

The detailed design of the national funding formula – and therefore its impact on local authorities and schools – will only be finalised once we have had the opportunity to thoroughly consider all responses to our first consultation, which closed on 17 April. We intend to set out those proposals and the impacts of the proposed formula on local authorities and schools in a second stage consultation later this year. We are thinking carefully about how the transition to new funding levels can be managed and will set out further detail on this in the second consultation.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Watson of Invergowrie on 2015-12-03.

To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the remarks by Lord Nash on 1 December (HL Deb, col 1054), what is the role of the Charity Commission in scrutinising academies.

Lord Nash

Academy trusts are charities, and must comply with charity law. As Principal Regulator the Secretary of State has a duty to promote this compliance by the charity trustees with their legal obligations in a trust’s management and administration.

The Charity Commission has powers of investigation and enforcement over academy trusts where the Secretary of State, as Principal Regulator, requests that the Commission investigates a concern that the Department has identified. This means that, in consultation with the Principal Regulator, the Charity Commission, will investigate and if a serious failure to comply with charity law is found, has the necessary enforcement powers to act if sanctions are required.

Academy trusts are exempt from registration and direct regulation by the Charity Commission and are instead overseen by a Principal Regulator. As PR, the Secretary of State has powers to investigate but enforcement powers rest with the Charity Commission.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Watson of Invergowrie on 2016-04-13.

To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of the concerns expressed by the National Farmers Union and the Country Land and Business Association regarding the prospective loss of funding and access to markets to British agriculture in the event of the UK leaving the EU; and whether they have planned any measures in such an event.

Lord Gardiner of Kimble

At the February European Council, the Government negotiated a new settlement, giving the United Kingdom a special status in a reformed European Union. The Government’s position is that the UK will be stronger, safer and better off remaining in a reformed EU.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Watson of Invergowrie on 2015-12-03.

To ask Her Majesty’s Government what funding they plan to make available to promote walking to school initiatives when the Local Sustainable Transport Fund comes to an end in March 2016.

Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon

The Department for Transport has a statutory obligation to deliver the Cycling and Walking Investment Strategy (CWIS) which is anticipated to include a National Cycling and Walking Infrastructure Plan. The Department has commenced the early stages of work to develop the first CWIS by summer 2016 following a formal consultation in spring 2016. Detailed content of this Strategy is not yet available, and we are therefore unable to confirm our future plans for promoting walking to school initiatives at this stage.

That said, the Government recently reaffirmed its commitment to cycling and walking by investing over £300m over the life of this Parliament. This includes delivering the Cycle City Ambition programme in full, and funding the Bikeability cycle training programme for school children. It also includes a new ‘Access’ fund for sustainable travel building on the legacy of the Local Sustainable Transport Fund. It is too early to say what the details of this new Access fund will be as discussions are ongoing, but information is expected to be available in the coming weeks.

It is also worth noting that this Government remains committed to the principles of localism; it is therefore the responsibility of local authorities to decide their local priorities in relation to ‘walk to school’ initiatives, and attribute government resources, such as the local transport block, accordingly.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Watson of Invergowrie on 2016-09-12.

To ask Her Majesty’s Government what action they plan to take in the light of the publication in the Guardian on 10 September of Department for Education emails and claims that departmental staff sought to undermine and bring about the departure of Natasha Devon from the role of schools mental health champion.

Lord Nash

No further action is required as the appropriate action was taken at the time.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Watson of Invergowrie on 2015-12-08.

To ask Her Majesty’s Government what plans they have to provide support for the Family Rights Group advice service when its current funding expires in March 2016.

Lord Nash

Following the spending review, the Department is considering future spending priorities right across the board, including those important grants we make to voluntary and community sector organisations. We will announce next steps on funding for 2016/17 and beyond in due course.