Tag: Nic Dakin

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Nic Dakin on 2016-02-11.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, which specialist contractors her Department has hired to advise regional school commissioners.

Edward Timpson

The Department will publish an award notice on GOV.UK that names suppliers that have been awarded contracts, business addresses and contract values over £20,000. The Department will also be publishing related supplier contracts that support the academy and free school programme on Contract Finder on GOV.UK by 31 March 2016.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Nic Dakin on 2016-02-24.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how many spaces have been set aside on initial teacher training courses for the 2016-17 cohort of the future teaching scholars programme.

Nick Gibb

There will be places available for all Scholars after they successfully complete their undergraduate degree and commence their initial teacher training from the 2019-20 academic year.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Nic Dakin on 2016-03-23.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what evidence her Department holds on the relationship between the A-level grades achieved by prospective teachers and their later performance in the classroom.

Nick Gibb

Evidence, including a seminal McKinsey study from 2007 (How the world’s best-performing schools come out on top), shows that teacher quality and impact cannot be predicted by a single factor such as A-Level grades, but result from a complex combination of factors including academic achievement combined with characteristics and attributes such as communication skills, willingness to learn and motivation to teach.

The Teachers’ Standards, developed by a group of leading teachers and heads, clearly define the core elements of effective teaching – including strong subject knowledge and the promotion of scholarship, as well as skills such as classroom management. All new teachers must demonstrate that they are meeting the standards at the end of their initial training.

It is important that providers of initial teacher training are able to select and recruit candidates on the basis of their potential and their academic achievement to date; this is why we are giving schools much greater say in recruiting and training candidates who can be successful in the classroom. This year, over half of all postgraduate trainees are coming through school-led routes.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Nic Dakin on 2016-04-26.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment her Department has made of the potential effect on delivery of initial teacher training of all schools becoming academies.

Nick Gibb

Academies have the same opportunities as maintained schools to become involved in teacher training, either through the School Direct programme, becoming a School Centred Initial Teacher Training provider (SCITT), or partnering with a university teacher training provider.

Academies also benefit from additional freedoms to recruit subject experts who do not have Qualified Teacher Status (QTS), but can add real value to the classroom. Schools that are part of multi-academy trusts (MATs) can also benefit from the ability to use their greater resources to attract the teachers they need.

Our proposals to replace QTS with a new, stronger accreditation will mean schools will be able to put those subject experts who have not been through ITT on a pathway to formal accreditation. We expect the vast majority of teachers will continue to train through ITT, particularly as more schools become directly involved in the selection and training of new teachers. 94 per cent of teachers in academies hold QTS, demonstrating that head teachers value high-quality ITT.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Nic Dakin on 2016-05-18.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what steps he is taking to ensure that non-medical scientists and technicians working in the health sector are registered with the Science Council or other relevant professional bodies.

Ben Gummer

Voluntary registration schemes, such as those overseen by the Science Council, provide an important mechanism for assuring the standards of professional staff. It is a matter for individual staff and their employing organisation as to how they make use of the assurance provided by voluntary registration schemes.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Nic Dakin on 2016-07-18.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what representations her Department has received on the recommendations of the Report of the Independent Teacher Workload Review Group entitled Eliminating unnecessary workload associated with Data Management published in March 2016; and from whom those representations were received.

Nick Gibb

We established three independent review groups to tackle workload related to data management, marking and lesson planning. Members of the review groups included serving teachers and head teachers, teaching unions and Ofsted.

No formal representations have been received on the recommendations in the data management report although all three reports have been well received by the profession and ongoing discussions are taking place with teachers and their representatives to help embed their principles and implement the recommendations.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Nic Dakin on 2016-10-13.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what discussions his Department had with UK steelmakers before the decision was made to use French steel in the construction of Trident successor submarines.

Harriett Baldwin

The management of the steel procurement process for the Successor Programme is the responsibility of the Prime Contractor, BAE Systems. The Ministry of Defence’s involvement with suppliers was limited to conducting a technical assessment during the tendering process to ensure bids met specifications.

The tendering process was progressed and concluded by the Prime Contractor, no viable UK bid was received for this part of the Successor submarine manufacture. Other stages of construction will include grades of steel manufactured by British suppliers and I encourage them to take the opportunity to bid.

Overall, 85% of BAE System’s supply chain for the new submarines is based in the UK.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Nic Dakin on 2015-10-09.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what steps he is taking to ensure earlier diagnosis of congenital diaphragmatic hernia in babies and young children; and if he will make a statement.

Ben Gummer

The UK National Screening Committee currently recommends antenatal screening for congenital diaphragmatic hernia (CDH) as part of the Fetal Anomaly Screening Programme. CDH is primarily detected through the fetal anomaly ultrasound which is carried out between 18 weeks and 21 weeks of pregnancy.

Research from around the world has shown that with current screening techniques only around 70% of cases of CDH can be diagnosed before birth and that those not diagnosed before delivery tend to be less severe and have better outcomes. The fetal anomaly screening programme in England continues to monitor the quality of the antenatal screening process for all such anomalies.

A recent confidential enquiry focussed on CDH and a report of the findings was published in December 2014 by MBRRACE-UK on behalf of NHS England. This report considered the care provided for CDH cases diagnosed before and after birth, and considered all aspects of the care pathway following review of a sample of cases drawn from across the United Kingdom. The report highlighted certain aspects of practice that needed improvement, including the lack of evidence-based guidance for care. It recommended that consensus guidance is needed on the optimal management for the care and treatment for babies diagnosed with CDH and the management of late termination of affected pregnancies. It also flagged the inconsistent information provided to families which sometimes led to misunderstanding; for example the extent to which, with current technology, it is possible to diagnose CDH cases antenatally.

A new neonatal surgical service specification is currently under development which should, once approved, lead to greater accountability and clearer practice in this area.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Nic Dakin on 2014-06-27.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what plans (a) his Department and (b) NHS England have to capture the experiences of cancer patients outside hospital settings.

Jane Ellison

NHS England now has responsibility for the Cancer Patient Experience Survey (CPES) and advises that it plans to continue the surveyin 2015.

Although the sample for the CPES is drawn from those who have had treatment for cancer within a hospital, the questionnaire also asks many questions about the patient’s experience outside of hospital too. For example, the initial process around diagnosis, interactions with a cancer nurse specialist (which may be outside of a hospital setting), home care and support, community nurses and care from their general practitioner. From this, it is possible to learn what the experience of cancer patients has been both inside and outside of a hospital setting.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Nic Dakin on 2014-06-27.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what plans NHS England has to conduct the National Cancer Patient Experience survey in 2015.

Jane Ellison

NHS England now has responsibility for the Cancer Patient Experience Survey (CPES) and advises that it plans to continue the surveyin 2015.

Although the sample for the CPES is drawn from those who have had treatment for cancer within a hospital, the questionnaire also asks many questions about the patient’s experience outside of hospital too. For example, the initial process around diagnosis, interactions with a cancer nurse specialist (which may be outside of a hospital setting), home care and support, community nurses and care from their general practitioner. From this, it is possible to learn what the experience of cancer patients has been both inside and outside of a hospital setting.