Education ministers were answering questions in the Commons.
Subjects covered included... Apprenticeship Starts
Higher Education: Part-time and Mature Students
Sixth-Form Colleges: Funding Children in Need
Basic Skills Church of England Free School: South
Birmingham Safeguarding for 16 and 17-year-olds Further
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Education ministers were answering questions in the Commons.
Subjects covered included...
To see any of these in greater detail, click on the link or read
below.
Apprenticeship Starts
-
Mr (Slough)
(Lab)
1. What assessment he has made of trends in the level of
apprenticeship starts since the introduction of the
apprenticeship levy. [905245]
-
(Wolverhampton South
West) (Lab)
2. What assessment he has made of trends in the level of
apprenticeship starts since the introduction of the
apprenticeship levy. [905246]
-
(Bradford South)
(Lab)
21. What assessment he has made of trends in the level of
apprenticeship starts since the introduction of the
apprenticeship levy. [905265]
-
The Secretary of State for Education (Damian Hinds)
At the outset, on behalf of all on the Government Benches,
may I briefly echo the Prime Minister’s words on the
passing of
? She gave a lifetime of tireless public service,
and displayed incredible bravery and dignity in the final
months. I know that there will be an opportunity shortly
for colleagues throughout the House to pay tributes.
Since the introduction of the apprenticeship levy, there
have been 242,100 apprenticeship starts and we have seen a
marked shift to higher-quality, longer and higher-level
apprenticeships.
-
Mr Dhesi
Employers and providers of apprenticeships, including in my
constituency, are concerned that the approvals process for
apprenticeship standards is far too slow and bureaucratic.
That follows the news that the Institute for
Apprenticeships cleared only four standards in April and 10
in March—that is actually down from 21 in February. What
extra resources will the Secretary of State give the IFA to
address those genuine concerns?
-
The hon. Gentleman’s constituency has leading
apprenticeship employers, including Centrica, Mars and
Telefónica-O2, and they play a leading role in showing what
it is possible to do with apprenticeships. The IFA has
brought forward a programme called “Faster and Better” to
make sure that standards are approved more quickly, and we
have seen the number of apprenticeship starts on standards
rising sharply. We continue to monitor that.
-
Last year, the Government set a target of 2.3% of the
workforce for public bodies on employing apprentices, yet
following a series of parliamentary questions by the shadow
Education team we have discovered that the vast majority of
Departments, including the Department for Education, are
failing to hit that target. If the Department is unable to
meet such targets internally, how are we supposed to
believe that it is going to meet the 3 million target by
2020?
-
The hon. Lady is right to identify the important role that
the public sector plays and to say that we have to try
additionally hard. She mentioned my Department, and we have
opportunities for training assistants and graduates through
the teaching apprenticeship.
-
The Government say that they want 3 million new apprentices
by 2020, but all the signs are that we are going in the
wrong direction. Last year there were 70 fewer apprentice
starts in my constituency than the year before, and
nationally starts are down by 23%. Can the Minister tell us
why that is? Do the Government agree with the British
Chambers of Commerce that the apprenticeship levy is “unfit
for purpose”?
-
The apprenticeship levy is an important structural reform
to the way we do training provision in this country, to
make sure that all sizeable firms are contributing to
upskilling the nation. We are in a period of change, and
some employers are taking longer to bed down what they are
going to do with their apprenticeship levy money. We must
bear in mind that they have two years to do that with each
month’s money, but we are seeing a shift to longer,
higher-quality apprenticeships, and that trend is to be
welcomed.
-
(Harlow) (Con)
I know that my right hon. Friend is committed to helping
more disadvantaged apprentices. The Conservative manifesto
said:
“We will introduce significantly discounted bus and train
travel for apprentices to ensure that no young person is
deterred from an apprenticeship due to travel costs.”
Will he confirm that that is still a commitment? When will
it happen?
-
My right hon. Friend rightly identifies the importance of
making sure that apprenticeships are fully inclusive, and
we continue to look at ensuring that such facilitation is
available.
-
(Bexleyheath and
Crayford) (Con)
What steps is my right hon. Friend taking to ensure that
more women are taking up apprenticeships in science,
technology and manufacturing?
-
My right hon. Friend is right to identify the challenge
that we have in STEM—science, technology, engineering and
maths. That goes for apprenticeships and for other parts of
the education and training system, as well as employment.
It is partly about encouraging girls through programmes
such as “Girls Get Coding”. We are taking part in the Year
of Engineering, and we continue to support improvements in
gender representation through our diversity champions
network.
-
(North West
Leicestershire) (Con)
Does my right hon. Friend agree that raising the quality of
apprenticeships is just as important as raising the
numbers, and that there is evidence that good progress is
being made in this area?
-
I could not agree more with my hon. Friend. In reforming
apprenticeships, we looked around the world to see what the
standards were in leading nations such as Germany,
Switzerland and the Netherlands. Having a lengthy
apprenticeship with a significant off-the-job training
element is very important.
-
Mr (Coventry South)
(Lab)
Has the Secretary of State looked at the impact of cuts in
further education on apprenticeships, particularly in
Coventry?
-
Of course, through the apprenticeship levy, the funding
available for apprenticeships will be roughly twice what it
was at the start of the decade, and further education
colleges are among those that can bid for that funding and
benefit from it.
-
(Mid Dorset and
North Poole) (Con)
Further to the question from the hon. Member for Bradford
South (Judith Cummins) about funding for the levy, is it
not right that the levy is an important part of the reforms
in this policy area and will ensure that there is long-term
investment in apprenticeship training?
-
That is absolutely right. As I said earlier, the levy
ensures that all sizeable firms contribute to the
upskilling of the nation. It is an employer-led system to
make sure that the apprenticeships that are done are those
demanded by employers.
-
(Ashton-under-Lyne)
(Lab)
May I echo the Secretary of State’s words regarding our
friend, the late
? I think in particular of her role in the
founding of Sure Start centres, not just as the shadow
Secretary of State for Education but because when I was a
young mum it was the local Sure Start centre that really
helped me and my son. For all that is said and done in this
Chamber, that is the best that any Member can hope to have
achieved.
Last week, Ministers told us that nursing apprenticeships
were the answer to NHS staff shortages. They set a target
of 1,000 nursing apprentices, but just 30 have actually
started training. Will the Secretary of State tell the
House how many will start this year?
-
Apprenticeships are an important opportunity in the
national health service, and we continue to work with the
NHS and the Department of Health and Social Care on them.
Of course, in the health service, as throughout society and
the economy, apprenticeships are employer-led programmes,
so the health service takes the lead.
Higher Education: Part-time and Mature Students
-
(Derby North)
(Lab)
3. What steps his Department is taking to tackle the
decreasing number of part-time and mature students in
higher education. [905247]
-
The Minister for Universities, Science, Research and
Innovation (Mr Sam Gyimah)
Part-time participation in higher education is absolutely
important to making higher education accessible to everyone
and promoting lifelong learning. We have adopted a number
of measures to support part-time and mature students. For
example, next year part-time students will for the first
time ever be able to access full-time equivalent
maintenance loans.
-
The Minister will be aware that since the Government
tripled tuition fees to £9,000, the number of part-time
student applications has fallen by a staggering 59%. Even
the former Universities Minister has said that
that is a disaster. Will the Minister take this opportunity
to apologise to a whole generation of would-be part-time
students and outline in a little more detail than he just
gave what steps he is going to take to reverse this awful
trend?
-
Mr Gyimah
The hon. Gentleman is right to identify the downward trend
in part-time students, which actually started before the
tuition fee changes. The Prime Minister has announced a
review of post-18 education and funding, which will look
into, among other things, flexible, part-time and distance
learning, as well as commuter study options, to boost the
options available to those who want to pursue such a course
of study.
-
(Horsham) (Con)
I declare an interest: I read history. Many graduates see
an advantage in returning to higher education to learn a
STEM subject. What are the Government doing to aid those
people in particular?
-
Mr Gyimah
My hon. Friend refers to the qualifications required for
someone to be able to go back and study for a further
degree. We have relaxed the “equivalent or lower
qualification” rules to support students who already have a
degree and wish to retrain in a STEM subject on a part-time
basis. If my hon. Friend is contemplating an engineering
degree in his spare time, the way is open.
-
(Glasgow North West)
(SNP)
First, may I associate myself and those on the Scottish
National party Benches with the Secretary of State’s
remarks regarding the sad passing of
?
Last year, more than 38,000 non-UK students enrolled on
part-time higher education courses. Such students are
important for universities’ income streams and for the
wider local economy, so what steps is the Minister taking
to ensure that part-time students from the EU are not
subject to harsh immigration rules post Brexit?
-
Mr Gyimah
Part-time students from the EU will be treated in the same
way as full-time students from the EU. We have made our
position on EU students clear. We will make announcements
in respect of future years—2019-20 and 2020-21—in due
course.
-
(Blackpool South)
(Lab)
Does the Minister not realise that since tripling HE
tuition fees to £9,000 in 2012, Tory-led Governments have
been a disaster for mature and part-time students in
England? As my hon. Friend the Member for Derby North
(Chris Williamson) said, there has been a 59% drop in
part-time student applications. That has left scores of
continuing education centres in HE axed, while our iconic,
world-renowned Open University, where I proudly taught for
20 years, is in crisis. What is the Minister going to do
now—not after a wait for pittances in the 2019 review—to
protect the OU, where students will not benefit from the
loans he talks about, and others from policies that have
become both socially and economically insane?
-
Mr Gyimah
Of the £1.3 billion of grant funding that the Higher
Education Funding Council for England allocated to support
teaching in higher education last year, £72 million went to
part-time study. The Open University received £48 million
of that, and 47,000 students have steady part-time courses
there. We are supporting the OU. It is going through
restructuring at the moment, but as I have often said, the
review is looking at that and we will ensure that it
continues to deliver excellent education for part-time
students.
Sixth-Form Colleges: Funding
-
(North West Durham)
(Lab)
4. What recent assessment he has made of the adequacy of
funding for sixth-form colleges. [905248]
-
The Minister for Apprenticeships and Skills (Anne
Milton)
We have protected the 16-to-19 funding base rate until 2020
to make sure that every young person can access an
excellent education. There are also the 16-to-19 bursary
funds, which can be used to help disadvantaged students
meet the costs of participation, including transport costs,
and of course there will be an extra £600 for every
additional student taking level 3 maths.
-
That is not the reality in my community. To me, it is
unjustifiable to provide £50 million for grammar schools
when Wolsingham School, in the heart of rural Weardale in
my constituency, has been forced to suspend its sixth form,
which means that young people may have to travel up to four
hours for access to post-16 education. The issues are
inadequate per-pupil funding combined with historical debt
from years of cuts and the failure of the funding formula
to allow for smaller pupil numbers owing to rurality, not a
lack of grammar school places. Will the Secretary of State
please come to Weardale, and will she also look into this
case with urgency and provide some assurance to young
people, teachers and parents in Weardale that they will
have a sixth form come September?
-
I know that the hon. Lady met my right hon. Friend the
Secretary of State, and that the Department for Education
is working closely with Durham. The Secretary of State will
keep closely in touch with her, because I appreciate that
her concern is about the learners in her constituency.
-
Sir (Mid Sussex)
(Con)
First, may I congratulate my right hon. Friend on the
excellent work that she is doing in this area? Is she aware
that the absolutely first-class sixth-form college in
Haywards Heath is now closed, in an area where there is a
desperate need for a sixth-form college to cater for the
ambitions and the further education of many young people
coming out of our local schools? Will she do her very best
to work with us, Mid Sussex District Council, West Sussex
County Council and the local universities to put together a
really original idea to reopen Haywards Heath sixth-form
college?
-
I thank my right hon. Friend for his question. Indeed, I
was at school on that campus. [Hon. Members: “Ah!”] It was
a grammar school then. The Department for Education is
working very closely with others on the matter, and I have
to say that not only my right hon. Friend’s input but that
of the district council has been brilliant. I would dearly
love to see an innovative and a really groundbreaking
project on the site.
-
Mr (Huddersfield)
(Lab/Co-op)
If the Minister is to get to the heart of these things, she
must come to Huddersfield and see that we have not only two
excellent sixth-form colleges but a further education
college. We need all those facilities to be as good as they
can be, but at the moment all of them are struggling under
financial cuts.
-
I look forward to visiting the hon. Gentleman’s
constituency at the earliest opportunity. I am spread
rather thinly, and there are many colleges for me to get
round. [Interruption.] I missed a football match yesterday.
-
Mr Speaker
Which Arsenal won.
-
Well, Mr Speaker, I know quite a lot about sixth-form
colleges and FE colleges, although I am due a visit to the
hon. Gentleman’s, and a great deal less about football, so
I will not be drawn into making a comment.
The hon. Gentleman makes a good point: having sixth-form
colleges, further education colleges, independent training
providers and higher education institutes all working
together is how we can raise standards to the levels that
we all want to see.
-
(Luton North)
(Ind)
In both educational performance and value for money,
sixth-form colleges are the most successful institutions in
our education system, so when will the Government fund
existing colleges properly and take steps to establish many
more sixth-form colleges across the country?
-
We are looking at the resilience of the FE sector across
the board to ensure that it is as efficient and effective
as possible. Learners are at the heart of all that, as we
want to ensure that young people have all the opportunities
possible. Sixth-form colleges do a brilliant job, and I am
looking forward to visiting Godalming College on Friday.
-
(Scunthorpe) (Lab)
On the subject of resilience, how long does the Minister
think it is sustainable for 16 to 18-year-olds to be funded
21% less than those who are 16 and under, and 48% less than
university students?
-
The hon. Gentleman is a doughty campaigner in this area; we
have had many debates across the Chamber on the issue.
There is a post-18 review under way, and we are looking at
the resilience of the FE sector. What matters is that we
ensure that every learner, whichever route they choose to
take—further education or training through an
apprenticeship—has the best possible training and
education.
-
(Ashton-under-Lyne)
(Lab)
My local side Ashton United, who do a lot with local
schools, were promoted recently.
Funding for 16 to 19-year-olds has been frozen or cut every
year since the formula was set in 2013. Will the Minister
confirm that the real-terms cut to the base rate for
18-year-olds will be more than £1,000 per pupil by 2020?
The Secretary of State can find £50 million a year for
grammar schools, but what can he offer the sixth forms
reaching crisis point?
-
Once again I will not be drawn on football, I am afraid.
As I pointed out to the hon. Member for Scunthorpe (Nic
Dakin), there is a post-18 review going on, and we are
looking at the resilience of the FE sector, which includes
sixth-form colleges. Opposition Members are banging their
knees, but I am very aware of the funding pressures. I
praise all those teaching in the sector, as they are doing
an excellent job. There is more money available, including
the additional £600 per person per annum for maths and the
bursary funds that I mentioned. I have heard the hon.
Lady’s point, and I am aware of the excellent job that
sixth forms do with quite constrained finances.
Children in Need
-
(Halton) (Lab)
5. What recent assessment he has made of outcomes for
children in need. [905249]
-
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Education
(Nadhim Zahawi)
Of course, this is not a new issue; we are simply shining a
light on it. We recently published extensive data showing
the poor educational outcomes for children in need. A call
for evidence has been launched to develop our
understanding. My Department is also working with three
What Works centres to build our national evidence base on
improving those outcomes.
-
That was a bit of a poor answer. The number of children’s
centres has halved since 2010, 350 Sure Start centres have
closed, children’s services departments in local
authorities are struggling with budgets and getting enough
staff, and more children are being taken into care, so that
answer is quite frankly not good enough. What are the
Government going to do to ensure that we have more early
intervention to prevent those problems from happening in
the first place?
-
We are determined to close the gap between disadvantaged
children and their peers. The early years are crucial to
getting that right. The gap continues to narrow, having
gone from 19 to 17 percentage points. In our ambitious £800
million plan, “Unlocking Talent, Fulfilling Potential”, we
committed £100 million of investment to help close the gap
further. Councils decide how they use children’s centres in
the overall provision, and I have seen great work being
done in Wigan, Hackney and Staffordshire. It is not simply
about bricks and mortar.
-
(Brentwood and Ongar)
(Con)
Will the Minister confirm that the excellent review of the
outcomes of children in need will look not just at
educational outcomes, but at employment and other outcomes?
-
I can confirm that.
-
(Oxford West and
Abingdon) (LD)
I would like to associate myself and the Liberal Democrats
with the tributes paid to
. She was an inspiration, particularly in the
area of early-years provision.
Looked-after children in Oxfordshire could have to wait for
up to six months to get into the secondary school that they
need to, primarily because local authorities do not have
the directive powers over academies that they do over
maintained schools. What is the Minister doing to ensure
that the most vulnerable children do not miss a day of
school?
-
I also pay my own tribute to
, who was a constituent of mine and helped me in
this place when I arrived here as a young novice.
Those most disadvantaged children, to whom the hon. Lady
referred, are actually given priority during the admissions
process.
-
Mr (Huddersfield)
(Lab/Co-op)
What about Shakespeare?
-
Mr Speaker
Well, we cannot mention Shakespeare in every question, but
I am sure that the Minister will take his opportunity ere
long.
Basic Skills
-
(Colne Valley)
(Lab)
6. What steps he is taking to improve basic skills.
[905250]
-
(Stretford and Urmston)
(Lab)
16. What steps he is taking to improve basic skills.
[905260]
-
The Minister for Apprenticeships and Skills (Anne
Milton)
We fully fund maths and English provision for adults and
will do the same for digital from 2020. A record number of
19-year-olds now hold a level 2 qualification in English
and maths. We perform to above the OECD average for
literacy, at 14 out 34, but we perform below the OECD
average for numeracy, at 20 out of 30, and we have to
change that.
-
When I met representatives of businesses in my
constituency, they told me that many apprentices are
missing core skills such as English and maths. What plans
does the Minister have to address these concerns without
placing additional pressure on young people through yet
more testing?
-
The new primary maths curriculum that came into effect in
2014 focuses on ensuring that children are fluent in basic
arithmetic, including their times tables. The objective is
for every child to leave primary school ready for the
demands of secondary school. These reforms are already
starting to yield results. Anecdotal evidence shows that
fewer children are without these basic skills going into
secondary school. My job, with responsibilities for post-16
education, is to make sure that those who missed out on
that type of reformed education get an opportunity to catch
up.
-
Government funding for ESOL—English for speakers of other
languages—has fallen by 53% in real terms since 2010, and
participation rates have fallen by 36%. Home Office-funded
regional ESOL co-ordinators say that there is severe
pressure on provision at pre-entry level. What additional
funding are the Government going to put into ESOL?
-
Funding matters, absolutely—I am not disputing that; but
this is also about the innovative ways in which people—
-
indicated dissent.
-
The hon. Lady raises her eyes to the heavens, but this does
make a difference. I have seen some extraordinary examples
of adult education providers working with local primary
schools to make sure that people who need English language
skills get the support they need.
-
Sir (New Forest West)
(Con)
Why did the Minister not proceed with the grants for year 7
catch-up projects?
-
I will have to write to my right hon. Friend about that. It
is an area that falls between my portfolio and that of the
School Standards Minister.
-
(Corby) (Con)
Daily Mile initiatives are good for our young people’s
physical and mental wellbeing, attainment, and readiness to
learn in the classroom. Will the Minister therefore
undertake to look at how these initiatives can be more
widely rolled out in schools and also supported across
Government?
-
The School Standards Minister will have heard my hon.
Friend’s question. This is not just about classroom
learning—there is no doubt about that. There are all sorts
of initiatives that make a difference not only to how much
children learn but their readiness to learn.
-
Mrs
(Berwick-upon-Tweed) (Con)
This Wednesday is National Numeracy Day. Speaking as a
mathematician—not a historian—I welcome the fantastic work
that the Government are doing to increase critical basic
maths participation for longer in our schools, especially
for girls. Does the Minister agree that, as our all-party
group on maths and numeracy report on early years
highlighted last year, we need to invest more in basic
skills in maths-focused learning and teacher training for
early years education, so that through the development of
number sense, all children can flourish in maths once they
get to school?
-
Mr Speaker
It is also Mental Health Awareness Week, colleagues, as I
am sure you will all be aware. I commend the ribbon to
you—on top of the important point that the hon. Lady has
made.
-
I fear that when I take the national numeracy test on
Wednesday, as I intend to do, my stress levels will be
rising; I gave up maths at 15 after I took O-level. We
should be shocked that one in two adults have the numeracy
skills of an 11-year-old or younger—the figure is one in
six for English—and that 11 million adults lack basic
digital skills. We live in a rarefied atmosphere in this
place, and some of us find it quite extraordinary to
appreciate those facts. The test on Wednesday is a must for
every Member of this House. I hope that they will join me
in taking it, tweeting the picture, and making sure that
everybody understands the need to be numerate.
Church of England Free School: South Birmingham
-
(Birmingham, Selly Oak)
(Lab)
7. What progress has been made on plans for a new Church of
England free school in south Birmingham. [905251]
-
The Minister for School Standards (Nick Gibb)
As the hon. Gentleman will know, it is planned that Christ
Church Church of England Secondary Academy will open in
September 2021. Feasibility studies have been completed on
the proposed site on School Road in Yardley Wood and will
be shared with local residents at ward meetings in advance
of the formal planning application in the late autumn.
-
I am grateful for that information. About this time last
year, Ministers and officials told us that they could
afford to close Baverstock school in Druids Heath because
they had more than sufficient places in south Birmingham.
Now it transpires that around that time they were planning
to build another school a mile and a half down the road on
playing fields used by local residents, including Maypole
Juniors FC, for a variety of recreational activities. Can
the Minister talk us through the economics of his decision?
-
Mr Speaker
Briefly.
-
The decision to locate and build the new school in Yardley
Wood rather than on the Baverstock site is supported by
Birmingham City Council, as that location will help address
the need for new secondary school places not only in the
Selly Oak area but in the neighbouring Hall Green area. The
feasibility study shows that the site can accommodate a
school and make greater use of the playing fields, and will
significantly improve sporting facilities for both pupils
and the local community.
-
(Gainsborough)
(Con)
rose—
-
Mr Speaker
No, no. Gainsborough in Lincolnshire is a splendid place,
but it is a considerable distance from south Birmingham. I
know that I can rely on the ingenuity of the hon. Gentleman
to give us his thoughts on another matter at a later point
in our proceedings, but not much later, I am sure.
Safeguarding for 16 and 17-year-olds
-
(Peterborough)
(Lab)
8. What recent assessment he has made of the quality of
safeguarding for 16 and 17-year-olds. [905252]
-
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Education
(Nadhim Zahawi)
It was wonderful to see “Three Girls” triumph at the BAFTAs
yesterday, and that was also a demonstration of what
happens when agencies fail. Schools and colleges must have
regard to the Department’s statutory safeguarding guidance,
“Keeping children safe in education”. Ofsted has published
a document setting out the approach inspectors should take
to inspecting safeguarding. Inspectors will always report
on whether arrangements for safeguarding children and
learners are effective.
-
In my constituency, the schools that serve our 16 and
17-year-olds and that have sustained the biggest cuts were
graded level 3 by Ofsted, which means that they are now
deemed to require improvement. Does the Minister agree that
the average of £300 less per pupil is having a negative
impact?
-
The same safeguarding duties apply for 16 and 17-year-olds
as for children of any age. That would be the message that
I would send to the hon. Lady’s school.
-
Mrs (South Shields)
(Lab)
Sixteen and 17-year-olds are overrepresented in the secure
residential estate. Instead of addressing capacity issues,
last year, in the face of opposition, the Government
changed legislation so that the most vulnerable children
from England and Wales can now be placed in Scotland, miles
away from their families, friends, schools and the health
professionals who support them. Written questions that I
have asked show that the Minister has made no attempt to
look at the impact of this dire legislative change. Why is
that?
-
Placing any child or young person more than 20 miles away
from their area requires the agreement of the director of
children’s services. Children should always be placed where
appropriate and the director of children’s services must
make that decision.
Further Education Providers: Funding
-
(Stoke-on-Trent
Central) (Lab/Co-op)
9. Whether he plans to increase funding for further
education providers; and if he will make a statement.
[905253]
-
The Minister for Apprenticeships and Skills (Anne
Milton)
We protected the 16-to-19 funding base rate for all types
of further education providers in the 2015 spending review.
I should point out that the additional investment for the
new T-levels to increase hours of learning from 600 to 900
per session will result in £550 million by the time of
their roll-out. We are also spending £20 million to help
teachers with T-levels, and there is a host of other
funding going into FE, not least the restructuring
fund—£726 million was made available by the Treasury. There
is also the local growth fund for capital and the strategic
college improvement fund.
-
What the Minister really said there, in a very long-winded
way, was that there is no new funding. T-levels do not
exist yet, and the funding she has re-announced already
exists. Some £1.3 million would have been available to the
colleges and further education establishments in my
constituency had the Department not redirected the
underspend between 2014 and 2017. I simply ask her: can we
have it back, please?
-
As I pointed out earlier, we have a post-18 funding review
going on and we are looking at the resilience of the FE
sector—
-
indicated dissent.
-
The hon. Gentleman can shake his head—
-
I can shake my head, yes.
-
The hon. Gentleman was shaking his head, but perhaps he
just had a fly buzzing around his ears.
We are looking at resilience. I was at Leicester College
last week—it was a fabulous visit to a fabulous
college—and, interestingly, it said that employers and
universities are now coming to it. The opportunities for FE
colleges to generate income through apprenticeships and the
apprenticeship levy have never been better.
-
(Torbay) (Con)
The Minister will be aware that work has now started on the
new £17 million high-tech and skills centre at South Devon
College in Paignton. Does she agree that this funding makes
the college the ideal place to be one of the first to
deliver T-levels?
-
I do not want to jump a stage in the announcements, but I
have to say that South Devon College is clearly doing a
wonderful job putting in that new facility and, I have no
doubt, working very closely with local employers.
-
(Kingston upon Hull West
and Hessle) (Lab)
As the Minister will know, Hull College has been one of the
recipients of Fresh Start funding. However, a condition of
the funding is that the college can spend only 60% of its
income on staff, which has led to its having to get rid of
231 full-time equivalent posts—one in three jobs going from
Hull College. Will the Minister explain where the figure of
60% came from, and how will she make the process more
transparent so that people can actually understand what is
happening?
-
I am very aware that Hull College has had record amounts of
funding put in, and we are working very closely with it to
make sure that we get a sustainable solution for learners
in the hon. Lady’s area. Good colleges, and I see this as I
go around the country, are about having good financial
management and good leadership, both of which are crucial.
I know that the FE commissioner and my team in the
Department for Education will continue to work closely with
the hon. Lady to make sure that we get the right solution
for Hull.
PSHE Lessons: Problem Gambling
-
(Shipley) (Con)
10. If he will take steps to ensure that the dangers of
problem gambling are taught in PSHE lessons. [905254]
-
The Minister for School Standards (Nick Gibb)
At the beginning of the year, we invited views through a
call for evidence on the status and content of personal,
social and health and economic education, and we spoke to a
range of expert groups. We are considering the evidence we
have gathered, and we will make an announcement on the
subject later in the year.
-
Will the Minister work with Gamble Aware and other problem
gambling charities such as YGAM—the Young Gamblers
Education Trust—to ensure that schoolchildren understand
gambling and the dangers of gambling addiction, especially
given that the Government, wrongly in my view, currently
allow 16-year-olds to gamble on the national lottery and
scratchcards?
-
Some schools already choose to teach about the dangers of
gambling in their curriculum—for example, in their PSHE
provision. During the recent call for evidence, we heard
from a number of problem gambling charities, including
Gamble Aware, and we are considering the evidence that they
submitted.
-
Mr (Hazel Grove)
(Con)
Does my right hon. Friend agree that the provision of
integrated user-friendly programmes is crucial to
delivering good PSHE in primary schools, and will he
recognise the work of organisations such as 1decision and
Headway, which I have the pleasure of hosting in Parliament
today?
-
I very much hope that those organisations will respond to
the call for evidence; we are keen to hear from
organisations with expertise in this area. We are
consulting on the content of relationships education, and
we will respond to the consultation shortly.
Kinship Carers
-
(Great Grimsby)
(Lab)
11. What support the Government provide for kinship carers.
[905255]
-
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Education
(Nadhim Zahawi)
The Government recognise the important role that family and
friends play in caring for children who are unable to live
with their parents. We have set clear duties on local
authorities to support children living with family or
friend carers, regardless of their legal status.
-
I find that answer particularly interesting because that
tells me that the Government are doing absolutely nothing.
Three quarters of kinship care families experience severe
financial hardship. Does the Minister agree with me that
kinship carers should get the same rights and allowances as
foster carers, and will he take a first step by agreeing to
discount tax credits from the benefit cap for kinship
carers?
-
Kinship carers actually have access to benefit entitlements
in the same way as birth parents.
-
(Chippenham)
(Con)
On Friday night, I held a crime forum in Corsham, and
outreach to carers and parents by schools was regularly
discussed. Corsham high school already employs a person to
do this outreach, and a lot of charities also work in this
space. Are there any plans by the Government to review
support and to share best practice, which can encourage
social mobility?
-
As part of our social mobility action plan, we are looking
at all these issues. I would be very happy to discuss them
with my hon. Friend.
Disabled Students’ Allowance: Self-contribution Charge
-
The Minister for Universities, Science, Research and
Innovation (Mr Sam Gyimah)
Official data shows that there were 4,600 fewer English
full-time undergraduate students receiving equipment from
disabled students’ allowances. This is expected, because we
knew the numbers would fall once students had to pay £200
towards the cost of computer equipment. Evaluation of the
impact of this change is currently under way.
-
The truth is that the number of students in receipt of the
disabled students’ allowance for essential equipment has
fallen by nearly 30% since the £200 up-front fee was
introduced. Given that this charge is clearly preventing
disabled students from accessing the essential equipment
they need to further their studies, will the Minister
commit today to reversing that £200 fee?
-
Mr Gyimah
I think the hon. Lady misunderstands the situation. The
fact that the number of students who are accessing the £200
has gone down does not mean that they are lacking in
equipment. The truth is that computer ownership is now
common among all students, with students spending on
average around £250 on computers. As DSAs are not intended
to cover all student costs, we think it is reasonable to
ask students to contribute towards the cost of computer
equipment.
Social Mobility Action Plan
-
(Manchester Central)
(Lab/Co-op)
13. What steps he has taken to improve social mobility
since the publication of the Social Mobility Action Plan.
[905257]
-
(East Antrim)
(DUP)
18. What steps he is taking to improve social mobility.
[905262]
-
The Secretary of State for Education (Damian Hinds)
Social mobility is at the heart of our programmes and my
own priorities. We have announced a number of steps,
including delivery plans for a further six opportunity
areas, and a pilot scheme to help parents improve their
children’s early language and literacy skills at home.
-
I thank the Secretary of State for that reply. As we
rightly pay tribute to the amazing
, who pioneered Sure Start centres, is now not
the moment for us to come together across this House and
recognise that boosting the early years is the route to
social mobility in this country? Even said that to the
Education Committee the week before last. Will the
Secretary of State work with me and others in the all-party
parliamentary groups to look again at how we restart the
Sure Start programme and to give life to maintained nursery
schools, which do so much for quality early education in
some of our most deprived communities?
-
We absolutely come together in recognising the fundamental
importance of the early years. I am afraid it is all too
depressing a fact that, from what happens from age zero to
five, so much is predictable of what will happen in later
life. Addressing that involves a number of different
strands, one of which is what happens in the home, and that
is perhaps what has had least attention hitherto. The work
of children’s centres is also important, and there are over
2,000 children’s centres across the country. It also
matters what happens in childcare and early years settings,
and we now have many more young disadvantaged children—71%
of eligible two-year-olds—benefiting from the 15 hours at
age two.
-
I congratulate the Government on the additional funding
that they have made available for the expansion of grammar
schools, especially since grammar schools have
traditionally been the mode by which many young people from
disadvantaged backgrounds have been able to improve their
education chances. To access funding, what steps must
schools take to show that they are genuinely improving
access to academically gifted youngsters from disadvantaged
backgrounds?
-
That is an incredibly important question. Northern Ireland
has a particularly strong record on educational outcomes
when we look at the international tables. The right hon.
Gentleman asks specifically what schools need to do to bid
into the capital fund for selective schools. They would
have to submit a fair access and partnership plan and, at a
minimum, commit to prioritising pupil premium pupils in
their admissions criteria. They would also have to
re-examine their admission or testing arrangements and
undertake outreach to support access for disadvantaged
pupils.
Childcare Settings: Financial Viability
-
(Manchester, Gorton)
(Lab)
14. What assessment he has made of the effect of the
Government's policy on funded childcare on the financial
viability of childcare settings. [905258]
-
(Liverpool, Walton)
(Lab)
15. What assessment he has made of the effect of the
Government's policy on funded childcare on the financial
viability of childcare settings. [905259]
-
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Education
(Nadhim Zahawi)
By 2019-20, we will be spending an extra £1 billion
annually on higher funding rates to deliver 30 hours of
free childcare. The rates are based on our review of
childcare costs, which was described as both thorough and
wide-ranging by the National Audit Office. We have
commissioned new research to understand providers’ current
costs.
-
According to Ofsted, the number of childminders dropped
once again in the last three months of 2017. We now have
over 15,000 fewer childminders than there were in 2012.
Does the Minister believe that funding levels have played a
part in this dramatic drop-off? If not, how does he explain
it?
-
We are spending record amounts on childcare—£6 billion in
total. If we look at parents who got their 30 hours of
childcare for three and four-year-olds, we see that 377,000
codes have been issued for the summer term. The system is
working.
-
Evidence to the Treasury Committee shows that the
Government’s scheme is making childcare cheaper only for
those already using it and failing to bring parents into
work. How have Ministers created a system that pushes child
carers into poverty and out of business, and prices out the
poorest families in most need, like those in north
Liverpool?
-
Mr Speaker, you will not be surprised that I disagree with
those words. A lone parent has to earn just over £6,500 and
a couple just over £13,000 to be eligible for the 30-hours
three and four-year-old offer. The Secretary of State spoke
about the two-year-old 15 hour disadvantage offer and that
same 15 hours for three and four-year-olds as well. The
evidence is clear that the money is being targeted at those
who are in most need.
-
(Batley and Spen)
(Lab/Co-op)
The latest evidence that the 30-hours policy is underfunded
came in the shape of a survey of providers conducted by the
National Association of Head Teachers. It showed that a
quarter of providers believe that 30-hours children have
displaced three and four-year-olds who are entitled to only
15 hours of free childcare—the children most likely to be
disadvantaged. Will the Minister tell us whether this was
in the plan for this policy? If not, does he not agree with
the chorus of voices telling him it is time to relieve the
financial pressures on providers so that the poorest
children do not miss out?
-
This year, we will be enhancing our annual survey of
childcare and early years providers with more detailed
research on provider finances and childcare costs. This
will provide us with robust, up-to-date evidence on
childcare costs. I remind the hon. Lady that funding to
local authorities for three and four-year-olds, delivered
through the early years national funding formula, has
increased from £4.56 to £4.94. As of April 2017, our
funding rate to deliver the entitlement for two-year-olds
increased by 7% in every local authority.
-
Mr Speaker
We move on to Topical questions. I give notice to the House
that I would like to move on to tributes to at 3.30 pm, so it is important that colleagues
are either characteristically or uncharacteristically, as
the case may be, brief.
Topical Questions
-
(Ochil and South
Perthshire) (Con)
T1. If he will make a statement on his departmental
responsibilities. [905270]
-
The Secretary of State for Education (Damian Hinds)
Last week I announced the drive for more good school places
at selective schools, free schools and faith schools,
alongside others, to meet local demand and to strengthen
partnership between independent schools and the state
sector. This will build on our investment in creating over
800,000 new schools places since 2010. Great education is
all about great teachers, and this month I announced plans
for a clearer system of accountability, freeing up teachers
to focus on what really matters in the classroom. If
children arrive at school struggling with language they are
at a disadvantage and that hampers social mobility, as we
were just discussing. I have announced two new schemes to
help to close the word gap, including a pilot to provide
practical tools to parents and funding for local
authorities to share good practice.
-
Currently, Scottish universities receive about £560 million
research and development funding from the UK Government.
What steps is my right hon. Friend taking to guarantee that
investment post-Brexit and to support spin-off companies
spreading wealth across the UK?
-
In the industrial strategy we have set out a long-term
ambition to raise UK investment in R&D to 2.4% by 2027,
and our guarantee of Horizon 2020 funding for UK
participants remains in place.
-
(Glasgow North West)
(SNP)
A hard Brexit could see Scotland miss out on millions of
pounds in European research funding, damaging the success
of our universities. The Universities Minister said that we
will not participate in Horizon 2020’s successor programme
at any price. Will the Secretary of State tell the House
how much would be considered too much?
-
We have to look at this and consider value for money. My
hon. Friend the Minister is absolutely right to say “not at
any price”. The UK, including Scotland, remains an
extremely attractive destination for these research
projects.
-
(Horsham) (Con)
T2. What support has the Department provided to schools to
help them to address cost pressures? [905272]
-
The Minister for School Standards (Nick Gibb)
The Department provides a range of support to schools,
including a national deal to help schools to save money on
such things as energy, where there is a 10% saving, or
photocopiers and other computer equipment, where there are
savings of up to 40%. We are also providing buying hub
advice in pilots in the north-west and the south-west and a
new framework from this September to help to drive down the
costs of agency supply staff.
-
(Wythenshawe and Sale East)
(Lab)
Does the Minister agree that the unintended consequence of
the Progress 8 assessment system, as The Times Educational
Supplement put it this week, is that all the losers look
the same—they are schools in white, working-class areas
with high levels of pupil premium. On the current measures,
this will result in Ofsted having no choice but to
downgrade these schools, compounding the teacher
recruitment and retention crisis, and putting off
prospective academy sponsors. What action is the Minister
taking?
-
Actually, Progress 8 carries widespread support in the
sector. It is a far better method of assessing schools than
the previous method—five or more GCSEs of A* to C—because
it measures progress and takes into account the starting
point of pupils when they start secondary school. We think
it is a good measure. We are looking at some of the details
of the outliers when we calculate Progress 8, and we will
have more to say on that in due course.
-
(Telford) (Con)
T4. The Minister will have read the Education Committee’s
report on the Government’s Green Paper on children’s mental
health. Does the Minister agree with the Committee that
there needs to be specific, distinct proposals to enable
looked-after children to access mental health services?
[905274]
-
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Education
(Nadhim Zahawi)
That is a really important question. We are piloting new
approaches to mental health assessment for children in
care. The pilots seek to address concerns about the current
mental health assessment for children and young people
entering care, and to build on the recommendations of the
expert working group on mental health.
-
(Houghton and
Sunderland South) (Lab)
T3. Almost one in three children at secondary school in the
north-east attends a school judged to be “inadequate” or
“needing improvement”. Rather than chucking money at
grammar schools, when can we expect to see action to drive
up standards and tackle education inequality in regions
such as the north-east? [905273]
-
The hon. Lady is absolutely right to identify the challenge
in the north-east—a region with particularly strong primary
schools and early years settings, but with more of a
challenge at secondary school. She is absolutely right that
we need to work doubly hard, and I look forward to working
with her.
-
(Ashford) (Con)
T5. I have seen the enthusiasm for apprenticeships from
firms in Ashford improve markedly in recent years, which is
great, but I hope Ministers agree that the quality of
apprenticeships is as important as quantity. Is my right
hon. Friend in discussion with the Institute for
Apprenticeships about how to enhance the quality of
apprenticeships? [905275]
-
My right hon. Friend the Skills Minister is in very regular
contact with the IFA, and I also met it last week. My right
hon. Friend the Member for Ashford (Damian Green) is
absolutely correct to identify that if we are going to make
the step change that we need in the skills and productivity
of this country, it is going to be all about driving
quality.
-
Mrs (Washington and
Sunderland West) (Lab)
T8. As chair of the all-party group on art, craft and
design in education, I welcome the Government’s recent
announcement of extra funding for the arts. However, will
the Minister explain what benefit that would bring to the
majority of children who are missing out on arts education
because of funding cuts, as evidenced by the recent BBC
survey on this issue, especially as the new money went to
the gifted and talented? [905279]
-
Yes, the money we announced was for those schemes, but we
are spending £500 million between 2016 and 2020 on music
and arts in our schools. We value music and the arts in our
schools—they are hugely important—and those schools with
the best academic results also tend to have very strong
arts, music and sports facilities and offer as well.
-
(Chelmsford) (Con)
T6. English universities are soon to start advertising for
courses that start in 2019, after we have left the EU, and
the courses will run after the transition period. Will the
Minister provide an update on the fee status that will
apply to EU students on those courses? [905277]
-
The Minister for Universities, Science, Research and
Innovation (Mr Sam Gyimah)
As ever, my hon. Friend is spot on with her question.
Institutions and students need information on the support
students are entitled to. We will be making information
available for the 2019-20 academic year as soon as
possible.
-
(Harrow West)
(Lab/Co-op)
Will the Minister for sixth-form colleges be willing to
meet me to discuss some of the financial and capital needs
facing Britain’s best sixth-form college, St Dominic’s in
my constituency?
-
The Minister for Apprenticeships and Skills (Anne
Milton)
I would be delighted to meet the hon. Gentleman.
-
(Faversham and Mid
Kent) (Con)
T7. I welcome the work the Government are doing to promote
mental health in schools, but could my hon. Friend advise
me on what steps the Government are taking to support the
mental health of students at university and in further
education? [905278]
-
Mr Gyimah
The issues of mental health in our universities are
extremely concerning, and I am working with the National
Union of Students on its plans. Universities UK’s step
change project, which calls on higher education leaders to
adopt mental health as a strategic priority, is an
important one, and one I support.
-
(City of Chester)
(Lab)
Will the Minister confirm that when the hated 1% pay cap is
lifted, the balance will be paid entirely from central
funds and will not be foisted on to the schools themselves?
-
The Government’s position is clear: the public sector pay
cap is no longer in place and we have adopted a more
flexible approach to public sector pay. We have asked the
School Teachers’ Review Body to use this flexibility to
target the next pay award to promote recruitment and
retention.
-
(Walsall North)
(Con)
What more can be done to help companies such as Turnock Ltd
in my constituency and its owner, Gordon Stone, who has
apprentices busy making Christmas lighting for cities and
towns across the country?
-
The Minister for Apprenticeships and Skills (Anne
Milton)
I congratulate the firm on my hon. Friend’s patch and am
delighted it has apprenticeships. The National
Apprenticeship Service is there to help at any time.
-
(Enfield,
Southgate) (Lab)
On Monday 7 May, one of my constituents was stabbed in a
local park. Today, he would have been sitting his GCSEs,
but instead he is in an intensive care unit in a London
hospital having undergone life-saving surgery. Does the
Secretary of State agree that my constituent, having been a
victim of a serious knife crime, should not suffer now or
in later life as a result of not being awarded GCSE grades,
and will he put pressure on the exam boards to allow my
constituent to be awarded the grades he was predicted to
get?
-
All our hearts go out to the hon. Gentleman’s constituent
and his family. I do not know what is possible, but I will
meet him as a matter of urgency, if he wishes, to discuss
the matter.
-
(Witham) (Con)
What changes is the Minister considering to ensure that the
apprenticeship levy can be used to fund the type of
training schemes and shorter courses that employers are
demanding and which will help to get more people back into
work?
-
The apprenticeship levy is designed to make sure we get the
money into training and end-point assessment and is
critical to driving up quality. One year of 20%-off-the-job
training for apprenticeships will ensure a rise in the
quality of training.
-
Several hon. Members rose—
-
Mr Speaker
I am sure that a brain of the brilliance of the hon. Member
for Bishop Auckland (Helen Goodman) can produce a question
of fewer than 20 words.
-
(Bishop Auckland)
(Lab)
Whitworth School in Spennymoor has had to close its sixth
form. What is the Minister going to do about it?
-
I hesitate to say I can change the world, but I would be
delighted to meet the hon. Lady to discuss the details and
make sure we protect the needs of learners in her
constituency.
-
(Witney) (Con)
West Oxfordshire schools are frequently small and rural.
What is being done to help them?
-
My hon. Friend will know that the national funding formula
contains a sparsity allocation of more than £20 million for
schools in rural areas, particularly small schools, to help
deal with the problem he has rightly highlighted.
-
(Stoke-on-Trent North)
(Lab)
On Friday, the University of Chester Academies Trust wrote
to its staff at two schools in my constituency, University
Academy Kidsgrove and University Primary Academy, to
announce savage cuts. Will the Minister meet me and other
colleagues with UCAT schools in their constituencies
immediately to talk about an urgent solution?
-
The schools Minister and I will be delighted to meet the
hon. Lady.
-
(Chippenham)
(Con)
Has the Minister given any further consideration to my call
for a review of the pupil premium to ensure it is an even
more effective tool for fostering social mobility?
-
The pupil premium is a really important structural tool to
make sure that funding is skewed towards those who need it
most. We keep it under review, taking advice from the
Education Endowment Foundation, and I promise my hon.
Friend that we will continue to do so.
-
(Ceredigion) (PC)
What progress has been made towards the development of a
memorandum of understanding between the devolved and UK
Governments clarifying how higher education institutions in
Wales will be accorded adequate representation in UK
Research and Innovation structures?
-
Mr Gyimah
UKRI has been launched to bring together work done in our
universities alongside business and will be a bridge to
engaging in interdisciplinary and collaborate research. I
am happy to discuss the hon. Gentleman’s needs further with
him.
-
(Crewe and Nantwich)
(Lab)
In the light of information obtained recently by the
National Deaf Children’s Society, will the Government
review their funding decisions as a matter of urgency to
ensure that an entire generation of children with special
educational needs are not let down?
-
This Government have launched the most ambitious reforms of
special educational needs and disabilities provision in a
generation, and are committed to improving outcomes for
children with SEND, especially those who are deaf as well.
-
(High Peak) (Lab)
I recently met secondary headteachers in my constituency
who told me that they were almost at breaking point as a
result of cut after cut after cut. When will the Government
fund all our schools properly, for the sake of all our
children?
-
Funding for our schools is at the highest level that it has
ever been, and we have committed ourselves to protecting
per-pupil real-terms funding for the system as a whole over
the next couple of years. I recognise that there have been
cost pressures on schools, and I am committed to continuing
to work with them to do what we can to bear down on those
costs.
-
(Bath) (LD)
Time is short, but I wish good luck to all the young people
who are starting their standard assessment tests and GCSEs
this week.
The Government claim that they have increased funding per
pupil in my constituency. Does that increase take account
of inflation and national pay increases for teachers and
staff?
-
As my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State has said, we
are spending record amounts on school funding: £42.4
billion this year, rising to £43.5 billion next year. We
recognise that there have been cost pressures on schools,
and we are giving them a range of help and advice on how to
deal with those pressures. For instance, there are national
schemes for buying energy, computers and other equipment to
help schools to manage their budgets at a time when they
are having to do so.
-
(Brentford and
Isleworth) (Lab)
How does the Secretary of State expect local authorities to
retain special services for vulnerable children, let alone
share them, when they have faced—on average— 40% cuts in
total funding in the last eight years?
-
We have made £200 billion available to local authorities in
the spending review, and high-needs funding has actually
risen from £5 billion in 2013 to £6 billion this year.
-
(Bristol East)
(Lab)
In the last few weeks, we have tragically seen the deaths
of another three students at Bristol University. What are
the Government doing to ensure that the NHS and
universities work more closely together to improve student
mental health services?
-
Mr Gyimah
I am aware of the tragic deaths of students at Bristol
University. The Government’s Green Paper on mental health for
students—that is, children aged between 16 and 25—is focusing
particularly on how tertiary education and the NHS can join
up their services to prevent such tragic incidents from
happening again.
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