Early Years Support
(Hampstead and Kilburn)
(Lab)
1. What steps he is taking to help ensure that families are able
to access adequate early years support.(906033)
The Secretary of State for Education ()
It is wonderful that the hon. Lady has returned to the theme of
families; I remember the passion she showed in her time as shadow
Minister for Children and Families.
The Government are investing £300 million to transform family
help services in 75 local authorities. That money includes
funding for family hubs, the supporting families programme and
start for life services.
The Labour Government built more than 3,600 Sure Start centres,
which provided a vital lifeline for many families throughout the
country. This Government proceeded to close 1,000 Sure Start
centres and then undertook a review of the early years sector
that found that every parent and child should have access to
early years support. Frankly, I could have told the Government
that without undertaking a review. The review was published more
than a year ago and I have not yet seen any plans for or details
on having a family hub in every community in the country. When
will the Secretary of State’s Department publish details of the
family hubs in every community in the country? Or is this another
instance of the Government paying lip service to the early
years?
What the hon. Lady omitted to say was that Sure Start was a good
policy that was badly implemented under the Labour Government.
They focused on bricks and mortar rather than on actually
reaching and helping the families we will reach with the family
hubs. We will announce very shortly the half of England’s local
authorities that will have evidence-led, multi-agency family hubs
that will reach exactly those families—exactly like I saw when I
visited the family hub in Harlow with the Chair of the Education
Committee, my right hon. Friend the Member for Harlow ().
Institutes of Technology
(Waveney) (Con)
2. What progress he has made in rolling out institutes of
technology.(906035)
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Education ()
The Government are investing £290 million to establish a network
of 21 institutes of technology throughout the country, actively
targeting the areas where they are needed the most. Wave 1 has
already established 12 IOTs across 50 locations, and wave 2 will
add a further nine IOTs. We are getting the best of the further
education sector, alongside the best of the higher education
sector and the best of British employers, to deliver world-class
technical education.
It is concerning that, after two waves of IOTs, a vacuum has
emerged in East Anglia that places local learners at an unfair
disadvantage compared with those elsewhere. I am grateful to the
Minister for Higher and Further Education, my right hon. Friend
the Member for Chippenham (), for the briefing that
she provided to Suffolk and Norfolk MPs following the decision to
reject the east of England bid; will she or my hon. Friend
convene a meeting of those who prepared the bid, the two county
councils and MPs to agree a strategy to fill the vacuum as
quickly as possible?
As my hon. Friend noted, he had a meeting with my right hon.
Friend the Minister for Higher and Further Education on this
issue. I know he is a passionate advocate for education in his
area and wants to see the excellent success of our IOTs
replicated in his region. At this time, there are no plans to
extend IOTs, but we very much keep the policy under review and
want to see them go from strength to strength.
SEND Green Paper
(Liverpool, Wavertree)
(Lab)
3. What steps he is taking to engage with families with disabled
children on the SEND Green Paper.(906036)
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Education ()
The special educational needs and disability review will be
published this month as a Green Paper for full public
consultation, so that we can continue to listen. Throughout the
review we have listened to hundreds of organisations—including
the National Network of Parent Carer Forums, Let Us Learn Too and
Special Needs Jungle—children and parents.
A recent survey by the Disabled Children’s Partnership and Let Us
Learn Too revealed that 60% of families with disabled children
have sought mental health support because of the stresses of
having to fight for basic services, while previous surveys have
shown that nine in 10 disabled children are socially isolated.
Given that, will the Minister outline how the Department for
Education intends to use the SEND Green Paper to reduce the
adversarial nature of the system and plans to improve access to
mental health services for disabled children and their
families?
I thank the hon. Lady for her well-put question. She is right: we
want to create a less adversarial system in which parents do not
have to fight to get the rights to which their children are
rightly entitled. We want the best outcomes for all children with
SEND in this country. The hon. Lady will have to wait only a
handful more days for us to publish the review.
(North West Leicestershire)
(Con)
Can the Minister confirm that, from September, up to 3,000 new
places are being created for children with special educational
needs and disability through 35 new special free schools?
My hon. Friend is absolutely right. Through the spending review
and the record £2.6 billion of investment in special school
places, that will be delivered.
Digital Divide
(Mitcham and Morden)
(Lab)
4. What steps he is taking to help close the digital divide for
children without access to the internet or adequate devices at
home. (906037)
The Minister for School Standards ( )
We have delivered more than 1.9 million devices to schools,
colleges and local authorities for disadvantaged pupils, as part
of a £520 million investment during the pandemic. We have also
partnered with the UK’s leading mobile operators to provide free
data to help more than 33,000 disadvantaged children get online,
and we have delivered more than 100,000 4G wireless routers for
pupils without connections at home.
When schools closed, the move to remote learning highlighted the
digital divide in our society. Schools such as the outstanding
Ursuline High School were already at the forefront of technology,
giving every pupil a tablet and offering six lessons a day from
home right from the start, but others did not have the kit
required. For those still on the wrong side of the digital
divide, every click widens the attainment gap. Aside from the
emergency lockdown devices, what support is being offered to
equip schools with the skills, time and kit to ensure that no
child is left behind in our technological world?
Mr Walker
Let me join the hon. Lady in paying tribute to the work that the
Ursuline academy did during lockdown. It is very important that
schools reached out and provided the help where they could. It is
important to recognise that the 1.9 million devices that were
provided by the Department during the course of the pandemic were
on top of around 2.9 million devices already with schools, so the
kit is out there to do this. We will continue to work with
colleagues at the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and
Sport and the Department for Work and Pensions to ensure that
disadvantaged households get the technology that they need.
Mr Speaker
I now call the shadow Minister.
(Portsmouth South) (Lab)
The Education Secretary has announced that his Department will
repurpose the Oak National Academy to provide UK-wide online
learning. Families facing the Tory cost of living crisis need a
guarantee that data used to support learning will not add to
their spiralling household bills. Ofcom’s recent affordability
report found that 1.1 million households are struggling to afford
broadband. With more schools delivering learning via digital
means, can the Minister set out whether he intends to keep these
services zero-rated indefinitely?
Mr Walker
I am pleased to see that the hon. Gentleman has welcomed our
announcement this morning on Oak. We think it is a valuable tool
that will support exemplification as well as delivering online
support to pupils and students. With regard to zero-rating, we
welcome the fact that that is continuing and we will continue to
work closely with colleagues at DCMS to see how that can be
supported over the longer term.
School Buildings: Refurbishment
(West Dorset) (Con)
5. What steps he is taking to help refurbish school buildings.
(906038)
The Minister for School Standards ( )
I recently met my hon. Friend, who has been a persistent champion
of his local school. The Department provides funding annually to
improve school buildings and has allocated £11.3 billion since
2015, including £1.8 billion this financial year. We have also
opened the next round of our school rebuilding programme, which
will transform 500 schools over the next decade.
I thank my hon. Friend for his answer. He will know full well
that I have been supporting the Gryphon School in Sherborne to
fix its dilapidated temporary classrooms. The school has just
submitted a severe needs funding request in order for us to
replace those temporary classrooms. Will he review that and
support the submission so that we can fix the issue?
Mr Walker
I recognise that my hon. Friend has consistently pressed the case
for his old school in this Chamber and through meetings with
myself and with colleagues in the Lords. The next round of our
school rebuilding programme has now opened. We expect to select
around 300 projects this year, and our aim is to prioritise those
with the greatest condition needs. I welcome the fact that a bid
has gone in from his school, demonstrating that condition need.
Although I can assure him that he has done everything that he can
to draw the attention of our Department to these issues, he will
understand that I cannot commit to any individual school until
the selection process is complete.
(Wythenshawe and Sale East)
(Lab)
I cannot begin to describe how much Sale High School in my
constituency needs a rebuild. There is a local financial solution
on the table, which is being put at risk by Department for
Education delays. Will the Minister commit to helping me bring
this to a resolution today?
Mr Walker
I refer the hon. Gentleman to the answer that I just gave. Of
course I am happy to make sure that the Department looks
carefully at any individual bid of schools, especially where
there is particular condition need. If he would like to write to
me, I shall have a look at that case.
(Bury North) (Con)
Last week I visited Derby High School in my constituency. It is a
brilliant school with a fantastic senior leadership team and kids
who are achieving their potential, but the structure of the
building must match the ambition of each child within the school.
It has been nominated for the school rebuilding programme. Will
my hon. Friend agree to meet me to see what this Government can
do to deliver for children in Bury something that the Labour
local authority is not doing?
Mr Walker
I am happy to meet my hon. Friend. I understand that he has
consistently championed the case of children in Bury. As I have
mentioned, we have met other colleagues to discuss projects of
this nature, so I am sure either I or my colleague in the Lords
will be happy to meet him.
(Walsall South) (Lab)
Joseph Leckie Academy has still not received the full amount that
was allocated under Building Schools for the Future in 2010. Will
the Minister please come and visit so that he can see the
toilets, the school hall and the dining area, which are in
desperate need of refurbishment?
Mr Walker
It is always a pleasure to get an invitation to visit a school; I
shall certainly consult my diary to see when I might be able to
take the right hon. Lady up on that.
(Rugby) (Con)
Ashlawn School in my constituency is outstanding, with currently
the longest waiting list for secondary places in Warwickshire.
There is a need to renovate many of the school’s 1950s buildings
but, regrettably, it does not meet the funding criteria for the
school rebuilding programme. Do the Secretary of State or the
Minister have any advice for Ashlawn on how it can get buildings
that are comparable to the outstanding education it offers?
Mr Walker
The Department provides capital through a number of routes. There
is, of course, devolved capital to local authorities and to
multi-academy trusts, so my hon. Friend might want to look at
what opportunities are available through that or through the
condition improvement fund, in addition to the school rebuilding
programme I have already discussed.
(Newcastle upon Tyne
North) (Lab)
On the subject of Department for Education delays, residents in
Newcastle North are concerned that the new Great Park Academy may
be unable to open on schedule next September. Original plans were
for an opening in 2020, but that has now been postponed to 2023
and the school is currently in temporary accommodation on another
high school’s site. We need to see progress on this urgently. I
have written to the Minister and asked for a meeting to discuss
the cause of the delays. After all the disruption of the past two
years, we must deliver stability for our young people. Will he
work with me to ensure that we can unblock what is delaying this
project?
Mr Walker
I will be happy to meet the hon. Lady to discuss that specific
project.
(Redcar) (Con)
The Minister will know of Westgarth Primary School in Marske,
which is in desperate need of urgent building works. May I invite
him to visit Redcar and Cleveland in the near future, to meet me
and the Galileo Trust to see what can be done to support the
school, its pupils and its fantastic teachers?
Mr Walker
It sounds as though my diary will be very full, but I would
certainly be delighted to come to my hon. Friend’s
constituency.
Ukraine: Impact on Students
(Edinburgh North and Leith)
(SNP)
6. What recent discussions he has had with Cabinet colleagues on
the impact of the Russian invasion of Ukraine on (a) Ukrainian
students in the UK and (b) UK students in Ukraine. (906040)
(Coatbridge, Chryston and
Bellshill) (SNP)
17. What recent discussions he has had with Cabinet colleagues on
the impact of the Russian invasion of Ukraine on (a) Ukrainian
students in the UK and (b) UK students in Ukraine. (906052)
The Secretary of State for Education ()
We are working across Government to support Ukrainian students in
the United Kingdom by introducing a new humanitarian route; there
will be a statement later today from the Secretary of State for
Levelling Up, Housing and Communities on that. It will provide
them with an opportunity to extend their leave to remain or
switch to graduate visas. The Foreign, Commonwealth and
Development Office is leading on work to ensure that UK students
in Ukraine are encouraged to return.
The announcement of the UK sponsorship scheme and the news that
the Secretary of State just mentioned are very welcome for
Ukrainian refugees. However, as they are temporary visa holders,
will the families of those students be included in the Home
Office’s Ukraine families scheme? Will the Secretary of State
consult his ministerial colleagues on that?
Those Ukrainians who are here on temporary visas will also be
able to bring family members.
Of the 2.6 million people who have fled Ukraine in the wake of
the Russian invasion, UNICEF reports that at least 1 million are
children. A large proportion of the 200,000-plus Ukrainian
refugees who will enter the UK through the Ukrainian families
scheme or the homes for Ukraine programme will be kids. What
plans has the Secretary of State put in place to facilitate the
integration of vulnerable Ukrainian child refugees into the UK
education system?
We have been working hard in the Department to ensure that we
have, certainly in the initial phase, a capacity of up to 100,000
children going into early years, primary and secondary education,
and into further and higher education as well.
Mr Speaker
I call the Chair of the Education Committee, .
(Harlow) (Con)
Thank you, Mr Speaker.
Has my right hon. Friend seen the investigation by Theo Usherwood
on LBC exposing pro-Putinist propaganda at some of our leading
universities? At Leeds, Professor Ray Bush, still publicly listed
on its website despite retiring, suggested that the US had
chemical installations in Ukraine. That is, as we know, a lie
that is being spread by the Kremlin. At Edinburgh, Professor Tim
Hayward retweeted a Russian representative to the UN describing
the attack on Mariupol’s hospital as “fake news”. At Leicester,
Tom McCormack talks about “ludicrous disinformation” on both
sides and boasts about appearing on Russia Today. Will my right
hon. Friend contact these universities directly to stop them
acting as useful idiots for President Putin’s atrocities in
Ukraine?
I am grateful to the Chair of the Education Committee for raising
this issue. The Minister for Higher and Further Education is
already on the case and is contacting those universities. Putin
and his cronies are a malign influence on anyone in this country
buying their false narrative. I repeat: it is a false and
dangerous narrative and we will crack down on it hard.
(North Thanet) (Con)
As a result of Putin’s war in Ukraine, the United Kingdom can
expect an influx of a large number of young students. In the long
term, they will need proper education, of course, but in the
short term, could my right hon. Friend see whether he can build
in some flexibility and normality so that these young people can
get into schools and make friends as soon as possible?
I am grateful to my right hon. Friend. I know that he and his
family are passionate about wanting to support Ukrainians who are
so vulnerable. We are making plans to make sure, as we did with
the Afghan resettlement, that every child gets into the
appropriate early years, primary, secondary or further or higher
education, but I will certainly look at this. I think what he is
getting at is that if there is a gap they may be wanting to feel
welcome at their schools. I am already getting anecdotal stories
about many schools where there is excitement about some of the
Ukrainian children who are coming in.
Mr Speaker
We now come to SNP spokesperson .
(Glasgow North West)
(SNP)
Thank you, Mr Speaker.
In Ireland, Ukrainian teachers are being fast-tracked through the
teaching registration process to enable them to support
youngsters who will be attending school in Ireland. Obviously,
language will be a big challenge for these youngsters initially.
Has the Secretary of State considered replicating that Irish
scheme to ensure that young people coming to school in the UK
will be properly supported?
The hon. Lady raises a really important point. That is one of the
things I asked my team this morning with regard to the
Ukrainians. Clearly, it will be predominantly women and children
who are coming over because the men are fighting the Russian
invaders. It is a question of whether we can get more recognition
of qualifications so that Ukrainians who are able to can get work
as soon as possible.
Prisoners: Retraining
(Rother Valley)
(Con)
7. What steps the Government are taking to help prisoners retrain
and reduce the risk of reoffending. (906041)
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Education ()
The Government absolutely recognise the importance of preparing
prisoners for employment upon their release. That is why we are,
for the very first time, changing the law to enable serving
prisoners who are close to release to start apprenticeships,
helping them to retrain and upskill, and providing them with
direct routes into jobs with businesses in their communities.
Retraining prisoners is vital for rehabilitation. Does my hon.
Friend expect these welcome plans for prisoner retraining to
reduce reoffending, leading to a safer society for all of us?
Will these plans be under way as soon as possible so that we can
all start to see the benefits immediately?
I can absolutely give my hon. Friend that reassurance. Officials
in the Department for Education are working at pace with
colleagues in the Ministry of Justice to make sure that we tear
down the barriers so that people leaving prison can have had the
best chance to rebuild their lives, earn money for themselves,
and contribute to their communities. We expect to make progress
on that this calendar year.
Student Loan Changes: Social Mobility
(Rutherglen and Hamilton
West) (Ind)
8. What assessment he has made of the potential impact of changes
to student loan requirements on social mobility. (906042)
The Minister for Higher and Further Education ()
Our changes mean a fairer deal for students, graduates and the
taxpayer, and build on our work to drive up quality so that more
young people go on to complete their education and then go on to
graduate jobs, delivering real social mobility.
Decreasing eligibility, extending the repayment period and
lowering the repayment threshold for student loans will
disproportionately impact students from low-income families, and
removing education opportunities will impact the trajectories of
their lives and careers. What impact assessment has been
undertaken on these changes from an equality perspective and how
they will stifle student numbers?
When we published our response to Augar, we also published our
impact assessment in full, but at the heart of our plans is
fairness, as I have said, for the taxpayer, for students and for
graduates. No student will pay back more in real terms than they
borrow. This is the Government delivering on our manifesto pledge
to cut interest rates.
(Warwick and Leamington)
(Lab)
Research by the Higher Education Policy Institute shows that 70%
of parents with children aged 11 to 15 want their children to go
to university, but the Government do not share their ambitions.
Instead, the Minister is proposing minimum entry requirements of
a grade 4 in GSCE English and maths to access student finance.
About 70% of pupils in England achieve a grade 4 in GSCE English
and Maths, but that falls to less than half for those on free
school meals. Why is the Minister prepared to sacrifice the
aspirations of students and their families, particularly those
from disadvantaged backgrounds?
Once again, this shows the Opposition’s obsession with targets
and numbers. We want an education system that delivers for the
individual, whether that means going into further education, an
apprenticeship or university. We want to ensure that every young
person knows that whichever option they pick, it is a
high-quality option.
Children with SEND: Specialist Support
(Liverpool, Walton) (Lab)
9. What recent assessment he has made of the availability of
specialist support for children with special educational needs
and disabilities. [R] (906043)
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Education ()
We have been conducting a thorough review of the special
educational needs and disabilities system, including looking at
the specialist support for children and young people to help them
to fulfil their potential. By the end of this month we will be
publishing our findings and consulting on proposals to strengthen
that system.
In conjunction with the University of Liverpool law clinic, I am
able to put on a weekly advice surgery for parents with children
with special educational needs, and that service itself is
over-subscribed. There is a real postcode lottery in provision,
and we have seen demand for SEND statements and education, health
and care plans soar by 480% over the past five years. Can the
Minister say, particularly in terms of the shortage in the
workforce and in resources, and the postcode lottery, what is the
Government’s plan?
We know that covid-19 has impacted particularly heavily on
therapy services and other support services for children and
young people with SEND. I know that a number have adjusted their
delivery models. We issued new guidance in September, but I am
working closely with my counterpart at the Department of Health
and Social Care to try to address this issue. I encourage the
hon. Gentleman to look at the SEND review, because in my view the
postcode lottery and the inconsistency has to end, and with the
SEND review it will.
(West Suffolk) (Con)
I warmly welcome the confirmation from the Minister that the SEND
review will be published this month. I am also grateful to him
for the engagement we have had on how we can ensure that all
children—including all dyslexic children—get the right screening
and assessment so that they can get the support to be able to
join in the gaining of literacy, which is so critical for success
in the rest of their lives. I am grateful for his support so far,
but can he reiterate that that will be central to this SEND
paper?
I thank my right hon. Friend for his question and all the work he
does in this area. It is so very important that at the heart of
the SEND review, we have early identification and early support,
and I look forward to continuing to work with him on this
important agenda.
(Dulwich and West Norwood)
(Lab)
The Government’s own figures show that almost 50% of children
with additional needs are waiting longer than five months for an
education, health and care plan. One in five requests is refused
and 95% of those decisions are overturned by the tribunal.
Families fighting for support were promised that the SEND review
would help, but two and a half years on, they are still waiting,
while children are being systematically let down by this
Government. What assurance can the Minister provide that the SEND
review will deliver timely support for families and an end to
fighting at tribunals?
First, let me say that in the next financial year, high-needs
funding for children and young people with complex needs is
increasing by £1 billion to more than £9.1 billion. That is an
unprecedented increase of 13%, and it comes on top of the £1.5
billion increase over the past two years, but that is just the
finances. Over and above the £2.6 billion we are investing in
capital, the SEND review will answer many of the questions that
the hon. Lady rightly poses, and she just has to wait a handful
more days.
Children with SEND: Specialist Teachers
(Jarrow) (Lab)
11. What steps he is taking to help ensure that there are
adequate numbers of specialist teachers to support children with
SEND. (906045)
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Education ()
We are committed to ensuring that all pupils can reach their
potential and receive excellent support from their teachers. Our
reformed initial teacher training content framework and the new
early career framework, both developed with sector experts, will
equip teachers with a clear understanding of the needs of
children with SEND.
Research by the Education Policy Institute found that children
from the most disadvantaged areas are less likely to be
identified as having SEND than children from more affluent areas,
with families in poorer areas facing higher thresholds to
accessing support. Why is that the case and what is the
Minister’s Department doing about it?
All teachers are teachers of SEND. We are doing a lot of work,
and we will do as part of the SEND review, to ensure that
teachers are equipped—but not just equipped, that they have
confidence—to teach and identify special educational needs. All I
would say, as I have said a few times, is that the hon. Lady
should wait a handful more days for the SEND review.
Home-Schooled Children
(South West Bedfordshire)
(Con)
12. What plans he has for the proposed register for home-schooled
children. (906046)
The Minister for School Standards ( )
The Government have committed to a form of local authority
register for children not in school, as was detailed in the
children not in school consultation response that we published on
3 February. We hope to legislate on that measure at the next
available opportunity to create the duty to keep and update a
register and for local authorities to provide support to home
educators where they want it.
If a local authority found that illiterate home-schooling parents
were unable to teach their children to read, write and add up,
would it signpost them to proper adult literacy and numeracy as
well as ensuring that the children could access their inalienable
right to a good education?
Mr Walker
My hon. Friend makes an important point. Government guidance sets
out the powers that local authorities have and the actions that
they can take. He is right that the adult education budget has
funding to support literacy and, with the new numeracy programme,
to support numeracy. There is a role for stepping up in that
space. Local authorities already have powers to specify levels of
literacy and numeracy on a case-by-case basis, and having the
statutory register will encourage them to use those powers.
Young People from Deprived Backgrounds: Access to Higher
Education
(West Aberdeenshire and
Kincardine) (Con)
13. What steps he is taking to help support young people from
deprived backgrounds access higher education. (906047)
The Minister for Higher and Further Education ()
We have asked the Office for Students to refocus the access and
participation regime on real social mobility by getting students
on to courses that they complete and that lead to graduate jobs,
not just getting them to the door. We have also committed up to
£75 million to a national state scholarship to support
high-achieving disadvantaged students.
In the Secretary of State’s statement on the Augar review last
month, he said:
“Access to higher education must be dependent on attainment and
ability to succeed, and not inhibited by a student’s
background.”—[Official Report, 24 February 2022; Vol. 709, c.
489.]
Will the Minister expand on how the Department will ensure that
that is the case, so that we avoid the situation overseen by the
Scottish Government where people from a deprived background are
now less likely to enter higher education than when they took
office?
Under our Government, disadvantaged 18-year-olds in England are
now 82% more likely to go to university than in 2010. We want
universities to play an even greater role in improving access for
those who are disadvantaged, however, so we are asking them to
raise standards in schools and colleges; offer flexible and
skills-based courses; tackle drop-out rates; and support students
throughout university and on to graduation.
Mr Speaker
We have shadow Minister .
(Chesterfield) (Lab)
Whether we look at the national tutoring programme, which is
failing to reach disadvantaged children; qualification changes
that Ofqual admits will hamper progress to HE; the disparaging of
university courses with higher numbers of deprived students on
them; or the falling apprenticeship numbers, the truth is that
this is a “Get back in your place” Government who stand as a
barrier to aspiration for deprived students. Does the Minister
not realise that the Government have not a shred of credibility
on this subject? Their policies are the barrier to working-class
aspiration, not the solution.
It is a desperate time when we have a question such as that from
the Opposition, which is not even really a question. The
Government are delivering on our manifesto and enhancing quality,
and have aspiration at the heart of everything we do.
Mr Speaker
Order. I think I will decide whether something is in order or
not, but thanks for that little lesson for me. Just to say, I do
laugh when you talk about policy when the Government have been in
power, so I try to balance out the political issues and
objections on both sides.
(Devizes) (Con)
The Higher Education (Freedom of Speech) Bill is one of the most
important Bills now before Parliament. When does my right hon.
Friend expect the Bill to come back before the House?
I can inform the House that the Bill will be back in due course,
and we can guarantee this Government’s commitment to honour our
manifesto pledge to strengthen free speech in our universities,
because of how important we believe it to be.
Mr Speaker
I call the SNP spokesperson, .
(Glasgow North West)
(SNP)
According to the Government’s own equality analysis of their
reforms to student finance, those likely to see a negative
impact, with increased lifetime repayments, include female
graduates and those from disadvantaged backgrounds. Male
graduates and those from more privileged backgrounds will benefit
more than average from the changes. Can the Minister explain why
policies that will hinder social mobility and undermine equality
of opportunity in higher education have been introduced?
Fairness is at the heart of our announcement that no student will
pay back more in real terms than they borrowed. It is also about
rebalancing for the taxpayer, as every pound that is not paid
back by a student is paid back by a taxpayer.
Education Investment Area: Isle of Wight
(Isle of Wight) (Con)
14. What assessment he has made of the potential impact on
education outcomes of an education investment area on the Isle of
Wight.(906048)
The Secretary of State for Education ()
I was delighted to announced that the Isle of Wight will be an
education investment area, which will receive a range of support
to improve schools. We will boost the rate of children meeting
reading, writing and maths standards by 2030, ensuring that
opportunity is as equally spread as talent is in our country.
(Isle of Wight) (Con)
The Island has made good progress in improving its education in
recent years, which I am delighted about. I am very keen to get
as much out of the education investment area as we possibly can,
in order to drive up standards further. That ambition was evident
in my recent visit, only a few days ago, to Christ the King
College, where I talked to students and pupils. The Education
Minister has had many invitations today, so will the Secretary of
State please come to the Isle of Wight so that he can see the
excellent work being done at the Isle of Wight College and at our
schools?
That invitation is far too tempting to turn down, so I shall make
time to visit the Isle of Wight with my hon. Friend. Of course, I
will be saying more about the work we are doing in the schools
White Paper.
Green Skills in the Curriculum
(Huddersfield)
(Lab/Co-op)
15. What steps his Department is taking to introduce a curriculum
that develops green skills.(906050)
The Minister for School Standards ( )
The science and geography national curriculums provide pupils
with knowledge that underpins the development of green skills to
help understand issues related to sustainability, climate change
and resource use. Further, at COP26 the Secretary of State
launched the Department’s draft sustainability and climate change
strategy, which sets out key actions and commitments to enhance
green skills provision across education.
Mr Sheerman
May I ask the Minister to work across parties on this issue? For
a net zero economy, we need to do far more training for green
skills. Too often I find that young people, at age 16, 18 or 21,
do not know the pathway. When I talk to teachers in my
constituency, and indeed those in early years, they all want to
prepare their children for a green economy and to provide them
with green skills for wonderful jobs in the green environment.
Can he work a little harder and faster towards this?
Mr Walker
I welcome what the hon. Gentleman says. We all agree about the
importance of this area. That is one of the reasons why it is so
important that we pursue the science, technology, engineering and
maths agenda. We need to work across the education piece to
ensure that we are preparing people for the jobs of the future.
The strategy that my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State
published at COP26 is a step in that direction, but I agree with
the hon. Gentleman that we want to work across parties and across
the House, and in all parts of the country, to drive this agenda
forward.
Children’s Social Care
(Blackpool South) (Con)
16. What steps he is taking to help improve children’s social
care.(906051)
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Education ()
We launched the independent review of children’s social care in
March 2021. It is a once-in-a-generation opportunity to reform
children’s social care services and systems. We will see the
review’s final recommendations this spring and I look forward to
responding in due course.
We know that the first 1,001 days of a child’s life are the most
influential on their health, wellbeing and opportunities
throughout the rest of their lives. This is even more important
in towns such as Blackpool, where health outcomes and educational
attainment are already low. Can my hon. Friend confirm that the
£300 million funding for the new Start for Life offer will help
to address these outcomes for children and families in my
constituency?
My hon. Friend is absolutely right. Our family hubs programme is
being developed in 75 local authorities, over and above the 12 in
which the programme is already being rolled out, bringing
together services for children of all ages and responding to the
needs of the whole family. At its core is the Start for Life
offer, which includes support for perinatal mental health and
breastfeeding, as well parenting programmes. On top of that,
there is the £200 million expansion to the Supporting Families
programme. I understand that the Secretary of State is visiting
my hon. Friend’s constituency in the coming weeks.
Higher Education: Improving Quality
(East Surrey) (Con)
19. What steps his Department is taking to prioritise improving
the quality of higher education.(906054)
(Bexleyheath and Crayford)
(Con)
20. What steps his Department is taking to prioritise improving
the quality of higher education.(906055)
The Minister for Higher and Further Education ()
For the first time ever, the Office for Students is setting
minimum thresholds for completion and for progression rates to
graduate jobs. We are also consulting on stopping the
uncontrolled growth of low-quality courses.
The hon. Member for Warwick and Leamington () suggested that it was an
injustice to introduce minimum requirements for going to
university, but does the Minister agree with me that the greater
injustice is that one in five students feels that their course
did not add any value to their career? Moreover, the reforms to
interest rates will now mean that nobody will pay more than they
borrow in real terms.
My hon. Friend is absolutely right. From September 2023, we are
reducing interest rates on student loans to the retail price
index only. This, combined with the tuition fee freeze for over
seven years, means that students can graduate with up to £11,500
less debt from the off.
I fully support the idea of minimum eligibility requirements to
maintain the high quality of our degrees. However, will my right
hon. Friend assure me that students who do not meet those
requirements will have alternative routes open and available to
them, including via foundation years or college courses, that
will allow them to progress subsequently to university when they
are ready?
I agree with my right hon. Friend. Too many young people are
pushed on to courses that they are not ready for at the moment,
which is why we are capping the cost of foundation years to
enable more people to use this as an access route. We are also
introducing the lifelong loan entitlement, which will make higher
education and higher technical education much more flexible.
Political Impartiality in Schools
(Stoke-on-Trent North)
(Con)
21. What steps his Department is taking to help ensure political
impartiality in schools.(906056)
The Minister for School Standards ( )
The Government are committed to ensuring that children and young
people receive a balanced education. The Department has recently
published new political impartiality in schools guidance, which
will help support teachers in tackling sensitive issues in the
classroom in a politically impartial way.
A minority of woke-warrior teachers think it is acceptable to
push extremist nonsense on to pupils, such as white privilege,
and try to cancel important historical figures, such as Sir
Winston Churchill. However, these teachers are also aided and
abetted by some trade unions, such as the Not Education Union.
The failed and disgraced NEU demanded that the welfare state was
reformed before approving of pupils going back to school with its
ridiculous 100-point plan, and its president blames NATO instead
of Vladimir Putin for the illegal and immoral invasion of
Ukraine. Will my hon. Friend outline how we will hold politically
motivated trade unions to account and prevent them from using
teachers as a gateway to push their far-left agenda?
Mr Walker
I have to say that my hon. Friend always speaks out bravely from
his own personal experience as a teacher, and I see that he has
done so in his Telegraph article today. Pupils must form their
own political views, and schools should not indoctrinate or
encourage children to pin their colours to any particular
political mast. The new guidance will help schools to make good
decisions about working with external agencies and ensure that
any engagement does not breach their legal duties.
Ms Anum Qaisar (Airdrie and Shotts) (SNP)
The harrowing scenes in Ukraine have shaken the world, and it has
been reported that a number of students from the UK are still
trapped in Ukraine. Can the Minister please confirm whether
contact has been made with those students, and what support he
can provide to them?
Mr Walker
Yes—
Mr Speaker
Order. Minister, that is nothing to do with the question. The
problem is that supplementaries have to be linked to the
question. If the hon. Lady tries again in topicals, she may just
catch my eye.
Topical Questions
Gill Furniss (Sheffield, Brightside and Hillsborough) (Lab)
T1. If he will make a statement on his departmental
responsibilities.(906023)
The Secretary of State for Education ()
The United Kingdom has a proud history of supporting refugees in
their hour of need. In the last few years alone, we have
committed to welcoming over 100,000 Hongkongers, 20,000 Afghans
and now an unlimited number of Ukrainians, through an extended
family scheme and of course the humanitarian route, for those
fleeing the illegal and barbarous acts of Putin and his cronies.
Work is under way across Government with charities and local
authorities to ensure that people coming from Ukraine are
properly supported, so that they can rebuild their lives. I know
my Department is ready for this challenge because we have
successfully found a school place for every Afghan child who has
come here.
BTECs are a vital lifeline for hundreds of thousands of students,
while A-levels and T-levels are not suitable for many because
they are not able to achieve level 4. Why are the Government
hellbent on cutting back on student choice, and how does that fit
in with the Government’s levelling-up agenda and the aspiration
for everyone?
I am surprised that the hon. Lady is attacking T-levels, because
they were the noble Lord Sainsbury’s idea in the first place. The
important thing to remember is that this Government are committed
to the ladder of opportunity for everyone, with much better
choices and routes for people. This is not about getting rid of
BTECs. High quality BTECs will continue, but where there is
overlap, we are right to look at that.
(Truro and Falmouth)
(Con)
T2. Way back in 2020, my Truro and Falmouth constituency
successfully secured a new secondary school as part of the
Government’s free school programme. That much-needed secondary
school will be based at Perranporth on the north coast, and it
will make a huge difference to families in Perranporth,
Goonhavern, Newquay and Truro. I am in regular contact with the
Department and local stakeholders, and I believe we are close to
getting a site for the school. Will my right hon. Friend reaffirm
the Government’s commitment to supporting and delivering this new
secondary school in my constituency, as soon as
possible?(906024)
The Minister for School Standards ( )
The Government remain committed to delivering the free school
programme, and appreciate the importance of a new secondary
school in the Perranporth area. We are continuing to work with
the trust and local authority, to secure the site and deliver new
school places for Cornwall.
(Houghton and Sunderland
South) (Lab)
Does the Secretary of State believe that Randstad’s delivery of
the national tutoring programme has been a success?
The hon. Lady will recall that the national tutoring programme
had two pillars—academic mentors and tuition partners—and that
programme is run by Randstad. By the way, last week I announced
that we have hit 1 million blocks of tutoring, which I hope she
welcomes. Schools tell us that those pillars are important, but
also that they wanted a school-led route. That is what we did,
and more than half a million tutoring blocks have been delivered
that way. We must look at the tutoring programme and make those
opportunities available for every child, especially those who
come from disadvantaged backgrounds.
I think families and school staff will find the Secretary of
State’s response staggering in its complacency, given the
failures that we are seeing as part of that programme. Almost two
years after schools were closed to most children, and given the
immense disruption to their education that they face, it should
have been a national mission to support all our children to
recover the learning and experiences they have lost in that time.
Our children’s future, and our country’s future, depend on
getting it right now. When will the Secretary of State finally
get a grip?
I notice that the hon. Lady did not recognise, or at least
celebrate, the 1 million tutoring blocks that have been
delivered, the majority of which have been delivered by brilliant
teachers in our brilliant schools, because people wanted a
school-led route to deliver that. That is the right thing to do.
We are at 1 million blocks, we will hit 2 million this year, and
we will go beyond that and hit 6 million in total—then I hope the
hon. Lady will celebrate that. It is right for every child to get
that opportunity, which was available only to the fortunate ones
before.
(Colne Valley) (Con)
T4. I welcome Kirklees being an education investment area, and
Greenhead College, which I visited on Friday, and Huddersfield
New College are outstanding providers of sixth-form education to
local students. Does the Secretary of State agree that those
existing colleges are best placed to support disadvantaged
students in my area into universities?(906027)
My hon. Friend has been a champion for those who do not have the
privileges that others have, and of spreading that opportunity
equally. It is vital that universities work in partnership with
colleges and local schools, to raise standards so that students
from disadvantaged backgrounds have more options and can choose
the path that is right for them. That is this Government’s
absolute priority.
(Rutherglen and Hamilton
West) (Ind)
T3. What plans does the Minister have to help enable universities
to diversify their international student cohorts, so that they
are not reliant on funding from countries such as
China?(906026)
The Minister for Higher and Further Education ()
We recently updated our international education strategy, and we
are proud to be home to so many international students who enrich
our culture in our universities and local towns. We have beaten
our target many years ahead, which is testament to how dedicated
we are to continue to grow our international pool of
students.
(Ashfield) (Con)
T5. Government Front Benchers need not bother visiting Ashfield—I
have got two new school rebuilds coming, so they can go somewhere
else—but they will be aware of the problems that I have had with
Kirkby College, which is a failing school. It is going to be
rebuilt, which is fantastic news, but will the Minister please
use all his levers to ensure that that happens as quickly as
possible?(906028)
Mr Walker
I am grateful to my hon. Friend for his non-invitation. Kirkby
College was confirmed in the school rebuilding programme in July
2021, and the project will make a huge difference to the
community. I am happy to commit to delivering it as quickly as
possible. We are working closely with the incoming trust to scope
the project before securing a construction partner, and we aim
for construction to start in 2023.
(Sefton Central) (Lab)
T6. Parts of the building at Lydiate Primary School are unsafe,
the basement floods and the damp conditions are a health hazard.
The latest survey shows a significant recent deterioration in
conditions, yet the Department for Education says that it will
use an out-of-date survey to assess the funding bid made to it.
Will the Minister at least promise the children at Lydiate
Primary School that the Department will use the latest survey
data and information in deciding whether to fund the new building
that they need?(906029)
Mr Walker
I hear what the hon. Gentleman says. We have consulted on the
approach to be taken to assessing such schemes. As we discussed
earlier, a change in condition is one factor that the Department
can take into consideration in such cases, so I ask him please to
write to us with more of the detail.
(Bexleyheath and Crayford)
(Con)
T9. Does my hon. Friend agree that essay mills have the potential
to cause severe damage to academic integrity? What steps are
being taken to tackle them?(906032)
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Education ()
My right hon. Friend is absolutely right: essay mills denigrate
the excellent work that the vast majority of students do by
allowing a tiny minority to cheat. That is why, in our Skills and
Post-16 Education Bill, which will soon receive Royal Assent, we
are outlawing them, and we will punish everyone involved in
them.
(Batley and Spen) (Lab)
T7. Will the Minister join me in congratulating all the girls who
took part in the FA’s “let girls play” biggest ever football
session last week? Will he update the House on the steps that his
Department is taking to ensure that girls have equal access to
football in schools, and on the work that it is undertaking to
ensure that PE is not squeezed out of the curriculum due to the
academic over-testing of children?(906030)
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Education ()
I will certainly join the hon. Lady in those congratulations.
Only last week I was with girls playing basketball. It is so
important that we encourage girls in particular to take part in
competitive sport. We know that there is a massive drop-off from
primary to secondary. We are investing significant extra money
through the pupil premium as well as £30 million of funding to
open up school places after hours. I would be happy to meet her,
because I know that she shares my passion in this area. Health
and nutrition are really important, and we must get more people
playing sport.
Mr Speaker
Including rugby league.
(Haltemprice and Howden)
(Con)
Some of the most rapid progress in the world is being made by
schools in all countries that use information technology and
artificial intelligence to support classroom tuition. Is the
Department investigating how we could use that?
I know that my right hon. Friend is passionate in this area. It
is not about replacing great teachers; it is about enabling
teachers to do their job in a much more efficient way. We are
certainly looking at that; I will say more in the schools White
Paper.
(Glasgow North) (SNP)
T8. Next week, staff at Glasgow University will be among 50,000
across the UK striking in protest at the 35% cut to their
guaranteed pensions. It is in the interests of both students and
staff that a negotiated settlement can be reached as soon as
possible. What discussion are Ministers having with university
employers to encourage them to engage in meaningful dialogue with
staff and trade unions?(906031)
I and the rest of the Government continue to encourage a
meaningful dialogue, because, at the end of the day, those
missing out are students, who have suffered unbelievably during
the pandemic and faced challenges. The last thing they need is
strikes and further disruption to their face-to-face
education.
(South Basildon and East
Thurrock) (Con)
Equipping young people with the skills of the future is vital not
only for green jobs, as we have heard, but for other emerging
technologies. However, many such jobs will be underpinned by an
understanding and appreciation of engineering. Will my right hon.
Friend therefore consider introducing a new design, technology
and engineering course as one of the science options?
Mr Walker
I would be happy to meet my hon. Friend to discuss that further.
I recognise the enormous importance of engineering—and, of
course, essential to that is the numeracy skills that underpin
it. That is one reason why we are so prioritising numeracy.
(Denton and Reddish)
(Lab)
Russell Scott Primary School in Denton has been dubbed by the
national media as:
“Britain’s worst built school where pupils paddle in sewage and
get sick from toxic fumes.”
I raised this issue previously and has now suggested a bid to
the Department for Education for funding. Tameside Council is in
the process of doing that, but it really should not be subject to
a competitive process. I hope the bid will be looked on
favourably by Ministers. It is crucial, it is levelling up, it is
offering the best educational opportunities in safe buildings, is
it not?
Mr Walker
I knew the hon. Gentleman would persist and ensure he got his
point on the record. I recognise that he has consistently raised
this school and I welcome the fact that a bid will be coming in.
Of course that has to be assessed, but he makes the case very
strongly.
(Stroud) (Con)
In Stroud and Gloucestershire, we have high numbers of
home-schooled children. A lot of care is taken to look after
their welfare and educate them to a high standard, and there is a
really good relationship with Gloucestershire County Council.
While many understand the drive for effective wellbeing and
safeguarding, they are worried about the new compulsory
registration scheme. Will the Minister meet me and my Stroud
community, so we can learn more about the plans?
We very much support the right of parents to educate their
children at home and we note that it can be driven by many
different reasons. My hon. Friend is absolutely right that we
intend to legislate to ensure we have a “children not in school”
register. That is something no parent who is doing the right
thing should be concerned about, and, of course, I would be very
happy to meet my hon. Friend and her constituents.
(Twickenham) (LD)
Figures provided to me recently by the Department for Education
showed that on average a staggering 27% of children were not at
the expected reading age when leaving primary school. That figure
was pre-pandemic, so it will undoubtedly be worse now, especially
in disadvantaged areas. What work is the Department doing to
review primary school reading standards and will the Minister
commit to the full £15 billion catch-up funding recommended by
Sir ?
The hon. Lady is correct in what she says. Some 65% of pupils
leave primary school with the appropriate level of reading,
writing and maths, but that still leaves one third who do not.
The Government’s ambition in the levelling-up White Paper is that
90% of primary school students should achieve the prerequisite
level in reading, writing and maths. The £4.9 billion I am
putting into recovery is beginning to really make a difference,
especially the National Tutoring Programme, which has just hit 1
million courses.
(Darlington) (Con)
A school in Darlington is concerned about its energy contract
with Gazprom. It wants to do the right thing and step away from
contracts with connections to the Russian state. Will my right
hon. Friend meet me to discuss the situation, which may affect
many other schools across the country?
I am happy to meet my hon. Friend to discuss this issue. He will
know that Gazprom is no longer on the roster of suppliers to the
Government and the Department, but I am very happy to meet him
about this particular case.
(Hackney North and Stoke
Newington) (Lab)
The Secretary of State spoke about the importance of a ladder of
opportunity for our children. Can we also have a ladder of
opportunity for black children? Many ethnic minority children do
well in our school system, but for other groups, particularly
black boys, the statistics show that, year on year, they
underachieve academically and have disproportionately high levels
of exclusion. What is the Secretary of State going to do about
that group of children?
I am grateful for the right hon. Lady’s question. The really
important thing is to make sure we level up across the board. I
was at Hammersmith Academy, which has 60% pupil premium and is a
really ethnically mixed school, where every child is supported
and stretched to be able to deliver the best they can do. That is
the right thing to do and that is what we will do with the
schools White Paper, which will be published imminently.
(Harlow) (Con)
The covid inquiry terms of reference have just a tiny mention of
education, suggesting that it looks at “restrictions on
attendance”. That is like calling a mortuary a negative patient
output. Will my right hon. Friend write to the chair of the covid
inquiry and make sure that education and children are properly
reflected, looking at the mental health problems and lost
educational attainment of children during lockdown?
The Chair of the Education Committee raises a number of important
points, especially on mental health. This is not lost on this
Secretary of State. The terms of reference are extremely broad,
covering preparedness, the public health response and the
response in the health and care sector, as well as the economic
response. The restrictions on attendance at places of education
are set out in the terms of reference as well. Moreover, there
are other broad areas of potential relevance for education.
(City of Chester)
(Lab)
I have constituents whose teacher-assessed grades during the
pandemic were markedly different from the grades predicted, often
by the same teacher just a couple of months previously. When I
complain to the school, it says I should go to Ofqual, but when I
go to Ofqual, it says I should go to the school. Can we please
have a clear appeal mechanism to sort out these long-running
problems?
I would be happy to take up the issues the hon. Member raises
with Ofqual, which I am due to meet later this week. It is
important to reiterate that some of the challenges we have seen
with TAGs are among the many reasons we think it is right that
exams should go ahead. We need to move back to a proper,
independently assessed system. I want to make sure that schools
and colleges that have been asked to collect evidence of their
students’ performance, covering the breadth of content usually
seen in exams and assessments, recognise that, once they have
that evidence, they are not obliged to collect any more. It is
important that we have the fallback of TAGs, of course, but we do
not necessarily want schools to be going out of their way to do
extra work in this space.
(Stoke-on-Trent North)
(Con)
Stoke-on-Trent was delighted to become an education investment
area and is seeking a new 16-to-19 specialist school, but I am
still waiting for wave 15 of the free school programme to be
announced so that I can bid for the long overdue free school in
Stoke-on-Trent North, Kidsgrove and Talke. We need to improve
academic outcomes and destinations. When is that coming?
Mr Walker
My hon. Friend always champions his area passionately and I
recognise the strong bid he has put in. Of course the education
investment areas provide that opportunity to have extra free
school provision.
(Huddersfield)
(Lab/Co-op)
Has the Secretary of State seen the latest report from the autism
commission that I co-chair, which focuses on not only autism, but
the impact on the individual throughout their life and their
family? Does he realise that the failure to get a statement and
to get an assessment for years and years is causing so much
unhappiness in those families?
I certainly recognise some of the challenges that the hon.
Gentleman references. The special educational needs review will
be published in the coming days. He may have questions following
on from that. I would be happy to meet him to discuss that
further.
