Commons Sense

House of Commons · Ministers' Questions

Covid-19 Education Recovery: Access to Tablets and Laptops

Monday 6 December 2021 · 3 questions

Summarised by AI from the official record, so it can contain mistakes.

Read the full transcript on Parliament.uk

At a glance

Answered 2 Partly answered 1 Not answered 0

Key points

  • Minister pledged to provide an additional 500,000 devices for disadvantaged children, adding to the 1.35 million already delivered.
  • Schools must provide immediate access to remote education for pupils unable to attend school due to public health advice.
  • The national tutoring programme is progressing, with increased focus on academic mentor support and cooperation with Randstad.

Topics (select to filter)

Questions & Answers

Q1 Desmond Swayne Con New Forest West
Education
Context

The Department is addressing the provision of tablets and laptops to support students during the COVID-19 recovery period.

Question

What steps are being taken to provide students with access to tablets and laptops to support covid-19 education recovery?

Answer from Robin Walker

We will provide an additional 500,000 devices for disadvantaged children and young people this year, on top of the 1.35 million delivered already. This brings our total investment to support remote education and online social care to more than £520 million.

Answered
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Q2 Desmond Swayne Con New Forest West
Education
Context

Parents are concerned about children being sent home for remote learning even now, despite the preference for face-to-face learning.

Question

What can be said to parents who are exasperated by their children being sent home to begin remote learning?

Answer from Robin Walker

Our priority is for schools to deliver face-to-face education to all pupils. Schools must provide immediate access to remote education where a pupil cannot attend school because they are following public health advice, and 99% of schools were open to provide face-to-face education as of 25 November.

Answered
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Q3 Stephen Morgan Lab Portsmouth South
Education
Context

A survey found that 90% of providers said the Government's contractor for the national tutoring programme was not prepared for its launch, with children in their third year of disruption.

Question

With children into their third year of disruption, what action will be taken to ensure additional tutoring support reaches every child who needs it?

Answer from Robin Walker

The national tutoring programme is on track overall, with strong take-up of the school-based element and increasing take-up of the academic mentor element. We are working closely with Randstad to ensure it steps up and increases as we hit a higher trajectory later in the year.

Partly answered

Not addressed: The questioner asked for specific actions to address low preparedness and ensure tutoring reaches every child who needs it, but the answer provided general statements without concrete commitments or timelines.

How: Working Closely With Randstad

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