Commons Sense

House of Commons · Ministers' Questions

Topical Questions

Monday 11 December 2023 · 18 questions

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

Read the full transcript on Parliament.uk

At a glance

Answered 3 Partly answered 10 Not answered 0

Key points

  • Ruth Perry's death had a significant impact on her family, community, and school.
  • The Education Secretary is working with Ofsted to introduce changes to inspection practices.
  • A meeting is proposed to discuss the urgent need to rebuild Tipton St John Primary School.

Topics (select to filter)

Questions & Answers

Q1 Simon Jupp
Education Safeguarding & DBS
Context

Ruth Perry's death highlighted issues in school inspection practices and the need for changes.

Question

I am concerned about Ruth Perry's tragic death which affected her family, community, and school. The Education Secretary has worked on introducing important changes to inspection practice with Ofsted to ensure that if a school is graded 'inadequate' due to ineffective safeguarding but all other judgments are 'good', it will be reinspected within three months. This happened at Caversham Primary School which was regraded as 'good'. I also support the doubling of wellbeing support for our school leaders, and we need to ensure such a tragedy never happens again.

Answer from Gillian Keegan

Ruth Perry's death was a tragic event that left a significant impact on her family, community, and school. Throughout this year, I have been honoured to collaborate closely with Ruth's sister Julia and her friends Lisa and Edmund to implement critical changes in inspection practices alongside Ofsted which ensure headteachers can share their inspection results including safeguarding outcomes. These new policies mean that if a school is judged 'inadequate' due to poor safeguarding but other judgments are 'good', it will undergo reinspection within three months. This was successfully executed at Caversham Primary School this summer, resulting in its reclassification as 'good'. Additionally, we have doubled the support for the wellbeing of our school leaders.

Answered
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Q2 Simon Jupp
Education Environment
Context

Tipton St John Primary School is prone to flooding and had to close three times this year due to heavy rainfall, with another near miss last week.

Question

This Conservative Government will fund a new school to replace the flood-prone Tipton St John Primary School which has closed three times this year due to intense rain. It's crucial that construction starts next year for the new school. Will you meet me to discuss this urgent matter further?

Answer from Gillian Keegan

Our school rebuilding programme is transforming 500 schools across England, and I am pleased that Tipton St John Primary School is one of them. The school is located in a flood-prone area and was affected by the recent storms. We are actively working with the diocese of Exeter and Devon local authority to identify suitable sites for the new school. I agree to meet my hon. Friend very soon.

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Q3 Bridget Phillipson Lab Houghton and Sunderland South
Education
Context

The education secretary stated her commitment to improving child attendance, yet this term the attendance rate has declined consistently hitting a new low.

Question

I send my condolences to Ruth Perry's family. The Education Secretary states that attendance is a priority but the latest figures show attendance rates have dropped significantly this term despite previous promises and legislation intentions.

Answer from Gillian Keegan

Attendance for me is my top priority. I regularly chair the attendance action alliance group and we are determined to ensure that children attend school because it benefits their education greatly. We collaborate with GPs and other medical professionals to promote awareness of the positive impact of school on child well-being, and support is available in schools. These efforts have begun to show results with 380,000 fewer children missing school but attendance remains a key issue.

Partly answered

Not addressed: Commitment to improving attendance without specific legislative action

How: Attendance Is My No. 1 Priority, Determined To Help Ensure That Children Are In School

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Q4 Bridget Phillipson Lab Houghton and Sunderland South
Parliamentary Procedure Children & Families
Context

The Education Secretary promised to legislate but the measure was missing from the King's Speech, despite previous commitments.

Question

If attendance is her top priority, why isn't there legislation for a register of children not in school as previously promised?

Answer from Gillian Keegan

More items are proposed for the King's Speech than can be accommodated within legislative time; therefore, not all items make it into the speech. It remains my priority and I aim to legislate on this matter very soon.

Partly answered

Not addressed: Commitment without specific timeframe or confirmation of blocking by No. 10

How: More Things Go Into King'S Speeches Than There Is Legislative Time

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Q5 Greg Smith Con Mid Buckinghamshire
Education Mental Health
Context

A school in the constituency reports having six school counsellors but a long waiting list for children needing mental health support.

Question

What steps is my hon. Friend taking to ensure that schools have adequate resources to support pupils with mental health concerns?

Answer from David Johnston

We are providing training grants for all state schools to train senior mental health leads and already 14,400 have claimed a grant. Additionally, we collaborate with the Department of Health and Social Care to extend mental health support teams to cover at least half of pupils by spring 2025.

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Q6 Carol Monaghan SNP
Immigration Foreign Affairs
Context

The input of Palestinian academics is crucial for a peaceful solution to the Israel-Gaza conflict, but many have already lost their lives.

Question

Could you make a statement about representations made to Cabinet colleagues regarding introducing an emergency humanitarian visa for academics in Gaza?

Answer from David Johnston

I will write to the hon. Lady about that.

Not addressed: No substantive information provided, only promise to provide in writing later

How: Writing To The Hon. Lady

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Q7 Ranil Jayawardena Con
Education
Context

Parental choice is crucial and wave 16 of free schools are expected.

Question

When will wave 16 of the free school programme open?

Answer from Damian Hinds

There are currently 701 free schools open and a further 140-plus in the pipeline. There is an ongoing round of applications for special and alternative provision free schools, but future capital funding will be determined through spending reviews.

Partly answered

Not addressed: No specific timeline provided

How: A Current Round Of Applications, Future Capital Would Be A Matter For Future Spending Reviews

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Q8 Andrew Bridgen Con
Education
Context

The independent review of relationships, sex and health education submitted its recommendations to the Secretary of State in September.

Question

When will those RSHE recommendations be made public? If they are not to be made public, why not?

Answer from Damian Hinds

We are conducting a review of RSHE guidance as these topics are important and sensitive. The results will be made public soon.

Partly answered

Not addressed: No specific timeline or reason for non-disclosure provided

How: We Are Conducting A Review, Important And Sensitive

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Q9 Priti Patel Con Witham
Education Housing
Context

Delays in temporary classroom provision are affecting educational outcomes in schools.

Question

The Secretary of State will be familiar with reinforced autoclaved aerated concrete in Essex, and I thank her and her ministerial team for their support. Can she give an assurance that contractors such as Mitie, employed to build a temporary accommodation unit for local schools, are working with schools to deliver programmes on time and to meet their needs? Right now, we are seeing delays that are affecting the educational outcomes of local children.

Answer from Gillian Keegan

The temporary classrooms at St Andrew's Junior School were delivered by Essex County Council, which I thank once again for its exemplary leadership managing RAAC in Essex. The Department is working closely with all parties to ensure that any concerns are addressed quickly. Work is ongoing today to fix a disabled access door. I can confirm that we will remove RAAC from all schools and colleges. Settings will be offered either grant funding or rebuilding projects. We are assessing the right solution for each case and we will update the House shortly.

Partly answered

Not addressed: Did not specifically address whether contractors such as Mitie were working efficiently with schools to deliver on time.

How: Working Closely With All Parties

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Q10 Alistair Strathern Lab Hitchin
Education
Context

Swallowfield Primary School faces a loss of space due to an inadvertent breach of section 77.

Question

Swallowfield Primary School has a space-constrained site in my constituency, and relies on temporary accommodation to provide important special educational needs and disabilities interventions for pupils. However, because of an inadvertent breach of section 77 of the School Standards and Framework Act 1998, it has had a loss of space and may lose that unit because of the compromising effect on outdoor space. Given that the space lost could never have been used for recreational purposes—

Answer from Damian Hinds

It sounds like there are important details to get to grips with, so I am happy to meet the hon. Gentleman.

Not addressed: Did not address the specific issue of Swallowfield Primary School losing space due to section 77 breach.

How: Happy To Meet

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Q11 Sally-Ann Hart
Education
Context

The Government has allocated £50 million for technical education in the autumn statement.

Question

The Government are rightly focusing on technical as well as academic education with the new British standard. University technical college sleeves would support the Government to enhance pre-16 technical education in secondary schools. Will the extra £50 million made available for technical education in schools in the autumn statement be available for UTC sleeves?

Answer from Robert Halfon

My hon. Friend is a champion for UTCs and technical education. I am delighted that the Secretary of State recently approved two more UTCs. A couple of weeks ago I visited the brilliant Harlow BMAT STEM Academy, which is a UTC, and UTC Portsmouth. We will respond shortly to Lord Baker's request for a UTC sleeve pilot, as she mentioned.

Partly answered

Not addressed: Did not explicitly confirm if the £50 million includes funding for UTC sleeves.

How: Responding Shortly

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Q12 Bell Ribeiro-Addy Lab Clapham and Brixton Hill
Education
Context

Corpus Christi junior school was closed in July due to RAAC.

Question

Corpus Christi junior school on Brixton Hill has been closed since July due to RAAC. We now have tenders approved for the significant works that the Department for Education said were necessary and that it would pay for, but they must begin in January to ensure that they are completed in time. Could the Secretary of State explain why, despite repeated requests, her Department has still not approved the necessary funding? Any further delay could mean that my young constituents are left with further disruption and no building to learn in for the next academic year.

Answer from Damian Hinds

We are, as the hon. Lady will know, committed to ensure that reasonable costs for temporary accommodation and so on are covered in the immediate term and beyond, to make sure that capital costs are covered for either refurbishment or, in some cases, rebuild. There will be further detail to come before long.

Partly answered

Not addressed: Did not provide a reason for the funding delay.

How: Committed To Ensure

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Q13 Theresa Villiers Con
Education
Context

England's education standards have risen while Wales' have fallen.

Question

England has shot up the international rankings in education, but schools in Wales have not. Does that not show that Conservative education reforms are helping kids to thrive in schools in England?

Answer from Gillian Keegan

Yes. We have to compare and contrast that with Wales, which has the lowest educational standards in the UK. The simple answer to why that is, is that it is run by Labour. Under Labour, our education standards plummeted from eighth to 27th in maths, from seventh to 25th in reading and from fourth to 16th in science. Thanks to the hard work of our teachers and pupils, and the reforms under this Conservative Government, we have rocketed back up the tables to 11th for maths and 13th for reading and science. Every time Labour gets power, education standards fall. The Conservatives are the only ones taking the long-term decisions to deliver a better education for our children.

Not addressed: Did not address how England's educational improvements were due to Conservative reforms.

How: Plummeted Under Labour, Conservatives Are Taking Long-Term Decisions

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Q14 Mike Amesbury Lab
Education
Context

Private Member's Bill to reduce the cost of school uniforms was introduced.

Question

Despite my private Member's Bill on statutory guidance to reduce the cost of school uniforms—the Education (Guidance about Costs of School Uniforms) Act 2021—far too many schools require a plethora of logos and branded items. When can we expect more robust intervention from Ministers to deal with this issue?

Answer from Damian Hinds

Schools should be reasonable in what they do and that is what our guidance sets out.

Not addressed: Did not provide a timeline or specific measures for dealing with the issue.

How: Should Be Reasonable

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Q15 Mary Robinson Con
Education
Context

Staff and headteacher have worked hard to maintain education following RAAC discovery.

Question

Staff at Bramhall High School have worked extremely hard to maintain the education of students following the discovery of RAAC. I am grateful for the support given by the Department and Stockport Council to ensure that temporary classrooms will be in place in the new year. Will my right hon. Friend join me in thanking the headteacher and the staff for all their hard work? Given the existing condition of the school, will he join me in calling for it to be included in a new build programme?

Answer from Damian Hinds

I join my hon. Friend in thanking and paying tribute to all the staff, children and families at Bramhall High Street. She is a great advocate for them. Schools and colleges will be offered either capital grants to fund refurbishment or permanently remove RAAC, or rebuilding projects where they are needed.

Partly answered

Not addressed: Did not explicitly confirm support for including the school in a new build programme.

How: Joining Me

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Q16 Emma Hardy Lab Kingston upon Hull West and Haltemprice
Education
Context

Last week, the Government published an updated RAAC school list.

Question

Last week, the Government published an update of the list of schools with RAAC. Will the Minister confirm that the Department is seeking to cross-check its list of schools affected by RAAC with the BBC, because it remains the case that the BBC journalists have more of a grip on this crisis than the Government?

Answer from Damian Hinds

We have a lot of people working on this and rightly so, including making sure that all the surveys get done. We have also committed to being transparent, which is why we publish regular updates to the list. We continue to work at pace to try to resolve the problems as quickly as possible for the good of the children.

Not addressed: Did not confirm whether cross-checking with BBC data was happening.

How: A Lot Of People Working On

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Q17 Harriett Baldwin Con West Worcestershire
Taxation
Context

Malvern College in West Worcestershire is facing tax implications that could affect its operations, local economy, and educational support. The question addresses the impact of such a policy.

Question

Malvern College employs hundreds of local people, supports the local economy, earns export earnings for our country, ensures that people around the world love the UK, and is a huge supporter of our local schools. What kind of destructive ideology would put all that at risk and make the UK the only country in the world to tax education?

Answer from Gillian Keegan

My hon. Friend is absolutely right. It is a dreadful policy and it will have exactly the opposite impact. It will probably actually cost money and mean children moving schools, and all because the Labour party just plays the politics of envy.

Partly answered

Not addressed: Specific impacts on Malvern College and detailed reasons for the tax policy were not provided

How: Dreadful Policy, Opposition Criticism

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Q18 Matt Rodda Lab Reading Central
Education
Context

Following an inquest, there is a request to reconsider the single-word judgment in Ofsted inspection reports due to its impact on educational institutions and students.

Question

I offer my deepest condolences to the family of Ruth Perry. Following the inquest last week, will the Secretary of State now consider the removal of the single-word judgment from Ofsted inspection reports?

Answer from Gillian Keegan

I thank the hon. Gentleman for his question, and for arranging the initial meetings with Julia Waters—Ruth's sister, who I know is his constituent—and attending the first few. I will be working very closely with the new chief inspector of schools when he starts three weeks today to see what more we can do, but we must remember that Ofsted plays an important role in keeping children safe and standards high.

Partly answered

Not addressed: The specific removal of single-word judgment was not committed to

How: Working Closely, Important Role

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