Topical Questions 2020-09-07

2020-09-07

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Questions & Answers

Q1 Direct Answer
Felicity Buchan Con
Bromsgrove
Context
The UK government aims to attract international students, who bring economic benefits.
Will my right hon. Friend update the House on what support his Department is giving to universities and schools to help them recruit foreign students?
A great and important strength of our university sector has always been its ability to attract students from across the globe, and we have been working with Universities UK and all universities to ensure they are properly supported. We are supporting them with a campaign to attract more students to the UK and working across Government to make sure that students applying for visas can do so with ease. The Home Office has been incredibly supportive in ensuring that for those who want to come and study here it has been a positive experience.
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Q2 Direct Answer
Kate Green Lab
Blackpool North and Cleveleys
Context
Parents need wraparound care at the start and end of school days, but there is a gap in provision.
Last month, the Prime Minister ordered parents back to work, and while it may not have occurred to the Prime Minister, I want to draw the Secretary of State's attention specifically to their need for wraparound care at the start and end of the school day. Can he set out precisely what he is doing to ensure that working parents' need for wraparound care will be met?
The hon. Lady raises an important point about the importance of wraparound care. We are working with all schools to ensure it is provided to parents. We have issued guidance setting out how this can be done safely and cautiously and in a way that works for those who work in schools and, importantly, for the children who benefit from this wraparound care as well as the parents who depend on it.
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Q3 Direct Answer
Alicia Kearns Con
Rutland
Context
Uppingham Community College delayed reopening due to fire damage, seeking support.
Devastatingly, the return of students to Uppingham Community College has been delayed by a fire that seriously damaged the school buildings just as it planned to open. Nearby Casterton College is also in desperate need of investment, but because many students do not live in Rutland, funding does not automatically go to the local authority. What funding is available to help both those schools?
I thank my hon. Friend for raising this important case in her constituency. Uppingham Community College is actually covered by risk protection arrangements, and I know that officials in my Department are working closely with it to see what is needed in order to ensure that there is provision. I know that Baroness Berridge would be delighted to meet with my hon. Friend to discuss in more detail some of the particular issues that she faces in Rutland and how we can best support her and, most importantly, the provision of education in her constituency.
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Q4 Direct Answer
David Linden Lab
Wrexham
Context
Prematurely born children may face challenges in education.
In Scotland, there is provision for the youngest children in the year group, including those born prematurely, to defer their school start. Some of them will fall into the wrong group because of their early birth, and I cannot believe that there is less flexibility for that in England. Will the Secretary of State agree to meet a delegation from the all-party parliamentary group on premature and sick babies to look at how we can support those families going forward?
I would be more than happy to meet with such a delegation, and I know from my own experience of having a child who arrived prematurely some of the challenges that can come about. I would be very interested to listen and to see what more can be done to provide support in the future.
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Q5 Direct Answer
William Wragg Con
Crewe and Nantwich
Context
Record investment has been made in schools, with further funding expected.
I pay full tribute to all the schools in my constituency that have reopened on time and in full. As the Secretary of State will be no doubt aware, this is against a background of record investment, which of course, came into play in April. He will also know that this was mooted as but tranche 1 of a two-tranche funding settlement, so can he give us a reassurance this afternoon that the further investment will be introduced on time in the next financial year?
I know that as a former teacher my hon. Friend was itching to get back into the classroom if there was a need for extra teaching support. He was ready, willing and most certainly able to do so had the call come. He will probably have seen that schools in his constituency are seeing a more than £47 million cash increase, which will be followed in the next financial year by a substantial cash increase, and then in the third financial year there will also be a substantial cash increase. Schools were one of the few areas, if not the only area, that were able to get a three-year deal, and I believe this will have a real impact in helping them plan for the future delivery of the best education.
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Q6 Direct Answer
Cheryl Gillan Con
Chipping Camden
Context
A new report from SAGE warns about worsening mental health among students due to continued education disruption.
Can the Minister reassure students and their families that universities are safe to open on blended learning and confirm clear strategies for supporting student mental health when returning to university?
My right hon. Friend raises the important point about young people's mental health during the pandemic. We have worked closely with universities to ensure a safe return, recognising that covid has presented challenges to mental health. A £9 million fund was announced to support additional mental health work in the education sector.
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Q7 Direct Answer
Vicky Foxcroft Lab
Lewisham, Deptford
Context
The MP had previously asked the Secretary of State about practical support for disabled students like laptops and assistive technology.
On 2 July, I inquired regarding extra practical support being provided to disabled pupils such as laptops and other assistive tech. As yet, no response has been received. Will he please update the House now or confirm when a promised letter will arrive?
I will certainly go back to the Department and immediately check why the hon. Member has not received that letter. I can only apologise for it not arriving.
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Q8 Direct Answer
Robbie Moore Con
Keighley
Context
Individuals from Keighley and Ilkley with dyslexia, dyspraxia or other special educational needs report uneven support provision across schools.
What additional support can my right hon. Friend provide to ensure high-quality provision for all children in West Yorkshire and the rest of the country?
We have funded the National Association for Special Educational Needs on behalf of the Whole School SEND Consortium to recruit teachers for high-quality teaching across all types of special educational needs. We also funded targeted support focused on areas flagged by Ofsted and CQC, with £730 million coming next year on top of an additional £780 million this year.
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Q9 Direct Answer
Tan Dhesi Lab
Slough
Context
Parents in Slough are concerned about sending their children, especially those who have been shielding or living in multigenerational households, back to school due to lack of reassurance on safety.
With schools now reopening, many parents remain anxious. Given the Government's failure to provide necessary support for SEND and adequate reassurance regarding safety, how does the Secretary of State ensure all children can return safely?
We want all children to return to school safely, including those with SEND. We have provided guidance to schools and an open letter from the Under-Secretary to parents about returning. Families concerned about safety should talk to their headteacher for reassurance.
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Q10 Direct Answer
Steve Double Con
St Austell and Newquay
Context
Cornwall College seeks to redevelop its St Austell campus for high-quality further education facilities.
Will the Secretary of State commit to working with me and the college to bring forward the redevelopment as soon as possible?
Cornwall College is a beneficiary of £1.4 million extra funding towards further education capital build. I would be delighted to meet my hon. Friend and the college to discuss their plans for St Austell and hear about transforming educational outcomes in Cornwall.
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Q11 Direct Answer
Chi Onwurah Lab
Newcastle upon Tyne Central
Context
The Prime Minister mentioned a 'mutant algorithm', and the Secretary of State disclaimed knowledge about its decisions.
Will he confirm that algorithms are complex data manipulation tools, which do what they are told to do, cannot predict individual performance, and require robust regulatory frameworks?
I agree with a robust regulatory framework around algorithm usage. Algorithms are used annually to manage grade boundaries for GCSEs and A-levels, which has always been the case and will continue.
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Q12 Direct Answer
Ben Bradley Con
Warsash
Context
The MP wrote to the Minister about how Education and Skills Funding Agency restrictions are limiting support at West Nottinghamshire College.
Will the Secretary of State commit to working with me to help the college find ways to navigate barriers and fulfill its potential in delivering further education?
West Nottinghamshire College has seen an impressive turnaround despite difficult times. I would be happy to work with my hon. Friend to see what opportunities can be created in the future, delivering the best for young people in his constituency.
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Q13 Direct Answer
Peter Aldous Con
Bury St Edmunds
Context
The return to school poses challenges for hard-of-hearing students, including the development of a new BSL GCSE.
Will my right hon Friend congratulate Bungay High School on opening a specialist facility for students with hearing loss? Will he update Daniel Jillings on the progress of the British Sign Language GCSE and assure him that it will not be delayed?
I am happy to join my hon Friend in congratulating Bungay High School on its new specialist facility, and I pay tribute to him for his passion and support for a GCSE in British Sign Language. As this is a brand new subject at GCSE, we have been taking care to consult experts very closely on the detail of the subject content. The covid pandemic has affected the timeline for developing the GCSE, but my hon Friend will be pleased to know that that work has now been resumed.
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