Asked by: Baroness Burt of Solihull (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the remarks by Baroness Barran on 17 July 2023 (HL Deb col 2044), what steps they have taken to respond formally to the United Nations Committee on the Rights of the Child's Concluding Observations, published in June 2023.
Answered by Baroness Barran - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)
Following the constructive dialogue in Geneva, the UN Committee on the Rights of the Child published their Concluding Observations on 2 June 2023. As the lead department, the Department for Education has actively coordinated follow-up activities relating to the United Nations on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC), including sharing the Concluding Observations with relevant policy teams across government departments.
The government has carefully considered all the recommendations listed in the Concluding Observations document and will continue to do so until the next reporting round.
Although the UK is a proud signatory of the UNCRC, it does not always agree with, or implement, the Committee’s recommendations and there is no prerequisite to do so.
The Committee will establish and communicate the due date of the next periodic report in due course, which the department will coordinate.
Asked by: Baroness Burt of Solihull (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask Her Majesty's Government when they plan to publish the outcome of the review of the School Admissions Code.
Answered by Baroness Berridge
In 2020 the Government consulted on changes to the School Admissions Code (the Code) to improve the in year admission process for all children, including those fleeing domestic abuse, and to improve Fair Access Protocols, which act as a safety net for the most vulnerable children. The new Code and associated regulations were laid before Parliament on 13 May and, subject to Parliamentary procedure, they will come into force 1 September. On the same day, the Government published the response to the consultation which is available at the following link: https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/changes-to-the-school-admissions-code--4.
The new Code ensures that unplaced children who are living in a refuge or other relevant accommodation will be eligible to be considered by a Fair Access Protocol, which exists to ensure that unplaced and vulnerable children are allocated a school place as quickly as possible. Relevant accommodation, for the purposes of the Code, means a safe place to stay for victims and their children fleeing domestic abuse. This can include, but is not limited to, refuges, specialist safe accommodation, sanctuary schemes and second stage accommodation.
Asked by: Baroness Burt of Solihull (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they plan to take to ensure that the Fair Access Protocol under the School Admissions Code includes all children escaping domestic abuse, not only those in refuges.
Answered by Baroness Berridge
In 2020 the Government consulted on changes to the School Admissions Code (the Code) to improve the in year admission process for all children, including those fleeing domestic abuse, and to improve Fair Access Protocols, which act as a safety net for the most vulnerable children. The new Code and associated regulations were laid before Parliament on 13 May and, subject to Parliamentary procedure, they will come into force 1 September. On the same day, the Government published the response to the consultation which is available at the following link: https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/changes-to-the-school-admissions-code--4.
The new Code ensures that unplaced children who are living in a refuge or other relevant accommodation will be eligible to be considered by a Fair Access Protocol, which exists to ensure that unplaced and vulnerable children are allocated a school place as quickly as possible. Relevant accommodation, for the purposes of the Code, means a safe place to stay for victims and their children fleeing domestic abuse. This can include, but is not limited to, refuges, specialist safe accommodation, sanctuary schemes and second stage accommodation.
Asked by: Baroness Burt of Solihull (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask Her Majesty’s Government when they will publish the balance sheet of the previous transgender action plan as committed to in the government response to the Women and Equalities Committee 2016 Report HC390.
Answered by Lord Nash
In our response to the Committee in July 2016, the Government committed to a range of actions designed to improve the lives and experiences of transgender people.
This included a commitment to publish an update of the LGB&T Action Plan and the Transgender Action Plan and to publish a new plan on transgender equality.
We will provide an update on the Government’s progress in 2017.
Asked by: Baroness Burt of Solihull (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask Her Majesty’s Government when they will publish the new transgender strategy as agreed to in the government response to recommendation 1 of the House of Commons Women and Equalities Committee 2016 Report <i>Transgender Equality</i> HC390.
Answered by Lord Nash
In our response to the Committee in July 2016, the Government committed to a range of actions designed to improve the lives and experiences of transgender people.
This included a commitment to publish an update of the LGB&T Action Plan and the Transgender Action Plan and to publish a new plan on transgender equality.
We will provide an update on the Government’s progress in 2017.
Asked by: Baroness Burt of Solihull (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what plans they have to ensure that regional schools commissioners are accountable for poor school sixth-form provision in their areas.
Answered by Lord Nash
Regional Schools Commissioners are accountable for monitoring the performance of school sixth-forms in their areas when they are part of an existing academy.
Decisions regarding intervention action are informed by the academy’s performance against minimum standards, including the 16-19 minimum standards, and Ofsted judgements, as well as local intelligence.
In the past few months, we have begun to review the post-16 education and training landscape through a programme of area reviews. Through these reviews, colleges, local authorities, local enterprise partnerships, and commissioners (RSCs, as well as FE and Sixth Form College Commissioners) scrutinise all local post-16 provision and are developing recommendations to secure high quality provision for students and employers which is delivered through a financially viable and resilient college sector.