Asked by: Baroness Meyer (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Programme for International Student Assessment global ranking in Mathematics from 2019 showing British teenagers in 18th place, what plans, if any, they have to support students to reach the top ten
Answered by Baroness Barran - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)
The department has not set specific targets for mathematics rankings in international comparison studies. However, we are taking action to help our pupils excel in mathematics on the international stage.
For example, our previous reform of the mathematics curriculum and GCSE examinations in England sought to match the standards set by high performing East Asian jurisdictions. Building on this work, our network of 40 school-led Maths Hubs across England is also helping local schools improve the quality of their mathematics teaching. This includes the delivery of the £100 million Teaching for Mastery programme, which is bringing teaching practice from those same high performing jurisdictions to 11,000 primary and secondary schools across England by 2023.
In July the department announced a new multi-million pound scheme to support mathematics catch-up and boost numeracy skills for pupils starting primary and secondary school. This offer will be led by the National Centre for Excellence in the teaching of mathematics in partnership with Maths Hubs. The scheme will provide teacher training and materials to thousands of schools across England this academic year based on Teaching for Mastery approaches.
The UK performed significantly above the Organisation for Economic Co-Operation and Development average in mathematics in the latest Programme for International Student Assessment tests in 2018, the results of which were reported in 2019, with a significant improvement in average score compared to 2015. England’s average mathematics score also significantly improved, accompanied by a decrease in the number of countries that scored significantly above England from 19 in 2015 to 12 in 2018.
Across the UK, Wales’s average mathematics score improved between 2012 and 2018. Average mathematics performance in Scotland remained stable between 2015 and 2018, but decreased compared to 2006, and has remained stable in Northern Ireland since 2006. Education policy is devolved, and the devolved administrations are responsible for standards in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.
Asked by: Baroness Meyer (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what is the scientific basis for their current rules on the maximum number of people allowed to attend (1) christenings, (2) weddings, and (3) funerals.
Answered by Lord Bethell
Infections are rising across the United Kingdom, and the seven-day average number of cases has nearly quadrupled from 21 August to 21 September, and that is why the Government has to provide restrictions to limit transmission.
We recognise that weddings, christenings and funerals are significant events for different reasons in difficult times. From 28 September, there should be a maximum of 15 attendees at a wedding or civil partnership ceremony or wedding reception with a sit down meal in a COVID-secure setting. Allowing funerals up to 30 will balance the needs of the bereaved to mourn appropriately while minimising the spread of the virus.
We understand that people may want to gather in larger groups, however we have to balance this against the risk of transmission in large groups.
These measures are continually under review.
Asked by: Baroness Meyer (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask Her Majesty's Government whether the proposed 14-day quarantine for those entering the UK will be adapted to reflect the different levels of COVID-19 infection and mortality in different countries; and whether holders of British Nationals (Overseas) passports, and their families, travelling from Hong Kong will be subject to the quarantine requirements.
Answered by Baroness Williams of Trafford - Captain of the Honourable Corps of Gentlemen-at-Arms (HM Household) (Chief Whip, House of Lords)
The Government is exploring all options to allow us to safely increase travel including international travel corridors. In due course more information will be published on the criteria that must be satisfied to lift these public health measures, or to move to a new approach.
From 8 June, all passengers arriving in the UK will be required to self-isolate for 14 days and could be contacted throughout this period to ensure compliance. This applies to all nationalities, including holders of British Nationals (Overseas) Passports and their families.
Asked by: Baroness Meyer (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the case for increasing the number of students who can participate in the Marshall Scholarship programme to 100; and what assessment they have made of the benefits of that programme to the UK's international reputation.
Answered by Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
For 65 years, the Marshall Scholarship programme has created lasting bridges between the US and the UK by funding intellectually distinguished young Americans to undertake postgraduate studies in Britain. Marshall scholars become advocates for greater depth and breadth of interaction, co-operation and mutual understanding between the two countries, with many going on to senior positions in politics, business, the law and other fields. The Government increased the programme's funding in 2017, allowing up to 50 scholarships to be awarded per year. This increased investment reflects the strengthened commitment of the British Government to the value of this programme and to the Special Relationship. The Tailored Review of the programme this year concluded that it continues to support UK-US relations, and in line with the review's recommendations, we will be building on work to develop our processes for evaluating the programme's impact.
Asked by: Baroness Meyer (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Department for International Trade:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what scope the UK will have to negotiate and conclude third party trade agreements under the terms of the EU Withdrawal Agreement if the backstop provisions come into effect.
Answered by Baroness Fairhead
We would be free to operate our own independent trade policy during the backstop, including negotiating our own FTAs and implementing areas that don’t affect the functioning of the backstop - including services and investment.