Asked by: Baroness Wilcox of Newport (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the potential for growth in South Wales and Western England over the next five years; and whether the English Devolution White Paper will include measures to maintain collaboration to support the cross-border economy in that area.
Answered by Baroness Taylor of Stevenage - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)
A recent economic assessment undertaken by Oxford Economics, commissioned by Western Gateway on behalf of HMG, forecasts that the West of England and South Wales economies have the potential to grow by 1.4% a year between 2024 and 2029, slightly ahead of the UK excluding London, and if fully recognised, also ahead of other comparable growth areas such as the Oxford-Cambridge Arc and the Scottish Central Belt.
HMG is also currently undertaking the consultation phase of our new industrial strategy delivering a 10-year plan for growth across the UK and would encourage all regions to participate to be part of a modern and ambitious economic vision for the country.
HMG has already announced the Council of Nations and Regions, which will support cross-border collaboration by bringing together the Prime Minister, Deputy Prime Minister and the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster with the heads of the devolved governments and the mayors of combined authorities, combined country authorities and the Mayor of London, to consider shared opportunities and lessons on best practice across the UK.
Asked by: Baroness Wilcox of Newport (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask His Majesty's Government what estimate they have made of the savings for local authorities who join the National Parking Platform.
Answered by Lord Hendy of Richmond Hill - Minister of State (Department for Transport)
The Department has funded a pilot version of the system led by Manchester City Council since 2021, which now covers nine authorities and around 1% of the national cashless parking market. The pilot has been successful.
Asked by: Baroness Wilcox of Newport (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask His Majesty's Government when the full operational model of the National Parking Platform will be available to local authorities.
Answered by Lord Hendy of Richmond Hill - Minister of State (Department for Transport)
The Department has funded a pilot version of the system led by Manchester City Council since 2021, which now covers nine authorities and around 1% of the national cashless parking market. The pilot has been successful.
Asked by: Baroness Wilcox of Newport (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask His Majesty's Government what recent assessment they have made of the effectiveness of Jobcentre Plus in helping people get back into work.
Answered by Baroness Sherlock - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
The last Parliament saw the biggest increase in economic inactivity in nearly 40 years. The employment rate remains 1.4%pts lower than before the pandemic. Only one in six people escape low pay over the course of a decade.
The UK is the only G7 country not to have a higher employment rate than pre-COVID. We are reforming employment support, bringing together Jobcentre Plus and the National Careers Service. The new jobs and careers service will transform our ability to support more people into work and help those on low pay to increase their earnings, which will in turn be vital to supporting our wider economic growth mission.
We will set out our plans in more detail through the forthcoming White Paper to Get Britain Working.
Asked by: Baroness Wilcox of Newport (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the number of applications each year for the past five years for re-sits and re-marks for (1) BTECs, (2) T Levels, (3) GCSEs, and (4) A Levels.
Answered by Baroness Barran - Shadow Minister (Education)
This is a matter for Ofqual, the Office of Qualifications and Examinations Regulation. I have asked its Chief Regulator, Dr Jo Saxton, to write to the noble Baroness and a copy of her reply will be placed in the Libraries of both Houses.
Asked by: Baroness Wilcox of Newport (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask His Majesty's Government how many schools that had previously been graded outstanding have, not having been inspected for five years or more, been downgraded since full Ofsted inspections resumed in September 2021.
Answered by Baroness Barran - Shadow Minister (Education)
This is a matter for His Majesty’s Chief Inspector, Amanda Spielman. I have asked her to write to the noble Lady directly and a copy of her reply will be placed in the Libraries of both Houses.
Asked by: Baroness Wilcox of Newport (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask His Majesty's Government how many dangerous weapons have been confiscated in English schools in each region, in each year for the past five years.
Answered by Baroness Barran - Shadow Minister (Education)
The department does not hold data on weapons confiscated in schools in England, or on sexual assaults and rapes reported in schools in England. However, data is collected and published on suspensions and permanent exclusions of pupils from school and their reasons, including the reasons ‘use or threat of use of an offensive weapon or prohibited item’, and ‘sexual misconduct’. The information is available here: https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/find-statistics/permanent-and-fixed-period-exclusions-in-england/2020-21.
Asked by: Baroness Wilcox of Newport (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask His Majesty's Government how many sexual assaults and rapes have been recorded in English schools in each region, in each year for the past five years.
Answered by Baroness Barran - Shadow Minister (Education)
The department does not hold data on weapons confiscated in schools in England, or on sexual assaults and rapes reported in schools in England. However, data is collected and published on suspensions and permanent exclusions of pupils from school and their reasons, including the reasons ‘use or threat of use of an offensive weapon or prohibited item’, and ‘sexual misconduct’. The information is available here: https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/find-statistics/permanent-and-fixed-period-exclusions-in-england/2020-21.
Asked by: Baroness Wilcox of Newport (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to make changes to (1) standards, or (2) guidance, for the (a) construction, and (b) specification, of new school buildings, in respect of either (i) classroom ventilation, or (ii) air purification, as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Answered by Baroness Barran - Shadow Minister (Education)
Schools should always create a healthy indoor environment for occupants, this includes keeping spaces ventilated to reduce the concentration of pathogens in the air, such as COVID-19. Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, the department have emphasised the importance of ventilation and provided guidance to settings on ventilation requirements.
In 2018, the department published Building Bulletin 100, guidance for school design on ventilation, thermal comfort, and indoor air quality. This includes the World Health Organisation’s air quality guidelines and Air Quality Standards Regulation 2010 for indoor air quality. The full publication can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/building-bulletin-100-design-for-fire-safety-in-schools.
Furthermore, the department sets environmental standards for centrally delivered new schools and sets a minimum specification for ventilation to address healthy indoor air quality.
The current version was updated recently and published in November 2021. This can be accessed here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/output-specification-generic-design-brief-and-technical-annexes.
Asked by: Baroness Wilcox of Newport (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what estimate they have made, in pounds, of the total cost of the higher energy use in schools as a result of following their advice to keep windows in classrooms open as a form of ventilation; and what estimate they have made of the average extra cost for each (1) primary school, and (2) secondary school.
Answered by Baroness Barran - Shadow Minister (Education)
Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, the government has provided schools with guidance on how to manage ventilation, in addition to providing over 360,000 CO2 monitors to state-funded education providers in England. As well as helping to identify areas that are poorly ventilated, CO2 monitors can be useful to help schools balance good ventilation with keeping classrooms warm.
Ensuring adequate ventilation does not need to be at the expense of keeping classrooms warm. Schools do not need to keep windows fully open at all times. Opening windows regularly for 10 minutes, or a small amount continuously can still improve ventilation substantially. The department's guidance has also been clear that when CO2 monitors indicate good ventilation, there is no need to open additional windows.
Maintaining adequate ventilation remains the responsibility of individual providers. The department does not hold the information requested on the increase in energy usage or costs due to opening windows, as this will vary according to a range of factors including how individual schools manage ventilation in their estate.
The department recognises that schools will be facing cost pressures in the coming months, particularly due to the increase in energy prices. The department is looking carefully at how this will impact schools. All schools can access a range of school resource management tools to help them get the best value from their resources, including two Schools Commercial Team recommended deals for energy costs and ancillary services relating to energy, which can be accessed here: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/find-a-dfe-approved-framework-for-your-school.