Asked by: Lord Bishop of Coventry (Bishops - Bishops)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what further consultation opportunities they will provide for those involved in the education of SEND students within further education colleges to inform the development of policy following the SEND green paper consultation.
Answered by Baroness Barran - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)
The department will continue to work with partners, including further education providers, to design a national Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) and Alternative Provision (AP) improvement plan. This will be published later this year and will set out in detail how we will deliver improvements to the SEND and AP system, including in further education. In autumn, the department will establish a National SEND and AP Board to lead improvements in the system across education, health, and care. We will set out the board’s role and membership, including how we will ensure the voices and lived experiences of children, young people and their families are at the heart of the board discussions.
Asked by: Lord Bishop of Coventry (Bishops - Bishops)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to ensure sufficient funding for arts and humanities subjects in higher education in the (1) short, and (2) long, term; and what assessment they have made of (a) the potential shortfall in funding after the cessation of funding from the European Research Council ceases, and (b) general pressures on funding for arts and humanities subjects in higher education.
Answered by Baroness Barran - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)
The government recognises the importance of the creative arts to the economy and the UK’s soft power. High-quality provision in a range of subjects is critical for our workforce and our public services and is culturally-enriching for our society.
For the 2022/23 academic year, the Office for Students has increased the high-cost subject funding rate per student for performing and creative arts and media studies to £125.76, a rise of 3.51%, and for archaeology to £264.50, a rise of 4.75%, from the previous year. The department has also increased funding for world-leading specialist providers, including 11 providers specialising in the arts, by an additional £5 million in the 2022/23 financial year, on top of the increase of £10 million provided in the 2021/22 financial year. The department wants to ensure that such providers receive additional support, and that grant funding is used effectively to support students, including those with an interest in the cultural and creative sectors.
UK Research and Innovation is also providing significant investment over the current Spending Review period, with funding for the Arts and Humanities Research Council totalling £207 million for the 2022/23 to 2024/25 financial years.
Research England has published its funding decisions for university research and knowledge exchange, expected to be £8 billion over the Spending Review period. Proportional allocations across disciplinary areas have been maintained, recognising the significant contribution to culture and quality of life from the arts and humanities.