Asked by: Lord Smith of Finsbury (Non-affiliated - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the letter from the Deputy Director of the Department of Education’s Disadvantage and International Directorate dated 24 October, what consideration they have given to replacing “does not include” with “includes” in section 7 of the European University Institute (EU Exit) Regulations 2022.
Answered by Baroness Barran - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)
While the UK’s membership of the European University Institute (EUI) convention ceased on exit of the EU, the department put in place an extension of its previous arrangements with the EUI beyond the end of the transition period, until 31 December 2022. This was to protect the status of UK-linked staff and students at the EUI, so that they could continue in their posts and with their studies while options for a future relationship with the EUI were considered.
Long standing government policy is to only grant privileges and immunities where there is a demonstrated and robust functional need for the running of the institution and never solely for personal benefit. In this case, in the absence of a negotiated international treaty compelling the government to do so, the department is unable to continue to grant privileges and immunities to EUI staff and students, including the UK linked ones.
The saving of the income tax privilege and the legal proceedings immunity for current staff is as considered appropriate and/or intended to give a reasonable period for those staff at the EUI to adjust, and they will be saved in relation to the current term of the staff member’s employment contract without extension.
Asked by: Lord Smith of Finsbury (Non-affiliated - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask Her Majesty's Government whether the free speech duties they intend to place on universities will prohibit the implementation by universities of the duties placed on them under the Prevent programme.
Answered by Lord Parkinson of Whitley Bay - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)
My right hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Education, set out new measures to strengthen free speech and academic freedom at universities in England on 16 February 2021, in order to stamp out unlawful silencing on campuses. The new measures set out in the policy paper will help to ensure that our universities are places where free speech can thrive.
Higher education providers will continue to be subject to the Prevent duty under Section 26(1) of the Counter-Terrorism and Security Act 2015. The government is clear that the Prevent Duty should not be used to suppress free speech; rather, it requires providers, when exercising their functions, to have due regard to the need to prevent people being drawn into terrorism. There is no prescription from government (or the Office for Students) in regard to what action providers should take once they have had due regard. The legislation imposing the Prevent duty in relation to higher education specifically requires that providers must have particular regard to their duty to ensure freedom of speech and to the importance of academic freedom. As they already do, providers will continue to balance their legal duties, both in terms of ensuring freedom of speech and academic freedom, and also of protecting student and staff welfare.
Asked by: Lord Smith of Finsbury (Non-affiliated - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to provide support for residential outdoor activity centres that are at risk of closure because of the restrictions put in place to address the COVID-19 pandemic.
Answered by Baroness Berridge
The Department’s advice on educational visits can be viewed at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/actions-for-schools-during-the-coronavirus-outbreak/guidance-for-full-opening-schools. It is in line with guidance from Public Health England, the Cabinet Office and the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office. It is currently under review and the findings will be available at the end of November.
The Government has introduced an unprecedented and comprehensive package of support worth more than £200 billion to help as many individuals and businesses as possible during this difficult period. This includes small business grants, the coronavirus loan guarantee schemes, the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme (CJRS), the deferral of VAT and income tax payments, and more. The measures introduced have been designed to be accessible to businesses in most sectors and across the UK.
Further measures have been announced by my right hon. Friend, the Chancellor of the Exchequer, that build on the significant support already available as well as set out how current support will evolve and adapt. These include the extension of the CJRS until the end of March 2021, the extension of the deadline for applications for the Bounce Back Loan scheme and other loan schemes until 31 January 2021, and increased support for the self-employed through the Self-Employment Income Support Scheme grants.
Furthermore, businesses in England that are forced to close due to national or local restrictions will receive up to £3,000 per month. Local authorities in England will also receive one-off funding of £1.1 billion to support businesses more broadly over the coming months as a key part of local economies.
The Government will continue to work closely with local authorities, businesses, business representative organisations, and the financial services sector to monitor the implementation of current support and understand whether there is additional need. Businesses can also access tailored advice through our freephone business support helpline, online via the Business Support website or through their local growth hubs in England.
Asked by: Lord Smith of Finsbury (Non-affiliated - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of the impact of proposals to change AS levels on broadening access for students to Russell Group universities.
Answered by Lord Nash
Over 80% of students with two or more A levels go on to higher education [1] , and yet many do not have the skills they need for degree-level study. Research by Cambridge Assessment [2] found that over 50% of lecturers think that new undergraduates are not well prepared for degree-level study.
By removing the unnecessary external assessment in year 12 and giving students the opportunity to develop greater intellectual maturity across a full two-year A level course, for example by making stronger links between topics, we are supporting students to develop the skills they need for university.
Schools should continue to support students to take the qualifications that are right for them. The AS level qualification will remain available to students wanting to add breadth to their programmes of study. And it will remain possible for students to take the AS level qualification before making firm decisions about their A level subjects.
[1] 2012 Higher Education Statistics Agency Student Record dataset, matched onto 2010 KS5 database.
[2] Irenka Suto, Cambridge Assessment (April 2012), What are the impacts of qualifications for 16 to 19 year olds on higher education? A survey of 633 university lecturers
http://www.cambridgeassessment.org.uk/images/116010-cambridge-assessment-he-research-survey-of-lecturers-executive-summary.pdf
Asked by: Lord Smith of Finsbury (Non-affiliated - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what discussions they have had with universities, and what research they have conducted, in relation to the impact that changes to the A/S level examinations will have on the assessment the university sector will be able to make of candidates for undergraduate entry.
Answered by Lord Nash
We have discussed the changes to the AS qualification with UCAS and other higher education organisations, including the A level Content Advisory Board (ALCAB), the Russell Group and Universities UK. It is, of course, for individual universities to determine their own admission arrangements. AS grades only form one part of a range of information available to universities about prospective applicants. They also look at prior attainment at key stage 4, teachers' assessments and personal statements.
In May 2013 the Department for Education published research which considered how GCSE results compared to AS Level results at estimating the probability of a student attaining at least a 2:1 at university. The research[1] found that using GCSE results are a better predictor of university outcomes than AS results. Our plans to restore rigour to GCSEs will ensure they are an even more useful source of information for university admissions.
[1]Available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/a-comparison-of-gcse-results-and-as-level-results-as-a-predictor-of-getting-a-21-or-above-at-university