Asked by: Lord Swire (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to encourage the study of economics.
Answered by Baroness Smith of Malvern - Minister of State (Education)
Qualifications in economics are available for schools to offer at GCSE and A level. Schools are free to decide which qualifications they will offer in each subject they teach. As part of their duty to teach a broad and balanced curriculum, schools are expected to offer a range of subject options to help meet the aspirations of all pupils.
The government has established an independent Curriculum and Assessment Review, covering ages 5 to 18, chaired by Professor Becky Francis CBE. It will seek to refresh the curriculum to ensure it is cutting edge, fit for purpose and meeting the needs of children and young people to support their future life and work.
The terms of reference for the independent Curriculum and Assessment Review is attached and can also be found here: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/66d196b7d107658faec7e3db/Curriculum_and_assessment_review_-_aims_terms_of_reference_and_working_principles.pdf.
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Asked by: Lord Swire (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, if he will hold discussions with the devolved Administrations on the setting of fees for higher education courses after the UK has left the EU.
Answered by Chris Skidmore
The setting of fees for higher education courses is devolved. It is for each administration to decide how they deploy their resources and develop their higher education system. The approach followed after we have left the EU is a matter for each administration to determine, taking account of the provisions in the Withdrawal Agreement. There are no plans to hold discussions with the devolved administrations on this at present.
Asked by: Lord Swire (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what discussions he has had with the Scottish Government on that Government's levy in relation to tuition fees on undergraduates from England after 31 December 2020.
Answered by Chris Skidmore
The setting of fees for higher education courses is devolved and the approach followed after 31 December 2020 is a matter for each administration to determine.
Asked by: Lord Swire (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what discussions the Prime Minister has had with the President of the Republic of Ireland on the undergraduates from England studying at Irish universities; and whether the current financial arrangements will be made available to (a) them and (b) EU citizens after the UK leaves the EU.
Answered by Sam Gyimah
The UK government is firmly committed to maintaining the Common Travel Area (CTA) and to protecting the rights enjoyed by UK and Irish nationals when in each other’s states.
Article 5 of the Northern Ireland Protocol to the draft Withdrawal Agreement builds on December’s joint report and confirms that the UK and Ireland can continue to make arrangements between themselves concerning the CTA.
This means that rights to enter, reside, work, study and access social security and public services will be preserved on a reciprocal basis for UK and Irish nationals in the other’s state.
Arrangements on access to student finance support for other EU nationals starting a course in England after the transition period ends are under consideration.
Asked by: Lord Swire (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what discussions the Prime Minister has had with the President of the Republic of Ireland on the undergraduates from England studying at Irish universities; and whether the current financial arrangements will be made available to (a) them and (b) EU citizens after the UK leaves the EU.
Answered by Sam Gyimah
The UK government is firmly committed to maintaining the Common Travel Area (CTA) and to protecting the rights enjoyed by UK and Irish nationals when in each other’s states.
Article 5 of the Northern Ireland Protocol to the draft Withdrawal Agreement builds on December’s joint report and confirms that the UK and Ireland can continue to make arrangements between themselves concerning the CTA.
This means that rights to enter, reside, work, study and access social security and public services will be preserved on a reciprocal basis for UK and Irish nationals in the other’s state.
Arrangements on access to student finance support for other EU nationals starting a course in England after the transition period ends are under consideration.
Asked by: Lord Swire (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how his Department is promoting land-based colleges in rural areas; and if he will make a statement.
Answered by Anne Milton
The Area Review programme enabled government to work closely with independent further education (FE) institutions, and as part of this the department worked closely with Landex to ensure that proper account was taken of the significance of land-based colleges and that sufficient provision could be consistently delivered across the country.
The government wants to make sure that the agricultural sector has the right skills. The department is reforming technical education, which will include the introduction of a ‘T Level’ route in agriculture, environment and animal care.
The competition to establish prestigious new Institutes of Technology will specialise in technical disciplines, including sectors that are important to rural areas, such as agri-tech and food manufacturing.
Apprenticeship standards already exist in land-based service engineering, and there are a number of further standards in development - including crop technician, farrier, poultry technician and stockperson.
FE colleges are of particular interest to MPs, and the FE Commissioner runs a weekly ‘telephone surgery’ for MPs. They run every Wednesday, while the House is sitting, from 9.00 - 10.30am. MPs should email FE.Commissioner@education.gov.uk to book a slot.
Asked by: Lord Swire (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what recent discussions she has had with (a) the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland and (b) her other cabinet colleagues on the principles of integrated education.
Answered by Nick Gibb
Education is a devolved matter and approaches to integrated education necessarily take account of the specific characteristics of communities within the different countries of the UK.
In England, all publicly funded schools are subject to explicit legal requirements to promote community cohesion. Schools have the freedom to decide how best to do this in the light of their local circumstances. Through inspection, schools are assessed on how well they prepare pupils to work and socialise with those from different backgrounds and show respect for other faiths and cultural diversity.
Dame Louise Casey recently published the outcome of her review into opportunity and integration which recommended that the Government promote more integrated schools. We are considering Dame Louise’s recommendations across Government and will respond in due course. We will also consider in particular what lessons can be learned from the experience of integrated schools in Northern Ireland.
Asked by: Lord Swire (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what account her Department took during preparation of its Green Paper, Schools that Work for Everyone, published in September 2016, of the work of the Integrated Education Fund; and if she will make a statement.
Answered by Nick Gibb
The Schools that Work for Everyone consultation sought views on what steps we can take to create a more diverse school system in which more children have the opportunity to go to better schools, whatever their background.
The proposals in the consultation document, support our policy ambition to increase the number of good school places. In particular, the document sets out a number of proposals to ensure that faith free schools promote inclusivity, enhance understanding of other faiths and those with no faith; promote community cohesion and properly prepare children and young people for life in modern Britain. The formation of these proposals took into account a wide range of research and analysis. We continue to engage with emerging evidence and research as we analyse the responses to the consultation which closed on 12 December 2016 and will consider the Work of the Integrated Schools Fund in Northern Ireland.
We expect to announce our formal response to the consultation in the spring.
Asked by: Lord Swire (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what discussions she has had with Cabinet colleagues on protecting vulnerable schools from flooding.
Answered by Nick Gibb
School buildings should enable children to be taught within a weather-proof and safe environment. The Department for Education regularly reviews its winter preparedness for schools. Officials at the Department continue to work with the Cabinet Office’s Winter Resilience Network. Following Storm Desmond and Storm Eva last winter, the Department has been working with appropriate local bodies to ensure flood resilience is considered as part of reinstatement works.