Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Andrew Lewer and Robin Walker

Monday 31st January 2022 Commons Chamber

[Mr Walker]

My hon. Friend is right to speak up for his old school. I am concerned to hear of the issues there. I understand that he met my noble Friend the Minister for the School System and senior officials. We have been engaging with the Sherborne Area Schools’ Trust on this matter and it has received £585,000 this financial year to improve its school buildings, but I would of course be happy to meet my hon. Friend again.

[Andrew Lewer (Northampton South) (Con)]

19. What steps he is taking to implement the recommendations of the Government’s Early Years Healthy Development Review Report, published in March 2021.

Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Andrew Lewer and Robin Walker

Thursday 15th March 2018 Commons Chamber

[Andrew Lewer (Northampton South) (Con)]

7. What discussions he has had in negotiations on the UK leaving the EU on continuing UK participation in the Erasmus+ programme.

[The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Exiting the European Union (Mr Robin Walker)]

We have committed ourselves to continued UK participation in the Erasmus+ programme until 2020, and we welcome the opportunity to give clarity to young people as well as the youth and education sectors. While no decisions have yet been made about the post-2020 participation, since the scope of that programme has not been agreed, the Prime Minister said in her recent speech that the Government would seek an ongoing relationship in respect of

“educational and cultural programmes, to promote our shared values and enhance our intellectual strength in the world”.

[Andrew Lewer]

Is the Department liaising with the European Parliament’s Committee on Culture and Education and its Chair, Petra Kammerevert, and the European Commission’s Directorate-General for Education, Youth, Sport and Culture to discuss how Erasmus+ applications that are submitted before the Brexit date will be implemented?

[Mr Walker]

I recognise my hon. Friend’s considerable expertise when it comes to the European Parliament. Ministers from our Department regularly engage with Members of the European Parliament. We have also met members of the Committee on Culture and Education to discuss a range of EU exit issues, and we will continue to seek opportunities to meet them. The Department for Education is the lead Department for Erasmus+ policy, and its officials are in regular touch with the Directorate-General for Education, Youth, Sport and Culture.