Anne-Marie Trevelyan

The Department does not hold information on pupils attending school in Scotland.

Welbeck Defence Sixth Form College is a private independent institution; therefore the Department for Education only contributes funding to directly support students enrolled at the institution.

In the 2015/16 academic year, the Department for Education contributed £21,434 in 16 to 19 discretionary bursary funding. Discretionary bursaries are awards made to students by institutions to help overcome the individual barriers to participation a student faces, such as help with the cost of transport, meals, books and equipment.

The Education Funding Agency’s published allocation is available online at:

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/16-to-19-allocation-data-2015-to-2016-academic-year

The Department for Education has also contributed funding to the Ministry of Defence’s Armed Forces Bereavement Scholarship Scheme for bereaved service children.

No children in an early years setting are in receipt of the service child element of the pupil premium grant. The grant is payable to schools and local authorities for pupils in year groups reception to year 11.

The number of school-age children in England eligible for the service child pupil premium in January 2016, broken down by Key Stage, is provided in the table.

Source: School Census, January 2016

No children in an early years setting are in receipt of the service child element of the pupil premium grant. The grant is payable to schools and local authorities for pupils in year groups reception to year 11.

The number of school-age children in England eligible for the service child pupil premium in January 2016, broken down by Key Stage, is provided in the table.

Source: School Census, January 2016

No children in an early years setting are in receipt of the service child element of the pupil premium grant. The grant is payable to schools and local authorities for pupils in year groups reception to year 11.

The number of school-age children in England eligible for the service child pupil premium in January 2016, broken down by Key Stage, is provided in the table.

Source: School Census, January 2016

Pupil premium eligibility in 2015/16 is based on whether pupils are known to have been looked after by the local authority; have left care through adoption, a special guardianship, child arrangements or residence order; or if a pupil has been registered as eligible for free school meals at any point in the last 6 years. It is not determined through a household income threshold.

The Department does not collect data on the identity or characteristics of individual pupils’ parents (including details of parental nationality), so cannot offer a meaningful estimate of the number of pupil premium pupils with at least one parent who is a non-UK EEA national.

As set out in the written response to PQ 30489, supporting local authorities in their responsibility to ensure sufficient school places remains one of this Government’s top priorities. The basic need capital funding we allocate to local authorities to create new school places is based on their own data on school capacity and future pupil forecasts. Any increase in need for places should be reflected in the local authority’s final basic need allocation. We allocate basic need funding three years ahead to give local authorities time to plan and deliver the new places needed in their area.

The Government has committed to investing £7 billion in new school places up to 2021, which, when added to our investment in the free schools programme, will help to create 600,000 new places.

Beyond the information already provided to the Department by local authorities, we do not plan to commission further research on the effect of inward migration on the need for school places.

As set out in the written response to PQ 30489, supporting local authorities in their responsibility to ensure sufficient school places remains one of this Government’s top priorities. The basic need capital funding we allocate to local authorities to create new school places is based on their own data on school capacity and future pupil forecasts. Any increase in need for places should be reflected in the local authority’s final basic need allocation. We allocate basic need funding three years ahead to give local authorities time to plan and deliver the new places needed in their area.

The Government has committed to investing £7 billion in new school places up to 2021, which, when added to our investment in the free schools programme, will help to create 600,000 new places.

Beyond the information already provided to the Department by local authorities, we do not plan to commission further research on the effect of inward migration on the need for school places.

This Government believes that the teaching of first aid skills is important. The Department for Education works closely with expert organisations such as the Red Cross and St John Ambulance who provide learning materials to schools, including life-saving training kits produced by the British Heart Foundation. These kits provide young people with first-hand experience of life-saving skills and we have promoted the use of these via the termly school email and social media channels.

How first aid is provided is up to teachers and is taught as part of personal, social, health and economic (PHSE) education in schools. In line with the continued drive to reduce bureaucracy and burdens on schools, we do not ask schools to routinely collect data on this.

Special Educational Needs (SEN) advisers within the Department are in regular contact with local authorities, to provide them with support as they implement our reforms to the system for children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities.

These reforms were introduced in September 2014. Since October 2013, local authorities and parents have taken part in termly surveys, to provide their views on the preparation and implementation of these reforms. These surveys asked for feedback on various issues, such as the transition of children and young people with SEN statements; learning difficulty assessments (LDAs); Education, Health, and Care Plans; and the introduction of EHC Plans more generally.

In response to this feedback, the Department announced a change to the transition arrangements on 10 July 2015. From 1 September 2015, a local authority has 18 weeks, following a notice period of two weeks, to conclude a transfer review, when considering whether to replace an SEN statement with an EHC Plan. This maximum time limit has been extended from 14 weeks. The Department has also provided support for local areas in managing this transition process: this support includes a series of regional workshops in September and October 2015, led by DfE SEN advisers.

Local authorities have until 1 April 2018 to conclude transitions from SEN statements to EHC plans for all children in their area. Young people in further education and training who receive support as a result of an LDA can choose to request an EHC needs assessment. All young people who receive support as a result of an LDA, who will continue in further education or training beyond 1 September 2016, must have an EHC plan by that date, where one is needed.

We continue to monitor progress with implementation.

Special Educational Needs (SEN) advisers within the Department are in regular contact with local authorities, to provide them with support as they implement our reforms to the system for children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities.

These reforms were introduced in September 2014. Since October 2013, local authorities and parents have taken part in termly surveys, to provide their views on the preparation and implementation of these reforms. These surveys asked for feedback on various issues, such as the transition of children and young people with SEN statements; learning difficulty assessments (LDAs); Education, Health, and Care Plans; and the introduction of EHC Plans more generally.

In response to this feedback, the Department announced a change to the transition arrangements on 10 July 2015. From 1 September 2015, a local authority has 18 weeks, following a notice period of two weeks, to conclude a transfer review, when considering whether to replace an SEN statement with an EHC Plan. This maximum time limit has been extended from 14 weeks. The Department has also provided support for local areas in managing this transition process: this support includes a series of regional workshops in September and October 2015, led by DfE SEN advisers.

Local authorities have until 1 April 2018 to conclude transitions from SEN statements to EHC plans for all children in their area. Young people in further education and training who receive support as a result of an LDA can choose to request an EHC needs assessment. All young people who receive support as a result of an LDA, who will continue in further education or training beyond 1 September 2016, must have an EHC plan by that date, where one is needed.

We continue to monitor progress with implementation.

The Government and its agencies are working with moorland owners, land managers and their representatives to put in place long term management plans and stewardship agreements to restore the hydrology and vegetation on degraded blanket bogs. Raising water tables and increasing the coverage of sphagnum moss allows the processes of recovery that store carbon and reduce the risk of ignition of these habitats by wildfire. The risk of severe damage by wildfire on a wet, well functioning blanket bog is relatively low. In accordance with the Heather and Grass Burning Code, managed one-off burning or cutting firebreaks may help to reduce the risk of fires starting on other habitats such as dry heath, and reduce the spread of fire around likely ignition points.

The Government is already implementing commitments in the plan. We recently consulted on proposals to ban UK sales of ivory, are bringing into force rules to reduce water pollution from agriculture and are legislating to set limits on air pollutants emitted from medium sized combustion plants. Since the plan’s publication, several supermarkets and restaurants have pledged to tackle plastic packaging and single-use plastics.

Defra does not hold information on the population of priority bird species on RSPB reserves.

The department publishes details of all expenditure over £25,000, including grants, at https://data.gov.uk/dataset/financial-transactions-data-defra.

The majority of grants are made under the Darwin/Official Development Assistance (ODA) initiative. The RSPB also receives funding under the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP). Details of specific grants made under CAP in the 2015 and 2016 European Community financial years (16 October – 15 October) can be found via http://cap-payments.defra.gov.uk.

The Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB) has primary control over access to two known hen harrier breeding sites: the RSPB reserve at Geltsdale and United Utilities landholding in the Bowland Fells, a special protection area.

Table 1. Breeding data from sites primarily controlled by RSPB

Table 2. Breeding data from sites primarily controlled by other bodies

The application to reintroduce the Eurasian lynx to the Kielder Forest will be considered carefully in accordance with international guidelines and taking account of the impacts on affected communities, including public safety and the wider environment.

Following the announcement on 24 February of a more targeted approach, most egg producers in England can now let their birds outside, provided they meet the additional biosecurity measures that we have put in place. Producers in the higher risk areas can market their eggs as free-range if they come from birds which meet all the other requirements for free-range and are allowed into fully-fenced areas which are fully covered by netting. A number of retailers have said that they remain committed to their free range egg producers and will continue to support them during this time. On this basis, we do not anticipate any significant disruption to sales. We will continue to monitor market developments in conjunction with the industry.

The measures that are in place to tackle the threat to poultry from Avian Influenza are based on the current situation and the latest veterinary and ornithological advice. They represent the best option to control disease, protect birds’ welfare and minimise the impact on the free range industry, while ensuring that consumers can buy free range products. We will nonetheless keep all measures under review.

Following the announcement on 24 February of a more targeted approach, most egg producers in England can now let their birds outside provided that they observe strict disease prevention measures. They can sell eggs as free range if they come from birds which meet all the other requirements for free range and are: (a) outside the Higher Risk Areas birds where birds are allowed into fenced outdoor areas providing clear biosecurity measures are undertaken; or (b) allowed into fully fenced areas which are fully covered by netting (inside or outside Higher Risk Areas).

Government policy is not to compensate for consequential losses resulting from a disease outbreak. It is a business decision for producers as to whether to bear the cost of netting in order to continue to market as free range.

Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (of strain H5N8) has been circulating in Europe since the autumn of 2016. There have been 10 confirmed cases in poultry in the UK and several findings in wild birds.

As part of our Department’s continued measures to control and eradicate H5N8, a new Avian Influenza Prevention Zone was put in place on 28 February. This zone continues to require that all keepers of poultry and captive birds observe heightened biosecurity requirements regardless of their location. Subject to these measures being put in place, the majority of keepers will no longer be required to house their birds.

Within England, there are some areas that are at a higher risk of H5N8 due to their proximity to substantial inland or coastal bodies of water where wild waterfowl collect. The identification of these areas was based on expert advice in regards to the latest veterinary and ornithological data and has been reviewed by leading experts. In these Higher Risk Areas, which will cover around 25 per cent of poultry premises, mandatory housing or the full range netting of outside areas will be required. This may temporarily result in the loss of Free Range status for keepers in these areas unless they apply netting of range, rather than housing.

During this unprecedented period of high risk, the Secretary of State has taken a decision which is based on the best scientific and veterinary advice in order to control disease and protect our poultry industry. Effective disease control will always be Defra’s priority: disease outbreaks cause birds to suffer, damage businesses and cost the UK taxpayer millions. No significant disruption to the supply of Free Range eggs after 28 February is anticipated.

The Forestry Commission estimates that the average cost to the public purse will be around £3.25 per tree.

The Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA) holds data for animals exported specifically for slaughter for the years 2014 and 2015 from Great Britain:

The below figures represent the total number of cattle, pigs, sheep and goats for the years 2006-13. These figures represent animals exported for breeding, fattening/ production as well as slaughter from Great Britain:

The amount Defra has accrued for each of the last ten financial years following the conclusion of EU audits is shown in the table below. These figures relate to a number of different Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) schemes over a number of historical scheme years as disallowance is paid in arrears.

(*) Reflects the sums the European Commission has ruled cannot be reimbursed (i.e. the amounts they have “disallowed”).

(**) Includes £11million in disallowance relating to Northern Ireland. All other figures relate to England only. The Devolved Administrations are now responsible for disallowance relating to their administration of the CAP.

The Department’s Annual Report and Accounts in 2014/15 provides provisions of £64.5million for future disallowance related to historical audits. Future disallowance penalties are difficult to predict. However, the Department’s aim is to reduce disallowance to as low a level as possible and we expect a return to disallowance of about 2 per cent of scheme value by 2019.

The amount Defra has accrued for each of the last ten financial years following the conclusion of EU audits is shown in the table below. These figures relate to a number of different Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) schemes over a number of historical scheme years as disallowance is paid in arrears.

(*) Reflects the sums the European Commission has ruled cannot be reimbursed (i.e. the amounts they have “disallowed”).

(**) Includes £11million in disallowance relating to Northern Ireland. All other figures relate to England only. The Devolved Administrations are now responsible for disallowance relating to their administration of the CAP.

The Department’s Annual Report and Accounts in 2014/15 provides provisions of £64.5million for future disallowance related to historical audits. Future disallowance penalties are difficult to predict. However, the Department’s aim is to reduce disallowance to as low a level as possible and we expect a return to disallowance of about 2 per cent of scheme value by 2019.

The Common Agricultural Policy is a devolved policy and Defra is responsible for its delivery in England. Decisions relating to the implementation of the CAP are integrated into numerous policy areas within the department and the delivery of the CAP is carried out primarily by the Rural Payments Agency, Natural England, and the Forestry Commission, alongside other business. This arrangement allows the various objectives of the CAP to be delivered effectively. However, this integrated approach to delivery also makes it difficult to calculate the total annual cost of the CAP in isolation. This is something that was identified by the National Audit Office in its recent report ‘Early Development of the CAP Delivery Programme’, and Defra is currently considering how to respond to this recommendation.