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Written Question
Universities: Coronavirus
Thursday 15th April 2021

Asked by: David Amess (Conservative - Southend West)

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, from what date university students will be able to return to campus and resume in-person teaching.

Answered by Michelle Donelan - Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology

Following the review into when the remaining higher education students can return to in-person teaching and learning, the government has announced that the remaining students should return to in-person teaching no earlier than 17 May 2021, alongside Step 3 of the roadmap. Students and institutions will be given at least a week’s notice of any further return in accordance with the timing of Step 3 of the roadmap.

The government roadmap is designed to maintain a cautious approach to the easing of restrictions to reduce public health risks and ensure that we can maintain progress towards full reopening. However, the government recognises the difficulties and disruption that this may cause for many students and their families and that is why the government is making a further £15 million of additional student hardship funding available for this academic year 2020/21. In total we have made an additional £85 million of funding available for student hardship.

We are supporting universities to provide regular twice weekly asymptomatic testing for all students and staff on-site and, from May, at home. This will help break chains of transmission of the virus.


Written Question
Summer Camps Trust
Monday 15th March 2021

Asked by: David Amess (Conservative - Southend West)

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether he has made an assessment of the potential merits of engaging with The Summer Camps Trust to promote the use of summer camps.

Answered by Vicky Ford

The department recognises the significant benefits learning outside the classroom can have on children’s educational development, as well as their mental health and wellbeing, and is taking steps to unlock outdoor learning and educational visits in line with the COVID-19 road map.

The government also recognises the vital role they can play in character development opportunities they afford for social mixing, which promotes children and young people’s wellbeing. That is why we ensured that all before and after-school clubs, holiday clubs, and other out-of-school settings were able continue to stay open for those children that need or rely on these settings most, for the duration of the national lockdown, and why we have extended eligibility of attendance when children returned to school on 8 March.

At present, providers are able to offer face-to-face provision for all children, where that provision supports certain essential purposes; with vulnerable children and young people able to continue accessing provision under any circumstance. We have updated our protective measures guidance for the sector, which outlines eligibility and aims to support providers to allow them to open for as many children as safely as possible. This guidance can be found here:  https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/protective-measures-for-holiday-or-after-school-clubs-and-other-out-of-school-settings-for-children-during-the-coronavirus-covid-19-outbreak.

The government’s intention is that out-of-school settings and wraparound childcare providers will be able to open to all children, without restrictions on access, in time for the summer term, and no earlier than 12 April. However, the government continues to advise against all educational visits. The department is working on advice for schools on the planning and booking of residential visits when it is safe to do so and in line with the government’s roadmap to recovery, as set out in: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/covid-19-response-spring-2021/covid-19-response-spring-2021. The advice will be published shortly.

While the department has not thus far engaged with The Summer Camps Trust specifically, since June 2020, we have been in close communication with various stakeholders, to understand the specific challenges that they face. These discussions have been incredibly beneficial for the department, and the collaboration on this policy area has led to a supportive relationship, which is still ongoing.


Written Question
Outdoor Education
Monday 15th March 2021

Asked by: David Amess (Conservative - Southend West)

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment he has made of the potential contribution that residential summer camps can play in promoting (a) character development and (b) social mixing as part of young people’s education.

Answered by Vicky Ford

The department recognises the significant benefits learning outside the classroom can have on children’s educational development, as well as their mental health and wellbeing, and is taking steps to unlock outdoor learning and educational visits in line with the COVID-19 road map.

The government also recognises the vital role they can play in character development opportunities they afford for social mixing, which promotes children and young people’s wellbeing. That is why we ensured that all before and after-school clubs, holiday clubs, and other out-of-school settings were able continue to stay open for those children that need or rely on these settings most, for the duration of the national lockdown, and why we have extended eligibility of attendance when children returned to school on 8 March.

At present, providers are able to offer face-to-face provision for all children, where that provision supports certain essential purposes; with vulnerable children and young people able to continue accessing provision under any circumstance. We have updated our protective measures guidance for the sector, which outlines eligibility and aims to support providers to allow them to open for as many children as safely as possible. This guidance can be found here:  https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/protective-measures-for-holiday-or-after-school-clubs-and-other-out-of-school-settings-for-children-during-the-coronavirus-covid-19-outbreak.

The government’s intention is that out-of-school settings and wraparound childcare providers will be able to open to all children, without restrictions on access, in time for the summer term, and no earlier than 12 April. However, the government continues to advise against all educational visits. The department is working on advice for schools on the planning and booking of residential visits when it is safe to do so and in line with the government’s roadmap to recovery, as set out in: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/covid-19-response-spring-2021/covid-19-response-spring-2021. The advice will be published shortly.

While the department has not thus far engaged with The Summer Camps Trust specifically, since June 2020, we have been in close communication with various stakeholders, to understand the specific challenges that they face. These discussions have been incredibly beneficial for the department, and the collaboration on this policy area has led to a supportive relationship, which is still ongoing.


Written Question
Academies: Staff
Tuesday 2nd March 2021

Asked by: David Amess (Conservative - Southend West)

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, for what reason the Education and Skills Funding Agency has changed its policy on membership of academy trusts, meaning that employees of a school can no longer act as members of its academy trust.

Answered by Nick Gibb

Members play a limited but critical role in safeguarding the governance of academy trusts. They have the power to appoint and remove trustees, they can also direct trustees to take specific actions in some circumstances. As trustees are in turn ultimately responsible for the appointment and removal of employees, an employee also being a member risks undermining clear lines of accountability within the trust.

Given the importance of this clear accountability, the Academies Financial Handbook 2020 included a requirement that all trusts move to having no members employed by the trust by March 2021.


Written Question
Parliamentary Papers: Internet
Friday 13th March 2020

Asked by: David Amess (Conservative - Southend West)

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the hon. Member for Perth and North Perthshire, representing the House of Commons Commission, if the Commission will extend the subscription to Public Information Online for House of Lords bills and papers beyond 1955; and if he will make a statement.

Answered by Pete Wishart

The Commission has no plans to extend the subscription to Public Information Online for House of Lords Bills and Papers beyond 1955.

Access to the House of Lords Bills and Papers section of Public Information Online for the period 1901–1955 is provided free of charge via the Commons Library following agreement between the Library and the publishers of the database and in return for the Library having provided the publishers with printed volumes of the series for that period to be scanned to create the digital version.

Access to subsequent periods of the series is subject to a subscription fee which the Library has determined is not an effective use of resources on the grounds that the material is already held in the Library’s collection and is readily available to Members.


Written Question
Sex and Relationship Education: Abortion
Tuesday 16th April 2019

Asked by: David Amess (Conservative - Southend West)

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, when information on obtaining abortion was first included in school sex education lessons; at what age pupils are provided with such information; who he consulted on that information; what recent representations he has received (a) in favour of and (b) against the current policy; and if he will make a statement.

Answered by Nick Gibb

The Government has no plans to bring forward further legislation relating to relationships education and relationships and sex education (RSE).

Schools will be required to have regard to the statutory guidance for the subjects. The draft guidance sets out that when schools consult with parents on their relationships education and RSE policy they should provide examples of the resources that they plan to use when teaching, as this can be reassuring for parents. Schools must also ensure that lessons are appropriate to the age and religious backgrounds of pupils. The Department is supporting schools in the implementation of these subjects and expects this support to include advice on positive engagement with parents.

Ofsted reported on the quality of provision for personal, social, health and economic education (PSHE), which covers sex and relationship education, in its 2013 report. The Department is considering what further information on the provision of the new curriculum may be needed. The report can be accessed here:

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/not-yet-good-enough-personal-social-health-and-economic-education.

In 2015, the Department published a paper highlighting the impact of the provision of PSHE. The evidence summary provided a high level overview of recent reviews of personal wellbeing education and interventions which could be applied during PSHE lessons, including sex education. The paper can be accessed here:

https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/412291/Personal_Social_Health_and_Economic__PSHE__Education_12_3.pdf.

Sex education has been compulsory in all maintained secondary schools since 1993. The Sex and Relationship Education Guidance (2000) includes education around abortion, and it is for schools to decide at what age it is appropriate to introduce the topic. The new draft statutory guidance covers intimate and sexual relationships, including choices in relation to pregnancy, and sets out that teaching should provide accurate, impartial information on all options, including keeping the baby, adoption, abortion and where to get further help. It also sets out that secondary pupils should be made aware of legal provisions when relevant topics are being taught. Schools may address abortion in other areas of the curriculum, such as religious education.

The content of the draft guidance was subject to a public consultation from July to November 2018 which attracted 11,000 online responses from a wide range of respondents including head teachers, teachers, parents and young people. The Government response to the consultation can be accessed here:

https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/780768/Government_Response_to_RSE_Consultation.pdf.


Written Question
Sex and Relationship Education
Tuesday 16th April 2019

Asked by: David Amess (Conservative - Southend West)

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what research his Department has (a) commissioned, (b) plans to commission and (c) evaluated on the effectiveness of teaching sex education in schools; and if he will make a statement.

Answered by Nick Gibb

The Government has no plans to bring forward further legislation relating to relationships education and relationships and sex education (RSE).

Schools will be required to have regard to the statutory guidance for the subjects. The draft guidance sets out that when schools consult with parents on their relationships education and RSE policy they should provide examples of the resources that they plan to use when teaching, as this can be reassuring for parents. Schools must also ensure that lessons are appropriate to the age and religious backgrounds of pupils. The Department is supporting schools in the implementation of these subjects and expects this support to include advice on positive engagement with parents.

Ofsted reported on the quality of provision for personal, social, health and economic education (PSHE), which covers sex and relationship education, in its 2013 report. The Department is considering what further information on the provision of the new curriculum may be needed. The report can be accessed here:

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/not-yet-good-enough-personal-social-health-and-economic-education.

In 2015, the Department published a paper highlighting the impact of the provision of PSHE. The evidence summary provided a high level overview of recent reviews of personal wellbeing education and interventions which could be applied during PSHE lessons, including sex education. The paper can be accessed here:

https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/412291/Personal_Social_Health_and_Economic__PSHE__Education_12_3.pdf.

Sex education has been compulsory in all maintained secondary schools since 1993. The Sex and Relationship Education Guidance (2000) includes education around abortion, and it is for schools to decide at what age it is appropriate to introduce the topic. The new draft statutory guidance covers intimate and sexual relationships, including choices in relation to pregnancy, and sets out that teaching should provide accurate, impartial information on all options, including keeping the baby, adoption, abortion and where to get further help. It also sets out that secondary pupils should be made aware of legal provisions when relevant topics are being taught. Schools may address abortion in other areas of the curriculum, such as religious education.

The content of the draft guidance was subject to a public consultation from July to November 2018 which attracted 11,000 online responses from a wide range of respondents including head teachers, teachers, parents and young people. The Government response to the consultation can be accessed here:

https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/780768/Government_Response_to_RSE_Consultation.pdf.


Written Question
Personal, Social, Health and Economic Education
Tuesday 16th April 2019

Asked by: David Amess (Conservative - Southend West)

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, if he will bring forward legislative proposals to require the provision of further information for parents on the material being used to teach sex and relationships education in schools; and if he will make a statement.

Answered by Nick Gibb

The Government has no plans to bring forward further legislation relating to relationships education and relationships and sex education (RSE).

Schools will be required to have regard to the statutory guidance for the subjects. The draft guidance sets out that when schools consult with parents on their relationships education and RSE policy they should provide examples of the resources that they plan to use when teaching, as this can be reassuring for parents. Schools must also ensure that lessons are appropriate to the age and religious backgrounds of pupils. The Department is supporting schools in the implementation of these subjects and expects this support to include advice on positive engagement with parents.

Ofsted reported on the quality of provision for personal, social, health and economic education (PSHE), which covers sex and relationship education, in its 2013 report. The Department is considering what further information on the provision of the new curriculum may be needed. The report can be accessed here:

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/not-yet-good-enough-personal-social-health-and-economic-education.

In 2015, the Department published a paper highlighting the impact of the provision of PSHE. The evidence summary provided a high level overview of recent reviews of personal wellbeing education and interventions which could be applied during PSHE lessons, including sex education. The paper can be accessed here:

https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/412291/Personal_Social_Health_and_Economic__PSHE__Education_12_3.pdf.

Sex education has been compulsory in all maintained secondary schools since 1993. The Sex and Relationship Education Guidance (2000) includes education around abortion, and it is for schools to decide at what age it is appropriate to introduce the topic. The new draft statutory guidance covers intimate and sexual relationships, including choices in relation to pregnancy, and sets out that teaching should provide accurate, impartial information on all options, including keeping the baby, adoption, abortion and where to get further help. It also sets out that secondary pupils should be made aware of legal provisions when relevant topics are being taught. Schools may address abortion in other areas of the curriculum, such as religious education.

The content of the draft guidance was subject to a public consultation from July to November 2018 which attracted 11,000 online responses from a wide range of respondents including head teachers, teachers, parents and young people. The Government response to the consultation can be accessed here:

https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/780768/Government_Response_to_RSE_Consultation.pdf.


Written Question
Personal, Social, Health and Economic Education
Tuesday 2nd April 2019

Asked by: David Amess (Conservative - Southend West)

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, which (a) individuals and (b) organisations were sent copies of the Relationships Education, Relationships and Sex Education and Health Education draft statutory guidance for governing bodies, proprietors, head teachers, principals, senior leadership teams, teachers prior to its publication; and if he will make a statement.

Answered by Nick Gibb

Sex education has been compulsory in all maintained secondary schools since 1993. It is not compulsory in primary schools and will not be once the proposed new subjects of Relationships Education and Relationships and Sex Education become compulsory. The statutory sex and relationships education (SRE) guidance (2000) states that maintained schools must have an up-to-date policy that sets out the school’s approach to sex education and that they should consult their pupils’ parents on this, making the policy available to parents. It is for schools to determine what range of information they provide to parents, but they must have regard to statutory guidance.

The Government is now making Relationships Education compulsory for all primary pupils, Relationships and Sex Education (RSE) compulsory for all secondary pupils and Health Education compulsory for all pupils in primary and secondary state funded schools from September 2020.

All schools will be required to have in place a written policy for Relationships Education and for RSE. Schools must consult parents in developing and reviewing their policy. Schools should ensure that the policy meets the needs of pupils and parents and reflects the community they serve. Schools should also ensure that the policy sets out the content of the subjects, how the content is taught and who is responsible for teaching it. The draft guidance is clear that schools should ensure that, when they consult parents, they provide examples of the resources they plan to use. Schools should assess each resource that they propose to use to ensure that it is appropriate for the age and maturity of pupils, and is sensitive to their needs.

The key decisions on these subjects and the drafting of the guidance were informed by a thorough engagement process. The public call for evidence was launched in December 2017 and received over 23,000 responses from parents, young people and schools. The Department engaged with 90 organisations representing a broad range of views and a broad range of evidence. These stakeholders can be found in the Government response to the Call for Evidence at: https://consult.education.gov.uk/pshe/relationships-education-rse-health-education/supporting_documents/180718%20Consultation_call%20for%20evidence%20response_policy%20statement.pdf.

The revised draft guidance was not shared publicly between the close of the consultation and it being finalised following decisions by Ministers in light of the consultation responses. It was only shared, under embargo, immediately in advance of publication with a small number of stakeholders to allow for communications on the day of publication.


Written Question
Personal, Social, Health and Economic Education
Tuesday 2nd April 2019

Asked by: David Amess (Conservative - Southend West)

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whom his Department consulted before drafting the Relationships Education, Relationships and Sex Education and Health Education draft statutory guidance for governing bodies, proprietors, head teachers, principals, senior leadership teams, teachers; what research was evaluated; and if he will make a statement.

Answered by Nick Gibb

Sex education has been compulsory in all maintained secondary schools since 1993. It is not compulsory in primary schools and will not be once the proposed new subjects of Relationships Education and Relationships and Sex Education become compulsory. The statutory sex and relationships education (SRE) guidance (2000) states that maintained schools must have an up-to-date policy that sets out the school’s approach to sex education and that they should consult their pupils’ parents on this, making the policy available to parents. It is for schools to determine what range of information they provide to parents, but they must have regard to statutory guidance.

The Government is now making Relationships Education compulsory for all primary pupils, Relationships and Sex Education (RSE) compulsory for all secondary pupils and Health Education compulsory for all pupils in primary and secondary state funded schools from September 2020.

All schools will be required to have in place a written policy for Relationships Education and for RSE. Schools must consult parents in developing and reviewing their policy. Schools should ensure that the policy meets the needs of pupils and parents and reflects the community they serve. Schools should also ensure that the policy sets out the content of the subjects, how the content is taught and who is responsible for teaching it. The draft guidance is clear that schools should ensure that, when they consult parents, they provide examples of the resources they plan to use. Schools should assess each resource that they propose to use to ensure that it is appropriate for the age and maturity of pupils, and is sensitive to their needs.

The key decisions on these subjects and the drafting of the guidance were informed by a thorough engagement process. The public call for evidence was launched in December 2017 and received over 23,000 responses from parents, young people and schools. The Department engaged with 90 organisations representing a broad range of views and a broad range of evidence. These stakeholders can be found in the Government response to the Call for Evidence at: https://consult.education.gov.uk/pshe/relationships-education-rse-health-education/supporting_documents/180718%20Consultation_call%20for%20evidence%20response_policy%20statement.pdf.

The revised draft guidance was not shared publicly between the close of the consultation and it being finalised following decisions by Ministers in light of the consultation responses. It was only shared, under embargo, immediately in advance of publication with a small number of stakeholders to allow for communications on the day of publication.