Asked by: Matthew Offord (Conservative - Hendon)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how many posts there are for (a) press, (b) media and (c) other communications staff in her Department; and what the salary band is for each post.
Answered by Damian Hinds - Minister of State (Education)
The department’s press and media team is made up of 34.1 full time equivalent (FTE) employees. Roles range from grades Assistant Information Officer (AIO) to Deputy Director (SCS1). Salary bands range from between £32,970 to £34,006 for an AIO and from £75,000 to £117,800 for a Civil Service Deputy Director (SCS1). There is one role at SCS1 level.
The above FTE figure is for the department’s press and media team only, which includes social media.
Asked by: Matthew Offord (Conservative - Hendon)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment she has made of the implications for her policies of the number of higher education institutions that have not adopted the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance definition of antisemitism.
Answered by Robert Halfon
Last week’s report by the Community Security Trust highlights the unprecedented increase in antisemitic incidents in higher education. All antisemitism is abhorrent and universities should have robust systems in place to deal with incidents of support for unlawful antisemitic abuse and harassment. This government takes antisemitism extremely seriously and is deeply concerned about the growth in incidents on campus since 7 October 2023. This is completely unacceptable. The department will not tolerate unlawful harassment or the glorification of terrorism. A link to the report can be found here: https://cst.org.uk/data/file/9/f/Antisemitic_Incidents_Report_2023.1707834969.pdf.
The government has formally adopted the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance’s (IHRA) working definition of antisemitism. The department is pleased to see that as of 21 February 2024, 245 providers in England have adopted the definition, including the vast majority of universities. While adoption of the IHRA definition is not compulsory for universities, as they are autonomous, the department continues to strongly encourage providers to adopt the definition for universal clarity on what constitutes antisemitic behaviour. However, the department recognises that the IHRA definition alone is not enough. That's why the department is working to introduce the tackling antisemitism quality seal. This is a framework of measures that will allow universities to demonstrate support for Jewish students and staff. This quality seal is part of the package resulting from the Chancellor’s Autumn Statement announcement of an additional £7 million over three years to tackle antisemitism in education.
The Quality Seal is an award for universities demonstrating exemplary standards in addressing antisemitism. It encompasses policies related to communication with Jewish students, training programs, and robust complaint processes. The department has invited bids from capable organisations to implement this initiative. The deadline for bids is 7 March 2024 and the department aims to appoint a contractor in April 2024. A Tackling Antisemitism Champion, respected by both the Jewish community and higher education sector, will be appointed to help universities meet these standards and strengthen universities’ ability to deal with the rising levels of antisemitism on campuses. Additionally, funding allocated for combating antisemitism in education will support universities in achieving the required benchmarks.
Asked by: Matthew Offord (Conservative - Hendon)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, if she will make an assessment of the financial sustainability of Middlesex University.
Answered by Robert Halfon
The Office for Students (OfS), as the independent regulator of higher education (HE) in England, collects and analyses financial data from HE providers, as well as other intelligence, to ensure they have an up to date understanding of the sustainability of the sector. In their most recent report on the financial health of the HE sector, which was published in May 2023, the OfS stated that the overall aggregate financial position of the sector is sound.
The full report can be found here: https://www.officeforstudents.org.uk/media/0b7d9daa-d6c7-477e-a0b2-b90985d0f935/financial-sustainability-report-2023-updated-june-2023.pdf.
The department continues to work closely with the OfS, HE representative bodies, as well as other government departments, where appropriate, to understand the ongoing financial sustainability in the sector.
Middlesex University’s most recent financial statement can be found here: https://www.mdx.ac.uk/__data/assets/pdf_file/0017/770102/MDX_Financial_Statements_2022-2023.pdf.
Asked by: Matthew Offord (Conservative - Hendon)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment her Department has made of the financial sustainability of the university sector.
Answered by Robert Halfon
The Office for Students (OfS), as the independent regulator of higher education (HE) in England, collects and analyses financial data from HE providers, as well as other intelligence, to ensure they have an up to date understanding of the sustainability of the sector. In their most recent report on the financial health of the HE sector, which was published in May 2023, the OfS stated that the overall aggregate financial position of the sector is sound.
The full report can be found here: https://www.officeforstudents.org.uk/media/0b7d9daa-d6c7-477e-a0b2-b90985d0f935/financial-sustainability-report-2023-updated-june-2023.pdf.
The department continues to work closely with the OfS, HE representative bodies, as well as other government departments, where appropriate, to understand the ongoing financial sustainability in the sector.
Middlesex University’s most recent financial statement can be found here: https://www.mdx.ac.uk/__data/assets/pdf_file/0017/770102/MDX_Financial_Statements_2022-2023.pdf.
Asked by: Matthew Offord (Conservative - Hendon)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what targets her Department has set to help achieve the Government's commitments on net zero.
Answered by Damian Hinds - Minister of State (Education)
The department sets out its plans to set targets to meet net zero in ‘Sustainability and Climate Change: a strategy for the education and children’s services systems’, which was published in April 2022 and can be viewed here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/sustainability-and-climate-change-strategy/sustainability-and-climate-change-a-strategy-for-the-education-and-childrens-services-systems.
The department is on track to set science-based targets from 2025, ensuring the department plays its part in reducing public sector emissions by 50% by the end of Carbon Budget 5 in 2032 and by 75% by the end of Carbon Budget 6 in 2037, against a 2017 baseline.
To support the monitoring of targets, the department is developing a 2017 baseline for schools and maintained early years settings. The department has supported the publication of a standardised reporting framework for higher and further education, and the standardised reporting framework for nurseries and schools is due to be published this year.
Asked by: Matthew Offord (Conservative - Hendon)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how many employment tribunals were brought by employees of their Department in the last 12 months.
Answered by Damian Hinds - Minister of State (Education)
Details of all employment tribunal decision outcomes are available at: https://www.gov.uk/employment-tribunal-decisions.
Asked by: Matthew Offord (Conservative - Hendon)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps she is taking to tackle anti-semitism in schools.
Answered by Damian Hinds - Minister of State (Education)
The government unequivocally condemns the recent terrorist attacks by Hamas and stands in solidarity with Israel in its hour of need. Antisemitism has no place in our society.
The government is committed to ensuring that all schools and colleges prepare children for life in modern Britain. Every school and college should actively promote the shared values of democracy, the rule of law, individual liberty, mutual respect, and tolerance for those of different faiths and beliefs.
The department has published guidance to support schools and colleges to monitor bullying incidents and evaluate the effectiveness of their approaches, which is available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/preventing-and-tackling-bullying.
Where behaviour extends into antisemitism or other discriminatory bullying, the department expects schools to deal with it head on, in line with their behaviour policy.
My right hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Education, and her Ministers visited a Jewish school to show her support and has written to school and college headteachers on 17 October 2023 to remind them of their relevant responsibilities, including the need to challenge intolerance and actively respond to discrimination, as well as outlining their duties under the Prevent programme. The department’s Educate Against Hate website provides a range of resources and support to challenge discrimination and intolerance, and how to respond where you have concerns. This is available at: https://www.educateagainsthate.com/.
In the Autumn Statement, the government announced £7 million to support schools, colleges and universities to identify and tackle antisemitism. The department is preparing to issue an invitation for interested organisations to tender in due course.
Asked by: Matthew Offord (Conservative - Hendon)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps she is taking to help prevent children taking part in anti-Israel demonstrations during school times.
Answered by Damian Hinds - Minister of State (Education)
While the department wants all want young people to be engaged in the issues that affect them and the wider world, the government is crystal clear that missing school for political activism is unacceptable and should not be condoned.
The department has been monitoring events closely and has written to all schools and local authorities supporting headteachers and teachers in taking firm action. Schools and local authorities should set clear expectations to parents on attendance, confirming that absence for this kind of activity should be treated as unauthorised. The department has been clear that school leaders and local authorities should be enforcing attendance policies, and they should take immediate action where these policies have been breached. In the most egregious cases this can mean fines or prosecution. The department has shared this communication with Ofsted to ensure all inspectors are clear on the position.
This does not mean shutting down appropriate and sensitive discussions about these issues. It is important that children are taught about global events and that they are encouraged to think about how these events affect them and their communities. Schools offer children the opportunity to do that in a safe and controlled environment, but the law is clear that schools must remain politically impartial. Schools must not promote partisan political views and should ensure the balanced treatment of political issues. The department has published clear and comprehensive guidance which should help those working with and in schools to better understand legal duties on political impartiality. The guidance can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/political-impartiality-in-schools.
Asked by: Matthew Offord (Conservative - Hendon)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what recent estimate her Department has made of the number of children who have (a) received a Statement of Special Education Needs and (b) do not have access to the necessary funding to support those needs.
Answered by David Johnston - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)
There were 517,049 children and young people with an Education, Health and Care (EHC) plan in England at January 2023. EHC plans replaced statements of Special Educational Needs following the introduction of Special Educational Needs and Disability provisions in the Children and Families Act 2014 on 1 September 2014.
Local authorities are responsible for securing the special educational provision specified in the EHC plans they maintain. Children and young people with an EHC plan are supported and funded from local authorities’ high needs budgets.
High needs funding is increasing to over £10.5 billion next year (2024/25), which is an increase of over 60% from the 2019/20 allocations. This funding will help local authorities, schools and colleges with the costs of supporting children and young people with EHC plans.
Asked by: Matthew Offord (Conservative - Hendon)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what estimate her Department has made of the annual cost of educating a non-English speaking child in secondary schools.
Answered by Damian Hinds - Minister of State (Education)
Schools have autonomy over how they use their budgets, as they are best placed to assess the needs of their pupils who have English as an additional language (EAL), as well as the type of support they need.
Pupils with EAL, and who have started in the state-funded school system in England within the last three years, attract additional funding to their school through the EAL factor in the schools National Funding Formula (NFF). In the 2024/25 financial year, 1.1% (£484 million) of the total funding in the NFF will be allocated through the EAL factor (for both primary and secondary pupils). For secondary school pupils specifically, total EAL funding for 2024/25 is £141 million, with the EAL factor set at £1,585 per eligible secondary pupil.