Asked by: Peter Dowd (Labour - Bootle)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, if his Department will issue guidance to schools and colleges on consulting with students on period products in the context of the period product scheme.
Answered by Kelly Tolhurst
Guidance regarding the free period products scheme, including the new range of products available was updated on 8 September, the same day eligible organisations can order. This was developed in line with research from schools and colleges, and period product experts. The guidance states that schools and colleges know their learners best and, therefore, have the freedom to select the most suitable products for their learners considering cost and type of product. All eligible organisations were emailed in early September to remind them of their log in details and a link to the guidance will be provided.
Asked by: Peter Dowd (Labour - Bootle)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps his Department is taking to (a) monitor and (b) evaluate the free period products scheme.
Answered by Kelly Tolhurst
The period products scheme launched in January 2020, and has most recently been extended until July 2024. Take up of the scheme is monitored regularly by the department and our supplier, phs. Within the first two years of the scheme, 94% of secondary schools and 90% of post-16 organisations had ordered at least once. These organisations have older students and therefore are more likely to have a higher proportion of students in scope, compared to primary schools.
The department publishes statistics regarding the scheme’s operation, which can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/period-products-scheme-management-information.
The department is considering opportunities to publish further management information in the future, as well as the need for further research into the scheme to evaluate its impact.
Asked by: Peter Dowd (Labour - Bootle)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether his Department has plans to evaluate the impact of the free period products scheme in schools and colleges on the availability of those products in those settings.
Answered by Kelly Tolhurst
The period products scheme launched in January 2020 and has most recently been extended until July 2024. Take up of the scheme is monitored regularly by the department and our supplier, phs. Within the first two years of the scheme, 94% of secondary schools and 90% of post-16 organisations had ordered at least once. These organisations have older students and therefore are more likely to have a higher proportion of students in scope, compared to primary schools.
The department is considering opportunities to publish further management information in the future, as well as the need for further research into the scheme to evaluate its impact.
Asked by: Peter Dowd (Labour - Bootle)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, if he will hold discussions with Ofsted on the potential merits of a protocol to enable formal confidential briefing to hon. Members by Ofsted on their results of local authority inspections in advance of publication.
Answered by Brendan Clarke-Smith
As set out in the guidance for inspecting local authority children’s services, the report is embargoed until publication and local MPs have full access when reports are fully published. The guidance is available here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/inspecting-local-authority-childrens-services-from-2018/inspecting-local-authority-childrens-services.
Local council leaders should be made aware of the outcome of the inspections in advance of publication, as this is clearly set out in inspectors’ feedback to senior officers (such as the director of children’s services).
Current protocol enables the local authority to share this intelligence with their local MPs if they wish to do so at any stage before publication. It is not within Ofsted's powers to disclose such confidential information prior to publication and the decision sits firmly with the local authority.
Asked by: Peter Dowd (Labour - Bootle)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps his Department is taking to support the training provision for careers in the ornamental horticulture, landscaping and arboricultural sectors.
Answered by Alex Burghart - Shadow Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster
It is for providers and local areas to determine what skills provision to deliver based on learner and employer demand.
Apprenticeships provide an opportunity for all people to receive the high-quality training and knowledge needed to progress in over 640 different careers paths. Employers in the horticulture, landscaping and arboriculture sectors have so far developed high-quality apprenticeship standards between levels 2 and 7 in roles such as Horticulture or Landscape Operative, Professional Arboriculturist and Charted Landscape Professional to help meet their skills needs.
T Levels are a high-quality technical alternative to A levels. The occupational specialisms for the T Level in Agriculture, Land Management and Production pathway, which will be available from September 2023, includes ornamental and environmental horticulture, landscaping, and tree and woodland management and maintenance.
As part of our investment in adult education we are fully funding any adult without an existing level 3 qualification under the Free Courses for Jobs offer. Qualifications available to learners include the Diploma in Work-based Horticulture, the Advanced Technical Diploma in Horticulture, the Diploma in Forestry and Arboriculture and the Advanced Technical Extended Diploma in Forestry and Arboriculture.
There are also several land-based colleges in the country that specialise in agriculture provision.