Asked by: Peter Gibson (Conservative - Darlington)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment his Department has made of the effectiveness of using audiobooks to engage wider participation in reading to support the Levelling Up agenda.
Answered by Robin Walker
The department wants children to develop the habit of reading widely and often, for both pleasure and information. Research suggests that reading for pleasure is more important for children’s educational development than their parents’ level of education. The national curriculum states that teachers are expected to encourage pupils to develop the habit of reading widely. It emphasises the importance of pupils listening to, discussing, and as their fluency increases, reading for themselves a wide range of stories, poems, plays and information books. The department has not undertaken research on the specific contribution or role of audiobooks, however, welcomes their use alongside other formats of books.
In March, the department published the Schools White Paper. This sets out our long-term vision for a school system that helps every child to fulfil their potential by ensuring that they receive the right support, in the right place, at the right time.
At its heart is the Government’s Levelling Up mission. This aims that by 2030, 90% of children will leave primary school having achieved the expected standard in reading, writing and maths. As part of this, the department is committed to continuing to raise literacy standards, ensuring all children can read fluently and with understanding. Further information on the Schools White Paper can be accessed here: https://www.gov.uk/government/news/schools-white-paper-delivers-real-action-to-level-up-education.
Asked by: Peter Gibson (Conservative - Darlington)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what recent assessment he has made of the adequacy in the levels of funding for local authorities Children’s Services.
Answered by Will Quince
Local authorities set their own children’s services budget from their core spending power, based on local need, priorities and their statutory responsibilities.
In the 2022/23 financial year, local authorities have access to £54.1 billion core spending power to deliver their services, including for children and young people. This is £3.7 billion more than in the 2021/22 financial year.
As part of this, the government has boosted the social care grant, increasing it by £636 million, and bringing it to a total of around £2.35 billion in the 2022/23 financial year. Local authorities will have access to a one-off Services Grant in 2022/23, which is worth over £800 million and can be used for all services, including children’s social care.
Asked by: Peter Gibson (Conservative - Darlington)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps his Department is taking to tackle rising levels of antisemitism on university campuses.
Answered by Michelle Donelan
The government is clear that antisemitism is abhorrent and we expect higher education (HE) providers to be at the forefront of tackling the challenge of it.
We have pushed for several years for greater action from HE providers to address antisemitism. We have encouraged HE providers to adopt the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA) definition of antisemitism to give clarity of what constitutes antisemitic behaviour. This will enable providers to better understand and recognise incidences of antisemitism and take action to address them.
In October 2020, the former Secretary of State for Education, my right hon. Friend for South Staffordshire, wrote to all HE providers urging adoption of the IHRA definition, stating that we would consider further action if HE providers did not adopt. The former Secretary of State for Education also sent a follow-up letter in May 2021, reinforcing the government's expectation that providers adopt the IHRA definition, stressing the even greater importance of doing so considering increased numbers of antisemitic incidents recorded as a result of the conflict in the Middle East.
In response to this, on 10 November 2021, the Office for Students published a list of HE providers who have adopted the definition. I am pleased to report good progress in the last year: an increase from around 30 to over 200 providers having adopted. This includes the vast majority of universities. I will continue to urge all HE providers to adopt the IHRA definition of antisemitism
Adoption of the IHRA definition is only a first step towards ridding HE of antisemitism. While the government considers that adoption of the definition is crucial, it is not enough on its own. As my right hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Education, has previously announced publicly, we are leading a summit later this month specifically focused on tackling antisemitism in HE. This event will include key stakeholders from the sector to examine what more can be done to make Jewish students and staff feel safe on campus.