Philip Dunne

The Department has recently published a Call for Evidence to inform the development of the Biomass Strategy. This strategy will review the amount of sustainable biomass available to the UK, including liquid biofuels, and how this could be best used across the economy to achieve our net zero target. It will also assess the UK’s current biomass sustainability standards, which are some of the most stringent in the world, to see where and how we can improve them even further.

The department wants to support all young people to be happy, healthy, safe, to equip them for their adult life and to make a positive contribution to society.

Schools and colleges have an important role to play in supporting the resilience and mental health of children and young people. We have made relationships education compulsory for all primary school pupils, relationships, and sex education compulsory for all secondary school pupils, and health education compulsory for all pupils in state-funded schools from September 2020.

Under the topic of physical health and mental wellbeing, the statutory relationship, sex, and health education (RSHE) guidance sets out that teachers should be aware of common adverse childhood experiences. For example, family breakdown, bereavement, exposure to domestic violence, and when and how these may be affecting any of their pupils. This will help teachers to tailor their lessons accordingly, taking decisions on appropriate resources and support to enable them to teach the curriculum effectively. Teachers are free to draw on the support and expertise of subject associations and other providers of curriculum support. The RSHE guidance can be accessed here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/relationships-education-relationships-and-sex-education-rse-and-health-education.

In response to the impact of the COVID-19 outbreak on mental health and wellbeing, the department accelerated the RSHE teacher training module relating to mental health to be available in July 2020. The department subsequently provided £15 million for the Wellbeing for Education Return and Wellbeing for Education Recovery schemes. These schemes provided training and support for education staff in schools and colleges in how to respond to COVID-19 outbreak issues. They also included a focus on supporting children and young people with bereavement. Local areas continue to share examples of practice and lesson plans covering themes such as bereavement and loss, understanding anxiety and low mood, and actions for building resilience and recovery, with us and each other.

The department has made no assessment of the changes in the level of awareness of death, dying, and bereavement among school-age children because of the COVID-19 outbreak. However, the department has published its report, which provides an in-depth picture of the experiences of children and young people aged 5 to 24 during the 2020/21 academic year. The report can be accessed here : https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/state-of-the-nation-2021-children-and-young-peoples-wellbeing.

The department wants to support all young people to be happy, healthy, safe, to equip them for their adult life and to make a positive contribution to society.

Schools and colleges have an important role to play in supporting the resilience and mental health of children and young people. We have made relationships education compulsory for all primary school pupils, relationships, and sex education compulsory for all secondary school pupils, and health education compulsory for all pupils in state-funded schools from September 2020.

Under the topic of physical health and mental wellbeing, the statutory relationship, sex, and health education (RSHE) guidance sets out that teachers should be aware of common adverse childhood experiences. For example, family breakdown, bereavement, exposure to domestic violence, and when and how these may be affecting any of their pupils. This will help teachers to tailor their lessons accordingly, taking decisions on appropriate resources and support to enable them to teach the curriculum effectively. Teachers are free to draw on the support and expertise of subject associations and other providers of curriculum support. The RSHE guidance can be accessed here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/relationships-education-relationships-and-sex-education-rse-and-health-education.

In response to the impact of the COVID-19 outbreak on mental health and wellbeing, the department accelerated the RSHE teacher training module relating to mental health to be available in July 2020. The department subsequently provided £15 million for the Wellbeing for Education Return and Wellbeing for Education Recovery schemes. These schemes provided training and support for education staff in schools and colleges in how to respond to COVID-19 outbreak issues. They also included a focus on supporting children and young people with bereavement. Local areas continue to share examples of practice and lesson plans covering themes such as bereavement and loss, understanding anxiety and low mood, and actions for building resilience and recovery, with us and each other.

The department has made no assessment of the changes in the level of awareness of death, dying, and bereavement among school-age children because of the COVID-19 outbreak. However, the department has published its report, which provides an in-depth picture of the experiences of children and young people aged 5 to 24 during the 2020/21 academic year. The report can be accessed here : https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/state-of-the-nation-2021-children-and-young-peoples-wellbeing.

The Department has staff in 13 offices across England and is only responsible for the procurement of produce for meals in one of these offices. The Coventry Office contract to provide meals, available for staff to purchase, was let before 1 January 2021. The remaining 12 offices are managed by other government departments or other organisations where the Department for Education has no involvement with the meals contracts.

The supplier for the Coventry Office meals contract is committed to supporting local produce, with all fresh goods to travel a maximum of 50 miles. 100% of the fresh meat is reared and sourced through local British suppliers, all fresh fruit and vegetables are sourced through local and regional suppliers and all fresh bakery products are made by bakers in close proximity of the Coventry office.

Environments where teaching takes place, such as schools, colleges and universities, are autonomous and have the freedom to make their own procurement decisions based on individual need and circumstances regarding British produce used within meals.

The Department has, and continues to review, a wide range of deals across public sector buying organisations, including three catering frameworks. All have been assessed for compliance with procurement regulations, ease of use, suitability and value for money.

A uniquely independent and balanced assessment of all local authority children’s social care departments is provided by Ofsted and, as such, the inspectorate is an important driver of standards and accountability in the system. Where Ofsted inspectors use their powers to take a focussed look at the lived experience of children in a given area, and find a local authority is failing (‘inadequate’) to protect children or promote their welfare, the government is then able to take quick and decisive action to intervene and make services safe as quickly and decisively as possible. In recent years, we have seen an improvement in the performance of local authority children’s social care services, with 48% of local authorities now rated ‘good’ or ‘outstanding’, compared to 36% at the end of 2017.

At the end of the 2018-19 financial year, the total outstanding loan balance was £121.8 billion[1].

This figure includes all loan products and covers borrowers who received loans as English

domiciled students studying in the UK or as EU domiciled students studying in England.

The corresponding forecasts are detailed in table 1 (attached).

The information by product (maintenance loans/tuition fee loans) is not readily available

and could only be obtained at disproportionate cost.

[1] Source: https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/student-loans-in-england-2018-to-2019. (Table 1A)

We introduced the Teacher Recruitment and Retention Strategy in January 2019. This highlighted evidence demonstrating the need to take significant action on starting salaries and early career pay over the medium term to address recruitment and retention challenges. By raising starting salaries for new teachers to £30,000, we are increasing the competitiveness of the early career pay framework, and ensuring the teaching profession is positioned at the top of the graduate labour market.

Our proposals include pay rises for all teachers, and new starters after 2022 will not ‘overtake’ existing teachers. London weighting will continue, providing a salary uplift for teachers within the London areas. These proposals will be put forward in our evidence to the School Teachers’ Review Body. We have asked them in the remit letter to consider how best to design the overall pay structure, alongside the move to a significantly higher starting salary, to best support recruitment and retention to the profession. This evidence will be published in due course.

The attached table shows the total value of the core schools budget each year.

The table below shows the value of the core schools budget each year since 2015-16:

The figures for 2020-21 to 2022-23 include the £1.5 billion per year that the Department will provide to fund additional pension costs for teachers.

Changes to the school funding system mean that the Department does not have comparable figures for years before 2015-16.

This is a matter for Her Majesty's Chief Inspector, Amanda Spielman. I have asked her to write to my right hon. Friend and a copy of her reply will be placed in the Libraries of both Houses.

The latest figures on children looked after by local authority were published in the local authority tables (Table LAA1) of the statistical release ‘Children looked after in England including adoption: 2017 to 2018’, which is available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/children-looked-after-in-england-including-adoption-2017-to-2018. The 2018/19 statistics on children looked after will be released on 5 December 2019.

The latest figures on children in need by local authority were published on 31 October 2019, in the statistical release ‘Characteristics of children in need: 2018 to 2019’, which is available at : https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/characteristics-of-children-in-need-2018-to-2019. Table B1 shows the number of children in need at 31 March by local authority (column S).

The department does not collect information on looked after children or children in need by Parliamentary constituency.

It has not proved possible to respond to the hon. Member in the time available before Dissolution.

The information detailed below on early years settings, primary and secondary schools, and further education is available.

The latest Ofsted data for early years settings cover the period from 2011-2014 and can be found here:

https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/childcare-providers-and-inspections-as-at-31-march-2019.

https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/official-statistics-early-years-and-childcare-registered-providers-inspections-and-outcomes.

The Department for Education only collects data on the number of children benefiting from free funded early education and holds no data on all children in early years settings.

The latest Ofsted data on Primary and Secondary school inspection data (which covers the period from 2010-2019) can be found here:

https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/maintained-schools-and-academies-inspections-and-outcomes-official-statistics.

Ofsted changed their methodology in 2018 and the latest statistics are based on the new methodology. Information on the changes made can be found here :

https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/changes-to-ofsteds-statistical-reporting-of-inspection-outcomes-for-state-funded-schools-an-analysis-of-the-changes.

The latest Ofsted data on the further education inspection ratings (covering the period from 2013 to 2019) can be found here:

https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/further-education-and-skills-inspection-outcomes.

Due to differences between the data sets of each area, and the time scales covered, data since 1997 for each area requested is not held centrally and could only be obtained at disproportionate cost.

3,372 looked after children were on the roll of independent schools in January 2019, according to the most recent School Level Annual School Census figures. Through our Board School Partnerships initiative, we are encouraging local authorities to be more proactive in this field.

The department does not collect information in the school census on the number of children in need in independent schools.

Since September 2017, 3- and 4-year old children of working parents have been able to access an additional 15 hours free childcare, on top of the universal 15 hours entitlement. Details of this expenditure can be found in the Dedicated Schools Grant Allocations tables, here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/dedicated-schools-grant-dsg-2019-to-2020.

In 2020-21, the National Funding Formula (NFF) will ensure that every school attracts at least a per-pupil increase in line with inflation, with faster than inflation for most. Nationally, per-pupil funding is increasing by 4.2% per pupil next year. The Department has published provisional NFF allocations to show what each school is attracting under the NFF, and what each local authority will receive, per pupil, for schools in its local area. This is available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/national-funding-formula-tables-for-schools-and-high-needs-2020-to-2021.

The attached table shows the increase in funding that schools are receiving by constituency area.

Local authorities continue to be responsible for determining final allocations, in consultation with local schools, and will inform schools of their budgets for next year early in 2020. While the Department has not yet determined school funding allocations beyond 2020-21, we have announced that funding levels will increase by £4.8 billion in 2021-22, and £7.1 billion in 2022-23, compared to 2019-20.

Ofsted is the only body able to provide an independent, rounded judgement of schools, further education provision, and early years settings. This role has helped to raise standards in our schools with 87% of primary schools and 75% of secondary schools rated good or outstanding, compared to 67% and 64% respectively in 2010. Currently, 82% further education and skills providers are judged good or outstanding, compared to 64% in 2012. Currently, 95% of early years providers are rated good or outstanding, compared to 74% in 2012.

Ofsted also plays an important role in safeguarding for early years, schools and further education provision. As part of the overall effectiveness judgement, inspectors will always make a written judgement about the effectiveness of the arrangements for safeguarding children and pupils.

In 2020-21, the National Funding Formula (NFF) will ensure that every school attracts at least a per-pupil increase in line with inflation, with faster than inflation for most. Nationally, per-pupil funding is increasing by 4.2% per pupil next year. The Department has published provisional NFF allocations to show what each school is attracting under the NFF, and what each local authority will receive, per pupil, for schools in its local area. This is available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/national-funding-formula-tables-for-schools-and-high-needs-2020-to-2021.

The attached table shows the increase in funding that schools are receiving by constituency area.

Local authorities continue to be responsible for determining final allocations, in consultation with local schools, and will inform schools of their budgets for next year early in 2020. While the Department has not yet determined school funding allocations beyond 2020-21, we have announced that funding levels will increase by £4.8 billion in 2021-22, and £7.1 billion in 2022-23, compared to 2019-20.

In 2013, the government announced that the student number controls at publicly funded higher education institutions in England would be removed by 2015/16. This was preceded by a relaxation of student number controls for AAB students, who were made exempt from 2012/13, and ABB students, who were exempt from 2013/14.

Student number controls applied to full-time undergraduate students at English higher education institutions who were domiciled in the UK or European Union prior to study.

The Higher Education Statistics Agency (HESA) collects and publishes statistics on students enrolled in higher education institutions in England. Time series for UK and EU domiciled full-time undergraduate entrants at higher education institutions in England have been provided in the table.

UK and EU domiciled full-time undergraduate entrants

English Higher Education Institutions

Academic years 2011/12 to 2017/8

Source: Higher Education Statistics Agency (HESA) Student Record 2011/12 to 2017/18

Note: (1) Figures in this table are rounded to the nearest multiple of five.

(2) Entrants refers to first year students.

The Universities and Colleges Admissions Service (UCAS) publish data on the proportion of disadvantaged 18-year-olds from England accepted to full-time higher education. In 2018 there were a record proportion of disadvantaged 18-year-olds from England accepted onto full-time higher education courses.

Entry rates for English disadvantaged 18 year olds

Source: UCAS End of Cycle report 2018

Note: The disadvantage measure refers to POLAR Quintile 1. POLAR is an area-based measure of educational disadvantage.

Taxpayers subsidise around 50% of the cost of higher education. The cost of the student finance system is a function of 3 main parameters: (i) the number of students supported, (ii) the level of resource per student and (iii) the terms of the funding (for example the balance of loan vs. grant funding) provided to students and institutions. Changing any of these parameters, for example by reintroducing maintenance grants, will require changes either or both of the other 2 if the outcome is to be cost neutral.

The Institute for Fiscal Studies has recently published illustrative estimates of the potential cost to HM Treasury of abolishing tuition fees. This can be found here: https://www.ifs.org.uk/publications/14369.

The attached table includes inspection dates and Ofsted ratings for local authority children’s services under the previous Single Inspection Framework and the current Inspections of Local Authority Children’s Service framework. In recent years, we have seen an improvement in the performance of local authority children’s social care services, with 48% of local authorities now rated ‘good’ or ‘outstanding’, compared to 36% at the end of 2017.

The increases in school funding announced at the 2019 Spending Round will mean the biggest funding boost for schools in a decade. The independent Institute for Fiscal Studies have gone on record as saying that this settlement will restore real terms per pupil funding to previous levels.

This settlement also means that next year alone school funding will increase by 5%. This means that, under the national funding formula, every school in the country will attract at least a real terms increase in per pupil funding.

The Storm Overflows Taskforce comprises representatives of Defra, the Environment Agency, Ofwat, CCW, Water UK and a water company. In addition, Blueprint for Water have been asked to nominate a representative to the group. I will ensure that the Rt Honourable Member receives a copy of the terms of reference. The Taskforce meets regularly and is developing proposals to reduce the frequency and volumes of spills from storm overflows. The group is exploring further short-term actions water companies can take to accelerate progress on storm overflows. The first phase of the taskforce to develop short term actions runs until November 2020. The second phase, to develop proposals and mechanisms to reduce the frequency and volumes of spills from storm overflows, will report in spring 2021. No timescale for how long the Taskforce will operate has been set as yet.

The Storm Overflows Taskforce comprises representatives of Defra, the Environment Agency, Ofwat, CCW, Water UK and a water company. In addition, Blueprint for Water have been asked to nominate a representative to the group. I will ensure that the Rt Honourable Member receives a copy of the terms of reference. The Taskforce meets regularly and is developing proposals to reduce the frequency and volumes of spills from storm overflows. The group is exploring further short-term actions water companies can take to accelerate progress on storm overflows. The first phase of the taskforce to develop short term actions runs until November 2020. The second phase, to develop proposals and mechanisms to reduce the frequency and volumes of spills from storm overflows, will report in spring 2021. No timescale for how long the Taskforce will operate has been set as yet.