Found: raising awareness, building participation, ensuring sustainability, and supporting the passing on of skills

Found: investing in three policy themes: Communities and Place, Supporting Local Business, and People and Skills

Found: The example does however point to the need to align policies for transport, economic development, and skills

Found: that the risks will be mitigated by ensuring that the new independent trustees have the necessary skills

Found: the House for publication: Disabled Students ’ Allowance Correspondence from the Minister for Skills

Found: present these cases are being dealt with by generalist officers or Counter-avoidance whose knowledge, skills

Found: The Police Response - Skills and Resources 13.I am encouraged to read the Home Secretary’s commitment

Found: I suggest that the service has failed to get a good enough grip on the skills and attributes it

Found: also have significant private sector experience which is relevant when considering diversity of skills

Found: NHS England (NHSE), and with support from Skills for Care, are taking forward implementation as

Found: any kind must offer clear progression for all who want it – greater levels of reward to recognise skills

Found: shall comply with the requirements of ‘Staffordshire County Council – Economy, Infrastructure and Skills

Found: Assessment process HC 43 29th The Affordable Homes Programme since 2015 HC 684 30th Developing workforce skills

Found: sharing; 8.Vagueness on innovation and the role of innovators; 9.Lack of focus on people and digital skills

Found: transport, maximising the benefits of embedded carbon for 30+ years, whilst supporting the jobs and skills

Found: To carry out this role properly, ORR will appropriate resources and skills.

Found: with Women in Rail on a joint EDI Charter, which works to support social mobility, grow UK STEM skills

Found: planning; economic development and regeneration; housing and spatial planning; employment and skills

Found: ensure the rolling stock procurements achieve Government objectives on domestic economic growth, skills

Found: RRB0035 - Scrutiny of the draft Rail Reform Bill National Skills Academy for Rail Written Evidence

Found: 5.3.1 No, we have not identified any such provisions March 2024 Endnotes 1 National Skills Academy for

Found: town centre users, Strength of the relationship with other organisations, hence the need to upgrade skills

Found: been identified as potential 'changemakers' such as Kilburn State of Mind, a local learning and skills

Found: in the co-design of their places through six sequential themes that will increase knowledge and skills

Found: revitalise England’s high streets through boosting local authority capacity, building placemaking skills

Found: beams and others can be most beneficial for musculoskeletal and cardio- vascular health, balancing skills

Found: part of a rich mix of activities including working, sharing, exchanging, playing and learning new skills

Found: This will help them to: recruit the right sets of skills to work with local communities, businesses

Found: the Sheffield city centre scheme has highlighted fundamental issues around capacity, funding and skills

Found: Our research shows that when place-shapers use design mindsets and skills they add greater value

Found: resources both on the part of the community and the local authority, whilst a lack of specialist skills

Found: Perhaps most importantly though, by investing in these trusts, local capacity and skills are increased

Found: One of the barriers to this is the shortage of resources (especially people) and skills within the

Found: A particularly important consideration is to ensure that Local Authorities have the staff and skills

Found: Improving skills.

Found: delays; removing advertising requirements in local papers for licensing variations oEmployment & Skills

Found: The Hospitality & Tourism Skills Board and the Recovery and Resilience Group are key avenues for

Found: economy by providing ‘first jobs’ for many young people, helping to develop foundational workplace skills

Found: Teenage Market provides to young people like Lucy are so crucial to the development of key life skills

Found: community- fund We know that we are very lucky that we have a number of individuals who have skills

Found: While learning new skills and being entertained - items currently of great interest and developed

Found: Last year a recruitment and skills survey by Public Practice showed that 66% of local government

Found: planning control over damaging changes of use, such as banks to betting shops Lack of capacity and skills

Found: planning control over damaging changes of use, such as banks to betting shops Lack of capacity and skills

Found: Q99 Chair: You’re forcing them, because they may not have the digital skills, and therefore they

Found: Many functions exercised by local authorities in Britain (such as education and skills) remain exercised

Found: The UK government should invest in greater Chinese language skills so that knowledge and understanding

Found: Given this cohort’s general lack of English language skills, they could be at high risk of exploitation

Found: that as well in his report—the importance around maintaining and incentivising the building of these skills

Found: GMVs are, in turn, the more steady, all year round constant where people can then hone their skills

Found: provide a vital platform for grassroots artists, and experience for staff to experiment and grow skills

Found: the arts and culture sector, so I feel lucky to have had the space to develop my production skills

Found: These organisations all develop young people’s skills, knowledge, and confidence to take their first

Found: Migration increases growth and productivity through increased economic activity and better matching skills

Found: •Develop a national strategy for Land based Skills Shortages with highly skilled solutions, supporting

Found: The Minister for Green Skills, circular Economy and Biodiversity Lorna Slater wrote to the Secretary

Found: •The expertise, skills and experience of UK and Scottish Government officials, an d whe ther less frequent

Found: panels; and ● looking at alternative options for applicants to supply information on their relevant skills

Found: I was looking for skills payments for foster carers in my local authority the other week, and it

Found: Cabinet Office (CO) to develop a strategy for attracting into the Civil Service and retaining there the skills

Found: Q177 Chair: What were the skills of the officials who visited? Joanna Rowland: That is key.

Found: Q177 Chair: What were the skills of the officials who visited? Joanna Rowland: That is key.

Found: Its membership should be appointed by the House with regard to the particular skills and expertise required

The Industry and Regulators Committee has launched an inquiry into skills policy, focusing in particular on apprenticeships and training, and in the context of the skills the UK workforce needs for the future. The inquiry will examine whether the UK’s current systems and policies for apprenticeships and in-work training are working and, if not, how they should be reformed. In doing so, the inquiry will consider the responsibilities of government, employers, training providers, and individuals, and the incentives facing these groups.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, if she will make an assessment of the potential merits of employing veterans in schools to provide courses on leadership and resilience for (a) teachers and (b) students.

Answered by Damian Hinds - Minister of State (Education)

A key principle behind the government's plan for education is to give teachers and school leaders the freedom to use their professional judgement to do what works best for their pupils. As such, headteachers are ultimately responsible for employment in their schools and the department trusts them to take decisions about the right mix of qualifications, skills and experience that they expect teachers in their schools to have.

The department recently reviewed the Initial Teacher Training (ITT) Core Content Framework (CCF) and Early Career Framework (ECF) alongside each other and revised the ITT CCF and the ECF into the combined and updated Initial Teacher Training and Early Career Framework (ITTECF). This now covers the first three years or more at the start of a teacher’s career, and sets out the entitlement of every trainee and early career teacher (ECT) to the core body of knowledge, skills and behaviours that define great teaching. The ITTECF is universal and designed to work for all teachers, across all phases and subjects.

Beyond this, school leaders are responsible for ensuring their workforce has appropriate training to meet the needs of all pupils, which is in line with the department’s position on school autonomy and school leaders being best placed to assess the needs of their pupils and workforce.

The government remains committed to supporting veterans with a passion for teaching to enter the profession, both in schools and the further education sector. The department is working with the Ministry of Defence to ensure veterans are aware of the range of programmes and support available through the department’s services and bursaries.

Veterans are eligible for a tax-free undergraduate bursary of £40,000 if they are:

• A veteran who has left full-time employment with the British Army, Royal Air Force or Royal Navy no more than 5 years before the start of the teacher training course.
• Training to teach secondary biology, chemistry, computing, languages, maths or physics.
• Doing an undergraduate degree leading to qualified teacher status (QTS) in England.

Graduate veterans may also be eligible for a postgraduate scholarship or bursary if they are training to teach priority subjects.

More information on how the department support veterans to become teachers, including the offer of one-to-one support from a teacher training advisor, can be found here: https://getintoteaching.education.gov.uk/funding-and-support/if-youre-a-veteran.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, if she will make an assessment of the potential merits of introducing veteran awareness training for teachers.

Answered by Damian Hinds - Minister of State (Education)

A key principle behind the government's plan for education is to give teachers and school leaders the freedom to use their professional judgement to do what works best for their pupils. As such, headteachers are ultimately responsible for employment in their schools and the department trusts them to take decisions about the right mix of qualifications, skills and experience that they expect teachers in their schools to have.

The department recently reviewed the Initial Teacher Training (ITT) Core Content Framework (CCF) and Early Career Framework (ECF) alongside each other and revised the ITT CCF and the ECF into the combined and updated Initial Teacher Training and Early Career Framework (ITTECF). This now covers the first three years or more at the start of a teacher’s career, and sets out the entitlement of every trainee and early career teacher (ECT) to the core body of knowledge, skills and behaviours that define great teaching. The ITTECF is universal and designed to work for all teachers, across all phases and subjects.

Beyond this, school leaders are responsible for ensuring their workforce has appropriate training to meet the needs of all pupils, which is in line with the department’s position on school autonomy and school leaders being best placed to assess the needs of their pupils and workforce.

The government remains committed to supporting veterans with a passion for teaching to enter the profession, both in schools and the further education sector. The department is working with the Ministry of Defence to ensure veterans are aware of the range of programmes and support available through the department’s services and bursaries.

Veterans are eligible for a tax-free undergraduate bursary of £40,000 if they are:

• A veteran who has left full-time employment with the British Army, Royal Air Force or Royal Navy no more than 5 years before the start of the teacher training course.
• Training to teach secondary biology, chemistry, computing, languages, maths or physics.
• Doing an undergraduate degree leading to qualified teacher status (QTS) in England.

Graduate veterans may also be eligible for a postgraduate scholarship or bursary if they are training to teach priority subjects.

More information on how the department support veterans to become teachers, including the offer of one-to-one support from a teacher training advisor, can be found here: https://getintoteaching.education.gov.uk/funding-and-support/if-youre-a-veteran.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment she has made of the impact of trends in the level of funding of Adult and Community Education since 2010 on that sector; and whether she plans to restore funding to 2010 levels.

Answered by Luke Hall - Minister of State (Education)

The department is continuing to invest in education and skills training for adults through the Adult Education Budget (AEB), the Multiply programme and Skills Bootcamps.

The AEB is worth £1.34 billion in 2023/24 and approximately 60% of the AEB is devolved to nine Mayoral Combined Authorities (MCA) and the Greater London Authority (GLA). These authorities are now responsible for the provision of AEB-funded adult education for their residents. The Education and Skills Funding Agency (ESFA) is responsible for the remaining AEB in non-devolved areas.

In ESFA AEB areas, the department applied a 2.2% increase to the final earnings for all AEB formula-funded provision, excluding associated learner and learning support, in 2022/23 and 2023/24. The department also applied a 20% boost on top of earnings for all AEB formula-funded provision in six sector subject areas: Engineering, Manufacturing Technologies, Transport Operations and Maintenance, Building and Construction, ICT for Practitioners, and Mathematics and Statistics. Additionally, in 2024/25, as part of the AEB transition to the Adult Skills Fund, the department will introduce five new funding rates that will apply to the ESFA Adult Skills Fund with 78% of qualifications seeing a funding increase.

Prior to devolution, the Community Learning portion of the AEB amounted to approximately £230 million in 2018/19. The department does not collect data on what MCAs and the GLA currently spend on Community Learning.

In 2024/25, as part of the Adult Skills Fund, the term Tailored Learning brings together what was the AEB Community Learning, formula-funded AEB non-regulated learning, which was previously delivered through the adult skills, and new employer-facing innovative provision that is not qualification based.

The department is also providing up to £270 million directly to local areas in England to deliver innovative interventions to improve adult numeracy through the Multiply programme. The department is also building the evidence base on what works to improve adult numeracy, including through randomised control trials.

Skills Bootcamps are free, flexible courses of up to 16 weeks, giving people the opportunity to build up sector-specific skills, with an offer of a job interview upon completion. This is supported by £550 million over the current Spending Review period as well as £170 million in grant funding to MCAs and local areas in 2024/25.

Spend by the department on further education is reported through publication of the Annual Report and Accounts. This can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/dfe-annual-reports.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, for what reason NHS employees in band 4 are only eligible for pay progression after three years, rather than two years as in other bands.

Answered by Andrew Stephenson - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)

As part of the 2018 deal, all pay bands underwent a significant amount of structural reform. The reform included reducing the length of time it takes to reach the top of most pay bands, improving pay progression, and removing all overlap between pay bands. As such, the time taken to progress to the top of Band 4 has been reduced from six years to three years. The time taken to progress varies by band. This is to reflect the time needed to develop the knowledge and skills to perform at the top of the relevant band.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, if she will make an assessment of the potential merits of encouraging veterans to become school governors.

Answered by Damian Hinds - Minister of State (Education)

The department recognises the valuable skills, experience and perspectives that former military personnel can bring to schools and academy trusts. The department will continue to encourage schools and academy trusts, and the organisations that support them, to look for volunteers with a broad range of backgrounds, so that pupil outcomes can benefit from the best possible governance.

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, when he plans to publish the Defence AI Skills Framework.

Answered by James Cartlidge - Minister of State (Ministry of Defence)

The development of a Defence AI Skills Framework is underway, and we expect work to accelerate following the recruitment of our Capability Lead for AI Talent and Skills. We are working closely with Digital Skills for Defence (DS4D) and other key stakeholders to ensure coherence with other complimentary skills frameworks within the department, but also across government and with allies.

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, with reference to the Defence Artificial Intelligence Strategy, published on 15 June 2022, whether his Department has appointed a Head of AI Profession.

Answered by James Cartlidge - Minister of State (Ministry of Defence)

The Defence AI Centre (DAIC) is currently onboarding a Capability Lead, AI Talent and Skills. They are expected to be in post in quarter 2 of this financial year.

This individual will work with colleagues across Government to advance the AI skills agenda while also exploring novel ways to attract talent into the department.

Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:

To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what steps she is taking with Cabinet colleagues to reduce the digital skills gap.

Answered by Saqib Bhatti - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)

The Government is committed to ensuring access to digital skills for all. By 2024-25, we’re investing £3.8 billion in Digital Skills across England and have quadrupled the scale of Skills Bootcamps.

The Government provides free Essential Digital Skills Qualifications to address the diverse needs of adults with limited digital proficiency.

Additionally, the Digital Skills Council drives industry-led action. In February, DSIT partnered with the Council in delivering a communications campaign for Skills Bootcamps in high-demand digital fields. But plugging this gap also means getting the basics right – which is why this government has embarked on one of the largest infrastructure projects in modern times to connect millions of households to gigabit broadband – laying enough fibre optic cable to circle the Earth five times.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, if she will make an assessment of the potential merits of introducing a veteran awareness day in schools.

Answered by Damian Hinds - Minister of State (Education)

The department wants all children to leave school with the knowledge, skills, and values that will enable them to understand the world around them and prepare them to be active and responsible citizens in modern Britain. This could include activities focusing on the role of the armed forces and learning from the experiences of veterans.

It is important for schools to have flexibility over the design of their curriculum to ensure that it meets the needs of their pupils and the local context. Schools are able to use this flexibility to include a veterans awareness day or to teach about British veterans and the armed forces through subjects within the national curriculum, such as citizenship, history or English literature, or as part of wider remembrance activities.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of the level of (a) qualification and (b) experience of staff employed through teacher supply agencies on educational standards.

Answered by Damian Hinds - Minister of State (Education)

Supply teachers perform a valuable role and make an important contribution to the smooth running of schools by filling posts on a temporary basis and by covering teacher absences.

The type of school a supply teacher works in determines the qualifications required. In local authority-maintained schools, maintained special schools and non-maintained special schools, anyone who teaches is legally required to hold qualified teacher status (QTS), subject to the following exceptions:

• Trainee teachers working towards QTS.
• Overseas trained teachers who have been in the UK less than four years.
• Instructors, where special qualifications and/or experience are required and teaching assistants (provided they are directed and supervised by a qualified teacher).

Academies, free schools and independent schools are not subject to these requirements and have the freedom to appoint teachers with alternative qualifications.

Headteachers are ultimately responsible for the educational performance in their schools and the governing body carries out certain checks on supply staff, and the department trusts them to take decisions about the right mix of qualifications, skills, and experience that they expect teachers in their schools to have.

In August 2018, in conjunction with the Crown Commercial Service, the department launched the agency supply deal. A link to the guidance can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/deal-for-schools-hiring-supply-teachers-and-agency-workers. ​The deal supports schools to get value for money when hiring agency supply teachers and other temporary school staff.

The deal has established a list of preferred suppliers that schools can access, all of which:

• Will be transparent with schools about the rates they charge.
• Will agree to not charge finder’s fees for workers who have been in post for 12 weeks, when four weeks’ notice is given.
• Will conduct consistent, rigorous background screening checks in line with the statutory guidance ‘Keeping children safe in education’.
• Will be accredited by an approved accreditation body, that will audit suppliers for compliance with robust recruitment principles and the terms of the framework.

The department strongly recommends that schools consider using preferred suppliers first for their agency staffing needs.

Schools can learn more about the deal at: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/deal-for-schools-hiring-supply-teachers-and-agency-workers.

The department commissioned a research project last year into the use of supply staff in schools. This research has surveyed and interviewed supply teachers and school leaders and will improve understanding of the supply market. Publication of the report is due in the summer.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what recent assessment she has made of the (a) adequacy of the level of experience of cover supervisors in schools and (b) potential impact of the use of cover supervisors on (i) student safety and (ii) educational outcomes.

Answered by Damian Hinds - Minister of State (Education)

Supply teachers perform a valuable role and make an important contribution to the smooth running of schools by filling posts on a temporary basis and by covering teacher absences.

The type of school a supply teacher works in determines the qualifications required. In local authority-maintained schools, maintained special schools and non-maintained special schools, anyone who teaches is legally required to hold qualified teacher status (QTS), subject to the following exceptions:

• Trainee teachers working towards QTS.
• Overseas trained teachers who have been in the UK less than four years.
• Instructors, where special qualifications and/or experience are required and teaching assistants (provided they are directed and supervised by a qualified teacher).

Academies, free schools and independent schools are not subject to these requirements and have the freedom to appoint teachers with alternative qualifications.

Headteachers are ultimately responsible for the educational performance in their schools and the governing body carries out certain checks on supply staff, and the department trusts them to take decisions about the right mix of qualifications, skills, and experience that they expect teachers in their schools to have.

In August 2018, in conjunction with the Crown Commercial Service, the department launched the agency supply deal. A link to the guidance can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/deal-for-schools-hiring-supply-teachers-and-agency-workers. ​The deal supports schools to get value for money when hiring agency supply teachers and other temporary school staff.

The deal has established a list of preferred suppliers that schools can access, all of which:

• Will be transparent with schools about the rates they charge.
• Will agree to not charge finder’s fees for workers who have been in post for 12 weeks, when four weeks’ notice is given.
• Will conduct consistent, rigorous background screening checks in line with the statutory guidance ‘Keeping children safe in education’.
• Will be accredited by an approved accreditation body, that will audit suppliers for compliance with robust recruitment principles and the terms of the framework.

The department strongly recommends that schools consider using preferred suppliers first for their agency staffing needs.

Schools can learn more about the deal at: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/deal-for-schools-hiring-supply-teachers-and-agency-workers.

The department commissioned a research project last year into the use of supply staff in schools. This research has surveyed and interviewed supply teachers and school leaders and will improve understanding of the supply market. Publication of the report is due in the summer.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether she has made an assessment of the potential merits of regulating the qualifications and experience of staff made available to schools through teacher supply agencies.

Answered by Damian Hinds - Minister of State (Education)

Supply teachers perform a valuable role and make an important contribution to the smooth running of schools by filling posts on a temporary basis and by covering teacher absences.

The type of school a supply teacher works in determines the qualifications required. In local authority-maintained schools, maintained special schools and non-maintained special schools, anyone who teaches is legally required to hold qualified teacher status (QTS), subject to the following exceptions:

• Trainee teachers working towards QTS.
• Overseas trained teachers who have been in the UK less than four years.
• Instructors, where special qualifications and/or experience are required and teaching assistants (provided they are directed and supervised by a qualified teacher).

Academies, free schools and independent schools are not subject to these requirements and have the freedom to appoint teachers with alternative qualifications.

Headteachers are ultimately responsible for the educational performance in their schools and the governing body carries out certain checks on supply staff, and the department trusts them to take decisions about the right mix of qualifications, skills, and experience that they expect teachers in their schools to have.

In August 2018, in conjunction with the Crown Commercial Service, the department launched the agency supply deal. A link to the guidance can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/deal-for-schools-hiring-supply-teachers-and-agency-workers. ​The deal supports schools to get value for money when hiring agency supply teachers and other temporary school staff.

The deal has established a list of preferred suppliers that schools can access, all of which:

• Will be transparent with schools about the rates they charge.
• Will agree to not charge finder’s fees for workers who have been in post for 12 weeks, when four weeks’ notice is given.
• Will conduct consistent, rigorous background screening checks in line with the statutory guidance ‘Keeping children safe in education’.
• Will be accredited by an approved accreditation body, that will audit suppliers for compliance with robust recruitment principles and the terms of the framework.

The department strongly recommends that schools consider using preferred suppliers first for their agency staffing needs.

Schools can learn more about the deal at: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/deal-for-schools-hiring-supply-teachers-and-agency-workers.

The department commissioned a research project last year into the use of supply staff in schools. This research has surveyed and interviewed supply teachers and school leaders and will improve understanding of the supply market. Publication of the report is due in the summer.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps her Department plans to take to support schools in low income areas that may experience challenges in securing qualified supply teachers.

Answered by Damian Hinds - Minister of State (Education)

Supply teachers perform a valuable role and make an important contribution to the smooth running of schools by filling posts on a temporary basis and by covering teacher absences.

The type of school a supply teacher works in determines the qualifications required. In local authority-maintained schools, maintained special schools and non-maintained special schools, anyone who teaches is legally required to hold qualified teacher status (QTS), subject to the following exceptions:

• Trainee teachers working towards QTS.
• Overseas trained teachers who have been in the UK less than four years.
• Instructors, where special qualifications and/or experience are required and teaching assistants (provided they are directed and supervised by a qualified teacher).

Academies, free schools and independent schools are not subject to these requirements and have the freedom to appoint teachers with alternative qualifications.

Headteachers are ultimately responsible for the educational performance in their schools and the governing body carries out certain checks on supply staff, and the department trusts them to take decisions about the right mix of qualifications, skills, and experience that they expect teachers in their schools to have.

In August 2018, in conjunction with the Crown Commercial Service, the department launched the agency supply deal. A link to the guidance can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/deal-for-schools-hiring-supply-teachers-and-agency-workers. ​The deal supports schools to get value for money when hiring agency supply teachers and other temporary school staff.

The deal has established a list of preferred suppliers that schools can access, all of which:

• Will be transparent with schools about the rates they charge.
• Will agree to not charge finder’s fees for workers who have been in post for 12 weeks, when four weeks’ notice is given.
• Will conduct consistent, rigorous background screening checks in line with the statutory guidance ‘Keeping children safe in education’.
• Will be accredited by an approved accreditation body, that will audit suppliers for compliance with robust recruitment principles and the terms of the framework.

The department strongly recommends that schools consider using preferred suppliers first for their agency staffing needs.

Schools can learn more about the deal at: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/deal-for-schools-hiring-supply-teachers-and-agency-workers.

The department commissioned a research project last year into the use of supply staff in schools. This research has surveyed and interviewed supply teachers and school leaders and will improve understanding of the supply market. Publication of the report is due in the summer.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether her Department plans to take steps to assess the adequacy of qualifications held by people recruited to teacher supply agencies.

Answered by Damian Hinds - Minister of State (Education)

Supply teachers perform a valuable role and make an important contribution to the smooth running of schools by filling posts on a temporary basis and by covering teacher absences.

The type of school a supply teacher works in determines the qualifications required. In local authority-maintained schools, maintained special schools and non-maintained special schools, anyone who teaches is legally required to hold qualified teacher status (QTS), subject to the following exceptions:

• Trainee teachers working towards QTS.
• Overseas trained teachers who have been in the UK less than four years.
• Instructors, where special qualifications and/or experience are required and teaching assistants (provided they are directed and supervised by a qualified teacher).

Academies, free schools and independent schools are not subject to these requirements and have the freedom to appoint teachers with alternative qualifications.

Headteachers are ultimately responsible for the educational performance in their schools and the governing body carries out certain checks on supply staff, and the department trusts them to take decisions about the right mix of qualifications, skills, and experience that they expect teachers in their schools to have.

In August 2018, in conjunction with the Crown Commercial Service, the department launched the agency supply deal. A link to the guidance can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/deal-for-schools-hiring-supply-teachers-and-agency-workers. ​The deal supports schools to get value for money when hiring agency supply teachers and other temporary school staff.

The deal has established a list of preferred suppliers that schools can access, all of which:

• Will be transparent with schools about the rates they charge.
• Will agree to not charge finder’s fees for workers who have been in post for 12 weeks, when four weeks’ notice is given.
• Will conduct consistent, rigorous background screening checks in line with the statutory guidance ‘Keeping children safe in education’.
• Will be accredited by an approved accreditation body, that will audit suppliers for compliance with robust recruitment principles and the terms of the framework.

The department strongly recommends that schools consider using preferred suppliers first for their agency staffing needs.

Schools can learn more about the deal at: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/deal-for-schools-hiring-supply-teachers-and-agency-workers.

The department commissioned a research project last year into the use of supply staff in schools. This research has surveyed and interviewed supply teachers and school leaders and will improve understanding of the supply market. Publication of the report is due in the summer.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what her planned timetable is to respond to the report entitled Leadership for a collaborative and inclusive future, published on 8 June 2022.

Answered by Andrew Stephenson - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)

Leadership for a Collaborative and Inclusive Future made seven recommendations, which were accepted by the Government. NHS England is leading on implementation of all seven recommendations, with progress made on all the recommendations, and is working in partnership with Skills for Care, where they apply to the social care workforce.

A Review Implementation Office (RIO), comprising of stakeholders from across the Department, NHS England, NHS Employers, Skills for Care, and local government, is providing oversight for the implementation of recommendations one and two, which apply across both health and social care.

Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps he is taking to help encourage individuals out of work to undertake (a) digital and (b) IT qualifications.

Answered by Jo Churchill - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)

Jobcentre Plus Work Coaches will engage with customers to better understand the steps needed to support their work search ambitions. Where digital skills are identified as a barrier to securing or progressing in employment, customers can be referred to available local provision. For customers in England, we have ongoing collaboration at a national and local level with the Department for Education who fund adult education provision via the Adult Education Budget (AEB). Learning providers, many of which are Further Education colleges, deliver training to address claimant skills needs in line with Labour Market demand. As skills is a devolved matter, similar discussions take place with key stakeholders in the Scottish and Welsh Governments to help ensure the employment and skills support offered to customers in the devolved nations is aligned.

In addition, Work Coaches in England can use the additional flexibility available through DWP Train and Progress to signpost claimants to the Department for Education’s Digital Skills Bootcamps, which can last up to 16 weeks.

For digitally excluded working age out-of-work and in-work Universal Credit customers, Work Coaches can also use the Flexible Support Fund (FSF) to procure devices, dongle, talk time, and 6 months superfast broadband in the home where the Work Coach believes this will support Labour Market progression. DWP has also ensured that all operational staff in Jobcentres, Universal Credit service centres, Pension Centres, and partnership managers who engage with customers and stakeholders are able to signpost to information promoting broadband social tariffs made accessible to claimants through DWP’s Application Programme Interface.

Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps he is taking to help fill job vacancies in Romford constituency.

Answered by Jo Churchill - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)

In the constituency and across the London Borough of Havering, the local Romford Jobcentre team are supporting residents into work and helping those in work to progress to higher paid jobs. We are working with local and national employers to help fill vacancies quickly, delivering Sector-Based Work Academy Programmes (SWAPs), recruitment days, Job Fairs, and work trials.

The weekly job club in Romford Jobcentre provides support on CV preparation, job applications and interview techniques, along with information sessions on a range of subjects to help customers into work, including information about different employment sectors, advice on childcare, support for those with additional health needs and motivational sessions.

The Jobcentre provides a bespoke service to employers, to match and screen candidates, and offers regular Job Fairs focussed on specific sectors and customer groups, with recent events to coincide with older workers week and national apprenticeship week. The team are also working with the London Borough of Havering to develop local support.

In partnership with the College of North East London we have recently offered SWAPs for local customers to gain skills and enhance their applications for the Logistics and Warehouse sectors. Care Provider Voices deliver a range of adult social care opportunities, with Springboard offering opportunities in the hospitality sector.

Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if he will require the Environment Agency to commission the Independent Drainage Board to oversee the maintenance of the River Deben in Suffolk.

Answered by Robbie Moore - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)

The Environment Agency has a strategic overview of the management of all sources of flooding and coastal change and are the lead risk management authority for managing the risk of flooding from main rivers, reservoirs, estuaries and the sea.

The Environment Agency has permissive powers to undertake maintenance on main rivers. Where maintenance is the responsibility of the Environment Agency it focuses its efforts on those activities which will achieve the greatest benefit in terms of protecting people and property from flooding.

The Environment Agency can enter into public sector cooperation agreements with internal drainage boards (IDBs) for watercourse maintenance. This enables the Environment Agency to utilise the IDBs’ workforce, skills, experience and supplier frameworks. Such an agreement is already in place between the Environment Agency and the Suffolk IDB to deliver effective and efficient maintenance in the river Deben Catchment.

The annual maintenance programme for the river Deben currently includes channel clearance and grass cutting along with operational checks, the spend for this in 2023-24 was approximately £68,000. The Environment Agency anticipate a similar level of spend and maintenance activities for 2024-2025. Capital projects are undertaken as required, most recently in 2022-23 with approximately £121,000 spent on repairs to the river walls.

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Found: Higher Education (Student Finance and Skills Shortages) Bill [AS INTRODUCED] CONTENTS 1 Student

Found: seaward area production application licences until the Secretary of State has published a Green Skills

Found: and workers who have recently left the oil and gas sector which— (a) provides workers with a skills

Found: sexual orientation or transgender identity or lack thereof, or (ii) seeking to develop coping skills

Found: that the risks will be mitigated by ensuring that the new independent trustees have the necessary skills

Found: broadcasters to maintain high standards in terms of content, programming making and professional skills

Found: sexual orientation or transgender identity or lack thereof, or (ii) seeking to develop coping skills

Found: provide that confirmation in writing as a result of P’s physical impairment or lack of literacy skills

Found: broadcasters to maintain high standards in terms of content, programming making and professional skills

Found: drugs, or building the next generation of green, electric cars – there is one need that never changes: skills

Found: system of institutions that sets rules, norms and the environment “within which individuals accumulate skills

Found: Government has set aside £1.5m this year for a new Future Winemakers’ Scheme (FWS) to help develop skills

Found: CCS also has responsibility for building commercial skills and capability across government and the public

Found: “Immigration Skills Charge” means a charge payable under regulations made under section 70A of the

Found: for addressing skills constraints .................................................................

Found: This will equip installers of relevant appliances with the knowledge and skills to ensure that devices

Found: Correspondence ESFA Update: 17 April 2024 Latest information and actions from the Education and Skills

Found: gamification and online training, to ensure all personnel have the opportunity to develop the necessary skills

Found: CCS also has responsibility for building commercial skills and capability across government and the public

Found: the UK Government’s civil nuclear roadmap As a UK Government body, we’re committed to making our skills

Found: Members are appointed for the skills and experience that they bring to the Committee, and it is important

Found: Some organisations recognise this through other means such as special merit awards and skills payments

Found: How does the service make sure that staff have the skills, knowledge and experience to deliver effective

Found: Regarding trends in domestic and international talent and skills demands and flows , my Department

Found: the Victims Taskforce which has a dedicated workstream on the implementation of the Knowledge and Skills

Found: As you may be aware, i n 2023/24 due to significant budget pressures, Skills Development Scotland (SDS

Found: To do this, we maintain a register of professionals who meet our standards for their professional skills

Found: Your letter asks that the proposed Ministerial update on reform of the post -school education and skills

Found: August 2023, the Cabinet Secretary for Rural Affairs, Land Reform and Islands and the Minister for Green Skills

Found: Nursing care is care that involves the knowledge or skills of a qualified nurse and includes activities

Found: Nursing care is care that involves the knowledge or skills of a qualified nurse and includes activities

Found: specialist nurses are finding it difficult to get onto a prescribing course unless they go on the assessment skills

Found: is why we are continuing to develop training and resources to ensure that they have the right data skills

Found: ¢We have developed data skills training and resources, and a Digital Data and Technology competency framework

Found: The majority of job roles in health and care require a level of core digital and data skills.

Found: date and timing of the measurement; and - state the party who undertook the quantification, and the skills

Found: Directorate of Enterprise, Environment and Digital.Marine Scotland was created in 2009 when the collective skills

Found: from fossil fuels and towards a zero-carbon economy.We have an incredible workforce with unrivalled skills

Found: prioritise their development and access opportunities that allow them to continually build on their skills

Found: published on the Scottis h Government website, highlighted the importance people place on the approach, skills

Found: delivered during the year, Transport Scotland noted that one of its suppliers provided employability skills

Found: clinicians to appreciate the brea dth of comprehensive brain tumour management and equip them with research skills

Found: clinicians to appreciate the breadth of comprehensive brain tumour management and equip them with research skills

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Found: executive agency of the Scottish Government (SG), Education Scotland uses the SG Competency Framework Skills

Found: teachers Lead Organisation: Outcome: Teachers have the opportunity to refresh and enhance their skills

Found: Major improvement 2.3a Goal 5 - Embrace innovation Education & training -Creating a legacy of skills

Found: a workforce that is well -motivated, well -led and has appropriate opportunities for training and skills

Found: Are there opportunities for skills/services to be shared?

Found: Over the last 20 years, he has held a number of senior roles supporting skills, education and economic

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Found: The Education and Skills portfolio is receiving additional funding of £5 4.1 million.

Found: working and codes of practice that make sure diversity is at the centre of: • the way we develop the skills

Found: The Education and Skills portfolio is receiving additional funding of £54.1 million.

Found: value the contribution that international recruits bring to NHS Scotland, they bring with them the skills

Found: the month (59.7), with respondents attributing this to a shortage of candidates with the necessary skills

Question

To ask the Scottish Government what advances in training on perinatal mental health have been made following the recommendations made in the Health, Social Care and Sport Committee's 1st Report, 2022 (Session 6), Inquiry into perinatal mental health (SP Paper 104), which was published on 8 February 2022.

Answered by Todd, Maree - Minister for Social Care, Mental Wellbeing and Sport

The Scottish Government has worked with NHS Education for Scotland (NES) to develop ‘Perinatal mental health curricular framework : a framework for maternal and infant mental health’. This framework sets out the different levels of knowledge and skills required by members of the Scottish workforce who have contact with mothers and their babies, to enable them to support mothers, babies and their families to have positive well-being and good mental health during the perinatal period.

The Scottish Government has also worked with NES to advance training on Perinatal and Infant Mental Health. Training in evidence-based approaches and interventions is delivered to staff across sectors and across practice types including informed, skilled, enhanced and specialist, as appropriate to their role.

This includes education and training within Perinatal and Infant Mental Health through e-learning modules which are available on TURAS, covering seven topic areas of essential knowledge. We have also worked with NES to create a specialist Perinatal and Infant Mental Health Learning Programme which allows NES to track the progress of staff in Specialist Perinatal and Infant Mental Health Services including Mother and Baby Units, Community Perinatal Mental Health Teams and Maternity and Neonatal Psychological Interventions.

During 2024-25, NES will continue to promote training at all levels across the sectors that support the development of positive relationships and attachment in the early years. This will be achieved through increasing workforce capacity to deliver evidence-based parent-child relationships focused interventions and approaches from the antenatal period, through infancy and across childhood.

Question

To ask the Scottish Government what impact its reported proposed reduction of £500,000 to the Gaelic Education, Culture and Arts budget will have on (a) (i) Sabhal Mòr Ostaig and (ii) Storlann and (b) the ability of each organisation to deliver their respective services.

Answered by Gilruth, Jenny - Cabinet Secretary for Education and Skills

Following the 2024-25 budget settlement, the Scottish Government reviewed a number of budget lines in Education and Skills. In relation to Gaelic the outcome of this review is that there will now be no reduction to the MG ALBA funding for 2024-25. There will also be no reduction of the Gaelic, Education and Culture budget line which would have had an impact on the funding of Sabhal Mòr Ostaig, Storlann and other organisations and the Scottish Government has now provided additional funding to enable Bòrd na Gidhlig to continue its support for the Gaelic Officers’ Scheme in 2024-25.

Question

To ask the Scottish Government what impact its reported proposed reduction of £516,000 to the Gaelic Broadcasting budget will have on MG ALBA and its ability to deliver its services.

Answered by Gilruth, Jenny - Cabinet Secretary for Education and Skills

Following the 2024-25 budget settlement, the Scottish Government reviewed a number of budget lines in Education and Skills. In relation to Gaelic the outcome of this review is that there will now be no reduction to the MG ALBA funding for 2024-25. There will also be no reduction of the Gaelic, Education and Culture budget line which would have had an impact on the funding of Sabhal Mòr Ostaig, Storlann and other organisations and the Scottish Government has now provided additional funding to enable Bòrd na Gidhlig to continue its support for the Gaelic Officers’ Scheme in 2024-25.

Question

To ask the Scottish Government what work it is undertaking with local authorities to ensure that healthy foods are both (a) available and (b) affordable within the most deprived communities.

Answered by Minto, Jenni - Minister for Public Health and Women's Health

Scottish Government is undertaking a range of actions to ensure healthy foods are available to and affordable for individuals living in areas of socioeconomic deprivation. This includes steps towards ending the need for food banks through our £1.8 million Cash-First Programme.

The programme will support eight public and third sector partnerships with four local authorities participating – Aberdeenshire Council, Fife Council, North Lanarkshire Council and West Dunbartonshire Council. This will strengthen urgent access to cash in a crisis and reduce the need for food parcels, meaning people can access the essentials they need whilst maintaining dignity.

Throughout 2023-24, we have also maintained funding levels for regional Community Food Networks so that they can continue to support people struggling to access healthier food options. The Networks help promote healthier diets in disadvantaged groups, whether that is due to lack of income, skills or cultural barriers. They provide a broad range of activities including: cooking classes, benefit checks, ‘grow-your-own’ food groups, cafés and food pantries.

Through funding the Healthy Living Programme, we are also helping convenience stores provide access to affordable healthier food options. More than two-thirds of the 2,300 strong Healthy Living Programme membership serves the most deprived areas of the country and ensures access to affordable, healthier food and drink in those communities.

Question

To ask the Scottish Government what it is doing to (a) promote the use of British Sign Language (BSL) in public spaces and (b) improve the availability of BSL education, in light of the aims of Sign Language Week, which takes place from 18 to 24 March 2024.

Answered by Gilruth, Jenny - Cabinet Secretary for Education and Skills

The Scottish Government recognises the importance of Sign Language Week in promoting British Sign Language (BSL) given its positive impact on both culture and community in Scotland. During this week the First Minister and Cabinet Secretary for Education and Skills reiterated support of BSL and the Scottish Government’s commitments within the BSL National Plan 2023 – 2029.

In response to (a), the Scottish Government published the BSL National Plan 2023 – 2029 in November 2023. This plan sets out our approach to making Scotland the best place in the world for BSL users to live, visit, work, and learn; it sets out 45 commitments across ten priority areas including health, education, and justice. The BSL (Scotland) Act 2015 also requires listed authorities to publish their own Authority Plans; they are our key partners in promoting the use of BSL in public spaces.

In response to (b), the Additional Support for Learning Act places education authorities under duties to identify, provide for and review the additional support needs of their pupils, including those affected by deafness. The level of support required, and input from a specialist teacher of deaf children and young people, will vary depending on a child’s individual needs. To support deaf children and young people the Scottish Government provides funding of £150,000 to The Scottish Sensory Centre to support staff training enabling effective support to deaf pupils. In addition, Education Scotland has developed a professional learning resource which seeks to support practitioners to engage more effectively with British Sign Language users. This can be found on their website at the following link: https://education.gov.scot/resources/good-practice-in-working-with-deaf-learners-their-parents-and-families-bsl-plan/

Education Scotland has published a BSL toolkit setting out the key national legislation and General Teaching Council for Scotland standards which practitioners should be aware of when working with BSL users. Information to help practitioners understand BSL, Deaf culture and identity is provided throughout the Toolkit alongside some of the key definitions and terms used when working with parents and families. You can view the Toolkit here: British Sign Language (BSL) - Toolkit for Practitioners | Resources | Education Scotland . Education Scotland also published resources to help families support their children’s learning, which can be found at: BSL | Parentzone Scotland | Education Scotland

Question

To ask the Scottish Government what joint training is currently offered to teachers and youth workers across Scotland.

Answered by Gilruth, Jenny - Cabinet Secretary for Education and Skills

In Scotland, youth work is recognised as being part of the wider professional sector known as Community Learning and Development (CLD).

Education Scotland offer professional learning which is open to all educators including CLD practitioners (Adult Learning, Community Development and Youth Work) across Scotland, such as the Educator Leadership Programme (ELP), Learning for Sustainability (LfS) & Building Racial Literacy (BRL).

The Education Scotland CLD team have also been working with YouthLink Scotland to support the development and implementation of joint work between teachers and youth workers, as part of a national SAC funded project https://www.youthlink.scot/education-skills/scottish-attainment-challenge/

Additionally, through Scottish Attainment Challenge and Pupil Equity Fund, at a local level, some local authorities are encouraging joint-training opportunities for teachers and CLD youth workers to facilitate greater understanding of the twin approaches to learning and skills development. These opportunities are based on the individual programme focus and are variable in duration, delivery style and formality.

Question

To ask the Scottish Government what progress has been made towards the creation of an offshore training and skills passport.

Answered by Martin, Gillian - Minister for Energy and the Environment

Through its Just Transition Fund, t he Scottish Government has supported industry-led development of a practical Skills Passport that works for the different offshore energy industry sectors, recognising the cross-sector skills of workers, and the importance of supporting a fair and managed transition.

We understand that the key industry bodies leading on the Passport's delivery intend to make a statement in relation to next steps on the project shortly . We will have a clearer understanding of when we can look forward to an initial version of the Passport being available for workers to access after this announcement.