Correspondence Apr. 17 2024
Committee: European Scrutiny CommitteeFound: timings are averages and could vary depending on factors such as the level of a traveller’s digital literacy
Asked by: John Penrose (Conservative - Weston-super-Mare)
Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:
To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, further to the Online Safety Act 2023, what additional steps she plans to take to help tackle online disinformation and misinformation.
Answered by Saqib Bhatti - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
The Online Safety Act will be our key tool in combatting the most egregious forms of online mis- and disinformation but Government action doesn’t stop there.
In addition, we are educating and empowering users through our work on media literacy, responding to information threats to our democracy via the Defending Democracy Taskforce, and analysing attempts to artificially manipulate the online information environment through the work of the National Security Online Information Team.
I regularly meet with major platforms to discuss these issues and would be very happy to update him on recent progress that has been made.
Apr. 16 2024
Source Page: UK Government to tackle global financial corruptionFound: To address such issues, in 2017, the African Centre for Media and Information Literacy launched Corruption
Apr. 16 2024
Source Page: Data Strategy for Health and Social Care 2024 Update: Our progress and prioritiesFound: primary care data, recognising that we must also improve our infrastructure, data quality and data literacy
Mentions:
1: Margaret Greenwood (Lab - Wirral West) We cannot hope that people will improve their digital skills if they do not already have good literacy - Speech Link
2: Seema Malhotra (LAB - Feltham and Heston) It could mean digital literacy for engagement with services; accessing information online; office-based - Speech Link
Asked by: Peter Bottomley (Conservative - Worthing West)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what funding her Department has allocated to support teachers through (a) subject knowledge enhancement courses for trainees, (b) Oak National Academy Resources (i) planned and (ii) existing, (c) subject hubs, (d) support for level 3 provision and (d) bursaries and other support for continuing professional development for (A) maths and numeracy, (B) English and literacy, (C) science, (D) music, (E) history and (F) Religious Education in the last five years.
Answered by Damian Hinds - Minister of State (Education)
Teachers are the foundation of the education system; there are no great schools without great teachers. The quality of teaching is the single most important in-school factor for improving pupil outcomes. This is particularly important for pupils from disadvantaged backgrounds.
The department is creating a world class teacher development system, which builds from Initial Teacher Training (ITT), through to early career support, specialisation, and onto school leadership. The funding breakdown requested over the last five years is included in the attached table. The department is providing support across a range of subjects via a network of hubs that help build teacher capability and pupil access to subjects. This focuses on support for teachers in schools and extends to sixth form provision in some schools.
In addition to this funding, in 2021, as part of the government’s long term recovery plan, £184 million of new funding was allocated to enable teachers employed at state-funded organisations to access fully funded training scholarships for National Professional Qualifications (NPQs) for three years until the end of the 2023/24 academic year. This includes two specialist NPQs in Leading Literacy (NPQLL) and the NPQ in Leading Primary Mathematics (NPQLPM). In March 2024, the government announced scholarship funding for NPQs for the October 2024 cohort. This includes a guarantee that the NPQLPM will be fully funded until October 2025 to further expand teaching of mathematics mastery approaches through primary education.
Apr. 15 2024
Source Page: Annual report on procurement activity in Scotland 2021-2022Found: support to the cohort, including six days of employability skills training, two days of financial literacy
Found: unable to provide that confirmation in writing as a result of P’s physical impairment or lack of literacy
Asked by: Rachael Maskell (Labour (Co-op) - York Central)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps she is taking to help improve adult (a) numeracy and (b) literacy skills.
Answered by Luke Hall - Minister of State (Education)
This government recognises the importance of literacy and numeracy skills in both work and everyday life. Securing good levels of literacy and numeracy has a positive impact on participation in society, improves earnings and employment opportunities and opens doors to further learning.
That is why the department is continuing to support participation in English and mathematics provision through its essential skills entitlements which provide the opportunity of free study for adults who do not have essential literacy and numeracy skills up to and including Level 2.
This allows learners who have not previously attained a GCSE grade 4 or higher to undertake a range of courses fully funded through the Adult Education Budget (AEB) including GCSEs, Functional Skills and other relevant qualifications from entry level to Level 2.
The department also supports adults in England who are non-native speakers to access English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) provision, which is funded through the AEB.
Further training for adults is available in community settings through the AEB. Prioritised for disadvantaged learners, Community Learning can provide a stepping stone for those adults who are not ready for formal accredited learning or who would benefit from learning in a more informal way.
Currently approximately 60% of the AEB is devolved to nine Mayoral Combined Authorities (MCAs) and delegated to the Mayor of London acting through the Greater London Authority (GLA). These authorities are responsible for the provision of adult education and the allocation of the AEB in their local areas.
The Education and Skills Funding Agency (ESFA) is responsible for the remaining AEB in non-devolved areas where colleges and training providers have the freedom and flexibility to determine how they use their AEB to meet the needs of their communities.
In addition, the department funds all apprentices, including adults, to achieve up to a Level 2 in English and maths by the end of their apprenticeship, where they do not already hold a suitable equivalent qualification. In January, the department increased funding by a minimum of 54%, from £471 to £724, for new apprentices to help them gain these vital skills.
The department have also launched the Multiply Programme to improve adult numeracy. The programme is funded through the UK Shared Prosperity Fund, which is the government’s flagship fund for supporting people and places across the UK. Up to £270 million is directly available for local areas in England to deliver innovative interventions to improve adult numeracy. Delivery is now well underway. Multiply Programme provision is available across the country, with over 113,000 course starts in England since the programme began to the end of January 2024.
Asked by: Munira Wilson (Liberal Democrat - Twickenham)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, if she will make an assessment of the potential impact of the phased removal of the tolerance of students who do not meet the 16 to 19 maths and English condition of funding from 5% to 0%, starting in academic year 2026-27, on (a) further education colleges and (b) independent training providers.
Answered by Luke Hall - Minister of State (Education)
This government recognises the importance of literacy and numeracy skills, both in work and everyday life. Securing good levels of literacy and numeracy has a positive impact on participation in society, improves earnings and employment opportunities and opens doors to further learning.
The changes to the mathematics and English condition of funding are intended to have a positive effect on 16-19 students, giving them the English and mathematics skills they need to progress in life and work. The changes also bring England in line with other countries in the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), where 16-19 students receive significantly more hours of English and mathematics teaching. For the 2024/2025 academic year, the department expects providers to comply as far as reasonably possible with the changes, so they have time to plan and prepare before the department measures compliance from the 2025/2026 academic year. Only then will the department begin the phased removal of the tolerance. More information about mathematics and English condition funding can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/16-to-19-funding-maths-and-english-condition-of-funding.
As the department works with the sector on implementation, the department remains committed to considering the impacts on students in further education colleges and independent training providers. This includes the workforce implications, and maximising the benefits for them.