Asked by: Hilary Benn (Labour - Leeds Central)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how much her Department spent on (a) teacher training and (b) educational resources on international development in the 2022-23 financial year.
Answered by Nick Gibb
The Government is committed to providing a world class education system for all pupils and has funded significantly in education to achieve that.
The Department does not specifically fund Initial Teacher Training on international development.
Schools receive core funding, to cover all the core running costs of a school. Overall, funding for both mainstream schools and high needs increased by £4 billion in 2022/23 compared to the previous year. Total funding for mainstream schools was £53.8 billion in the 2022/23 financial year.
All schools and academies have the freedom to choose how to spend their core funding according to their own unique circumstances and priorities, providing that all expenditure ultimately benefits their pupils. The Department does not allocate specific budgets for each subject. It is for schools to decide the allocation of resources at an individual school level.
Geography is part of the statutory National Curriculum for maintained schools at Key Stages 1, 2 and 3. Within geography, the National Curriculum and subject content for GCSE does set out requirements for teaching human geography, including economic, global, and international development.
Citizenship is also part of the statutory National Curriculum at Key Stages 3 and 4. As part of Citizenship, pupils will learn about Parliament, the importance of voting and elections, the role of police, courts and justice, free press, human rights and international law and the governments of other countries, both democratic and non-democratic. They are also taught the actions citizens can take in democratic and electoral processes to influence decisions locally, nationally and beyond.
Asked by: Lord German (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Independent Commission for Aid Impact’s 2022 report on UK aid’s results in education, and their official response to that report, what progress they have made in reforming and improving their capacity to assess the impact of their basic education programmes on improving foundational learning outcomes for children in partner countries.
Answered by Lord Goldsmith of Richmond Park
The 2022 Independent Commission for Aid Impact report recommended FCDO accelerate work with partner governments to improve its ability to collect and use reliable data on children's learning. As a result, we developed a new Data for Foundational Learning programme, of up to £27 million (2023 - 2027), to strengthen the data on children's learning in low- and middle-income countries. This programme started implementation in March 2023. Through the Global Coalition for Foundational Learning, we are promoting a shared commitment to foundational learning for all. Additionally, we are improving our internal results framework to better measure impact on improving learning.
Asked by: Andrew Rosindell (Conservative - Romford)
Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:
To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what steps he is taking to (a) promote access to high-speed broadband in rural areas and (b) help ensure that people benefit from digital technologies.
Answered by John Whittingdale
In March 2021, the Government launched Project Gigabit, a £5 billion programme to bring lightning-fast, reliable broadband to premises in rural and hard-to-reach locations across the UK. We have already made over £1.4 billion of funding available to broadband suppliers to build gigabit-capable infrastructure to premises that will not be reached by suppliers’ commercial plans alone.
The Government is also working to ensure that very hard to reach premises that may be unable to access a gigabit-capable connection also see an improvement in their connectivity. In April, the Government announced an £8 million fund to provide capital grants to further promote new satellite connectivity to up to the most remote 35,000 premises, helping these premises get improved broadband where required. Further details on the value of the grants, who will be able to apply for the scheme, and how to apply, will be released in due course.
One of the Government’s priorities is to ensure that no one is left behind in the digital age. This includes people who do not have the access, skills, or motivation to use the internet. The UK’s Digital Strategy published in 2022 is clear that HM Government has a “vision to enable everyone, from every industry and across the UK, to benefit from all that digital innovation can offer.”
To ensure that all people can benefit from digital technologies, we are working with providers to make access affordable for those who need it. We have worked with the industry to ensure there is a range of high-quality, low cost social tariffs for households in receipt of Universal Credit and other means tested benefits from as little as £10 per month. These are available in 99% of the UK. In addition in June 2022, leaders from broadband and mobile operators agreed on a set of industry commitments to help people through the global rise in the cost of living.
Training is also available for adults wishing to acquire digital skills. To put essential digital skills for adults on an equal footing alongside English and Maths, as a third basic skill, the Department for Education introduced a new legal entitlement to study free high-quality Essential Digital Skills Qualifications (EDSQ); and from August 2023, new digital Functional Skills Qualifications (FSQ), at Entry Level 3 and Level 1. We also support the provision of essential digital skills training in community settings through the Adult Education Budget.
Asked by: Lyn Brown (Labour - West Ham)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps he is taking to help support reductions in the number of children in East Africa facing barriers to education linked to (a) hunger, (b) access to water, (c) child labour and (d) child marriage.
Answered by Andrew Mitchell - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office) (Minister for Development)
Championing 12 years of quality education for all children, especially girls, is a top UK development priority. This includes help to overcome the full range of barriers that the poorest and most marginalised children face in accessing education.
FCDO supports education programmes across East Africa. For example, our support to Education Cannot Wait in Somalia is enabling access to education in crises, keeping schools open in the context of drought and severe levels of food insecurity, and promoting provision for the displaced.
Through our support to the UN Global Programme to End Child Marriage, we are targeting girls at risk in Uganda, Mozambique and Ethiopia, improving their access to education and tackling underlying drivers of child marriage. In 2021 alone, 750,000 people participated in dialogue to prevent and respond to child marriage and 250,000 adolescent girls accessed comprehensive sexuality education.
Asked by: Imran Hussain (Labour - Bradford East)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether he has had recent discussions with his counterparts in other high-income countries on investing a higher proportion of Official Development Assistance in foundational literacy and numeracy programmes.
Answered by Andrew Mitchell - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office) (Minister for Development)
FCDO and likeminded education partners have come together to promote a shared commitment to improving foundational learning for all. At the Transforming Education Summit in September 2022, countries and organisations were invited to endorse a Commitment to Action on Foundational Learning. This aims to build a global coalition of education partners collaborating on foundational learning. The UK is also asking the G7 and G20 to focus on foundational learning, including by prioritising more global Official Development Assistance (ODA) for education. This builds on our 2021 G7 Presidency, where we secured G7 support for two Global Objectives on girls' access and foundational learning objectives.
Asked by: Munira Wilson (Liberal Democrat - Twickenham)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment she has made of the implications for her policies of reports that payments are potentially being made late to students participating in the Turing Scheme.
Answered by Robert Halfon
The Turing Scheme, the government’s global programme to study and work abroad, is going into its third year with £110 million invested for this academic year. This year, the Scheme is unlocking opportunities for more than 38,000 participants to gain international experience. This includes more than 23,400 Higher Education placements, more than 9,900 Further Education and Vocational Education and Training placements, and more than 4,900 schools placements.
The Scheme is opening up international opportunities to students who might not otherwise be able to access them. 51% of the international placements being made available across 160 countries all over the world have been earmarked for participants from disadvantaged backgrounds.
The department will confirm the delivery approach for the fourth year of the Turing Scheme in the coming months. Dependent on the delivery approach, any assessment criteria for bids will be designed proportionately and appropriately.
Funding for the 2025/26 academic year and beyond can only be agreed as part of future Spending Reviews.
The Turing Scheme is an outward mobility scheme for UK participants and there are currently no plans to fund inbound mobility. The Turing Scheme prioritises opportunities for UK students to study and work abroad, and we expect other countries to make their own arrangements for their students. The UK continues to be an attractive destination for international degree students, with international student enrolments rising by 12% to 679,970 in the 2021/22 academic year.
The Turing Scheme does not provide funding directly to participants. It is the responsibility of grant recipients, largely education providers, to make timely requests for payments in line with their planned placements and to disburse funding to their participants.
Some organisations have experienced issues navigating the process for claiming Turing Scheme funds, including providing the correct evidence on projects, which has led to delays in payment being processed. The Turing Scheme delivery partner, Capita, has already taken steps to help organisations better understand the process. This includes video instructions, written guidance and one to one telephone support when requested. Departmental officials are also working with Capita to review how it can improve the overall customer experience while obtaining assurance that Turing Scheme funds are being appropriately spent, within the grant terms.
All Turing Scheme applicants are required to apply on an annual basis. This is because UK government funding must be used within the period for which it has been allocated to keep in line with UK government spending requirements. The annual application window gives eligible organisations across all sectors, all over the country, the opportunity to access available funding and tailor their application for their cohort for the relevant academic year.
Asked by: Munira Wilson (Liberal Democrat - Twickenham)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, if she will amend the Turing Scheme so that higher education institutions can apply for multiple years of funding at once rather than on an annual basis.
Answered by Robert Halfon
The Turing Scheme, the government’s global programme to study and work abroad, is going into its third year with £110 million invested for this academic year. This year, the Scheme is unlocking opportunities for more than 38,000 participants to gain international experience. This includes more than 23,400 Higher Education placements, more than 9,900 Further Education and Vocational Education and Training placements, and more than 4,900 schools placements.
The Scheme is opening up international opportunities to students who might not otherwise be able to access them. 51% of the international placements being made available across 160 countries all over the world have been earmarked for participants from disadvantaged backgrounds.
The department will confirm the delivery approach for the fourth year of the Turing Scheme in the coming months. Dependent on the delivery approach, any assessment criteria for bids will be designed proportionately and appropriately.
Funding for the 2025/26 academic year and beyond can only be agreed as part of future Spending Reviews.
The Turing Scheme is an outward mobility scheme for UK participants and there are currently no plans to fund inbound mobility. The Turing Scheme prioritises opportunities for UK students to study and work abroad, and we expect other countries to make their own arrangements for their students. The UK continues to be an attractive destination for international degree students, with international student enrolments rising by 12% to 679,970 in the 2021/22 academic year.
The Turing Scheme does not provide funding directly to participants. It is the responsibility of grant recipients, largely education providers, to make timely requests for payments in line with their planned placements and to disburse funding to their participants.
Some organisations have experienced issues navigating the process for claiming Turing Scheme funds, including providing the correct evidence on projects, which has led to delays in payment being processed. The Turing Scheme delivery partner, Capita, has already taken steps to help organisations better understand the process. This includes video instructions, written guidance and one to one telephone support when requested. Departmental officials are also working with Capita to review how it can improve the overall customer experience while obtaining assurance that Turing Scheme funds are being appropriately spent, within the grant terms.
All Turing Scheme applicants are required to apply on an annual basis. This is because UK government funding must be used within the period for which it has been allocated to keep in line with UK government spending requirements. The annual application window gives eligible organisations across all sectors, all over the country, the opportunity to access available funding and tailor their application for their cohort for the relevant academic year.
Asked by: Munira Wilson (Liberal Democrat - Twickenham)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what criteria her Department plans to assess when evaluating bids to administer the Turing Scheme after the existing contract with Capita ends in 2024.
Answered by Robert Halfon
The Turing Scheme, the government’s global programme to study and work abroad, is going into its third year with £110 million invested for this academic year. This year, the Scheme is unlocking opportunities for more than 38,000 participants to gain international experience. This includes more than 23,400 Higher Education placements, more than 9,900 Further Education and Vocational Education and Training placements, and more than 4,900 schools placements.
The Scheme is opening up international opportunities to students who might not otherwise be able to access them. 51% of the international placements being made available across 160 countries all over the world have been earmarked for participants from disadvantaged backgrounds.
The department will confirm the delivery approach for the fourth year of the Turing Scheme in the coming months. Dependent on the delivery approach, any assessment criteria for bids will be designed proportionately and appropriately.
Funding for the 2025/26 academic year and beyond can only be agreed as part of future Spending Reviews.
The Turing Scheme is an outward mobility scheme for UK participants and there are currently no plans to fund inbound mobility. The Turing Scheme prioritises opportunities for UK students to study and work abroad, and we expect other countries to make their own arrangements for their students. The UK continues to be an attractive destination for international degree students, with international student enrolments rising by 12% to 679,970 in the 2021/22 academic year.
The Turing Scheme does not provide funding directly to participants. It is the responsibility of grant recipients, largely education providers, to make timely requests for payments in line with their planned placements and to disburse funding to their participants.
Some organisations have experienced issues navigating the process for claiming Turing Scheme funds, including providing the correct evidence on projects, which has led to delays in payment being processed. The Turing Scheme delivery partner, Capita, has already taken steps to help organisations better understand the process. This includes video instructions, written guidance and one to one telephone support when requested. Departmental officials are also working with Capita to review how it can improve the overall customer experience while obtaining assurance that Turing Scheme funds are being appropriately spent, within the grant terms.
All Turing Scheme applicants are required to apply on an annual basis. This is because UK government funding must be used within the period for which it has been allocated to keep in line with UK government spending requirements. The annual application window gives eligible organisations across all sectors, all over the country, the opportunity to access available funding and tailor their application for their cohort for the relevant academic year.
Asked by: Munira Wilson (Liberal Democrat - Twickenham)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, if she will take steps to include funding for inbound student mobility to the UK in future years of the Turing Scheme.
Answered by Robert Halfon
The Turing Scheme, the government’s global programme to study and work abroad, is going into its third year with £110 million invested for this academic year. This year, the Scheme is unlocking opportunities for more than 38,000 participants to gain international experience. This includes more than 23,400 Higher Education placements, more than 9,900 Further Education and Vocational Education and Training placements, and more than 4,900 schools placements.
The Scheme is opening up international opportunities to students who might not otherwise be able to access them. 51% of the international placements being made available across 160 countries all over the world have been earmarked for participants from disadvantaged backgrounds.
The department will confirm the delivery approach for the fourth year of the Turing Scheme in the coming months. Dependent on the delivery approach, any assessment criteria for bids will be designed proportionately and appropriately.
Funding for the 2025/26 academic year and beyond can only be agreed as part of future Spending Reviews.
The Turing Scheme is an outward mobility scheme for UK participants and there are currently no plans to fund inbound mobility. The Turing Scheme prioritises opportunities for UK students to study and work abroad, and we expect other countries to make their own arrangements for their students. The UK continues to be an attractive destination for international degree students, with international student enrolments rising by 12% to 679,970 in the 2021/22 academic year.
The Turing Scheme does not provide funding directly to participants. It is the responsibility of grant recipients, largely education providers, to make timely requests for payments in line with their planned placements and to disburse funding to their participants.
Some organisations have experienced issues navigating the process for claiming Turing Scheme funds, including providing the correct evidence on projects, which has led to delays in payment being processed. The Turing Scheme delivery partner, Capita, has already taken steps to help organisations better understand the process. This includes video instructions, written guidance and one to one telephone support when requested. Departmental officials are also working with Capita to review how it can improve the overall customer experience while obtaining assurance that Turing Scheme funds are being appropriately spent, within the grant terms.
All Turing Scheme applicants are required to apply on an annual basis. This is because UK government funding must be used within the period for which it has been allocated to keep in line with UK government spending requirements. The annual application window gives eligible organisations across all sectors, all over the country, the opportunity to access available funding and tailor their application for their cohort for the relevant academic year.
Asked by: Munira Wilson (Liberal Democrat - Twickenham)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether her Department plans to fund the Turing Scheme beyond the 2024-25 academic year.
Answered by Robert Halfon
The Turing Scheme, the government’s global programme to study and work abroad, is going into its third year with £110 million invested for this academic year. This year, the Scheme is unlocking opportunities for more than 38,000 participants to gain international experience. This includes more than 23,400 Higher Education placements, more than 9,900 Further Education and Vocational Education and Training placements, and more than 4,900 schools placements.
The Scheme is opening up international opportunities to students who might not otherwise be able to access them. 51% of the international placements being made available across 160 countries all over the world have been earmarked for participants from disadvantaged backgrounds.
The department will confirm the delivery approach for the fourth year of the Turing Scheme in the coming months. Dependent on the delivery approach, any assessment criteria for bids will be designed proportionately and appropriately.
Funding for the 2025/26 academic year and beyond can only be agreed as part of future Spending Reviews.
The Turing Scheme is an outward mobility scheme for UK participants and there are currently no plans to fund inbound mobility. The Turing Scheme prioritises opportunities for UK students to study and work abroad, and we expect other countries to make their own arrangements for their students. The UK continues to be an attractive destination for international degree students, with international student enrolments rising by 12% to 679,970 in the 2021/22 academic year.
The Turing Scheme does not provide funding directly to participants. It is the responsibility of grant recipients, largely education providers, to make timely requests for payments in line with their planned placements and to disburse funding to their participants.
Some organisations have experienced issues navigating the process for claiming Turing Scheme funds, including providing the correct evidence on projects, which has led to delays in payment being processed. The Turing Scheme delivery partner, Capita, has already taken steps to help organisations better understand the process. This includes video instructions, written guidance and one to one telephone support when requested. Departmental officials are also working with Capita to review how it can improve the overall customer experience while obtaining assurance that Turing Scheme funds are being appropriately spent, within the grant terms.
All Turing Scheme applicants are required to apply on an annual basis. This is because UK government funding must be used within the period for which it has been allocated to keep in line with UK government spending requirements. The annual application window gives eligible organisations across all sectors, all over the country, the opportunity to access available funding and tailor their application for their cohort for the relevant academic year.