Asked by: Steve McCabe (Labour - Birmingham, Selly Oak)
Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what guidance is available for students who are self-isolating with covid-19 in a privately-owned house of multiple occupation after their tenancy end date.
Answered by Eddie Hughes
MHCLG has produced guidance on moving home during the outbreak which can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/government-advice-on-home-moving-during-the-coronavirus-covid-19-outbreak.
Accommodation providers have also been urged to extend tenancies and delay moves if tenants are self-isolating due to COVID-19, and some universities do provide temporary accommodation to those in this situation.
Asked by: Rachael Maskell (Labour (Co-op) - York Central)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what additional mental health support will be made available to school age children over the summer 2021 holidays in response to the mental effects of the covid-19 outbreak and lost schooling.
Answered by Vicky Ford
We know that the mental health and wellbeing of young people has been affected by the COVID-19 outbreak, and that being back in school and college plays a central role in promoting wellbeing for pupils. That is why we worked so hard to ensure that schools were first to reopen in March 2021.
The education recovery package and additional funding supports schools to provide pastoral care and extracurricular activities. This includes the £200 million we have put into summer schools, which will give secondary pupils access to enrichment activities, such as games, music, drama and sports that they have missed out on over the COVID-19 outbreak. The department published guidance to schools on summer schools on 30 March 2021; when planning a summer school, schools are encouraged to create an environment that supports pupils’ mental health and wellbeing, and to be particularly aware and supportive of the greater mental health and wellbeing needs of vulnerable children.
We are also investing up to £220 million in our Holiday Activities and Food programme, which has now been expanded across England. The programme provides children with opportunities to be active, eat healthily and enjoy engaging activities which support the development of resilience, character and wellbeing along with their wider educational attainment.
Furthermore, the Education Endowment Foundation have published a COVID-19 support guide to support schools, which includes further information about interventions to support pupils’ mental health and wellbeing.
The Department’s Mental Health in Education Action Group, led by myself and my hon. Friend, the Minister of State for Universities, has been looking further at what more can to be done to help education settings support mental wellbeing as part of recovery. The department has recently brought together all its sources of advice for schools and colleges into a single site, which includes signposting to external sources of mental health and wellbeing support for teachers, school staff, school leaders and children and young people: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/mental-health-and-wellbeing-support-in-schools-and-colleges#mental-health-and-wellbeing-resources.
In addition, Public Health England has provided advice and guidance for parents and professionals on looking after children and young people's mental wellbeing, available here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/covid-19-guidance-on-supporting-children-and-young-peoples-mental-health-and-wellbeing/guidance-for-parents-and-carers-on-supporting-children-and-young-peoples-mental-health-and-wellbeing-during-the-coronavirus-covid-19-outbreak.
It has adapted its Every Mind Matters and Rise Above platforms in the context of the outbreak, and launched new e-learning to help parents and carers, front line workers and volunteers support children and young people in emergency or crisis situations.
We are also investing around an additional £500 million into mental health support in 2021/22, with £79 million additional funding that will be used to significantly expand children’s and young people’s mental health services including accelerating the coverage of mental health support teams providing early support in schools and colleges. £15 million is to be invested in local authority areas in the most deprived parts of the country to help stimulate and boost prevention and early intervention services to support those hardest hit by the COVID-19 outbreak, including families, children and young people, and ethnic minority groups.
For all those in need of immediate or specialist support, NHS mental health services remain open and have deployed digital tools to enable them to connect with people and provide ongoing support throughout the COVID-19 outbreak. All NHS Mental Health Trusts continue to provide 24/7 open access telephone lines to support people of all ages.
The government has also provided over £10 million funding to mental health charities – including Mind, the Samaritans, Young Minds, and Bipolar UK to help them adapt, expand, and reach those who are most vulnerable.
Asked by: Daisy Cooper (Liberal Democrat - St Albans)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what discussions he has had with universities on the resumption of face-to-face lectures in September 2021.
Answered by Michelle Donelan - Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology
We have regularly discussed a range of COVID-19 related issues with representatives from the higher education (HE) sector, through the Higher Education Taskforce, which was established in August 2020, and through meetings with representatives of the HE sector, including University Vice Chancellors, the National Union of Students, the Union for Colleges and Universities and the devolved administrations. This has included discussions on the approach to planning for the new academic year in September 2021.
From step 4 of the roadmap, we can confirm there will no longer be restrictions on the approach to teaching and learning in HE settings as a result of COVID-19. There will be no requirement for social distancing or other measures. Providers are, therefore, able to shape their courses without restrictions to face-to-face provision.
During the COVID-19 outbreak, many providers have developed their digital offering and, as autonomous institutions, some might choose to retain elements of this approach. However, they will not have to do this because of COVID-19 restrictions, and our expectations are very clear: universities should maintain the quality and quantity of tuition and ensure it is accessible to all students.
We expect providers to have contingency plans to deal with any identified positive cases of COVID-19 or outbreaks. HE providers should communicate clearly to their students what they can expect from planned teaching and learning under different circumstances and scenarios, so that they are able to make informed choices.
The Office for Students, as the regulator for English HE providers, has made it clear that they must continue to comply with registration conditions relating to quality and academic standards, which set out requirements to ensure that courses are high-quality, that students are supported and achieve good outcomes and that standards are protected.
We have updated our HE guidance to support the return of students for the new academic year, which is available here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/higher-education-reopening-buildings-and-campuses.
We will continue to keep these measures under review, informed by the latest scientific evidence and advice.
Asked by: Rachael Maskell (Labour (Co-op) - York Central)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what steps he is taking to measure the reduction in services provided by charities as a result of reduced funding since March 2020 due to the covid-19 outbreak.
Answered by Matt Warman
The government understands that the pandemic has created significant challenges for many in the charity sector. This is why we made available a multi billion pound package of support, including the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme, to protect against job losses in the sector.
There is no single source of data which can provide a real time picture of the financial and operational health of the sector. Government is therefore drawing evidence from a range of sources in order to shape our understanding of the overall impact.
A number of established surveys are providing a picture of the nuanced impact of the pandemic on financial outlook, workforce and levels of service delivery. These include the Covid-19 Voluntary Sector Impact Barometer from Nottingham Trent and Sheffield Hallam Universities, and the National Council for Voluntary Organisations. While some respondents indicate increased financial and operation hardship, many others report a stable or improving position.
The Charity Commission has started to provide intelligence on the impact on reserves emerging from charitable returns, indicating the number of organisations with negative or no reserves has increased over the last year. My department is also continuing to gather intelligence from departments across government to understand risks and issues relating to critical services provided by charities and how these are being addressed.
My department will continue to monitor the health and resilience of the charity sector, and will explore ways to strengthen the evidence available to support our assessment. The government is working with the partners in the sector to shape a forward looking agenda that will support a strong and resilient civil society.
Asked by: Rachael Maskell (Labour (Co-op) - York Central)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what estimate he has made of the number of jobs that have been lost in the charities sector as a result of funding challenges since March 2020.
Answered by Matt Warman
The government understands that the pandemic has created significant challenges for many in the charity sector. This is why we made available a multi billion pound package of support, including the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme, to protect against job losses in the sector.
There is no single source of data which can provide a real time picture of the financial and operational health of the sector. Government is therefore drawing evidence from a range of sources in order to shape our understanding of the overall impact.
A number of established surveys are providing a picture of the nuanced impact of the pandemic on financial outlook, workforce and levels of service delivery. These include the Covid-19 Voluntary Sector Impact Barometer from Nottingham Trent and Sheffield Hallam Universities, and the National Council for Voluntary Organisations. While some respondents indicate increased financial and operation hardship, many others report a stable or improving position.
The Charity Commission has started to provide intelligence on the impact on reserves emerging from charitable returns, indicating the number of organisations with negative or no reserves has increased over the last year. My department is also continuing to gather intelligence from departments across government to understand risks and issues relating to critical services provided by charities and how these are being addressed.
My department will continue to monitor the health and resilience of the charity sector, and will explore ways to strengthen the evidence available to support our assessment. The government is working with the partners in the sector to shape a forward looking agenda that will support a strong and resilient civil society.
Asked by: Rachael Maskell (Labour (Co-op) - York Central)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what assessment he has made of the effect of the covid-19 outbreak on charities in the retail sector with reference to the (a) loss of revenue to and (b) financial stability of those charities.
Answered by Matt Warman
The government understands that the pandemic has created significant challenges for many in the charity sector. This is why we made available a multi billion pound package of support, including the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme, to protect against job losses in the sector.
There is no single source of data which can provide a real time picture of the financial and operational health of the sector. Government is therefore drawing evidence from a range of sources in order to shape our understanding of the overall impact.
A number of established surveys are providing a picture of the nuanced impact of the pandemic on financial outlook, workforce and levels of service delivery. These include the Covid-19 Voluntary Sector Impact Barometer from Nottingham Trent and Sheffield Hallam Universities, and the National Council for Voluntary Organisations. While some respondents indicate increased financial and operation hardship, many others report a stable or improving position.
The Charity Commission has started to provide intelligence on the impact on reserves emerging from charitable returns, indicating the number of organisations with negative or no reserves has increased over the last year. My department is also continuing to gather intelligence from departments across government to understand risks and issues relating to critical services provided by charities and how these are being addressed.
My department will continue to monitor the health and resilience of the charity sector, and will explore ways to strengthen the evidence available to support our assessment. The government is working with the partners in the sector to shape a forward looking agenda that will support a strong and resilient civil society.
Asked by: Rachael Maskell (Labour (Co-op) - York Central)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what assessment he has made of the effect of the covid-19 outbreak on the level of fundraising by charities since the start of that outbreak.
Answered by Matt Warman
The government understands that the pandemic has created significant challenges for many in the charity sector. This is why we made available a multi billion pound package of support, including the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme, to protect against job losses in the sector.
There is no single source of data which can provide a real time picture of the financial and operational health of the sector. Government is therefore drawing evidence from a range of sources in order to shape our understanding of the overall impact.
A number of established surveys are providing a picture of the nuanced impact of the pandemic on financial outlook, workforce and levels of service delivery. These include the Covid-19 Voluntary Sector Impact Barometer from Nottingham Trent and Sheffield Hallam Universities, and the National Council for Voluntary Organisations. While some respondents indicate increased financial and operation hardship, many others report a stable or improving position.
The Charity Commission has started to provide intelligence on the impact on reserves emerging from charitable returns, indicating the number of organisations with negative or no reserves has increased over the last year. My department is also continuing to gather intelligence from departments across government to understand risks and issues relating to critical services provided by charities and how these are being addressed.
My department will continue to monitor the health and resilience of the charity sector, and will explore ways to strengthen the evidence available to support our assessment. The government is working with the partners in the sector to shape a forward looking agenda that will support a strong and resilient civil society.
Asked by: Rachael Maskell (Labour (Co-op) - York Central)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what steps he has taken to assess the effect of the covid-19 outbreak on the finances of charities.
Answered by Matt Warman
The government understands that the pandemic has created significant challenges for many in the charity sector. This is why we made available a multi billion pound package of support, including the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme, to protect against job losses in the sector.
There is no single source of data which can provide a real time picture of the financial and operational health of the sector. Government is therefore drawing evidence from a range of sources in order to shape our understanding of the overall impact.
A number of established surveys are providing a picture of the nuanced impact of the pandemic on financial outlook, workforce and levels of service delivery. These include the Covid-19 Voluntary Sector Impact Barometer from Nottingham Trent and Sheffield Hallam Universities, and the National Council for Voluntary Organisations. While some respondents indicate increased financial and operation hardship, many others report a stable or improving position.
The Charity Commission has started to provide intelligence on the impact on reserves emerging from charitable returns, indicating the number of organisations with negative or no reserves has increased over the last year. My department is also continuing to gather intelligence from departments across government to understand risks and issues relating to critical services provided by charities and how these are being addressed.
My department will continue to monitor the health and resilience of the charity sector, and will explore ways to strengthen the evidence available to support our assessment. The government is working with the partners in the sector to shape a forward looking agenda that will support a strong and resilient civil society.
Asked by: Rachael Maskell (Labour (Co-op) - York Central)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what assessment he has made of the effect of the covid-19 outbreak on the reserves of charities.
Answered by Matt Warman
The government understands that the pandemic has created significant challenges for many in the charity sector. This is why we made available a multi billion pound package of support, including the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme, to protect against job losses in the sector.
There is no single source of data which can provide a real time picture of the financial and operational health of the sector. Government is therefore drawing evidence from a range of sources in order to shape our understanding of the overall impact.
A number of established surveys are providing a picture of the nuanced impact of the pandemic on financial outlook, workforce and levels of service delivery. These include the Covid-19 Voluntary Sector Impact Barometer from Nottingham Trent and Sheffield Hallam Universities, and the National Council for Voluntary Organisations. While some respondents indicate increased financial and operation hardship, many others report a stable or improving position.
The Charity Commission has started to provide intelligence on the impact on reserves emerging from charitable returns, indicating the number of organisations with negative or no reserves has increased over the last year. My department is also continuing to gather intelligence from departments across government to understand risks and issues relating to critical services provided by charities and how these are being addressed.
My department will continue to monitor the health and resilience of the charity sector, and will explore ways to strengthen the evidence available to support our assessment. The government is working with the partners in the sector to shape a forward looking agenda that will support a strong and resilient civil society.
Asked by: Mary Kelly Foy (Labour - City of Durham)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what reports he has received on university students being charged additional fees by landlords if they are told to self-isolate due to the covid-19 outbreak at their term time accommodation beyond the end of their tenancy; and what steps the Government plans to take to support students in that position.
Answered by Michelle Donelan - Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology
Universities and private accommodation providers are autonomous and are responsible for setting their own rent agreements. The government plays no direct role in the provision of student residential accommodation whether the accommodation is managed by universities or private sector organisations.
If a student is contractually committed to move home and has been told to self-isolate, they should seek to delay their move until all members of their household have come to the end of their self-isolation period. All parties involved should prioritise agreeing amicable arrangements to change move dates where someone is self-isolating or has tested positive.
There is no prohibition on moving house where necessary, and anyone in England who wishes to move house can do so. This includes forming new households and moving into and out of shared student accommodation and houses in multiple occupation. Guidance is available here for: landlords and tenants on renting and COVID-19: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/covid-19-and-renting-guidance-for-landlords-tenants-and-local-authorities.
If a student thinks their accommodation provider is treating them unfairly, they can raise a complaint under the accommodation codes of practice as long as their provider is a code member. The codes can be found here:
https://www.thesac.org.uk/, https://www.unipol.org.uk/the-code/how-to-complain, https://www.nrla.org.uk/.
The government is aware of the disproportionate impact the crisis will have on some students and we recognise that in these exceptional circumstances some students may face financial hardship. The department has worked with the Office for Students (OfS) to clarify that providers are able to use existing funds, worth around £256 million for this academic year, towards hardship support. The government has made an additional £85 million of student hardship funding available to higher education (HE) providers in the 2020/21 academic year. Providers have flexibility in how they distribute the funding to their students, in a way that best prioritises those in greatest need.
We know that not all students will face financial hardship. The current measures aim to target support for students in greatest need and the government continues to monitor the situation to look at what impact this funding is having.
Some students may also be eligible for a one-off payment of £500 through the NHS Test and Trace Support Payment scheme, if they are required to self-isolate. Information is available here: https://www.gov.uk/test-and-trace-support-payment.
It is vitally important that universities continue to make sure that students feel as supported as possible should they have to self-isolate. This robust package of support needs to include mental health and wellbeing support, daily communications and ensuring students have access to suitable free or affordable food.
Universities UK have also produced a checklist for providers to support students who are required to self-isolate as well as bespoke guidance for HE providers on how to prepare for and care for students who are required to self-isolate on arrival in the UK. We encourage providers to review this guidance when considering how best to support their international and other students arriving from overseas.
The OfS have published a statement on support for students in self-isolation during the COVID-19 outbreak, available here: https://www.officeforstudents.org.uk/news-blog-and-events/blog/ofs-student-panel-statement-on-support-for-students-in-self-isolation-during-covid-19-coronavirus-pandemic/.