Every parliamentary written question tabled by Neil O'Brien this session, with the full answer and department. Back to the MP page.
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Pursuant to the Answer of 30 December 2024 to Question 20254 on Asylum: Housing, what difference each of the Contract Change Notices made to the contract.
The information sought on costs and changes related to the Contract Change Notices referenced in Question 20254 has been identified as being of operational and commercial sensitivity and cannot therefore be disclosed.
Whether there will be future intakes for the development programme for CEOs of multi-academy trusts run with the National Institute of Teaching.
The department has a contract in place with the National Institute of Teaching to deliver the multi-academy trusts CEO development programme to two cohorts of leaders that started their training in February and September 2024 respectively. The current contract runs to March 2026. The government is committed to supporting the development of school leaders and has announced a review of the National Professional Qualifications (NPQs), which will consider the support needed to meet the current and emerging training needs of leaders. NPQs provide training grounded in the best evidence and practice in education at every leadership level, including for executive leaders.
What assessment she has made of the adequacy of academy schools' facilities to comply with the duty in the Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill to follow the national curriculum.
Every child deserves a cutting-edge curriculum taught by expert, qualified teachers, which sets them up with the knowledge and skills they need to achieve throughout life. The Bill will require all state schools to teach the reformed national curriculum, giving parents certainty of the high quality education their children will receive.Many academies already choose to follow the national curriculum and have the facilities they need to deliver it. The department will not commence the new requirement until a reformed national curriculum is introduced following the advice of the independent Curriculum and Assessment Review. This will give all teachers and all schools, including academies, sufficient time to plan and prepare for the changes, including developing their facilities as needed.
What estimate she has made of the number of academy schools that do not currently comply with the duty in the Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill to follow the national curriculum.
I refer the hon. Member for Harborough, Oadby and Wigston to the answer of 29 July 2024 to Question 1038.
How many schools will have to change their uniform policy to comply with the provisions in the Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill.
School uniforms can play a valuable role in creating a sense of common identity among pupils and reducing visible inequalities. However, too many schools require high numbers of branded uniform items costing families hundreds of pounds. That is why the department has introduced legislation to limit the number of branded items of uniform and PE kit that schools can require, to bring down costs for parents and remove barriers from children accessing sport and other school activities.The department does not routinely collect school-level data on uniform requirements. However, based on the department’s 2023 Cost of School Uniforms Survey of parents, we estimate that one third of primary schools and seven in ten secondary schools will have to remove compulsory branded items from their uniforms to comply with the new limit. Many schools will only have to remove one or two items, although those with excessive numbers of branded items will have to remove more.This research report can be accessed at the following link: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/66e2b4df6cc3c902a6e6fbcc/DfE_Cost_of_School_Uniform_Survey_Report.pdf.
What the value of penalties issued in illegal working civil penalties was in each quarter for which data is available; and how many and what proportion of the penalties issued in each quarter have been paid.
Information on illegal working civil penalty statistics has been published since 2016 as part of the Home Office Immigration Transparency Data and can be found at Immigration Enforcement data: Q3 2024 - GOV.UK on tab CPO2.Please note the figures are for penalties levied at the initial decision stage which may be reduced, cancelled or increased at the objection or appeal stage, or whose collection may be affected by any subsequent decision by business in question to cease operations or declare bankruptcy as a result of the enforcement action taken against them. We do not hold cohort data on how many and what proportion of the penalties issued in each quarter have been paid.
What estimate she has made of the number of schools that will be impacted by the extension of statutory pay and conditions arrangements to Academy teachers in the Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill.
There are currently 11,245 academies in England that would be in scope of the measure in the Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill.
Whether compensation for schools and colleges from changes to employer National Insurance contributions will be paid via a grant or the detailed schools grant.
The department will receive compensation in recognition of the increase in National Insurance Contributions paid by state-funded schools and colleges. That compensation will be additional to the £2.3 billion increase for schools announced at the Autumn Budget 2024. Due to timing constraints, it will be provided as a separate grant for schools, outside the dedicated schools grant in the 2025/26 financial year.
Whether pupils receiving dance and drama award funding will be exempt from increases in VAT in (a) this academic year and (b) subsequent financial years.
Performing arts schools that offer full-time education to children of compulsory school age and/or 16-19 year olds for a charge are in scope of the application of VAT to private school fees. This is to ensure fairness and consistency across all schools that provide education services and vocational training for a charge. It is the government’s position, therefore, that carving these schools out of the policy would be unfair to other private schools. The Department for Education provides means-tested bursaries for eligible families as part of the Music and Dance Scheme (MDS) if their child has a place at any one of eight MDS performing arts private schools. For this academic year 2024/25, lower income families will receive additional support to ensure the total cost of their parental contributions do not rise from January 2025 as a result of the VAT change. This means that almost half of eligible families will be receiving further support in addition to the bursary already provided. As part of the MDS, the Department also provides a grant to the Choir Schools Association (CSA) for their Choir Schools Scholarship Scheme. This scheme provides means-tested support to choristers attending CSA member schools. Whether member schools charge VAT from 1 January 2025 on their education fee will vary, depending on whether schools are private or state-funded.
Whether pupils on the choir schools scholarship scheme will be exempt from increases in VAT in (a) this academic year and (b) subsequent financial years.
Performing arts schools that offer full-time education to children of compulsory school age and/or 16-19 year olds for a charge are in scope of the application of VAT to private school fees. This is to ensure fairness and consistency across all schools that provide education services and vocational training for a charge. It is the government’s position, therefore, that carving these schools out of the policy would be unfair to other private schools. The Department for Education provides means-tested bursaries for eligible families as part of the Music and Dance Scheme (MDS) if their child has a place at any one of eight MDS performing arts private schools. For this academic year 2024/25, lower income families will receive additional support to ensure the total cost of their parental contributions do not rise from January 2025 as a result of the VAT change. This means that almost half of eligible families will be receiving further support in addition to the bursary already provided. As part of the MDS, the Department also provides a grant to the Choir Schools Association (CSA) for their Choir Schools Scholarship Scheme. This scheme provides means-tested support to choristers attending CSA member schools. Whether member schools charge VAT from 1 January 2025 on their education fee will vary, depending on whether schools are private or state-funded.
Whether pupils enrolled on courses covered by the Music and Dance scheme will be exempt from VAT increases in the next financial year.
Performing arts schools that offer full-time education to children of compulsory school age and/or 16-19 year olds for a charge are in scope of the application of VAT to private school fees. This is to ensure fairness and consistency across all schools that provide education services and vocational training for a charge. It is the government’s position, therefore, that carving these schools out of the policy would be unfair to other private schools. The Department for Education provides means-tested bursaries for eligible families as part of the Music and Dance Scheme (MDS) if their child has a place at any one of eight MDS performing arts private schools. For this academic year 2024/25, lower income families will receive additional support to ensure the total cost of their parental contributions do not rise from January 2025 as a result of the VAT change. This means that almost half of eligible families will be receiving further support in addition to the bursary already provided. As part of the MDS, the Department also provides a grant to the Choir Schools Association (CSA) for their Choir Schools Scholarship Scheme. This scheme provides means-tested support to choristers attending CSA member schools. Whether member schools charge VAT from 1 January 2025 on their education fee will vary, depending on whether schools are private or state-funded.
If she will list each open converter academy with its (a) date of conversion to academy status, (b) Unique Reference Number, and (c) previous Unique Reference Number where different.
As of 1 November 2024, there are 7,671 open converter academies. Their names, unique reference numbers, open dates and unique reference numbers of predecessor schools, where applicable, is detailed in the attached spreadsheet.
Communities and Local Government, what the evidential basis is for the expectation that reformed local authorities should generally have a population of 500,000 or more.
The overall case for local government reorganisation is set out the English Devolution White Paper. New unitary councils must be the right size to achieve efficiencies, improve capacity and withstand financial shocks. For most areas this will mean creating councils with a population of 500,000 or more, but there may be exceptions to ensure new structures make sense for an area, including for devolution, and decisions will be on a case-by-case basis.
When she plans to reply to the consultation on Guidance for Schools and Colleges: Gender Questioning Children.
The department is currently reviewing the draft non-statutory guidance for schools and colleges on gender questioning children, in addition to draft guidance on relationships and sex education and health education.My right hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Education has been clear that children’s wellbeing must be at the heart of this guidance and, as such, the government is looking carefully at the consultation responses, discussing with stakeholders and considering the relevant evidence, including the Cass Review which has since been published, before setting out next steps.We expect the results of the consultation and our response to be published on GOV.UK in 2025.
If she will list each open sponsored academy with (a) its date of conversion to sponsored status, (b) its Unique Reference Number, and (c) the Unique Reference Number of its predecessor school.
As of 1 November 2024, there are 2,753 open sponsored academies. Their names, unique reference numbers, open dates and unique reference numbers of predecessor schools, where applicable, is detailed in the attached spreadsheet.
What information her Department holds on research projects undertaken by the Institute of Fiscal Studies on behalf of her Department on labour market returns by degree subject in each year since 2022.
Since 2022, the department has commissioned one research project, undertaken by the Institute for Fiscal Studies (IFS), that includes evidence about labour market returns to undergraduate degrees by degree subject. This is described below.In 2023, the department put out to open tender a research project called, ‘Developing an earnings metric to assess the quality of higher education (HE) provision’. The IFS bid for and were awarded this project. This project included modelling of graduate earnings by degree subject and HE provider. Its purpose was to produce a report advising on options for how graduate earnings could be used by the Office for Students as part of their regulatory activity. This work began in November 2023 and the report was delivered to the department in September 2024. The report has not yet been published but will be in the future.
If she will make an assessment of the potential impact of scholarships offered by the Chinese Government for universities in the UK on freedom of speech.
The UK welcomes international partnerships and students, including from China, who make a very positive impact on the UK’s higher education (HE) sector, our economy and society as a whole. However, we will always protect our national security interests, human rights and values.All registered English HE providers have a duty to protect freedom of speech under the Education (No.2) Act 1986. They are also subject to registration conditions from the Office for Students (OfS) which requires them to uphold public interest governance principles, including securing freedom of speech within the law, academic freedom and accountability, such as operating openly and with integrity. The OfS can take action if it identifies a breach of this provision.The UK government is carrying out an audit to examine the UK's interests with respect to China to improve our ability to understand and respond to the challenges and opportunities China poses. The audit is being conducted as a cross-government exercise, led by the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office.
What the average height was for state school pupils in (a) reception and (b) year six in each academic year since 2005-06; what the average height was for state school pupils in each ethnic group in those academic years in that period; and how many state school pupils were in each ethnic group in those academic years in that period.
The height of state school pupils in Reception and Year 6 is measured in the National Child Measurement Programme (NCMP). The following table shows the average height in centimetres of boys and girls aged five and 11 years old, in the academic years from 2008 to 2024:AgeAcademic yearMean height for girlsMean height for boys52008 to 2009109.2cm110.0cm52009 to 2010109.2cm110.1cm52010 to 2011109.2cm110.1cm52011 to 2012109.3cm110.2cm52012 to 2013109.2cm110.1cm52013 to 2014109.3cm110.2cm52014 to 2015109.3cm110.2cm52015 to 2016109.3cm110.2cm52016 to 2017109.3cm110.3cm52017 to 2018109.3cm110.3cm52018 to 2019109.3cm110.3cm52019 to 2020109.4cm110.4cm52020 to 2021109.8cm110.9cm52021 to 2022109.7cm110.7cm52022 to 2023109.3cm110.4cm52023 to 2024109.3cm110.3cm112008 to 2009145.7cm145.0cm112009 to 2010145.8cm145.0cm112010 to 2011145.9cm145.1cm112011 to 2012145.9cm145.1cm112012 to 2013146.0cm145.1cm112013 to 2014146.1cm145.3cm112014 to 2015146.2cm145.3cm112015 to 2016146.3cm145.5cm112016 to 2017146.3cm145.5cm112017 to 2018146.4cm145.6cm112018 to 2019146.5cm145.6cm112019 to 2020146.6cm145.7cm112020 to 2021148.0cm146.5cm112021 to 2022148.0cm146.4cm112022 to 2023147.8cm146.3cm112023 to 2024147.5cm146.4cmSource: data is from the NCMP, with further information available at the following link: https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/obesity-profile-november-2024-updateHeight data has not been published for the years 2005 to 2008. Height data by ethnic group of pupil is not available, but is due to be published by the Department on 4 February 2025, and will be available at the following link:https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/announcements/obesity-profile-february-2025-updateThe Department for Education publishes information on the number of state school pupils by ethnicity. This information can be found in the Schools, pupils, and their characteristics publication on GOV.UK website, which is based on January school census data. Statistics from May 2010 onwards are available at the following link:https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/statistics-school-and-pupil-numbersData is not published for Reception and Year 6 children specifically. Statistics from 2005 to 2009 are available at the following link:https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/schools-pupil-and-their-characteristics-2002-to-2009-data
On what occasions a Contract Change Note has been issued for contracts for asylum accommodation and support services since 2021.
Since 2021, Contract Change Notices have been issued for the Asylum Accommodation and Support contracts on the following occasions:Serco MEECCN Number Date Effective006.0201/03/2021006.0412/11/2021006.0706/01/2022006.0801/04/2022006.1024/05/2022006.1224/08/2022006.1431/10/2022006.1612/01/2023006.1812/01/2023006.2007/03/2023006.2227/03/2023006.2406/04/2023006.2624/05/2023006.2827/06/2023006.3020/07/2023006.3203/08/2023006.3420/10/2023006.3620/10/2023008.0014/12/2021008.0101/04/2022008.0216/11/2022008.0327/11/2022009.0001/01/2021011.0001/05/2022012.0024/05/2022014.0014/02/2022015.0001/09/2022017.0010/01/2023018.0001/01/2022019.0001/01/2023019.1011/08/2023020.0011/08/2023022.0003/08/2023022.1006/11/2023022.2005/01/2024022.3005/03/2024022.4005/06/2024022.5005/08/2024023.0004/07/2023023a08/09/2023023b18/09/2023023c18/09/2023024.0007/08/2023024.1007/08/2023025.0006/10/2023026.0008/12/2023027.0001/10/2024 Serco NWCCN NumberDate Effective00523/11/2021006.0128/01/2021006.0313/07/2021006.0512/11/2021006.0606/01/2022006.0901/04/2022006.1124/05/2022006.1324/08/2022006.1431/10/2022006.1531/10/2022006.1712/01/2023006.1912/01/2023006.2107/03/2023006.2327/03/2023006.2506/04/2023006.2724/05/2023006.2927/06/2023006.3120/07/2023006.3303/08/2023006.3520/10/2023006.3720/10/202300906/01/202201101/05/202201224/05/202201311/05/2022013.124/06/202201411/02/202201710/01/202301801/01/202201901/01/2023019.0101/04/202402011/08/202302506/10/202302618/12/202302701/10/2024 Mears NEYHCCN NumberDate Effective01323/02/202101401/03/202101521/05/202101606/09/202201925/02/202202206/04/202202304/11/202202401/01/202302527/02/202302611/07/202302730/08/202302817/11/202302914/09/202303005/01/2023030A20/02/202403108/12/202303308/01/202403401/01/202403501/02/202403608/03/202403715/03/202403829/06/202403924/07/202404031/08/202404129/09/202404201/11/202404317/11/202404401/10/202404801/12/202404913/12/2024 Mears NICCN NumberDate Effective00917/01/202201217/01/202201304/04/202201623/08/202301909/02/202402001/02/202402101/10/202402213/12/2024 Mears ScotlandCCN NumberDate Effective01015/01/202101123/02/202101201/03/202101315/01/202101425/02/202201504/04/202201615/01/202101715/01/202101815/01/202301915/01/202102023/08/2023020A23/08/202302115/01/202102201/02/202402301/10/202402418/11/202402518/11/202402601/10/202402713/12/2024 CRH SouthCCN NumberDate Effective006e22/03/2022006f25/10/202201028/01/202101131/03/202101202/12/202101311/02/202201428/01/202201501/04/202201603/11/2022016a10/11/2022016b11/12/2022016c12/03/2023016d12/06/2023016e12/09/2023016f12/12/202301722/11/202201801/10/202101901/01/202302025/04/202302111/06/202302206/06/202302326/07/202302427/11/202302513/11/202302629/11/202302823/07/2024 CRH WalesCCN NumberDate Effective01028/01/202101202/12/202101311/02/2022
With reference to the Answer of 1 May 2024 to Question 19413 on NHS: Expenditure, how much (a) NHS England, (b) clinical commissioning groups and (c) integrated care boards spent in aggregate on (i) mental health services, (ii) acute health services, (iii) social care services, (iv) primary medical services, (v) specialised services, (vi) NHS continuing healthcare and (vii) all other recorded spending categories in each financial year since 2015-16; and how much those organisations plan to spend in aggregate in each of those areas in the 2024-25 financial year.
The attached table sets out the spend categories for the specified services commissioned by NHS England, clinical commissioning groups (CCGs) and integrated care boards (ICBs) between 2015/16 and 2023/24.Information for 2024/25 is unvalidated and not quality assured. In-year data is not routinely reported on the methodology used for this answer and would be subject to material change between plan and outturn as a result.Purchase of Social care expenditure is an accounts category within the Operating Expense note of the NHS England Annual Report and Accounts 2023-24, with consolidated group expenditure for 2022/23 totalling £1,196,487,000 and that for 2023/24 totalling £1,024,918,000. Most of this expenditure, namely 76.2%, falls under the ‘Community’ category in the analysis provided. The report is available at the followed link:https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/6709344a92bb81fcdbe7b728/nhs-england-annual-report-and-accounts-2023-to-2024.pdf