Live Education Questions House of Commons

Good afternoon. Wellcome to live coverage of the Commons. In an hour

the Labour MP Andrew Quinn will be asking and urgent question about the

ministerial code of conduct in the light of the surprise appointment of

George was one of the London Evening Standard editor. After that the main

business is the first general debate on the prisons and courts built

which brings a number of changes to the prisons system. And don't forget

to join me for a round-up from both Houses of Parliament at 11pm at

first that his questions to the Education Secretary, Justine

Greening, and her ministerial team. Order, order. I know that the whole

house will want to join me and offering many happy returns to Dame

Vera Lynn on her 100th birthday. Dame Vera is a national treasure.

But I ask colleagues not to burst into song... Questions to the

Secretary of State for Education. Number one, Mr Speaker. Secretary of

State. Thank you, Mr Speaker. For Chelmsford a shift to fairer funding

would been an overall increase of 1.9% in schools funding. We want

schools and local areas to receive a consistent and fair share of the

schools budget so they can give every child the opportunity to reach

their full potential. These are important reforms in must make sure

we get them right. We want to hear a wide range of views through our

consultation which closes this week. Will my right honourable friend

accept that it is to be warmly welcomed the 31 of the 35 schools in

Chelmsford would get increased funding as a result of the fairer

funding programme? However, the four schools who would have modest

increases in funding, two of them are the grammar schools which would

have decreased due to the relatively low number of pupils, and is there

anything that can be done to rectify this problem for two sectors of

academic excellence? He is right that overwhelmingly Chelmsford

schools gain from the shift to fairer funding. Our approach

essentially sees money following the Charles with extra money for those

pupils with extra needs. We set out our desire to see grammars take more

young people from disadvantaged and lower farm income backgrounds and if

they do so selective schools will also be able to financially benefit

from that. Two I just mention that determine the initial reply were

perfectly properly when the somewhat beyond Chelmsford. I'm make no

criticism of that at all, it simply means that it widens the field for

colleagues. Who don't represent Chelmsford. Harriet Harman. Thanks

to increased investment is the work of teachers, teaching staff, and

parents, the standards in our schools in Southwark have massively

increased. But they are not overfunded. Surely it cannot be

right that her pupil we are going to see a cut of ?1000 per year as a

result of this so-called fair funding formula. It is not fair,

what ever she needs to do in the other parts of the country she needs

to do so, but do not cut income in schools for the poorest children.

Our approach will operate consistently for young people and

children wherever they are growing up. We cannot have a similar

accountability system and end up funding children in their schools

differently. Even after the changes they were making bringing forward a

consistent funding formula, London schools because of the many

challenges they face will still receive 30% more than other schools

on average. I understand the Secretary of State has an incredibly

hard job to do on money does not grow on trees, however can I check

when she reviews the consultation findings to look at the corner to

funding a school needs to open its doors because I feel that

deprivation has been overweighted in the formula. One of the things we

have seen as a result of launching second phase consultation is the

first properly informed debate about how we should be funding schools and

what the relative balance of investments should be fought

different judge with different challenges. The consultation

finishes later this week. I would like to thank the house and

colleagues for their engagement with it and will respond to the points

people are made in due course. Vera Lynn was a pupil at bracts in

primary school within my constituency, along with every other

school in my constituency Bracton will have as budget cuts. Ministers

often tell us that the schools budget as a whole isn't being cut.

Shouldn't that guarantee apply to individual schools like Bracton as

well as to the system as a whole? I can pay my tribute to Dame Vera Lynn

and she has been an iconic and an amazing figure, actually. And a

fantastic female role model as well for many young girls and women

growing up in our country. But in relation to the point that he makes,

we need to make sure that for the first time in our country we now

seek consistent funding for all children wherever they are growing

up. We have seen significant rises in the overall schools budget over

the years and indeed this government has not only protect the overall

schools budget in line with inflation, we have also made sure

that the cash amount per pupil is protected as well. That is

important. But we have two now make sure that we fund children in our

schools fairly wherever they are. Torbay schools have managed a great

job in teaching pupils despite being some of the most historically

underfunded. Would the Secretary of State reassure me that whilst it

goes up 2.3% of Robert Koren formula hits grammar schools quite badly. We

should ensure we are still finding a solution. He rises an important

point and as I said I think it is important we reflect the fact

funding needs to follow children who have got additional needs. We know

that in particular there is an attainment gap for children who are

coming from lower income and disadvantaged areas and families we

also know that many children who start both primary and secondary

behind a level we need to give an uplift for their pupils to enable

their teachers to help them to catch up. These are important parts of the

formula. As he set out there are also other aspects and we need to

carefully look at those and we will though. I have to say to the number

of children he is not seeing the wood for the trees because the

Minister for schools recently wrote to the Chelmsford weekly news about

the uplift of 1.9%. However it denies the wider picture that ?6

million is being withdrawn from funding in Essex overall. Can the

minister explain for instance how the Chelmsford School for girls

which is estimated to lose ?300,000 will make its cut? I think I have

answered my right honourable friend from John Studd but the bottom line

is the only budget that would be going up under Labour is their

interest, which would lead to fewer teachers unless investment. Question

number two. With permission, Mr Speaker, I would like permission to

link this question with question seven. Do you agree with the open

University... , cry quite understand the desire to make the gripping but

what we are waiting for is his initial answer. Thank you. -- I

understand the desire of the honourable gentleman to make the

gripping. It is essential we support learners while they study. The

government will introduce make sense loans for learners studying at

higher level technical qualifications and attending

colleges at the new Institute of technology. Maintenance loans will

be available for the first time for both full and part-time higher

education distance learners in the same year subject to satisfactory

controls being in place. Does the Minister not agree with the open

University that the decision to delay maintenance loans for distance

learners would adversely affect disabled students for whom distance

learning is the best option and those from poorer backgrounds who

need maintenance loans to support them while they study? I thank the

honourable gentleman for his question. I am very supportive of

distance learners and the incredible work of the open University and we

want to offer these maintenance loans but we want to get it right.

We have a duty to ensure that we are giving the right value for money to

the public and the right controls are in place. The Chancellor in his

budget statement declared that the commitment to lifelong learning, yet

maintenance loans have been capped at less than 60 years of age. Given

this government's apparent determination to raise the

retirement age and their appalling treatment of the women, does the

Minister agree with me and most commonly Dame Vera Lynn that life

does not end at 60? 'S well this government has introduced advanced

learner loans, we are going to be offering maintenance loans for

students going to Institute of technology colleges or national

colleges and for future distance learners. We have just announced an

extra ?500 million to support further education. So it is this

government who is actually backing skills and giving people the funding

that they need. Britain's record in engineering and the technical field

is absolutely deplorable coming as media 16th amongst EU countries.

While I welcome the new maintenance grants will the Minister join me in

agreeing that the private sector has a role to play and in particular

will he welcome the announcement by Sir James Dyson at the aim is to

open a new technical College at the Lavington in my constituency. -- the

Lavington. I could not have put it to myself. -- Hullavington. I

congratulate Dyson, what is happening there and elsewhere with

the investment the government is putting the two skills, with 500

million extra announced last week, 40 million for a pilot lifelong

learning study, we are investing and putting our money where our mouth is

and building a skills and apprenticeship nation. Mr Speaker,

this budget's timetables which says the Treasury ?400 million, we did

not hear that from the Minister, is now a double whammy for learners. It

delays until 2019 and jeopardises the Sainsbury's technical skills

agenda, it hits disabled and disadvantaged distance learners and

so with a 30% drop in part-time learning since 2011, why is his

department, as the OBI art reveals, in its budget document section,

planning to cut business and learner support even further?

I have to say I am a means by the honourable gentleman's question. I

thought he would be getting up to celebrate the extra we are spending

on further education. I thought he would be getting up to celebrate the

two in William pounds we will be spending on apprenticeships by 2020

will stop the 40 million unpalatable lifelong learning. -- the 200

million. By 2020 we will have more funding that goes to adult education

then at any time in England's history. It is time he got up and

supported us. Question three, Mr Speaker. Good mental health and

well-being are a priority for the department, it is why we funded

guidance and plans for teaching pupils about emotional well-being. A

recent plan is to make relationships and sex education strategy that

supports this agenda. Pupils can also develop soft skills including

as ill as resiliency. Thank you. Mental health in young people is a

growing concern. As with physical health we must look at prevention as

well as treatment. Will my right honourable friend agree with me to

discuss what the department can do to encourage schools to build

resilient in children? My honourable friend is absolutely right that

prevention is vital, that is why we are inviting bids to run a trial to

provide sound evidence about what works to promote good mental health

in schools. Prevention will also be an important focus on the mental

health been paper, published later in the year. I will meet with my

honourable friend in relation to her question. I'm sure that once the

green paper has been published we will meet again. Sorry Mr Speaker,

did you see me? Thank you. If the Minister aware...

LAUGHTER Is the Minister aware of the crisis in mental, child mental

health care in Cumbria? And does he agree with me the great investment

to equip teachers to be able to help with preventative measure to in the

classroom is the central -- is essential, if we are to make

children's lives better. I agree with the honourable gentleman, we do

need to better link schools with mental health services and that is

why one of the pieces of work we have underway at the moment is to

create a single point of contact in schools, working with the children

adults mental health service, to help train children and in the

school environment. There is a lot more work to do. Parents who have

children with autism have told me they have difficult the accessing

curricula and extracurricular activity. What more can be done to

link up schools and CAMHS? As I referred to in the answer I've just

given to the honourable gentleman opposite, we are working with NHS

England and with CAMHS services to make sure that they can better

support and work alongside school through a single point of contact,

so they can spread that knowledge and good practice but also get

quicker referrals into those more specialist services where they are

needed. There is a strong commitment from the government in this area,

supported by the Prime Minister. The Minister may be aware of the recent

support, that spoke of as many as 35,000 children being born every

year with prenatal exposure to alcohol with a significant impact on

school. Can he tell us what his plans are to ensure that school

staff have the training they need to understand the difficulties,

behavioural and educational needs of those children? I am well aware of

the effects of the till alcohol syndrome, I saw it in my own life

growing up with foster children that we looked after. I know it is a

cause he has been advocating strongly to the changes to teacher

training and teaching standards there is much greater emphasis on

having teachers skilled in special educational needs, of which Beatle

course and is part of. But it is what happens on the ground that it

important and we will continue focusing on that. The ?4.4 billion

priority school buildings programme is rebuilding and refurbishing those

schools in the very worst condition, there are two phases, phase two

which runs from 2021 sort schools from the deadline of the 21st of

July 2000 14 and is signed to improve the fabric of specific

buildings in 277 schools. A school inches and Hirst is a special school

at dealing with young people with some of the most profound and

complex disabilities, it is magnificent, but every year it has

two plan applicants away because it does not have the size to cope,

neither do the other two special schools in the borough. They were

were delighted to be successful in their application announced in 2015

but the first visit from anyone from the education funding authority to

the school was only in February of this year. Will he see what can be

done to speed up this special set of circumstances? Can eight paid

tribute to my honourable friend to the way he has fought for

improvement to the school, it was visited by my honourable friend the

children's Minister. It was successful in its peers. The

education funding has started to identify the... We can say we do

know where we do know when. The headteacher in my constituency,

Steve can well, it is a fantastic school with great results, a state

school. He has had problems trying to find better sports facilities. He

was supposed to have something in 2010 to help with this but it was

pulled. Now it seems there is no way the Jordans to have sport... It is

all part of money that we're spending between now and 2021 12

great pain, rebuild and replace buildings in the worst condition,

this could not be possible if we did not have the strong economy that we

have today and didn't have when his party was in power. Can I thank the

government for the new form that has been made available for capital

projects and special schools. Two and a half million pounds is coming

to Nottinghamshire to build a school in my constituency. Could the

government did great efforts to publicise this bond is that

colleagues in conceptual and across the country know that it is better

than? Yes, I'm grateful to my honourable friend, it is a ?250

million package that was recently announced. Part of capital spending

is commitment by this government to ensure we have the right fabric of

schooling system. Again, any possible by having a strong economy.

Has the removal and treatment of asbestos been prioritised within

this programme? We do not know the exact extent to how many buildings

from the 1960s and 1970s riddled with it. We published a review as to

how to manage asbestos in schools and it is our aim over time to

eliminate asbestos in schools as schools are replaced or the

furthest. In the meantime, schools need to ensure that asbestos

contained mysterious on damaged and not in locations where they have

honourable to damage. Number five, Mr Speaker.

Thank you. We have a wealth of advice and guidance for employers

and small businesses and we have information on all aspects of

apprenticeship and recruitment and provides training organisations...

Thank you, Mr Speaker. I have small businesses in panic chase he found

it difficult to identify an apprentice, they are keen to take

them on. -- I have small businesses in my constituency. Can my right

honourable friend outline what the government is doing to make it

easier for small businesses to connect with local colleges and

possible appointed chests's I thank her for her question and for her

championship of apprenticeships in her constituency. We're doing a lot.

We're spending millions to incentivise small businesses to have

apprentices. We have a huge communication programme. Businesses

have been contacted recently. We have a network of 500 apprenticeship

ambassadors. We're doing everything we possibly can. It is worth

noticing that to ... The new register of apprenticeship training

providers which was published last week exclusive a significant number

of successful trading providers including four in Birmingham, two in

Coventry, is he not aware if he goes ahead with that position he is

essentially destroying technical education the 16-year-old in the

West Midlands? I thank the honourable lady for her question, it

is worth noting that a percentage of those people who applied to get on

the register have been successful. A of educational colleges got on the

register. She mentions Birmingham, there are hundred and 78 providers

of apprenticeship training in burning him that have got onto the

register, but all existing apprentice Chisnall not be affected

in the colleges... What advice can give the small businesses in my

constituency about the insensitive is to link up with small businesses

as opposed to link up with large businesses? Well, the good news is,

there are means of pounds being spent by the taxpayer incentivising

small businesses to provide apprenticeships and on top of that

we have a huge communications programme that I highlighted

earlier. High employee expectations, good standards on the part of the

college coming young people ambassadors for apprenticeships, the

verdict of Ofsted unbending much appalled in college but it is

wonderful colleges in Birmingham, 13 in the West Midlands that have been

denied access and have goose cease being provided apprentice cheesed

will stop can you understand the outrage over this inexplicable

decision? And will he meet with banning MPs? I'm very happy to meet

with Birmingham MPs and MPs than any other areas. The crucial thing

behind this decision is that we're trying to make sure that we improve

quality. Everybody had to fulfil the same criteria to get on the

register. It is important to note that from tomorrow those who did not

get on can reapply. Maybe they're not on the register now but they can

get on it and reapply from tomorrow. I would like to link this answer to

question 15, as well. National funding proposals to see more money

following the student. Particularly to schools that are educating

disadvantaged and pupils from lower income families, immolation to the

question he specifically asked, one of the schools he has highlighted

has a school roll were 25% of the young people are on free school

meals, the other school had less than 1% of that becomes the majority

of the difference. I thank the Secretary of State for that answer

but can I just draw head to the attention to the grammar schools in

my constituencies who face a court of 3% in their funding under the

proposed formula despite the School of the road getting in increase in

11%. Can I ask the Secretary of State to examine within the

necessary Treasury constraints how we can have such inexplicable

outcomes? We must insure that selective schools understand that

the government is fully on their side. He does point out that I do

not get to write my own checks. I have to live within my departmental

budget, as well. We are looking very carefully at how we can make sure we

get a fair funding approach right. I think it is right that we make sure

that similar children facing similar challenges and needs our constituent

refunded where ever they growing up in the UK. The grammar school in my

constituency has a great headteacher, wonderful staff and

pupils they get huge attainment it would like to expand, how can the

Secretary of State helped that school to expand then it had at the

moment? To build on my previous point, the consultation on schools

that work for everyone covered our proposals to allow the expanding

existing selective schools to offer more choice to parents and increased

the number of places, that a good and outstanding. We will make a

dedicated... When will the Secretary of State to

publish her much briefed white paper given that the purdah begins on

Thursday and will that white paper increase the number of free school

meals. And can she clarify why in her 30 minute budget debate speech

did the word selection or grammar not pass her lips. She is trying to

get me to pre-empt my white paper which will be coming out in the

coming weeks and I am pleased that the Labour front bench is finally

engaging in the fact that there is a real chance here to make sure we

have an approach on selection that works in the 21st-century and for

our education system as it is today. Mr Speaker, is the Secretary of

State aware that this is international happiness day? And if

she wants to make a lot of people happy in this country she will

renounce their dedication to grammar schools and free schools and invest

in the education of all our children up and down this country. I am

delighted he has alerted me to the fact it is international happiness

day that I have to say I think he is completely at odds with his own

front bench. We have no idea what the Labour approach is in relation

to selection and I would point out that we will be publishing our white

paper in response to our consultation but I suspect the

Labour Party will remain a policy freezer. In the budget ?320 million

was announced four new schools, some of which may be grammar schools.

Could my right honourable friend confirmed that new schools are

desperately needed and whereas some of this may be grammar schools that

is not perfect the revenue funding we are discussing today. He's

absolutely right, we have to be planning ahead. We know we have to

create more good school places, some of the children were responding to

choices at local level but others will be for nonselective school

places. Under the academies scheme the teaching profession in England

has experienced a sustained attack on its terms and conditions,

including salary awards below nationally agreed pay scales. Can

the Secretary of State guaranteed unequivocally that no teachers and

propose new selective schools will be paid below nationally agreed

rates? We need schools to run themselves in ways that deliver

strong educational outcomes and I know she does not clearly want to

talk about in Scotland we are seeing standards going backwards on

science, maths and reading. It is a pleasure to debate with the

secretary of state again. A few weeks after we both appeared on

question Time but now it is answer time. The Prime Minister promised us

way to expand selective education with 70,000 free new school places

funded by ?320 million. Given that free school places cost over ?21,000

age to create that is not for 17,000, let alone 70. I set the

Education Secretary simple maths question as week can she didn't

answer. Just how many places will be created and that what cost? It is

time for a reset. I would have hope she would have welcomed the fact

that we announced half ?1 billion extra for school capital not just

for making sure places are available but also she asked about the

numbers. I think she seems to have misunderstood the fact that there

will be further investment in the next parliament which I would have

hope she would have welcomed. As I told the house last month increasing

educational opportunity for disadvantaged people underpins our

commitment to making sure we have a country that works for everyone,

through the brutal premium worth 2.5 billion as this year, we're

narrowing the gap between disadvantaged pupils and their peers

and into the 16-17 ?4.2 million of this funding was allocated to

schools in Boston and Skegness. I recently posted constituency schools

conference bringing together the governors and teachers and I'll like

to thank the Secretary of State for her personal involvement. What I

heard at the conference is that while teachers and governors

welcomed extra ?4.6 million that is proposed to come to Lincolnshire,

they believe that after the consultation closes we could hear

that it would be better distributed so that secondary schools in

particular see the unique needs of Lincolnshire address. Can the

Minister confirm this consultation will address that. I'm sure the

secretary of state has heard my honourable friend 's play in that

regard. But I will also add that another change this government has

brought in that will help disadvantaged children is around

progression measures and making sure the progress of every child will

count towards the schools measured performance. I'm sure that will help

schools in his area. My Bristol South constituency sends the least

number of children to Bristol University. The University scheme

aimed at widening access has taken a third of people from private

schools. Would the Minister agree with me that makes a mockery of that

scheme. Unfortunately for me and probably beneficially for her at the

constituency fought back. Mr Speaker we of course welcome schemes to try

and widen participation in education. Universities intend to

spend more than a on measures to improve access to student success

further access agreements. Some of our most deprived communities are

found in rural and coastal areas so what account is the department

taking of the particular challenges schools face in rural and coastal

areas like Cornwall? My honourable friend will know that in parts of

the consultation we are looking at trying to look at that particular

aspect of our school geography and the sparsity factor is seeking to

try and address that. But of course we also have a new opportunity areas

which are looking at part of the country including coastal town areas

where there are particular challenges faced by school that we

can try and home in on and try and spread that good practice. Bell how

does that in the funding to 35 schools in my constituency followed

by the news that the business rate revolution will cost them thousands

more will do anything to help education opportunity customers how

does the Minister sleep a night knowing the ditch on affect his

government 's policies will have on educational children across

Birmingham? Mr Speaker, with an eight-week-old baby I'm not sleeping

particularly well at the moment. But what we do know is that business

rates are funded and that there is a consultation taking place to try and

ensure that the funding that we do have available which is at record

levels for schools is distributed as fairly as possible. What measures

will the Minister take to ensure that selective and top performing

secondary schools are accessible to children irrespective of their

backgrounds. As part of the consultation we proposed a number of

conditions that would make new selective schools more accessible to

children from low-income backgrounds. We are currently

analysing all the responses we have- at which I'm sure will include my

honourable friend's constituency of Telford and we ran to publish a

formal response in the spring. May I thank the Secretary of State for her

reply to me regarding the application for UTC in Doncaster

which will increase educational opportunities for pupils from

disadvantaged backgrounds. But will the Minister make sure that other

ministers came myself and other MPs informed as to the progress of

further discussions. I know we have to get on with as quickly but can he

undertake to do that and perhaps discuss the best way forward? I am

happy to give that undertaking. I'm sure in her own contingency pupils

also want to make similar opportunities available to them.

My national funding formula proposals will mean that we will

have a clear, relatively simple and transparent funding system that

matches funding to children's needs and to the schools they attend to

ensure that all pupils reach their full potential regardless of where

they live. We recognise schools are facing cost pressures which is why

we want to help them use their funding in cost-effective ways.

Pramac of National Audit Office and education policy Institute have both

highlighted the risk of standards falling. In London with his 70%

cuts, symptoms of schools facing cuts when we have the highest child

poverty rates in the country. This is dangerous and divisive and is a

cap on aspiration. Isn't it time we have another U-turn this week,

Minister? The EPI did say that the National funding formula is broadly

welcomed. Executive chairman said the department is right to pursue

the formula used targets are significant and she will know that

in London remains the highest funded part of the country. 30% better

funded on a per person who will faces than the national average. It

might international happiness David but I can say that parents in

Staffordshire are pretty unhappy. They have been in the county that is

in the bottom 15 of funding throughout the UK. Sarah funding

this not have to be open, it needs to be fair and Staffordshire schools

are losing out. That is unacceptable. I'm sure my honourable

friend will be making observations through the consultation process

that closes on Wednesday and we will listen very carefully to those

contributions. However I would say that funding in his the constituency

rises by bad one in his constituency, equal to about

?600,000 and the 5% of his schools will see an increase. We do need

shorter questions and shorter answers. Heads in my constituency

have told me they are already having to cut teachers, teaching

assistants, key courses and even school hours. From the EPI report we

find there are unlikely to be any schools in England which will avoid

funding cuts per pupil. Does the Minister recognised the government

is breaking yet another manifesto promise? No, 54% of schools in this

country will gain funding under the national funding formula. And she

will be aware that in her local authority, Hounslow, overall funding

will rise from ?171 million to 107 to ?1.2 million. As a result of the

national funding. My right honourable friend will know that I

am the only member of Parliament in England and Wales who can say that

every school in their constituency will either hold or seek arise so

can I thank the Minister... LAUGHTER For looking at the funding formula

that has the too many years disadvantaged some schools and it

only goes to show how extraordinary hard it has been for some of our

schools to deliver that quality education. I am grateful to my

honourable friend for her support. It is a fair funding formula, it

does give priority to disadvantage and it gives priority to load prior

attainment and a thing for too long to many parts of the country have

been underfunded and this will remedy that. How will the new

national funding formula helps students at the Paxton primary

Academy in Fulton Heath which is now in its third year in Portakabins

piled up in the backyard of a rugby club. And because work is still not

started on the permanent school they are now looking at the fourth and in

Portakabins. It is unacceptable that this should continue. Will the

Minister meet with me and parents? I'm very happy to meet the

honourable gentleman. 96 and of schools in temporary commission have

a permanent site and the vast majority of cases it is for just one

year. These are exceptional circumstances. The group of friends

I met on Friday asked whether the funding which was saved as a result

of the government change of heart on forced a canonisation could be used

to support schools facing funding cuts? Might right honourable friend

will know how dealings with the Treasury work. -- academisation. We

managed to secure a very good deal and we have are several school

funding, rising to ?42 billion by 2019-20 as pupil numbers rise, at a

time we are seeking to to tackle the public sector deficit we inherited

from the party opposite... Ki questions I think that they need to

be extremely brief. I set the simple maths question earlier but I do not

think we had a clear answers so let me set her on nonverbal reasoning.

If David promised to protect school funding per pupil, and adjusting's

plan cut funding, what does that make Teresa?

In our manifesto we said we would protect school funding in real terms

and we have done. It is the highest level of school funding on record

and will rise to in 2020 as school pupil numbers rise. I have to say to

her that I do not believe that the party opposite in the way they

managed our economy in the past, and if they were ever to get into power,

the way they would manage the economy in the future would be able

to match that level of funding. I don't think I had an answer about

the promise they made, at this rate the Conservative Party manifesto

will turn out to be the greatest work of fiction since Paul Nuttall

lasted his CV. We are in favour of fairer funding but this is not fair

and it is not funding either. Will she finally tell us whether they

will meet the promise made by the former Prime Minister that not one

pupil would... We made it clear that we would maintain the funding in

real pounds, and that is precisely what we're doing at a time of fiscal

constraint when we are having to tackle underdone ?50 billion

public-sector deficit, inherited from the opposite, we have still

protected school funding in real terms and at the same time we are

introducing a fairer funding system. Some think that the party opposite

failed to do. Question number ten, Mr Speaker. I put social mobility at

the heart of everything my department does. New legislation to

support greater access to university and investment in technical

legislation means that we aim to ensure where at people comes from

does not determine whether get to in life. Thank you for the answer. At

the all-party group for universities give a day we had an excellent

presentation from Sunderland University on all aspects on helping

social mobility. Can we ensure that that stretches down to all types of

schools, academies, grammars, and secondary and that we learn from

each other particularly in the devolved institutions? Indeed, I

fully agree with him, the higher educational research Bill enables us

to do more for widening access but also participation of these sorts of

students. It is all about making sure that universities alongside

grammars, faith schools and independent schools can play a

stronger role. A broad range of higher education institutions are

covered by an existing duty to take reasonably practical steps to ensure

freedom of speech, and the Bill in the other place proposes to extend

it to all registered providers, the Honourable member will be interested

to know that I have today written to the sector, highlighting the

importance of this duty and reminding institutions of their

responsibilities in this respect and emphasising the importance of rapid

action when freedom of speech issues arise. Notwithstanding... Does the

Minister agree that we should safeguard universities as places of

free speech? Indeed, policies and codes of practice should not be

allowed to just gathered dust they are crucial to demonstrating to

students that free speech should be the heart of our university system,

they need to be meaningful documents that students and staff understand

and crucially, respect. Mr Speaker there are of course duties to ensure

that children excluded from school have education in place, although

there are excellent examples of alternative provision over all

outcomes are not good enough. That is why our ambition to mix schools

responsible for... Does the Minister share my horror at the dramatic

increase in the number of permanent exclusions in Norfolk, 296 in the

last academic year, with a hundred students at the last count waiting

for a place initial state school, given the awful results for children

who are permanently excluded, what message does he spend to Norfolk to

sort out this situation? Exclusion should always be a last resort and

we need to make sure there are no inappropriate exclusions anywhere in

the country. A meeting the gentleman owner another matter so perhaps we

can discuss that as well. Thank you. We are building an

apprenticeship and skills nation and crafting opportunities to create

widespread provisions to meet our skills needs to help those of social

disadvantage and we are spending 80 million on national colleges, 170

million is an Institute of technology colleges and extra money

for further education. I welcome the progress that ministers are making

in helping to raise the profile of and standards in technical

education, but can my right honourable friend tell the friend

house what steps are being taken to help improve the job prospects of

those young people who will benefit from the investment announced in the

budget? From 2019, students will have a choice of two routes,

academic or state-of-the-art technical route, of 15 different

route within that. We are investing in that, an extra 500 million on top

of existing funds, we are building the skills and the apprenticeship

nation the country needs and we are creating the skills that are pupils

need. High further education will help Britain lead the fourth

technical revolution. My honourable friend is exactly right and I

congratulate him for the work he does on this area, our technical

education reforms, are apprenticeship reforms are strong

backing of further education is exactly what we're doing to create

the skills to make sure the people have the jobs and skills they need

to their futures. Finally. Question 14.

Apprenticeships are jobs and availability is determined by

employers offering opportunity, our ambition is to reach 3 billion

apprenticeship staffed by 2020 and to support the growth across many

regions. Will my honourable friend join me in congratulating a

hairdressing Academy in South enter their support of apprenticeships,

the excellent busy... My honourable friend is exactly

right. I congratulate the headdresses for their support of

apprenticeship is. We now have 900,000 apprentices, Mr Speaker. The

highest ever on record. With 700 starts, we are building that

apprenticeship nation and giving those young people that ladder of

opportunity. Question number one, Mr Speaker. The budget announced a ?500

million investment in technical education which was hailed by the

CBI as a great budget the skills. It also provided for additional half ?1

billion on top of that comment new school places and school

refurbishment, that is in addition to our announcements over the past

few months of ?450 million of school sports facilities and ?215 million

fund to help schools properly support pupils with disabilities. Of

course, I'm delighted to say that we are taking forward amendments to the

children and social work Bill enabling us to put age-appropriate

relationship and sex education in secondary schools and relationship

education in primary schools on a statutory footing and I want to

thank the House for their support in that. A simple yes or no will

suffice. Does the educational secretary agree with the

international trade secretary when he was... And also the Chancellor

and Foreign Secretary that children should not be included in official

immigration statistics? I think the important thing is that we remain an

open country for international students, because that is one of the

best ways we can ensure that our university centre stays world-class.

Well, I have just been advised namely that the honourable gentleman

for Branford is not here, but fortunately the Honourable member

for gelling and is, so we shall hear from him. Will the Minister join me

in congratulating a school for my constituency...

Good quality teaching is vital to encourage more schools to study stem

subjects, we are spending money to recruit and train more maths and

physics teachers and we are funding programmes such as the stimulating

physics network which seeks to improve engagement the bowels. --

engagement for girls. I have no doubt that the Secretary of State

understand the ... We now have a situation where

the sum will ... In doing so will she reduce the

damage that is currently being is caused by Brexit? That the

government has been clear on many occasions that it values the

contribution EU nationals make to our higher educational and stews and

two our research establishment and wants to settle their position as

soon as particle quickly pounds, subject to similar steps been put in

place Thank you, can my right honourable

friend outlined what steps she is taking to insure that schools have

structured educational plans in case which provide appropriate levels of

additional support for children with special educational needs such as

ADHD? Mr Speaker, the zero to 25 code of practice should follow a

cycle of third to as SS, plan, do, review, to enable schools to

systematically put support in place and review progress and that is the

code of practice that is on statutory footing and one all

schools have to take account of. Thank you very much. Can the

Secretary of State explain how you turn in scrapping her own innovation

clauses in the children and social work Bill and since her minister and

chief social worker with the key protagonists of these strongly

opposed dangerous clauses, Canty also explain how she can possibly

remain confident in their abilities to protect our most runnable

children? -- can she also. I am very pleased to see the Honourable Lady

back, I know she has not been able to be here for some time. It is

simple, we were unable to build the consensus that was required to

innovate. But, I remain commitment to innovation and would welcome

local authorities plans to how they can improve outcomes for children by

redesigning their services. Has the trauma centre in Bath received any

extra funding and what work is the government doing to better target

was also is to improve the work? I can confirm that the trauma recovery

has improved received funding to support 16 children in 11 families

and I pay tribute to their important work. They are one of 17,000

families who have benefited from that new adoption support fund that

was created by this government. I will look at the other issue that my

honourable friend raise and Doctor impacts outside of the House. If the

Minister concerned that when the apprenticeship levy is introduced it

will disproportionately benefit London and the South East, rather

than areas that the North and particularly Hull, as the money will

not be redistributed? Will the Minister look at making sure that

the money goes to this areas most in need? We will be spending, bike

2020, two and half billion pounds on apprenticeships and most of that is

raised through the levy, that will be spent with ever are

apprenticeships are needed. Haase where ever are apprenticeships are

needed. Earlier this month six Pembrokeshire schools work together

to launch their own Academy trust, what can he do to make sure that the

Pennine trusts raise aspiration? It is good news that these schools have

recognised the potential is to drive school improvement and schools I

sing the power of education driving up standards. We are supporting the

Pennine trust to harvest the potentials of those schools. Thank

you. The EU is the largest research network in the world and Persaud

paid big science like the work of gravitational waves between Glasgow

University and an institute in Germany. How will the Secretary of

State maintain the freedom of movement so crucial to academic

collaboration after Brexit? Well, the Prime Minister has been clear in

her Lancashire house speech that European research collaboration

remains extremely important as an object for our Brexit negotiations

and we have said also that we value the contribution that EU nationals

make to our scientific endeavours. On Friday I which stood a school in

my constituency which makes a huge contribution to the wider community,

what role does he see leading independent schools playing in

enhancing educational opportunities in their locations?

We believe they can play a significant role and is part of the

schools that work for everyone consultation. We have had excellent

discussions and we look forward to bringing this to a conclusion.

Research shows that when a pupil joins a school at a difference on

from all the other is the cost is between 250 and ?600. I welcome the

inclusion of the mobility factor in the new formula. But putting a 0.1%

waiting on it means that the amount will be less than ?70. Will the

longer term formula taken more realistic view of the costs? He is

right to highlight this and it was the additional factor we put into

their working formula when we are now consulting on that were not in

the original consultation. I have no doubt he will put in his own

consultation response which we would be grateful for. As the Minister of

State will know because he has visited the number of times that of

her is not only one of the fastest-growing LEAs for student

numbers at seven in ten of our primary sector children have English

as an additional language. Will the funding reflect this? Again it is

part of our fairer funding formula that we are finishing the

consultation on this week. We have got to make sure we have to enable

all of our children to catch up. What is the Secretary of State doing

to improve early years development in the home to make sure that every

child is ready to learn on their first date? I eventually get to say

something. The home learning environment is absolutely

fundamental to early years development. This government is

investing over ?6 billion per year in the early years. It is more than

any government has ever spent before. Koo Ja-cheol attention to

recent research by the business that Cambridge ahead in teacher shortages

in Cambridge and given the structural problems they have

identified could the Secretary of State Meade King discuss Ed? I would

be very happy to meet the honourable gentleman and the headteachers he

has in mind. It is deeply shocking that girls including in Leeds are

not going to school because they cannot afford sanitary products.

Will the Secretary of State eliminate this and introduced free

sanitary products for all girls receiving free school meals? He has

raised an important issue and it's one I will look at carefully and

write to him about. In Dewsbury 50 out of 50 schools will lose funding

and not one will gain which is their second highest number of schools

facing cuts in any constituency. Thornhill Academy from educating

Yorkshire is set to lose ?500,000, nearly ?7,000 per pupil. -- ?700 per

pupil. We have protected the core schools budget in fact by 2019-20 at

will have risen to ?42 billion per year. All schools will benefit from

that. We can no longer accept a country where different children can

have different amounts of funding just because of where they are

growing up. The problem with the way the secretary of state and the

Minister of State describes the so-called fair funding formula is

that they imply that they actually give and amounts of money per pupil.

But in those places like Peterborough, like Slough, where

pupil numbers are increasing fast we have to educate children for free

because no money arrives for those pupils until the year and a half

later. What is she going to make sure that actually schools in places

where the population is growing get funding per pupil? There are two'

elements of the proposed fair funding formula that will aid and

can help in this issue. One is mobility, we had a question on that

today, for children living in the year. The second is in relation to

Democratic growth -- demographic growth and she points out how we can

make sure we can have a fast response in being able to enable

local authorities to cope. In Knowsley Metropolitan Borough in my

constituency there will be no academic A-level provision later

this year. What is the Secretary of State doing to make sure that many

of the young people who live in my constituency can aspire and go and

get A-levels and can afford to do so because they now have to travel so

far and have no money to do so. As she will know we have had meetings

on this very issue fairly recently we are working with the regional

schools commission to make sure they will be provision of those who want

to study without having to leave the borough. We must now move on. Before

I called the honourable gentleman, the member for Denton and Redditch

to ask his urgent question, I would emphasise to the house that this

question relates to