Monday Volume 687 18 January 2021 No. 161 HOUSE OF COMMONS OFFICIAL REPORT PARLIAMENTARY DEBATES (HANSARD) Monday 18 January 2021 © Parliamentary Copyright House of Commons 2021 This publication may be reproduced under the terms of the Open Parliament licence, which is published at www.parliament.uk/site-information/copyright/. 601 18 JANUARY 2021 602 David Linden [V]: Under the Horizon 2020 programme, House of Commons the UK consistently received more money out than it put in. Under the terms of this agreement, the UK is set to receive no more than it contributes. While universities Monday 18 January 2021 in Scotland were relieved to see a commitment to Horizon Europe in the joint agreement, what additional funding The House met at half-past Two o’clock will the Secretary of State make available to ensure that our overall level of research funding is maintained? PRAYERS Gavin Williamson: As the hon. Gentleman will be aware, the Government have been very clear in our [MR SPEAKER in the Chair] commitment to research. The Prime Minister has stated Virtual participation in proceedings commenced time and time again that our investment in research is (Orders, 4 June and 30 December 2020). absolutely there, ensuring that we deliver Britain as a [NB: [V] denotes a Member participating virtually.] global scientific superpower. That is why more money has been going into research, and universities will continue to play an incredibly important role in that, but as he Oral Answers to Questions will be aware, the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy manages the research element that goes into the funding of universities. EDUCATION Emma Hardy (Kingston upon Hull West and Hessle) (Lab) [V]: The anxiety caused by the lack of answers on The Secretary of State was asked— the impact of the end of transition upon students is only adding to the anxiety that they already feel because Further and Higher Education: of the impact that covid-19 has had on their educational End of Transition Period experience, their finances and their graduate job prospects, which is all made worse by the fact that students do not Patricia Gibson (North Ayrshire and Arran) (SNP): feel that their voice is being heard by Government. What assessment he has made of the effect of the end of Perhaps the greatest injustice of them all, they feel, is the transition period on (a) further and (b) higher being made to pay rent for accommodation that the education. [910834] Secretary of State has mandated they should not use. What is he going to do to right this wrong? David Linden (Glasgow East) (SNP): What assessment he has made of the effect of the end of the transition Gavin Williamson: As the hon. Lady will know, before period on (a) further and (b) higher education. [910859] Christmas we set out plans to support youngsters who The Secretary of State for Education (Gavin Williamson): were going to be facing the greatest hardship. Wecontinue We have worked with the sector on the steps it needed to to keep this under review, and we will continue to work take following the transition period. This included questions with the sector to provide the best support to students around participation in European Union programmes, up and down the land. migration and student support arrangements. We are replacing the European social fund via the UK shared Covid-19: Remote Education prosperity fund and introducing the new Turing scheme. Patricia Gibson [V]: Before Brexit, EU students Danny Kruger (Devizes) (Con): What steps his contributed £1.2 billion to the UK economy annually, Department is taking to ensure the adequacy of remote boosting the profile of UK universities globally and education for children during the covid-19 lockdown. helping to support the pipeline of talented science, [910835] technology, engineering and mathematics graduates and medical graduates. With the reality of excessively high Jerome Mayhew (Broadland) (Con): What steps his international student fees, many EU students will choose Department is taking to ensure the adequacy of remote to study elsewhere, so how will the Secretary of State education for children during the covid-19 lockdown. ensure that the Turing scheme, a poor replacement for [910853] Erasmus, is as effective in encouraging inward student mobility? Tom Hunt (Ipswich) (Con): What steps his Department Gavin Williamson: The Turing scheme is not a poor is taking to ensure the adequacy of remote education replacement, but a brilliant replacement for Erasmus. It for children during the covid-19 lockdown. [910860] is about us looking around the globe as to how we can expand opportunities for students. Yes, there are many, The Secretary of State for Education (Gavin Williamson): many brilliant higher education student institutes right Teachers and leaders are working incredibly hard, making across Europe, but there are so many more right across tremendous efforts to provide and to improve their high- the world, whether in the United States or Canada, quality remote education. We have set clear strengthened whether in India or China or whether in Australia and expectations for schools and further education providers, so many other places. That is what we are going to be and our “Get help with remote education” page on giving young people the opportunity to release, and they gov.uk provides a range of support, training and good will have the opportunity to go and study there as well. practice for schools and parents to look at. 603 Oral Answers 18 JANUARY 2021 Oral Answers 604 Danny Kruger [V]: All schools are under huge pressure, Wes Streeting (Ilford North) (Lab): The fact is that delivering teaching both in class and online at the same up to 1.8 million children in this country do not have time, and many are doing an absolutely fantastic job. access to a device at home, and more than 800,000 do However, some parents are naturally worried that their not have access to the internet needed. Even with the children are not getting as much direct live teaching as laptops that the Secretary of State has already provided pupils at other schools they have heard about, and they and those he intends to provide, the provision of devices have a right to understand why. Does my right hon. and dongles falls well short. Why is the Secretary of Friend agree that parents should challenge their school State willing to accept standards for other people’s directly and discuss their concerns with the head of the children that he would never accept for his own, and governing body and that making a complaint to Ofsted, why is it that, once again, the incompetence of his as Ministers have suggested they do, should only be the Department has left children across the country seriously last resort? disadvantaged? Gavin Williamson: Absolutely. We have always been Gavin Williamson: At every stage, we on the Government clear—and I stated this to the House just a couple of Benches—and, I am sure, those on the Opposition weeks ago—that we encourage parents, in the first Benches—want to deliver the very best for every single instance, to speak with a teacher or headteacher, and child, wherever they live and whatever background they only as a last resort to go to Ofsted. We want to see and come from. The hon. Gentleman may want to play encourage as much live teaching as possible, which is politics over children’s lives, but we are focused on shown to be the best way of delivering teaching, but a delivering for those children. That is why, on top of the whole spectrum of resources can be offered. It is really stock of 2.9 million laptops and tablets that are already important to work with schools, with parents supporting out there, we took the decision to invest £400 million in those schools, to ensure that we get the best solutions purchasing and distributing an additional 1.3 million for all our children. devices, making a total of 4.2 million devices in the school system. Jerome Mayhew [V]: I know from my experience with my own children that having live lessons taught online Carol Monaghan (Glasgow North West) (SNP) [V]: is much more effective than simply placing learning Of course, a laptop or a device is really just a glorified resources online. With more than 750,000 laptops already typewriter if you cannot access the internet. We know delivered and 2.9 million laptops already available in that nearly 1 million youngsters in the UK are in that schools for the use of children, the digital divide has situation. Given that BT’s offer of free internet access been substantially overcome. With that in mind, can my was rejected by the Secretary of State, how does he plan right hon. Friend give an indication of the percentage to help such children to access the internet for remote of schools providing live teaching online? Does he have education? plans to increase that further? Gavin Williamson: At every stage, we work with many Gavin Williamson: My hon. Friend is right to highlight companies, including EE, Three and BT, to ensure that the great strides that have been made in supporting we maximise the amount of data that is available for schools, and in schools supporting parents, on the provision those children who are most vulnerable. The hon. Lady of remote education. We obviously encourage schools will be pleased that many children in Scotland are able to put on as much live provision as possible, which is to benefit from the work we have been doing with those very beneficial, and we are working with the whole providers.