Summary

  • Peers are debating private members' bills

  1. Committee questions the Department for Education and Ofstedpublished at 15:26 British Summer Time 25 June 2018

    Public Accounts Committee

    Select Committee
    Parliament

    Two children working in school as their teacher looks onImage source, GETTY IMAGES

    The Public Accounts Committee is taking evidence from the Department for Education and Ofsted, as well as education representatives, to evaluate Ofsted's impact, and whether it has delivered effectively despite constricting budgets.

    The Office for Standards in Education (Ofsted) is responsible for inspecting approximately 21,500 schools in England. In 2017–18, it inspected 6,079 schools at a cost of £44m to the taxpayer.

    A report from the National Audit Office found that, although Ofsted’s remit has expanded significantly since 2000, its real-terms spending has been falling for over a decade from £280m in 2005–06 to £167m in 2015–16.

    Spending on its inspection of schools has more than halved in real terms over a similar period.

    The National Audit Office found that Ofsted did not have evidence that its inspections were raising the standards of education provided to children and young people. It said that until Ofsted is able better to assess its impact, it is difficult for the National Audit Office to be satisfied that Ofsted provides value for money to the taxpayer.

    The committee will begin at 3pm this afternoon.

  2. Criticism from Labour MP at Education questionspublished at 15:21 British Summer Time 25 June 2018

    Labour MP tweets

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  3. Labour MP questions minister on school budget cutspublished at 15:15 British Summer Time 25 June 2018

    Education questions

    House of Commons
    Parliament

    Rushanara AliImage source, HoC

    Labour's Rushanara Ali asks what estimate has been made of the number of schools with a real-terms reduction in their budget in 2018-19 in comparison to 2017-18.

    Education Minister Nick Gibb says that the government is giving every local authority more funding for local schools, but final decisions are left to the councils.

    Ms Ali says that in her constituency £28m of cuts will take place by 2020, in an area with some of the highest child poverty rates in the country.

    Mr Gibb says the government does prioritise funding for those from disadvantaged backgrounds under the national funding formula.

  4. Lords debate general neutral language in legislationpublished at 15:14 British Summer Time 25 June 2018

    Oral questions

    House of Lords
    Parliament

    The House is debating the use of gender neutral language, such as the pronoun "they" in the singular, in legislation.

    The minister Lord Young says the government is content to use gender neutral language, but that this is not always appropriate and so should not always be used.

    Some peers make pleas for maintaining traditional grammar, under which "they" is a plural pronoun.

  5. Lords debate Northern Irish executivepublished at 15:07 British Summer Time 25 June 2018

    Oral questions

    House of Lords
    Parliament

    Labour's Lord Dubs asks a question on the lack on a government in Northern Ireland, since the assembly collapsed last year.

    The minister says the government is working hard to "bring everyone to the table."

    The Lords discuss the province's NHS and who will make decisions about its funding, the lack of new legislation on abortion, and the representation of Northern Irish interests in Brexit negotiations.

  6. What's on at Holyrood?published at 14:56 British Summer Time 25 June 2018

    Brexit to dominate the week at Holyrood as its current session draws to a close for the summer.

    Read More
  7. Baron Pickles introducedpublished at 14:44 British Summer Time 25 June 2018

    House of Lords
    Parliament

    Eric PicklesImage source, HoL

    Sir Eric Pickles, a Conservative MP between 1992-2017, is introduced to the House as a peer.

    Baron Pickles was communities and local government secretary during the coalition government. After the 2017 election he was named United Kingdom special envoy for post-Holocaust issues.

    Baron Pickles shares his introduction with Baroness Sater. She was a marketing executive, and is now a magistrate. She sits on the boards of several charities, including the British Lung Foundation.

    Both new peers sign a register and take an oath to the Queen.

  8. How easily can special needs children access support?published at 14:40 British Summer Time 25 June 2018

    Education questions

    House of Commons
    Parliament

    Anne Marie MorrisImage source, HoC

    Conservative Anne Marie Morris asks what steps are being taken to ensure that children with special educational needs are able to access support services closer to home.

    Education Minister Nadhim Zahawi says that young people should be able to receive local support services near their home, and that this happens "in most cases".

    Ms Morris says that more than 40% of children in Devon with special needs need to travel more than 10 miles to access schooling.

    Mr Zahawi replies that the government has announced £50m of funding for this area, Devon will receive £2.8m of this money, he adds.

  9. Day under way in the Commons and Lordspublished at 14:39 British Summer Time 25 June 2018

    The day in the Commons begins with Education questions. Meanwhile, in the Lords, Sir Eric Pickles is being introduced to take his place as Lord Pickles.

  10. Good afternoonpublished at 12:51 British Summer Time 25 June 2018

    Welcome to our coverage of this week's events in Westminster.

    MPs will be voting later today on the government's plans for Heathrow expansion.

    Remember, you can find more about the week ahead from BBC parliamentary correspondent Mark D'Arcy's blog.