Departmental Responsibilities Mr. Laws To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families what (a) reviews, (b) consultations and (c) taskforces his Department is (i) responsible for and (ii) scheduled to undertake; on what date each (A) started and (B) is expected to be completed; and what the purpose is of each. Kevin Brennan [holding answer 3 December 2007]: To provide a full breakdown of reviews, consultations and taskforces for which the Department is responsible would incur disproportionate cost. The consultations currently being carried out by the Department's central consultation unit are as follows: ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ |Consultation/ review name |Summary/purpose |Start date |End date | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ |Childcare Act 2006— Future Approach to Fees and Subsidies |Seeks views on the proposed structure and level of fees payable to Ofsted by child care providers joining the Early Years Register or compulsory part of the Ofsted Childcare Register from September 2008 as well as proposals for changes to the subsidy arrangements. |21 November 2007|20 February 2008| ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ | | | | | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ |Safeguarding Vulnerable Groups Act 2006: Independent Safeguarding Authority Scheme Consultation |The implementation of the Independent Safeguarding Authority scheme, under the terms of the Safeguarding Vulnerable Groups Act 2006 will introduce the most stringent vetting and barring service yet. The scheme will protect both children and vulnerable adults by preventing those who are known to pose a risk of harm accessing these groups through their work. The consultation seeks views on a wide range of policy issues that will ensure the successful implementation of the Act. This consultation is jointly published by the Department for Children, Schools and Families, Home Office, and the Department of Health.|14 November 2007|20 February 2008| ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ | | | | | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ |Draft Guidance To Local Authorities and Registered Social Landlords On The Use of Parenting Orders and Parenting Contracts|This consultation seeks views on the draft guidance on the use of parenting orders and contracts by Local Authorities and Registered Social Landlords in respect of antisocial behaviour. |16 November 2007|15 February 2008| ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ |Confidence in Standards: Regulating and Developing Qualifications and Assessment |Consultation on proposals to establish an independent regulator of qualifications and tests in England |17 December 2007|10 March 2008 | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ | | | | | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ |Home Access to Technology |This consultation seeks views on the proposed Home Access programme that aims to ensure every family with 5 to 19-year-old learners in England has access to learning where and when they need it through access to ICT resources and support at home. |9 January 2008 |2 April 2008 | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ | | | | | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ |Call for evidence—Youth Sector Support arrangements |To consult those working for the benefit of young people about how to improve the capacity, coherence and quality of support arrangements for youth sector professionals, volunteers and organisations. |11 January 2008 |9 April 2008 | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ | | | | | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ |Independent School Inspectorates |This consultation covers proposed future arrangements and criteria for appointing inspectorates other than Ofsted to inspect independent schools |21 January 2008 |14 April 2008 | 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------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ |Get Cooking campaign |In conjunction with his announcement that from 2011, every 11 to 14-year-old will be given, hands-on lessons in how to cook cheap, healthy dishes from simple, fresh ingredients, Ed Balls asked people to e-mail suggestions for simple, healthy recipes which young people could learn to cook. |22 January 2008 |1 March 2008 | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------