theodi/ndl-core-corpus huggingface dataset:
wrans/answers2025-06-16 conversation_135
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-06-16)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-06-16 conversation_135

Mr Jonathan Brash:To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what proportion of PIP recipients are in employment in Hartlepool. \p Sir Stephen Timms: At the end of March 2024, 14% of PIP recipients in Hartlepool were in employment.

Notes:

- HMRC data is used to determine whether a claimant was in employment. HMRC data covers up to the end of the tax year 2023/24, therefore March 2024 has been provided as the latest data available.

- Self-employment data from the financial year 2023/24 is not available until the end of the 2024/25 financial year, so self-employment data for the financial year 2022/23 has been used as a proxy for 2023/24 instead.

- The data provided includes both normal rules and special rules for end of life claimants.
wrans/answers2025-06-16 conversation_136
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-06-16)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-06-16 conversation_136

Liz Jarvis:To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, with reference to the Green Paper entitled Pathways to Work: Reforming Benefits and Support to Get Britain, published on 5 June 2025, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of her Department's proposed changes to disability benefits on people with multiple sclerosis. \p Sir Stephen Timms: No separate assessment has been made.

Information on the impacts of the Pathways to Work Green Paper has been published here ‘Pathways to Work: Reforming Benefits and Support to Get Britain Working Green Paper’(opens in a new tab).

Impacts of the proposed changes depend on many factors including how the mix of conditions among claimants evolves over time, and behavioural responses. These impacts are uncertain at an overall England and Wales level, and it would not be possible to make an informed assessment at such a granular level as individual primary medical conditions.

Changes to PIP eligibility aren’t coming into effect immediately. Our intention is these changes will start to come into effect from November 2026, subject to parliamentary approval. PIP changes will only apply at the next award review after November 2026. The average award review period is about three years.

We are consulting on how best to support those who are affected by the new eligibility changes, including how to make sure health and eligible care needs are met. PIP is not based on condition diagnosis, but on functional disability as the result of one or more conditions and is awarded as a contribution to the additional costs which result.

We have also announced a wider review of the PIP assessment which I am leading, and we will bring together a range of experts, stakeholders and people with lived experience to consider how best to do this and to start the process as part of preparing for a review. We will provide further details as plans progress.
wrans/answers2025-06-16 conversation_137
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-06-16)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-06-16 conversation_137

Ann Davies:To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many people received the Winter Fuel Payment in Wales in the (a) 2023-24 and (b) 2024-25 financial year; and what estimate she has made of the number of people who will receive it in Wales in the 2025-26 financial year. \p Torsten Bell: For winter 2023 to 2024, around 631,000 pensioners received the Winter Fuel Payment in Wales. This is based on Winter Fuel Payment statistics for winter 2023 to 2024 - GOV.UK.

Data covering winter 2024 to 2025 is not yet available. The next release of Winter Fuel Payment statistics will cover this period and will be published on 16 September 2025.

From this winter, individuals with an income of £35,000 or below, will benefit from a Winter Fuel Payment. Winter Fuel Payments are £200 for a household with someone of State Pension age and £300 for a household with someone aged 80 or over. They will be paid automatically to anyone who has not opted out. Individuals with a taxable income above £35,000 a year will see any Winter Fuel Payment recouped via HMRC.

This means that the majority of pensioners in England and Wales – around 9 million individuals – will now benefit from Winter Fuel Payments.
wrans/answers2025-06-16 conversation_138
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-06-16)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-06-16 conversation_138

Alicia Kearns:To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, pursuant to the Answer of 19 September 2024 to Question 4548 on Winter Fuel Payment: Rutland and Stamford, how many people will be eligible for Winter Fuel Payment in Rutland and Stamford constituency after proposed changes to the eligibility criteria. \p Torsten Bell: From this winter, individuals with an income of £35,000 or below, will benefit from a Winter Fuel Payment. Winter Fuel Payments are £200 for a household with someone of State Pension age and £300 for a household with someone aged 80 or over. They will be paid automatically to anyone who has not opted out. Individuals with a taxable income above £35,000 a year will see any Winter Fuel Payment recouped via HMRC.

This means that the majority of pensioners in England and Wales – around 9 million individuals – will now benefit from Winter Fuel Payments.
wrans/answers2025-06-16 conversation_139
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-06-16)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-06-16 conversation_139

Katie White:To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps she is taking to support neurodiverse people into employment in Leeds North West constituency. \p Alison McGovern: The government has committed to raising awareness of all forms of neurodiversity in the workplace. In January 2025, DWP launched an independent panel of academics with expertise and experiences of neurodiversity to advise us on boosting neurodiversity awareness and inclusion at work. The panel will consider the reasons why neurodivergent people have poor experiences in the workplace, and a low overall employment rate, making their recommendations in the summer.

The Department is dedicated to supporting employment opportunities for neurodiverse individuals in the Leeds North West constituency. Currently, two Disability Employment Advisers are conducting a neurodiverse trial designed to assist customers in progressing towards or securing employment. These advisers are stationed at the jobcentre and operate from an outreach office at Leeds City Hub on Fridays. They are available for both ad hoc drop-ins and scheduled, health-focused appointments that are longer in duration.

This initiative offers comprehensive support, including promoting independence, updating Health Adjustment Passports, and assisting with Access to Work claims. Additionally, the Disability Employment Advisers have delivered sessions at Scope for neurodiverse customers, concentrating on employability, digital skills, and confidence building.

The trial has shown encouraging outcomes, with 50% of participants advancing towards employment. We are also enhancing our partnerships with Autism Aim and Leeds Autism Services to provide both individual and group advocacy support.

To better accommodate neurodivergent individuals, those with high anxiety, and other vulnerable claimants, we facilitate a quiet hour at all our job fairs.
wrans/answers2025-06-16 conversation_140
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-06-16)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-06-16 conversation_140

Jim Shannon:To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of proposed changes to disability payments on people in working poverty. \p Alison McGovern: The government's impact assessment regarding Health and Disability Reform is available at Spring Statement 2025 health and disability benefit reforms - Impacts.

However, this assessment does not include the impact of the £1 billion a year, by 2029/30, funding for measures to support those with disabilities and long-term health conditions into employment, which we expect to mitigate the poverty impact among people it supports into work. As such, an assessment of the potential impact of the proposed changes on people in working poverty cannot be made.

The Pathways to Work Green Paper set out a broad package of plans and proposals to reform health and disability benefits and employment support. Our plans are designed to protect the most vulnerable and give disabled people equal chances and choices to work.

We will continue to carefully consider the impacts of reforms as we develop our detailed proposals for change.
wrans/answers2025-06-16 conversation_141
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-06-16)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-06-16 conversation_141

Preet Kaur Gill:To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what data her Department holds on the number of people living in deprivation, by ethnic group. \p Alison McGovern: Statistics on the number of individuals in material deprivation in the UK by ethnic group are published annually. The latest available data can be found on Stat-Xplore (https://stat-xplore.dwp.gov.uk/) in the Households Below Average Income dataset. The latest statistics were published on 21 March 2025 and are for the financial period 2023/24.

We are committed to tackling poverty and we know that good work can significantly reduce the chances of people falling into poverty so this will be the foundation of our approach. Our Get Britain Working White Paper, backed by £240 million investment, will target and tackle economic inactivity and unemployment and join up employment, health and skills support to meet the needs of local communities.

Alongside this, we are reviewing Universal Credit to make sure it is doing the job we want it to do, to make work pay and tackle poverty. We have begun this work with our new Fair Repayment Rate which will help around 1.2 million of the poorest households benefit by an average of £420 a year.
wrans/answers2025-06-16 conversation_142
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-06-16)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-06-16 conversation_142

Mr Andrew Snowden:To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps her Department is taking to provide financial support to help reduce levels of child poverty in (a) (i) rural and (ii) coastal constituencies and (b) Fylde constituency. \p Alison McGovern: Tackling child poverty is at the heart of this Government’s mission to break down barriers to opportunity. The Child Poverty Taskforce is progressing urgent work to publish the Child Poverty Strategy later this year. The Strategy will look at levers across four key themes of increasing incomes, reducing essential costs, increasing financial resilience; and better local support especially in the early years. This will build on the reform plans underway across Government and work underway in Devolved Governments.

The Taskforce recognises the distinct challenges of poverty faced by children living in rural and coastal areas, and we are considering all children across the UK in the development of the strategy. To shape and inform these plans, the Taskforce is listening to experts and campaigners and engaging with families, charities, and leading organisations across the UK, including rural and coastal communities.

The vital work of the Taskforce comes alongside our commitments to roll out free breakfast clubs in all primary schools, extend Free School Meals to every pupil whose household is in receipt of Universal Credit, create 3,000 additional nurseries, and deliver our plan to make work pay and get Britain working. We have also introduced a Fair Repayment Rate for deductions from Universal Credit and increased the National Living Wage to £12.21 an hour to boost the pay of three million workers.
wrans/answers2025-06-16 conversation_143
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-06-16)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-06-16 conversation_143

Andrew Rosindell:To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps she is taking to help reduce youth unemployment. \p Alison McGovern: As part of our plan to Get Britain Working, we are launching a new Youth Guarantee for all young people aged 18-21 in England to ensure that they can access quality training opportunities, an apprenticeship or help to find work. The Department for Work and Pensions and the Department for Education are working closely with the eight Mayoral Strategic Authorities in England, which began mobilising the Youth Guarantee Trailblazers in April 2025. The eight areas delivering Trailblazers are: the West of England, Tees Valley, East Midlands, Cambridgeshire and Peterborough, Liverpool City Region, West Midlands and two areas within the Greater London Authority. The trailblazers will run for 12 months, and we will use the learning to inform the future design and development of the Youth Guarantee as it rolls-out across the rest of England.

This is part of a broader package of reforms, including introduction of a new jobs and careers service to help get more people into work, the development of work, health and skills plans for the economically inactive, and the launch of Skills England to open up new opportunities for young people. We will work in partnership with organisations and businesses at the national and local level to offer exciting and engaging opportunities to young people. This could include work experience, training courses or employability programmes.

In addition, DWP continues to provide young people aged 16-24 with labour market support through an extensive range of interventions at a national and local level. This includes flexible provision driven by local need, nationwide employment programmes and support delivered by work coaches based in our Jobcentres and in local communities working alongside partners.
wrans/answers2025-06-16 conversation_144
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-06-16)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-06-16 conversation_144

Helen Whately:To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many people had their claim rejected for (a) Universal Credit, (b) the State Pension and (c) other public funds due to having a no recourse to public funds condition in each year since 2020. \p Sir Stephen Timms: Persons subject to immigration control have no recourse to public funds and so cannot access taxpayer-funded benefits such as Universal Credit. Nationals of countries other than the UK and Ireland may have no recourse to public funds because either their immigration status prohibits this or they do not have an immigration status.

The table below gives the number of individuals who have been assessed as ineligible for public funds benefit due to being a ‘Person Subject to Immigration Control’, i.e. having No Recourse to Public Funds from April 2022 onwards (data is not held prior to this period). An individual can be a ‘Person Subject to Immigration control’ due to the conditions of their immigration status or because they have no immigration status.

Date Decision Entered on Admin System

Number of UC HRT ‘Person Subject to Immigration Control’ (i.e. No Recourse to Public Funds) Decisions

April 2022 to March 2023

26,000

April 2023 to March 2024

35,000

April 2024 to March 2025

38,000

Source: DWP internal analysis of UC Dataworks tables, Rounded to the nearest 1,000 decisions.

Equivalent information for non-Universal Credit benefits is not readily available and to provide it would incur disproportionate cost.

The new State Pension is based on National Insurance contributions and payments are not classified as public funds for immigration purposes. Entitlement for any payments of the new State Pension is usually dependent on the individual having a minimum of ten qualifying years of National Insurance when they reach State Pension age.
wrans/answers2025-06-16 conversation_145
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-06-16)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-06-16 conversation_145

Liz Jarvis:To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if she will exempt people with cystic fibrosis from proposed changes to disability benefits. \p Sir Stephen Timms: The Pathways to Work Green Paper set out a broad package of reforms to health and disability benefits and employment support.

We have committed to putting on the face of the Bill strong protections for the most vulnerable. We will protect the income of all people subject to the Special Rules for End of Life (those with less than 12 months to live) and people who meet the severe conditions criteria (SCC) by providing them with the higher rate of LCWRA (Limited capability for work and work-related activity) in line with existing customers. Additionally, people with severe conditions - a health condition or disability which is lifelong, often progressive and incurable - and who are at the end of life will not be reassessed.

We are basing our protections on these criteria, rather than on specific conditions, because the functional impact and severity of a condition can significantly vary across individuals. The support a person might need and their ability to work can vary for different people with the same condition.

Our reforms will ensure the most vulnerable and severely disabled people are protected, while supporting those who can work to do so. As such, those who have a higher level of functional need in at least one activity - who are unable to complete activities at all, or who require more help from others to complete them – will still receive PIP.
wrans/answers2025-06-16 conversation_146
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-06-16)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-06-16 conversation_146

Dr Luke Evans:To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what discussions she has had with (a) the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology and (b) local authorities on ensuring that people who do not have digital connectivity can access (i) the Jobs and Careers Services online portals and (ii) alternative provision. \p Alison McGovern: As set out in the Get Britain Working White Paper, we are reforming Jobcentre Plus and creating a new service across Great Britain which will include a modern, joined up and enhanced digital offer where people can access support through the channels that best meet their needs. This reconfigured service will be accessible to everyone; it will use data intelligently to join up government and personalise support.

The Secretary of State for Work and Pensions and officials have been in regular engagement with the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology and with local areas as we develop our plans for a new Jobs and Careers Service. This builds on the vision as laid out in ‘A blueprint for modern digital government’ published in January. The new service will be digital where possible, and human when needed. A large number of those seeking employment support or careers advice will be best served digitally, however we recognise this will not be appropriate for everyone and other channels of support will be available.

The department also continues to work closely with the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology and other government departments to deliver on the Digital Inclusion Action Plan. Its first steps were published on 29 February 2025 and outline the government’s initial actions and long-term goals to tackle digital exclusion in the UK.

As we set out in the Get Britain Working White Paper, we are exploring the use of digital employment support for customers and testing how to enhance collaboration between Jobcentre Plus and the National Careers Service. This will be key to understanding how we can better integrate employment support and careers advice in England.

As part of our plans to develop the new Jobs and Careers Service, Ministers and officials are working in collaboration with West Yorkshire Combined Authority and Wakefield Local Authority to design and deliver tests within our first Pathfinder that will inform the design of the new service.
wrans/answers2025-06-16 conversation_147
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-06-16)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-06-16 conversation_147

Jim Shannon:To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment her Department has made of the number of people on long term sick leave due to stress over the last 12 months. \p Alison McGovern: Data is not available for sickness absence specifically due to stress.

The estimated number of people aged 16 to 64 in the UK who had a long-term (4 weeks or more) sickness absence from work due to stress, depression, anxiety and common mental health problems, between January and December 2024 (the latest data available) was 325,000. This represents around 22% of people who had a long-term sickness absence.

Source: Annual Population Survey (APS) - unpublished
wrans/answers2025-06-16 conversation_148
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-06-16)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-06-16 conversation_148

Mr Will Forster:To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps her Department is taking to support people living with multiple sclerosis in Woking constituency; and what assessment she has made of the potential impact of reforms to (a) disability benefits and (b) Personal Independence Payments on people with multiple sclerosis. \p Sir Stephen Timms: Information on the impacts of the Pathways to Work Green Paper has been published here ‘Pathways to Work: Reforming Benefits and Support to Get Britain Working Green Paper’.

Estimates of the impact of the Personal Independence Payment (PIP) reforms are made for England and Wales only and not at region or any lower-level geographic area. The department does not forecast benefit receipt at a regional level or below, nor have estimates of the behavioural impacts of the policy been produced at these levels.

I attended on 10 June a roundtable discussion with the MS Society on “Supporting people with MS to thrive in and out of work.” We are committed to working with people with MS on the design of our programme of employment support, which will receive an additional £1 billion per year of funding by the end of this Parliament

The number of people currently on PIP who did not score 4 points in one category in their last assessment should not be equated with the number who are likely to lose PIP in future. It’s important to make a clear distinction between the two, not least because we don’t want constituents to be unnecessarily fearful about their situation, when we understand many are already anxious. Someone who did not score 4 points in an activity in a previous assessment may well score 4 points in a future assessment as conditions change over time.

There will be no immediate changes to PIP eligibility. Our intention is that changes will start to come into effect from November 2026, subject to parliamentary approval. After that date, no one will lose PIP without first being reassessed by a trained assessor or healthcare professional, who assesses individual needs and circumstance. Reassessments happen on average every 3 years. The OBR predicts that 9 in 10 of those on PIP daily living at the point any changes come in will still be receiving PIP by the end of the decade.

We are consulting on how best to support those who are affected by the new eligibility changes, including ensuring health and care needs are met.

We have also announced a wider review of the PIP assessment to make it fair and fit for purpose, which I will lead. We are bringing together a range of experts, stakeholders and people with lived experience to consider how best to do this. We will provide further details as plans progress.

Even with these reforms, the overall number of people on PIP and DLA is expected to rise by 750,000 by the end of this parliament and spending will rise from £23bn in 24/25 to £31bn in 29/30.
wrans/answers2025-06-16 conversation_149
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-06-16)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-06-16 conversation_149

Charlie Dewhirst:What estimate she has made of the potential impact of increases in employers’ National Insurance contributions on early years settings. \p Stephen Morgan: It is our ambition that all families have access to high quality, affordable and flexible early education and care, giving every child the best start in life. This is key to the government’s Plan for Change, which starts with reaching the milestone of a record number of children being ready for school. In 2025/26 alone, this government plans to spend over £8 billion on early years entitlements and we have increased the early years pupil premium by over 45%. On top of this we are providing further supplementary funding of £75 million for the Early Years Expansion Grant to help providers meet their local demand.

At the Spending Review 2025, the government announced that by 2028/29, it will provide an additional £1.6 billion per year, compared to 2025/26, to continue the expansion of government-funded childcare for working parents, boosting children’s life chances and work choices for parents.

This increase in funding reflects the expansion of childcare for eligible working parents to 30 hours and expected increases to funding rates across the spending review period.

The hourly funding rate for entitlement hours is intended to cover the core costs of providing 15 or 30 hours of childcare to parents. In setting funding rates, we take account of cost pressures facing the sector, including forecasts of average earnings and inflation, and the National Living Wage. HM Treasury have announced an increase to the rate of Employer National Insurance contributions by 1.2 percentage points, to 15%, and a reduction in the Secondary Threshold from £9,100 to £5,000 per year. They are also increasing the Employment Allowance to £10,500 and expanding this to all eligible employers.

Employment Allowance is being increased to protect businesses by providing relief of up to £10,500 per annum on their employer Class 1 National Insurance contribution liabilities from 6 April 2025.

Early Years childcare providers are entitled to claim the Employment Allowance if they are private businesses or charities and we expect the vast majority will be eligible to do so.

Receiving over 50% of your income from government-funded childcare places won’t stop you from being eligible to claim, but you should check your individual circumstances against the HMRC guidance.
wrans/answers2025-06-16 conversation_150
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-06-16)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-06-16 conversation_150

Luke Taylor:To ask the Secretary of State for Education, when she expects construction of Angel Hill Free School in Rosehill to begin. \p Stephen Morgan: Works at Angel Hill Free School are expected to commence in September 2025 subject to the contract being awarded in August.

Departmental officials working on the programme would be happy to meet to discuss the project in detail alongside the Trust.
wrans/answers2025-06-16 conversation_151
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-06-16)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-06-16 conversation_151

Wendy Chamberlain:To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment she has made of the potential implications for her policies of the under reporting of young carer numbers in the school census 2025. \p Janet Daby: The impact of caring on education has been hidden for too long. The school census data is already shining a light on this issue despite the underreporting. It has given the department hard evidence on young carer’s attendance, suspensions and exclusions, and we are aiming to publish data on their educational progress and attainment at both key stage 2 and key stage 4 this autumn.

The department expects this data to continue to improve over time as the collection becomes better established, but we are looking at the ways the data is entered to see if there are technical changes that can be made to support more accurate reporting without overly burdening schools.
wrans/answers2025-06-16 conversation_152
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-06-16)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-06-16 conversation_152

Callum Anderson:To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment her Department has made of the adequacy of the provision of financial education in schools in Buckingham and Bletchley constituency. \p Catherine McKinnell: Financial education forms a compulsory part of the national curriculum for mathematics at key stages 1 to 4, and citizenship at key stages 3 and 4. Together these cover personal budgeting, saving for the future, managing credit and debt, and calculating interest.

The independent Curriculum and Assessment Review is considering whether there is sufficient coverage of key knowledge and skills, including financial education, to prepare children and young people for future life and to thrive in a fast-changing world.

The interim report highlighted that the Review has heard consistently from children and young people and their parents that they want more focus on the applied knowledge and skills that will equip them for later life and work, such as financial education.

The Review’s final report and recommendations will be published in autumn with the government’s response.
wrans/answers2025-06-16 conversation_153
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-06-16)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-06-16 conversation_153

Ms Diane Abbott:To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps her Department is taking to help ensure equality of opportunity for black school students. \p Catherine McKinnell: All children and young people should have every opportunity to succeed, no matter who they are or where they are from. Our work to deliver the Opportunity Mission aims to improve opportunities for all children and young people across the country. High and rising standards in every school are at the heart of this mission and the key to strengthening outcomes and building a better future for all children no matter their background.

That means an excellent teacher for every child, a high quality curriculum, strong accountability with faster school improvement and an inclusive system which removes the barriers to learning.

We are tackling inequalities in the system head-on through our plan for change by rolling out free breakfast clubs in every state-funded primary school, improving mental health support and delivering a rich, broad, inclusive and innovative curriculum that readies young people for life and work, and reflects the diversities of our society.
wrans/answers2025-06-16 conversation_154
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-06-16)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-06-16 conversation_154

Charlotte Nichols:To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what recent progress her Department has made on the implementation of a GCSE in British Sign Language. \p Catherine McKinnell: The new British Sign Language (BSL) GCSE is a key feature of our commitment to enhancing the status of BSL in education and society.

The department published subject content for the BSL GCSE in December 2023.

As is the usual process for introducing a qualification, the independent qualifications regulator, Ofqual, is currently running a public consultation on its proposed assessment arrangements and expects to confirm its decision on the qualification rules in autumn 2025. At this point, any exam board that chooses to offer the GCSE will be able to start developing specifications.
wrans/answers2025-06-16 conversation_155
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-06-16)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-06-16 conversation_155

Dr Simon Opher:To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps her Department is taking to help ensure the provision of (a) clear and (b) consistent statutory guidance on educational guardianship. \p Stephen Morgan: All independent and state boarding schools must have regard to the ‘Keeping children safe in education’ guidance and must meet the national minimum standards for boarding schools. Section 22 of those standards sets out the requirements of schools in relation to educational guardians appointed by a school.

Parents of international child students who make private educational guardianship arrangements for their children should ensure that they apply due diligence to any arrangements.
wrans/answers2025-06-16 conversation_156
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-06-16)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-06-16 conversation_156

Dr Simon Opher:To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether she has considered including water-only policies in updated school food standards. \p Stephen Morgan: The department is engaging with stakeholders on revising the school food standards, to ensure they support our work to create the healthiest generation of children in history. Schedule 1 of the school food standards outlines the permitted drinks. These include a variety of drinks such as plain water, milk and plain soya, rice or oat drinks. Beyond the school food standards, headteachers, governors and their caterers are best placed to make decisions about their school food policies, including drinks policies. As with all aspects of the school food standards review, we will consider our approaches to drinks.
wrans/answers2025-06-16 conversation_157
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-06-16)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-06-16 conversation_157

Jo Platt:To ask the Secretary of State for Education, if she will make an assessment of the potential merits of introducing a new Pupil Premium subcategory for persistently disadvantaged pupils. \p Catherine McKinnell: The department recognises that there are disparities in outcomes for children attracting pupil premium and we are committed to doing more to improve the life chances of our most disadvantaged children, breaking the link between background and future success.

The department is reviewing how we allocate pupil premium and related funding to schools and local authorities to ensure it is targeted to those who need it most, and we will provide more information in due course.
wrans/answers2025-06-16 conversation_158
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-06-16)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-06-16 conversation_158

Chris Philp:To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, if she will provide a breakdown of the number of foreign national offenders supervised by the Probation Service by nationality. \p Sir Nicholas Dakin: The latest published data on the nationality of offenders supervised by the Probation Service as at 31st December 2024 can be found at Table 6_9_Caseload_Nationality in the attached link: probation-Oct-to-Dec-2024.ods.

Foreign nationals who commit crime should be in no doubt that the law will be enforced. Where appropriate, the Ministry of Justice will work with the Home Office to pursue their deportation. Since 5 July 2024, more FNOs have been returned than in the same period 12 months prior.
wrans/answers2025-06-16 conversation_159
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-06-16)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-06-16 conversation_159

Sir John Hayes:To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many and what proportion of people who are eligible for automatic release from prison after serving 50 per cent of their sentence were convicted of (a) actual bodily harm and (b) grievous bodily harm. \p Sir Nicholas Dakin: Many offenders who commit these types of offences are subject to two-thirds release provisions, and others are subject to 50% depending on their specific circumstances and sentencing outcomes. Establishing who is released at exactly 50% would require examination of individual records and therefore comes at disproportionate cost.
wrans/answers2025-06-16 conversation_160
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-06-16)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-06-16 conversation_160

Gregory Stafford:To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what assessment she has made of the potential merits of converting decommissioned prison facilities to (a) schools, (b) hospitals, (c) housing and (d) other public uses. \p Sir Nicholas Dakin: We are committed to exploring all options for prison build and the expansion and maintenance of the prison estate. Where facilities are not currently suitable or in use as part of the prison estate, we aim to work collaboratively with other Departments to establish a viable next step for the sites.

At this time, we have two decommissioned prison sites, HMP Camp Hill and HMP Blantyre House. A decision has not yet been made on the future of these sites.
wrans/answers2025-06-16 conversation_161
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-06-16)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-06-16 conversation_161

Mr Richard Holden:To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, whether she plans to bring forward (a) legislative and (b) policy proposals to help support the children of prisoners. \p Sir Nicholas Dakin: This Government recognises that having a parent in prison is considered an adverse childhood experience and can have a significant impact on a child’s life chances. We have therefore committed to ensuring that children impacted by parental imprisonment are identified and offered the support they need to address this.

We are working closely with the Department for Education to drive action on this important agenda. Ministers from both the Ministry of Justice and the Department for Education recently hosted a roundtable bringing together sector experts. Officials from both Departments have attended focus groups to hear directly from those with lived experience of parental imprisonment, so that their voices can shape and inform the policy proposals we will bring forward.
wrans/answers2025-06-16 conversation_162
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-06-16)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-06-16 conversation_162

Liz Saville Roberts:To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, with reference to her Department's consultation on reforming Local Justice Areas, what assessment has she made of the adequacy of her Department's adherence to the statutory duty to provide a Welsh language impact assessment. \p Sarah Sackman: The Ministry of Justice produced a Welsh language impact assessment during consultation (published on 16 April 2025, shortly after the consultation’s launch), and has committed to publishing a further assessment alongside the finalised proposals, once these are determined.

The existing assessment is available at section 10 of the Equalities Statement: LJA Consultation Equalities Statement.
wrans/answers2025-06-16 conversation_163
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-06-16)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-06-16 conversation_163

Kevin Hollinrake:To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, pursuant to the Answer of 21 May 2025 to Question 52265 on Repossession Orders: Private Rented Housing, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of the Renters’ Rights Bill on court waiting times for private rented sector repossession claims. \p Sarah Sackman: As with any piece of legislation, the Government works across Departments to assess the impact. We continue to work closely with the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government to assess and agree the impact of the Renters’ Rights Bill on the justice system. We regularly publish statistics on Court and tribunal waiting times and this will continue as this Bill is implemented.
wrans/answers2025-06-16 conversation_164
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-06-16)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-06-16 conversation_164

Jim Shannon:To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what steps she is taking to support young people after being released from prison to prevent reoffending. \p Sir Nicholas Dakin: Children returning to the community after serving time in custody receive personal and structural support from youth custody establishments and Youth Offending Teams to help them reintegrate, including assistance with housing and education, training, or employment.

Where appropriate, Release on Temporary Licence (ROTL) is used to support this transition. A new ROTL policy is being piloted at five sites, allowing eligible children to be considered and risk assessed for ROTL after five months or halfway through their sentence—whichever comes first—enabling earlier access to ROTL opportunities such as visits to potential community accommodation, education, or job placements.
wrans/answers2025-06-16 conversation_165
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-06-16)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-06-16 conversation_165

Gregory Stafford:To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what estimate her Department has made of the comparative annual cost per head of (a) incarceration and (b) military service for non-violent offenders. \p Sir Nicholas Dakin: We have no current plans to introduce military service as an alternative to custody. Therefore, no comparative cost analysis has been undertaken.

Research indicates that sentences with a military focus do not reduce re-offending. The evidence shows that it is the intervention to address offending behaviour which makes a difference, not the military regime and physical toughness.
wrans/answers2025-06-16 conversation_166
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-06-16)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-06-16 conversation_166

Rachael Maskell:To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what assessment has she made of the adequacy of funding for organisations in the voluntary community sector working in the area of sexual violence. \p Alex Davies-Jones: The Ministry of Justice provides funding for victim and witness support services, including community-based domestic abuse and sexual violence services, in addition to core funding for Police and Crime Commissioners to allocate at their discretion, based on their assessment of local need.

To ensure these services can continue to be delivered, I have protected dedicated Violence Against Women and Girls victims spending in the Department by maintaining 2024-25 funding levels for ringfenced sexual violence and domestic abuse support this year. This includes the Rape and Sexual Abuse Support Fund grant for specialist sexual violence support services.

Now that the Department has its Spending Review settlement, there will be a process within the Department to allocate this budget to individual areas, including victims funding. This will require difficult and carefully considered decisions to balance priorities within the Ministry of Justice.
wrans/answers2025-06-16 conversation_167
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-06-16)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-06-16 conversation_167

Rupert Lowe:To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, whether her Department plans to review the adequacy of legal protections available to homeowners who use force in self-defence against intruders. \p Alex Davies-Jones: The Ministry of Justice currently has no plans to review or reform the law regarding householders and the use of force against intruders in self-defence.
wrans/answers2025-06-16 conversation_168
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-06-16)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-06-16 conversation_168

David Simmonds:To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, whether she has made an assessment of the impact of The Marriages and Civil Partnerships (Approved Premises) (Amendment) Regulations 2022 on faith groups. \p Alex Davies-Jones: The Marriages and Civil Partnerships (Approved Premises) (Amendment) Regulations 2022, introduced by the previous Government, made permanent the temporary provisions allowing civil marriage and civil partnership ceremonies to take place outdoors in the grounds of approved premises in England and Wales. These changes did not extend to permitting outdoor religious marriages in the grounds of places of worship, for those religious groups who are currently unable to conduct legal weddings outdoors. The previous Government ran a consultation which considered a range of views and potential impacts.

The Law Commission’s 2022 report on weddings law highlighted a number of issues within the current legal framework, including inconsistencies affecting faith groups. Given the points raised by the Law Commission, it is right that we take the time to consider these issues. We will set out our position on weddings reform in the coming months.
wrans/answers2025-06-16 conversation_169
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-06-16)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-06-16 conversation_169

Yasmin Qureshi:To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, if she will make an assessment of the potential merits of bringing forward legislative proposals to make purposely delaying calling emergency services during a medical emergency a crime. \p Alex Davies-Jones: The Government has no current plans to bring forward legislative proposals to make it a crime to delay calling emergency services during a medical emergency.

Although no general duty applies to members of the public to act in such circumstances in England and Wales, a duty of care may apply where it can be established under statute, contract or where a relationship of proximity exists between the parties, for example such as a child or vulnerable older person.

Where a duty of care is found to exist, and there has been a serious breach of that duty, particularly where a lack of care led to the death of the victim, a person may be liable to criminal prosecution under the law of gross negligence manslaughter.
wrans/answers2025-06-16 conversation_170
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-06-16)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-06-16 conversation_170

Jayne Kirkham:To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, whether she has reviewed the effectiveness of legislation relating to joint enterprise. \p Alex Davies-Jones: Joint enterprise is a complex area of law which is not set out in statute but evolves through case law. It is an important principle ensuring that those who act with others to commit crimes are held to account.

The Government is aware of concerns about the use of joint enterprise, and understands its importance, particularly in terms of the consequences that can result from convictions. The Crown Prosecution Service is collecting data on joint enterprise homicide/attempted homicide cases and will publish a report later this year. In addition, the Law Commission review of criminal appeals is considering the “out of time” appeals process which is an issue of relevance to historic joint enterprise cases decided before the 2016 case of Jogee.
wrans/answers2025-06-16 conversation_171
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-06-16)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-06-16 conversation_171

Gregory Stafford:To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many unoccupied places there were in prison wings for transgender prisoners only on 5 June 2025. \p Sir Nicholas Dakin: The separate unit for transgender prisoners, E Wing at HMP Downview, has 16 cells. There are currently seven prisoners being held in the unit.
wrans/answers2025-06-16 conversation_172
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-06-16)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-06-16 conversation_172

Dr Caroline Johnson:To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, pursuant to the Answer of 21 May 2025 to Question 51904 on Prisoners: Gender Recognition, how many of the prisoners with a Gender Recognition Certificate are housed in the correct prison facility for their biological sex. \p Sir Nicholas Dakin: The latest published data (a snapshot from 31 March 2024) shows that there were 10 prisoners known to have a Gender Recognition Certificate (GRC). The full data report can be viewed here: HMPPS Offender Equalities Report 2023/24 - GOV.UK.

Because the number of prisoners who hold a GRC is so low, we are unable to provide further information beyond the total figure (including other personal characteristics and location) as this risks disclosing which individuals hold a GRC, which is an offence under Section 22 of the Gender Recognition Act 2004.