theodi/ndl-core-corpus huggingface dataset:
wrans/answers2025-01-21 conversation_95
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-01-21)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-01-21 conversation_95

Cat Eccles:To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether he is taking steps with Cabinet colleagues to ensure that the children of families of boaters without a permanent mooring have daily access to education without falling under enforcement of the Canal and River Trust and other navigation authorities. \p Emma Hardy: Navigation authorities are responsible for operational matters on their waterways, and boaters using navigable waterways are required to comply with the terms of their licences for the benefit of all waterway users. The country’s largest navigation authority owning the majority of the canal network, the Canal and River Trust, has provided assurances that appropriate enforcement action on its waterways is only used as a last resort in response to persistent non-compliance, to ensure fairness to all boaters. Those with children who choose to live on a boat without a permanent mooring are responsible for ensuring they have access to education; the Trust provides reasonable adjustments for anyone who qualifies under the Equalities & Human Rights Act.
wrans/answers2025-01-21 conversation_96
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-01-21)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-01-21 conversation_96

Julia Buckley:To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how much funding he has allocated to flood resilience projects this financial year; and how much of that funding is dedicated to flood risk mitigation for communities in high-risk flood zones. \p Emma Hardy: Investment in flood risk management schemes takes place where the risk is highest, wherever it is across the country. Each scheme is carefully considered to where it will benefit the most people and property.

To ensure we protect the country from the devastating impacts of flooding, we will invest £2.4 billion in 2024/25 and 2025/26 to improve flood resilience, by building, maintaining, and repairing flood defences.
wrans/answers2025-01-21 conversation_97
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-01-21)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-01-21 conversation_97

Ben Maguire:To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what discussions he has had with Cabinet colleagues on the needs of sea users, in the context of food security. \p Daniel Zeichner: The Secretary of State has regular discussions with Cabinet colleagues on a range of issues, and Cabinet discussions are considered confidential.

Food security is national security, and working closely with our fishing and seafood sectors to ensure they are vibrant, profitable and sustainable is key to achieving that.

Nonetheless, the Government needs to assess how we can best deliver our future targets and ambitions on food security, net zero, shipping, energy security, fishing and the environment, among others.

Through the Marine Spatial Prioritisation Programme, Defra is engaging across Government and with marine users to improve our understanding of future demands and identify opportunities for greater co-location.
wrans/answers2025-01-21 conversation_98
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-01-21)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-01-21 conversation_98

Mr Toby Perkins:To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps her Department is taking to support UK businesses to comply with (a) domestic and (b) EU regimes for the prevention of deforestation in supply chains. \p Mary Creagh: Businesses are supported to comply with UK timber regulations through the Office for Product Safety and Standards. There is currently no domestic regime in place in relation to other commodities. Guidance in respect of complying with EU legislation is a matter for the European Commission.
wrans/answers2025-01-21 conversation_99
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-01-21)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-01-21 conversation_99

Mr Toby Perkins:To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what progress his Department has made on bringing forward the Forest Risk Commodities regulations to enact the Environment Act 2021 provisions on deforestation in supply chains. \p Mary Creagh: We recognise the urgency of taking action to ensure that UK consumption of forest risk commodities is not driving deforestation. We will set out our approach to addressing deforestation in the UK’s supply chains in due course.
wrans/answers2025-01-21 conversation_100
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-01-21)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-01-21 conversation_100

Barry Gardiner:To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what was the total funding allocated to projects by Darwin Plus in each financial year since 2019-20. \p Mary Creagh: Total funding allocated to Darwin Plus projects in each financial year since 2019-20 is provided in the table below.

Year

Total funding taken up by Darwin Plus projects

2019-2020

£3.81m

2020-2021

£4.55m

2021-2022

£6.65m

2022-2023

£8.50m

2023-2024

£10.12m

2024-2025

£8.96m
wrans/answers2025-01-21 conversation_101
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-01-21)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-01-21 conversation_101

Steve Darling:To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what guidance his Department issues to local authorities on providing adequate facilities for stoma bag patients. \p Mary Creagh: The Government oversees policy and legislation with respect to the safe management of waste and litter as well as the protection of drains and sewers. This, however, does not extend to providing guidance to local authorities on providing adequate facilities for stoma bag patients; these decisions are for local authorities to make.
wrans/answers2025-01-21 conversation_102
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-01-21)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-01-21 conversation_102

Helen Morgan:To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what payments have been made under the Frequently Flooded Allowance; and (a) where and (b) when each payment was made. \p Emma Hardy: The list of projects to receive funding from the first round of the Frequently Flooded Allowance was announced under the previous Government in 2023 and can be found at Frequently Flooded Allowance: Funding for repeatedly flooded communities - GOV.UK. The Environment Agency is best placed to provide detailed information about each project.
wrans/answers2025-01-21 conversation_103
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-01-21)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-01-21 conversation_103

Helen Morgan:To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps he is taking to ensure that all eligible communities receive funding under the Frequently Flooded Allowance. \p Emma Hardy: Protecting all communities around the country from flooding is one of the Secretary of State’s five core priorities. We will invest £2.4 billion in 2024/25 and 2025/26 to improve flood resilience, by building, maintaining, and repairing flood defences.

The list of projects to receive Government funding in 2025/26 will be agreed by the Environment Agency over the coming months in the usual way through Regional Flood and Coastal Committees, with local representation.
wrans/answers2025-01-21 conversation_104
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-01-21)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-01-21 conversation_104

Jim Shannon:To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment he has made of the potential implications for his policies of the outbreak of TB in Northern Irish farms. \p Daniel Zeichner: Policy on bovine tuberculosis (TB) is devolved to Governments in England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. The Northern Ireland Administration is able to adopt specific animal health policies in certain cases which are different from the other UK Administrations, in order to achieve the aim of bovine TB eradication in Northern Ireland.

Defra liaises closely with all three devolved administrations, including Northern Ireland, on matters of common interest. It is important that all four administrations can learn from our collective experiences, and we have effective arrangements in place to make sure that happens.
wrans/answers2025-01-21 conversation_105
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-01-21)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-01-21 conversation_105

Joe Robertson:To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment he has made of the potential merits of the introduction of meat-free Mondays in public sector canteens. \p Daniel Zeichner: Defra welcomes innovations that increase customer choice around food served in public sector settings. Defra is responsible for the Government Buying Standards for Food and Catering Services (GBSF) which apply to Government Departments and Agencies, Hospitals the military and prisons. These include rules for varying the types of food included on menus to ensure the nutritional needs of customers are met. However, we do not believe it is helpful to impose blanket menu restrictions on caterers: local canteen managers are better placed to decide what to serve, and when, based on local demand.
wrans/answers2025-01-21 conversation_106
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-01-21)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-01-21 conversation_106

Andrew Rosindell:To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what (a) financial and (b) other support his Department is providing to Rainham Marshes. \p Mary Creagh: Rainham Marshes is designated as part of the Inner Thames Marshes Site of Scientific Interest (SSSI) of particular importance for breeding birds, wintering waders and wildfowl. The site also supports several priority habitats.

There is currently a five-year Countryside Stewardship Higher Tier agreement in place with the RSPB on Rainham Marshes. The agreement works towards maintaining favourable condition of the SSSI. Its objective is to maintain and enhance the wet grassland habitat for breeding and non-breeding birds and undertake management for other priority species.

Natural England provides advice to RSPB as managers of the SSSI.
wrans/answers2025-01-21 conversation_107
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-01-21)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-01-21 conversation_107

Dan Norris:To ask the Secretary of State for Education, when she plans to next update guidance on removing pupils from the classroom. \p Stephen Morgan: In July 2022, the department published the updated ‘behaviour in schools’ guidance, which is the primary source of advice for schools on developing and implementing a behaviour policy, providing clarity and support to schools on removing pupils from the classroom.

Updates to the guidance were informed by a call for evidence in June 2021 and public consultation in March 2022.
wrans/answers2025-01-21 conversation_108
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-01-21)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-01-21 conversation_108

Mike Martin:To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of section 23 of the Children's Wellbeing and Schools Bill on schools' ability to participate in team sports. \p Catherine McKinnell: School uniforms play a valuable role in creating a sense of common identity among pupils and reducing visible inequalities, however, too many schools require high numbers of branded uniform items which creates a significant cost burden for families. This is why the department has introduced legislation to limit the number of branded items of uniform and physical education (PE) kit that schools can require, to bring down costs for parents and remove barriers from children accessing sport and other school activities. This will give parents more choice in where to purchase uniform and allow them greater flexibility to make the spending decisions that suit their circumstances.

​The department expects schools to ensure that all pupils can participate in all aspects of school life, including PE and sport. No pupil should be discouraged from participating in any aspect of school life, such as team sports or interschool competitions, because of the cost of additional uniform requirements. This limit allows school leaders to prioritise branding the uniform and PE kit items which best reflect the needs of their school, whilst reducing costs for parents.

​Our statutory guidance on the ‘Cost of School Uniform’ already requires schools to avoid being overly specific in their kit requirements for different sports and keep the number of items, particularly the number of branded items, to a minimum. Research also tells us that the more choice that girls in particular have over what to wear for PE, the more comfortable they are and the greater the likelihood of their long term participation in sport. The research is available at the following link: https://committees.parliament.uk/publications/43602/documents/216689/default/.

Schools will still be free to loan out specific competition kit where appropriate, however, the cost of PE and sports kit should never be a barrier to participation in PE and sport, and that is why this measure is needed.
wrans/answers2025-01-21 conversation_109
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-01-21)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-01-21 conversation_109

Sarah Olney:To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether she has had discussions with Cabinet colleagues on steps to increase democratic education. \p Catherine McKinnell: For secondary schools, democracy is currently taught through the national curriculum for citizenship at key stages 3 and 4, which covers parliamentary democracy, the key elements of the constitution of the United Kingdom, the power of government and how citizens and Parliament hold it to account. Primary schools can choose to teach citizenship, using non-statutory programmes of study at key stages 1 and 2.

Support for curriculum delivery is available through optional, free and adaptable resources from Oak National Academy (Oak). Oak launched its new curriculum sequences for secondary citizenship earlier this academic year, with the full package of curriculum resources expected to be available by autumn 2025. Oak resources are available here: https://www.thenational.academy/.

The UK Parliament runs educational tours for pupils, youth and community groups to see how Parliament works in action and produces free resources.

The Department for Culture, Media and Sport funds the UK Youth Parliament (UKYP) to support young people to engage in the democratic process. Every two years, the UKYP runs ‘Make Your Mark,’ a youth vote open to all 11 to 18 year-olds in the UK, for them to be able to vote on what are the most important issues for young people.

The government has established an independent Curriculum and Assessment Review, conducted by a group of education leaders and chaired by Professor Becky Francis CBE. The terms of reference were published last July and can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/government/groups/curriculum-and-assessment-review.

The review group will publish an interim report in early spring setting out its interim findings and confirm key areas for further work. Its final report, with recommendations, will be published this autumn. The department will take decisions on what changes to make in light of these recommendations.
wrans/answers2025-01-21 conversation_110
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-01-21)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-01-21 conversation_110

Ben Obese-Jecty:To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of the safety valve on SEND provision in Huntingdon. \p Catherine McKinnell: Safety Valve agreements were only entered into if the local authority and the department’s expert advisers agreed that the proposals would improve services for children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND), whilst enabling local authorities to meet their statutory obligations. Safety Valve agreements do not in any way release local authorities from their obligation to fulfil their statutory duties to children and young people with SEND. The department regularly reviews the implementation of all Safety Valve agreements through its monitoring process and provides support and intervention if they go off track.

The department is also conducting a research project into the impact of Safety Valve agreements in local areas. This will help us further understand the experience of children, parents, carers and schools.

The department has confirmed that we will not enter into any more Safety Valve agreements for councils that have financial deficits, pending wider reform of the whole system to prioritise early intervention and outcomes for children, properly supporting councils to bring their finances under control. We will continue to work with local authorities that have Safety Valve agreements with the department to deliver their plans.
wrans/answers2025-01-21 conversation_111
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-01-21)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-01-21 conversation_111

Richard Burgon:To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps her Department is taking to ensure that schools are equipped to meet the needs of pupils with special educational needs and disabilities; and what additional (a) support, (b) resources and (c) training she is providing to improve (i) accessibility, (ii) inclusion and (iii) personalised learning in mainstream education. \p Catherine McKinnell: This government’s ambition is that all children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) or in alternative provision receive the right support to succeed in their education and as they move into adult life. ​

The department is committed to improving inclusivity and expertise in mainstream schools, as well as ensuring special schools cater to those with the most complex needs, restoring parents’ trust that their child will get the support they need. This includes strengthening accountability for inclusivity, including through Ofsted, and encouraging schools to set up resourced provision or special educational needs units to increase capacity in mainstream schools.

High quality teaching is central to ensuring that all pupils, including those with SEND, are given the best possible opportunity to achieve in their education and as they move into adult life. The department is committed to recruiting an additional 6,500 new expert teachers over the course of this parliament. To support all teachers, the department is implementing a range of teacher training reforms to ensure teachers have the skills to support all pupils to succeed, including those with SEND.

On 1 September 2024, the government introduced a new mandatory leadership level qualification for special educational needs co-ordinators (SENCOs). The qualification will play a key role in improving outcomes for pupils with SEND, by ensuring SENCOs consistently receive high quality, evidence-based training on how best to support children with SEND.

The department is also providing almost £1 billion more for high needs budgets in the 2025/26 financial year, bringing total high needs funding to £11.9 billion. This funding will help local authorities and schools with the increasing costs of supporting children and young people with complex SEND. The department has also announced £740 million of high needs capital funding for the 2025/26 financial year to invest in places for children and young people with SEND or who require alternative provision.
wrans/answers2025-01-21 conversation_112
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-01-21)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-01-21 conversation_112

James McMurdock:To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment her Department has made of the potential impact of the increase in employer National Insurance contributions on SEND transport to educational institutions. \p Catherine McKinnell: I refer the hon. Member for South Basildon and East Thurrock to the answer of 16 December 2024 to Question 19397.
wrans/answers2025-01-21 conversation_113
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-01-21)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-01-21 conversation_113

Chris Hinchliff:To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what hat assessment she has made of potential steps to improve and the (a) pay and (b) working conditions of supply teachers in North East Hertfordshire constituency. \p Catherine McKinnell: Supply teachers make an important contribution to the smooth running of schools by filling posts on a temporary basis and covering teacher absences.

A supply teacher’s pay and working conditions will depend on who employs the supply teacher. Supply teachers employed directly by a state maintained school or local authority must be paid in accordance with the statutory arrangements for teachers as set out in the School Teachers’ Pay and Conditions Document (STPCD). If a supply teacher is employed by an agency or non-maintained school, the employer can set the rate of pay and conditions of employment.

Schools and local authorities are responsible for the recruitment of their supply teachers.
wrans/answers2025-01-21 conversation_114
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-01-21)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-01-21 conversation_114

Mike Martin:To ask the Secretary of State for Education, if she will make an assessment of the potential merits of (a) fast-tracking higher-level teaching assistants to become teachers and (b) introducing teaching apprenticeships. \p Catherine McKinnell: Teaching assistants (TAs) play a vital role in children’s education. They are crucial to ensuring we give children the best possible life chances.

The ‘use of teaching assistants in schools’ departmental survey from 2023 found that 23% of TAs with a higher level teaching assistant (HLTA) qualification were ‘extremely’ or ‘very’ interested in undertaking training to become a teacher.

TAs who are interested in gaining qualified teacher status (QTS) can do so through a range of existing routes.

TAs can gain QTS through both fee-funded and salaried Initial Teacher Training (ITT). Salaried routes allow TAs to continue to earn an income and may provide the opportunity to remain employed by their current school.

Salaried ITT includes School Direct (salaried) routes and the Postgraduate Teacher Apprenticeship (PGTA) for TAs with an undergraduate degree, and the Teacher Degree Apprenticeship (TDA) for those without an undergraduate degree.

Teaching apprenticeships already exist and expand opportunities for people to become excellent teachers and allow successful candidates to earn and learn whilst obtaining QTS. In spring 2024, the Institute for Apprenticeships and Technical Education approved the new TDA standard. Candidate recruitment to the TDA began in autumn 2024 and training will commence in autumn 2025. The PGTA will continue to be available in the 2025/26 academic year.

Some TAs with an undergraduate degree and significant teaching experience may be eligible for the assessment only route to QTS. This route allows experienced teachers to gain QTS without undertaking additional training. To be eligible, currently, candidates must be able to demonstrate that they meet the Teachers' Standards without further training and have evidence of teaching experience (i) in at least two schools (ii) for at least two years.
wrans/answers2025-01-21 conversation_115
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-01-21)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-01-21 conversation_115

James McMurdock:To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how many children with SEND use provided travel to and from educational facilities (a) nationally, (b) in Essex and (c) in South Basildon and East Thurrock constituency. \p Catherine McKinnell: The department does not currently routinely collect data about the number of children who have their home-to-school travel arranged by local authorities. We intend to improve our data in this area so that local authorities can benchmark themselves against similar authorities and learn from one another, and so that central and local government have the robust evidence required to inform decision making.

In February 2025, the department will start collecting data about home-to-school travel from local authorities. This will be a voluntary data collection at first, with the intention to make it mandatory once it is established.
wrans/answers2025-01-21 conversation_116
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-01-21)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-01-21 conversation_116

Jenny Riddell-Carpenter:To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how much additional funding her Department has allocated for special educational needs provision by Suffolk County Council following the Autumn Budget 2024. \p Catherine McKinnell: This government’s ambition is that all children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) or in alternative provision receive the right support to succeed in their education and as they move into adult life.

Following the Autumn Budget 2024, the department is providing an increase of almost £1 billion for high needs budgets in England in the 2025/26 financial year, bringing total high needs funding for children and young people with complex SEND to £11.9 billion. Of that total, Suffolk County Council is being allocated over £124 million through the high needs funding block of the dedicated schools grant (DSG), an increase of £10.3 million on this year’s DSG high needs block, calculated using the high needs national funding formula (NFF). This NFF allocation is a 9% increase per head of their 2 to 18-year-old population, on their equivalent 2024/25 NFF allocation.

As also announced at the Autumn Budget 2024, the department is receiving compensation in recognition of the increase in National Insurance contributions paid by schools and other state-funded SEND provision. That funding is additional to the £1 billion increase in high needs funding. Due to timing constraints, it will be provided as a separate grant, alongside the 2025/26 DSG for local authorities. The department will provide further information on the allocations as soon as possible.
wrans/answers2025-01-21 conversation_117
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-01-21)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-01-21 conversation_117

Mims Davies:To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps she plans to take to implement inclusivity and expertise in mainstream schools. \p Catherine McKinnell: This government’s ambition is that all children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) or in alternative provision receive the right support to succeed in their education and as they move into adult life.

The department is committed to improving inclusivity and expertise in mainstream schools, as well as ensuring special schools cater to those with the most complex needs, restoring parents’ trust that their child will get the support they need. The department will also strengthen accountability on mainstream settings to be inclusive, including through Ofsted, and encourage schools to set up resourced provision or special educational needs units to increase capacity in mainstream schools.

We are already making progress by investing £1 billion into SEND and £740 million for councils to create more specialist places in mainstream schools.

Additionally, the department is committed to recruiting an additional 6,500 new expert teachers over the course of this Parliament. To support all teachers, we are also implementing a range of teacher training reforms to ensure teachers have the skills to support all pupils to succeed, including those with SEND.

This support includes a new mandatory leadership level qualification for special educational needs co-ordinators (SENCOs) which the government introduced in September 2024. The qualification will play a key role in improving outcomes for pupils with SEND, by ensuring SENCOs consistently receive high-quality, evidence-based training on how best to support children with SEND.
wrans/answers2025-01-21 conversation_118
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-01-21)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-01-21 conversation_118

Antonia Bance:To ask the Secretary of State for Education, with reference to page 86 of the document entitled Academies consolidated annual report and accounts: 2021 to 2022, published on 5 February 2024, whether it is her Department's policy that off-payroll arrangements can be used for the payment of (a) headteachers, (b) governors, (c) other senior staff of schools in the maintained sector. \p Catherine McKinnell: The School Teachers’ Pay and Conditions Document (STPCD) sets out the headteacher pay ranges and maintained schools must adhere to these statutory requirements. The STPCD also applies to other teachers in leadership, excluding some roles such as school business managers, and covers the arrangements for those on payroll. The STPCD can be accessed at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/school-teachers-pay-and-conditions.

There is no legal power for schools, local authorities or the government to pay individuals on maintained school governing bodies for their governance duties.

Local authorities would be best placed to provide information on off-payroll arrangements in maintained schools.
wrans/answers2025-01-21 conversation_119
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-01-21)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-01-21 conversation_119

Mr Richard Holden:To ask the hon. Member for Blaenau Gwent and Rhymney, representing the House of Commons Commission, what guidance the House of Commons issues to hon. Members on declaring reportable gifts, donations or hospitality which are returned or reimbursed within 28 days of receipt; and whether reportable gifts, donations or hospitality which are returned or reimbursed after 28 days of receipt are recorded in the Register of Members’ Financial Interests. \p Nick Smith: Registration requirements are set out in the Code of Conduct together with the Guide to the Rules relating to the Conduct of Members, approved by the House on 12 December 2022. (https://publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm5803/cmcode/1083/1083.pdf)

Paragraph 5 of the Code provides that new Members must register all their current financial interests, and any registrable benefits (other than earnings) received in the 12 months before their election within one month of their election, and Members must register any change in those registrable interests within 28 days. Gifts, donations or hospitality are registrable from the day of receipt (whether or not subsequently repaid). The 28-day period is provided to enable time for registration for the purpose of transparency.

Members are encouraged to seek advice from the Registrar of Members’ Financial Interests if they are in any doubt about whether a proposed course of action is in line with the rules.
wrans/answers2025-01-21 conversation_120
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-01-21)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-01-21 conversation_120

Helen Maguire:To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what discussions she has had with individual police forces on ensuring a timely administration of the Immediate Choice Police pension group to receive their McCloud remedy pension payments. \p Dame Diana Johnson: While the Home Office has responsibility for overarching policy and legislative changes to the police pension regulations, the police pension scheme is locally administered by individual police forces.

It is for each Chief Constable, in their role as scheme manager for their force, to determine their administrative timetable, including when remedy payments will be distributed.

The Home Office is actively collaborating with policing to support the effective implementation of the McCloud remedy for all affected individuals.
wrans/answers2025-01-21 conversation_121
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-01-21)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-01-21 conversation_121

Dr Neil Shastri-Hurst:To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps her Department is taking to help ensure that police resources for tackling knife crime at a local level are used effectively. \p Dame Diana Johnson: This Government has set out an unprecedented mission to halve knife crime over the next decade.

As part of the £1 billion increase for policing in 2025-6 set out by the Home Secretary at the provisional police funding settlement, the Home Office is providing £49.7m for the continuation of the Violence Reduction Unit programme in 20 areas across England and Wales.

VRUs are delivering a whole system approach to tackling violence, including knife crime, bringing key local partners together to understand the local drivers of violence, and agree and deliver a coordinated response, including delivery of early intervention and prevention programmes aimed at diverting young people from involvement in crime and violence.

We will continue to build on, and learn from, this work during the development of our new Young Futures Programme
wrans/answers2025-01-21 conversation_122
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-01-21)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-01-21 conversation_122

Nick Timothy:To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if she will hold discussions with responsible authorities on taking steps to tackle (a) unlawful gambling, (b) unlawful street vendors, (c) unlawful parking and (d) unlicensed pedicabs on Westminster Bridge; and who the responsible authorities are. \p Dame Diana Johnson: The Home Office is unable to provide the information requested. You may wish to direct your query to; the Department for Culture, Media and Sport regarding unlawful gambling, the Department for Transport and Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government regarding unlawful parking and the Department for Transport regarding unlicenced pedicabs.

The Home Office has no plans to hold talks as this is not a matter for the Home Office.
wrans/answers2025-01-21 conversation_123
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-01-21)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-01-21 conversation_123

Nick Timothy:To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if she will make it her policy to reduce the legal age for tattoos to 16 under the Tattooing of Minors Act 1969. \p Dame Diana Johnson: The Home Office keeps all such matters under review.
wrans/answers2025-01-21 conversation_124
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-01-21)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-01-21 conversation_124

Nick Timothy:To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if she will take steps to reform industrial relation practices in the (a) fire and rescue service and (b) police service. \p Dame Diana Johnson: The Government continues to work closely with the relevant police and fire authorities across the country to ensure that they are providing the level of service that the public expect, and that each service has the personnel, resources, equipment and training to do their jobs effectively.

Maintaining effective industrial relations is a routine part and objective of this engagement.
wrans/answers2025-01-21 conversation_125
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-01-21)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-01-21 conversation_125

Mims Davies:To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what timetable she has set for establishing specialist rape and sexual offences teams in every police force. \p Jess Phillips: This Government recognises the devastating impact of sexual violence and that’s why tackling rape and sexual offences is a key part of our mission to halve Violence Against Women and Girls.

It is essential for police forces to have the right specialist capability to support victims and bring perpetrators to justice. This is why we are working closely with policing to ensure every force has a specialist rape and sexual offences team.

Further details will be announced in due course.
wrans/answers2025-01-21 conversation_126
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-01-21)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-01-21 conversation_126

Mims Davies:To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what timetable she has set to introduce domestic abuse experts in 999 control rooms. \p Jess Phillips: From early this year, under a new approach named ‘Raneem’s Law’, domestic abuse specialists will begin to be embedded in 999 control rooms to advise on risk assessments, work with officers on the ground and ensure that victims are referred to appropriate support services swiftly. Exact timings will be confirmed in due course.
wrans/answers2025-01-21 conversation_127
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-01-21)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-01-21 conversation_127

Mims Davies:To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether she plans to amend police funding to help tackle extreme misogyny. \p Jess Phillips: The Home Office announced the 2025-2026 police funding settlement before Christmas. It provides funding of up to £19.5 billion for the policing system in England and Wales, an overall increase of up to £1 billion when compared to the 2024-25 settlement, and equating to a 5.5% cash increase, and 3% real terms increase in funding. Total funding to police forces will be up to £17.4 billion, an increase of up to £987 million compared to the 2024-25 settlement. Decisions on how funding is used is an operational matter for Chief Constables and locally elected Police and Crime Commissioners.

We are also working closely with the policing sector to deliver improvements in the police response to violence against women and girls (VAWG), including by embedding domestic abuse specialists in 999 control rooms.
wrans/answers2025-01-21 conversation_128
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-01-21)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-01-21 conversation_128

Adam Jogee:To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what data her Department holds on the total number of calls Staffordshire Police have received requesting help on domestic abuse incidents between 20 December 2024 and 2 January 2025. \p Jess Phillips: The Home Office does not hold this data.
wrans/answers2025-01-21 conversation_129
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-01-21)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-01-21 conversation_129

Adam Jogee:To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what her Department's planned timetable is for implementing the recommendations of the Final report of the Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse, published in October 2022. \p Jess Phillips: On 16 January the Home Secretary set out to Parliament the steps the Government is taking forward to tackle the terrible crimes of child sexual exploitation and abuse.

This includes setting out a clear timetable, before Easter, for taking forward the 20 recommendations from the final Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse (IICSA) report and implementing all the remaining recommendations in IICSA’s separate standalone report on child sexual exploitation by organised networks from February 2022.
wrans/answers2025-01-21 conversation_130
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-01-21)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-01-21 conversation_130

Rupert Lowe:To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what the (a) nationality, (b) ethnicity, (c) gender and (d) age is of the victims of Pakistani heritage grooming gangs. \p Jess Phillips: The Government continues to invest in a range of work to strengthen law enforcement capacity and capability to tackle child sexual abuse and exploitation, including group-based offending. We support the Child Sexual Exploitation Police Taskforce, which has a continuous professional development offer for police forces, aiming to upskill forces and improve the investigative response to child sexual exploitation, including group-based offending. We also invest in the Prevention Programme, delivered by The Children’s Society, which works to raise awareness of child exploitation, including child sexual exploitation, through upskilling safeguarding staff at all levels and improving local system responses to child exploitation. This includes working closely with local policing partners.

The Government also remains committed to continuing close collaboration with international partners to establish common global standards, share best practice and insights, and build international capacity to combat these horrific crimes.

To preserve the independence of the judiciary, the Lord Chief Justice (LCJ), the Senior President of Tribunals, and the Chief Coroner have statutory responsibility for judicial training, under the Constitutional Reform Act 2005, Courts and Enforcement Act 2007, and Coroners and Justice Act 2009 respectively. These responsibilities are exercised through the Judicial College.

Further to my previous response, the Child Sexual Exploitation Police Taskforce has brought together the best police data that is currently available on group-based child sexual exploitation and abuse, in its publication of November 2024.

I refer the Rt Hon Member to The Home Secretary’s statement on 16 January, which set out the actions the Government is taking forward to improve our response to and understand of child sexual exploitation and abuse that is committed by Pakistani heritage grooming gangs. This includes improving the data available on the perpetration of these crimes, as part of which the Home Secretary has asked the Child Sexual Exploitation Police Taskforce to expand the ethnicity data it collects and publishes – in particular by gathering data from the end of the investigation when a fuller picture is available.

The Home Secretary is also appointing Baroness Louise Casey to lead a rapid three-month audit to improve our understanding of the scale, nature and drivers of group-based child sexual exploitation and abuse at a national and local level, including what is known about the demographics of perpetrators and victims, and to make recommendations on what additional action is needed to improve our response.
wrans/answers2025-01-21 conversation_131
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-01-21)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-01-21 conversation_131

Nick Timothy:To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, when she plans to respond to the consultation on Alcohol in licensed pavement areas; and what her policy is on (a) pavement licences and (b) takeaway pints. \p Dame Diana Johnson: The Government is carefully considering the results of the recent consultation and will publish these shortly alongside next steps.

The Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG) is responsible for pavement licences. The Government supports the use of pavement licences to encourage better use of outdoor space on our high streets, supporting businesses and revitalising the spaces that communities use. We have no plans to change the streamlined application process introduced under the last government.
wrans/answers2025-01-21 conversation_132
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-01-21)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-01-21 conversation_132

Nick Timothy:To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps she is taking to implement the provisions on foreign interference in the National Security Act 2023 that have yet to be commenced. \p Dan Jarvis: I refer the Hon Member to the answer I gave him on 17 December to Question UIN 18703.
wrans/answers2025-01-21 conversation_133
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-01-21)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-01-21 conversation_133

Rupert Lowe:To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to the Answer of 16 December 2024 to Question 18440 on Visas: Families, whether her Department collects data on the immigration status of sponsors for family visa applications. \p Seema Malhotra: There are a number of different family application routes including partner, parent, child and adult dependent relative and the immigration status requirements vary depending on the route. We routinely check the immigration status of those who sponsor family applications for permission to enter or stay in the UK when deciding an application, but there is no centrally maintained record of that data.

A range of processing and decision data, which includes data on family visa applications, can be found at: Immigration system statistics data tables – https://www.gov.uk/government/statistical-data-sets/immigration-system-statistics-data-tables and Migration transparency data: https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/migration-transparency-data.
wrans/answers2025-01-21 conversation_134
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-01-21)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-01-21 conversation_134

Alicia Kearns:To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps her Department is taking to prevent neglect of monkeys used for medical research. \p Dan Jarvis: The Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986 (ASPA) provides protections for animals in the UK used in scientific procedures. All establishments licensed to breed or supply animals, or to carry out regulated procedures on animals, in Great Britain under ASPA must comply with the Code of Practice which sets out standards for the appropriate care and accommodation of animals, including for non-human primates (monkeys). The Regulator conducts regular on-site audits to assess compliance. Non-human primates are afforded ‘specially protected species’ status in the law, which necessitates greater oversight by the Regulator.
wrans/answers2025-01-21 conversation_135
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-01-21)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-01-21 conversation_135

Dr Neil Shastri-Hurst:To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps she is taking with Cabinet colleagues to help deter Russian interference in democratic processes in the UK. \p Dan Jarvis: Protecting the integrity and security of UK democratic processes from threats of foreign interference is a priority across government.

The National Security Act 2023 provides the security services and law enforcement agencies with the tools and powers they need to deter, detect, and disrupt modern-day state threats. The Act includes the Foreign Interference Offence and the Foreign Influence Registration Scheme (FIRS), both of which will contribute to the toolkit available to law enforcement and the intelligence agencies to disrupt foreign interference activity, protect the British public and address the evolving threat to our national security.

The Defending Democracy Taskforce also seeks to protect the democratic integrity of the UK from threats of foreign influence. The Taskforce works across government and with Parliament, the UK’s intelligence community, the devolved administrations, local authorities, the private sector, and civil society on the full range of threats facing our democratic institutions.

In recent years, the UK has taken several measures to clamp down on the malign activities of the Russian State and its intelligence services, which have been supported across Parliament. These include the expulsion of 24 Russian intelligence officers from the Russian Embassy; the sanctioning of individuals responsible for malign activity against the UK and our allies; and exposing Russia’s malicious cyber activity.